An Unforgettable Alpine Experience While Traveling Solo in Switzerland
An opinion piece by Miles Vigna
Why Travel Solo in the First Place?
Traveling solo in a foreign country can be daunting but at the same time, very rewarding. One pro of traveling solo is freedom and flexibility. You have the ability to control your itinerary and make the trip as action-packed as you like. You also have the freedom to linger in a place that you really enjoy and perhaps stay an extra night if you prefer. Another top pro is personal growth. Traveling solo pushes you out of your comfort zone, which in turn, will help you build confidence and independence. You have time to reflect on yourself and grow as a person.
However, there are multiple cons of solo travel as well. For example, having decision fatigue. It can get exhausting always trying to find the next hotel to stay at, the next restaurant, or planning the next activity on your trip. It can feel overwhelming but don’t worry, it’s a completely normal response. Another con is grappling with feelings of loneliness. There might be moments where you wish you had someone to experience it with. Perhaps moments where you feel awkward eating at a restaurant alone and you don’t know what to do with yourself. These are all challenges of traveling solo, but they are challenges that you can overcome!
My Experience in Switzerland
I began my journey from Perugia, Italy, and eventually started my trip in Spiez, Switzerland. I chose Spiez as my starting point because I was looking for a location that was not full of tourism. From Perugia, it is approximately an 8-hour train ride with about three total transfers. I arrived in the afternoon and walked around the town. The next morning, I took a train to Interlaken and walked around the town. After Interlaken, I took a train to Zurich to visit a friend and explore the city. The tram system in Zurich is an excellent way to see more of the city and get around. For me, the one highlight of Zurich was visiting the world-famous zoo. They also have a goat exhibit in which you can pet goats (who doesn’t like goats?)
After visiting Zurich, I went back to the Oberland area. The highlight of my trip was visiting this mountain town called Wengen. I walked around Wengen and took in all the scenery. After Wengen, I explored Lauterbrunnen, which had an incredible waterfall hike that I highly recommend.
One of my biggest regrets of the trip was not purchasing the Swiss Travel Pass. This pass enables you to have unlimited travels by train, bus or boat, and is extremely useful when hopping from mountain town to mountain town (check it out at this link, if you are interested). My trip concluded in Spiez where I reflected on my journey into the Swiss Alps.
The Lessons I learned
This trip was by far one of the most mentally challenging adventures I had ever faced. But at the same time, because of the adversity I faced, it made the experience much more rewarding. Being in the mountain towns and especially Wengen is something I will never forget. It is something that I can think about, and it brings a blanket of peace over me. I encourage you to explore Switzerland and if you do decide to travel solo, I hope these tips will enhance your experience and make your trips more enjoyable.