Make the most of Swiss getaway in 2-city trip with famous lake, mountain train ride, Fifa HQ & Olympic Games museum

The Irish Sun

2 days ago

RIGHT now, Switzerland has the eyes of football fans all over the world on it as the country hosts this year's Women's Euros.
Before
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Switzerland was well worth the short visit
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My adventure began with an early flight from Dublin Airport to Geneva
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We ate on a terrace over Lake Geneva at The Lacustre
Credit: Jodie McCormack / The Irish Sun
And while
My adventure began with an early flight from
The Ibis brand operates a range of hotels across Europe, categorised into Ibis Budget, Ibis Styles, and standard Ibis hotels.
Each Ibis Styles hotel features a themed interior inspired by its location, and Geneva's is comic books.
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Each room features a mural designed by local artists, giving the walls a vibrant comic book style and the hallways are equally striking, resembling an art gallery with colourful sketches and designs.
The curtains are cleverly designed so that guests sitting by the windows appear to be in a comic book when viewed from the street – a fantastic touch that adds to the hotel's unique character.
One of the perks for travellers to the city is that those staying in approved accommodation are entitled to free public transport - ibis was included, so we boarded a tram free of charge and then headed out to Lausanne on a 35-minute train ride.
After a short walk from the train station we were standing on the banks of the world-famous Lake Geneva.
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The Olympic museum overlooks the water. It is surrounded by amazing grounds, refreshments are available and you can try your luck at sports including the 100m race or the shotput.
Inside there was a range of unseen snapshots from the 2024 Olympics, which I found so interesting, having listened to so much about the games given Ireland's success last summer.
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All eyes are on Switzerland as the country hosts this year's Women's Euros
Credit: Maja Hitij - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images
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The Olympic museum also featured memorabilia from both summer and winter games
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I travelled to Zurich for the second part of my Switzerland adventure
Credit: Alamy
There were also the Olympic torches dating back decades, including the 2024 one. How many people can say they've held the Olympic torch? Now, I can.
The museum also featured memorabilia from both summer and winter games, including old kits, shoes, and equipment. children under 15 can visit free while adults' tickets work out at around €21.40.
For dinner we went to The Lacustre, just a 15-minute walk from the museum, where we ate on a terrace over Lake Geneva.
The restaurant had a great range of pastas, burgers and meat dishes along with delicious cocktails. I went for the garlic oil pasta, which I tucked into as we watched ships come and go against the background of blue water and mountains.
WALKING TOUR
After sleeping like a baby in the hotel and having a refreshing wash in the waterfall shower it was time for day two.
Fuelled by a buffet-style breakfast of pastries and traditional Swiss bircher muesli, we set out on a walking tour of Geneva with a local tour guide.
This was a great way to explore the area with someone in the know.
The highlight was visiting the Jet d'Eau de Genève, a large fountain that shoots 500 litres of water per second to 150 metres.
HOP ON A TRAIN
It is the city's most famous landmark and located where Lake Geneva exits as the Rhone river.
Saying goodbye to Geneva, it was time to hop on a train to Zurich for the second part of my
Departing from Renens VD, we embarked on the three-hour train ride through the Swiss countryside.
Don't let the journey time put you off as it is a great way to see the magnificent mountains and quaint towns of Switzerland, all from the comfort of your seat.
BUDGET-FRIENDLY
A 15-minute tram ride from the train station took us to Ibis Zurich City West, the second hotel of our stay.
While this is a more budget-friendly hotel, it shares facilities and even a lobby area with the four-star Novotel next door.
And guests of the Ibis hotel can use facilities such as the pool, gym and sauna for a small daily fee, meaning you get the benefits of a four-star hotel without forking out for the whole stay.
On our second walking tour of the day we visited the Lindenhof, a must-see park to take in breathtaking panoramic views of the city.
SEE EVERYTHING
You can see everything from City Hall and the Limmat river to the Old Town and Grossmünster church.
After a long day of exploring, it was back to the hotel for dinner at FLAVE, a shared restaurant between Ibis and Novotel, where we shared a delicious meat platter among the table before opting for a mouthwatering steak for mains. The meals were reasonably priced at between €20 to €30.
The next morning brought the highlight of our trip, the Fifa museum, which houses more than 1,000 exhibits of both men and women's soccer across several floors.
The Women's Euros 2025 is running in eight venues across the country until July 27, with 16 teams competing.
MUST-VISIT
And with Switzerland home to both the Fifa headquarters and the Olympic headquarters it is a must-visit for sports lovers, especially if you're quick and can catch one of the Euros matches.
Given the fact the Women's Euros are on, I was delighted to see such a focus on women's soccer in the museum.
A pop-up exhibition is running until August 17 called The History of Women's Football in Switzerland, detailing key moments in the game over the years.
The museum is extremely interactive and great for young children, with a whole skills lab dedicated to testing out your various sporting skills, this could keep even adults entertained for hours.
LAST OUTING
Tickets are just €15 for kids and €27.73 for adults when booked online.
To mark my last outing in Switzerland, I headed to Zeughauskeller, a traditional eatery in Zurich.
On my server's recommendation, I opted for Vaudois Saucisson with potato rosti, priced at €31.
The rosti, a cross between a hash brown and roast potato, paired perfectly with the pork sausage smoked in bacon and white wine.
As a somewhat picky eater I was blown away by just how delicious the meal was.
However, after ending on a high note it was time to head back to the hotel and jump in a taxi to the airport, but with just three days there, I learned a lot about Switzerland — and a lot more about sport.
GO: GENEVA AND ZURICH
GET THERE:
I flew from Dublin to Geneva with Aer Lingus on the way over and back with Air France in June for less than €300 return.
STAY THERE:
Ibis Styles Genéve Carouge rates start from €166 per night for a room.
DO THERE:
A walk by Lake Geneva in Lausanne is a must. The city offers so many little stores to pop in for a coffee or cold drink, and just stroll around at your leisure.
EAT/DRINK THERE:
Café Dessiné at Ibis Styles Genéve Carouge - you are in Switzerland so make sure to try their sweet treats.