Vevey
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Logistics
Getting There
Vevey sits along Lake Geneva in Switzerland and is quite easy to reach. When traveling outside of Switzerland, fly to Geneva airport. There is a train station directly attached to the Geneva airport. Head this way and download the SBB phone train application. This will help you purchase tickets electronically. Alternatively, you can buy tickets at a kiosk or use the trainline app to purchase tickets. Trains should be fairly frequent from Geneva to Vevey and the journey time is approximately an hour.
Getting Around
Once in Vevey, the town is quite small and can easily be explored on foot. If visiting Vevey, there’s a good chance you will be looking to enjoy the mountains and explore neighboring areas. With this intention, it is especially helpful to recognize the public transit in Switzerland is exceptional. Trains are typically on time and thus, if your journey requires a connecting train, you can rest assured there will be limited delays. Although it’s always possible, it’s nice to know that delays are not the norm.
Sometimes buses will help you get closer to your end destination if your looking to start a hike rather than spend time exploring a town. Just take a look in advance to figure out your best route. With all this considered, I did not feel having a car was needed in Switzerland because the transport is so connected and consistent.
Accommodations
Within Vevey, it’s especially nice to stay near the lake. Vevey has an absolutely gorgeous view looking onto the French Alps side of the lake. Although many say the French have the nicer mountains along Lake Geneva, this means that the Swiss side has the nicer view.
Things to do and see
Walk along Lake Geneva
Take a leisurely stroll or nice run along the lake and enjoy the views
Cycle around Lake Geneva
With a distance of approx. 175 km (109 miles), you can bring your own bike or rent one to cycle the distance around the lake, traveling on both the Swiss and French side of the lake
Boat on Lake Geneva
Hop on a boat and see the area from a different vantage point. If you’re lucky to get a rather flat day, it can be very peaceful out on the water with stunning views
GoldenPass Panoramic train
Take this train from Montreux to Gstaad with large windows making it easy to enjoy a scenic ride through the mountains and mountain villages
GoldenPass Belle Epoque Train
Book first class for this train to experience riding in an old fashioned, nice coach. More than traveling from point A to point B, this becomes an experience in the unique cabin
Gstaad
A town that is well known for being a ritzy / bougie area. It attracts a luxury crowd shopping at the likes of Moncler, Ralph Lauren, among other similar brands. A stop through here is all you need, to walk around the town and then sit down for a drink on a nice afternoon
Vineyards
Switzerland produces wine, something many visitors do not realize. A large reason for this is because it is not exported and instead served locally. While the wine is decent, due to the prices to produce the wine in Switzerland, wine makers would need to charge more money if exporting it, while not being able to guarantee better quality than the likes of wine produced in Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal. Thus, it’s nice to try some of the local wines while visiting Switzerland, and you can even visit some vineyards to learn about the wine production here.
Gruyere Castle
Day trip from Vevey to visit the Gruyere Castle
Hiking
Find local trails to explore by foot and enjoy the mountains
Montreux Jazz Festival
Summer music festival in Switzerland running for about two weeks. There are multiple stages, with a few stages where headliners play requiring tickets. The festival has many food trucks, places to grab drinks, and is set-up along the lake. There are gorgeous views and it is an exciting place to watch live music.
Food and Drinks
Hotel Alpenland
Lunch
Lauenen
Great spot to have lunch after hiking in the area, enjoying a seat outside on their terrace on a sunny day
Arctic Juice & Cafe
Cafe
Montreaux
Great place for smoothies, juices, bowls, and brunch options when you’re looking for a healthy pick-me-up.
Le Deck
Drinks
Vaud
This restaurant has a stunning view over Lake Geneva. Stop in here for a meal or just a glass of wine on a nice afternoon.
Les Bains Payes
Lunch
Vevey
Great casual burger spot on the water
Ze Fork
Lunch
Vevey
Great french restaurant for lunch
Li Lo Montreaux
Drinks
Montreaux t
If you’re lucky enough to enjoy Lake Geneva from the water, you can pull your boat up here to grab a drink. Ideal spot for sunset drinks!
Restaurant Lauenensee
Lunch
Lauenensee
Good spot for a mid hike lunch on a nice sunny day
Posthotel Rossli
Drinks
Gstaad
On a nice afternoon, grab a table outside here and enjoy a glass of wine.
Other Notes
Duration
A weekend trip to Vevey is perfect to get a taste of the area, enjoy the location, and explore places nearby. You can leave the town and get out for a hike, visit vineyards, hop on a boat on the water, or be adventurous and try to cycle around the lake. All in all, there’s plenty to do in a weekend trip in Vevey. For the outdoor lovers, one could easily spend longer here and use Vevey as a base to explore hikes, cycle paths and more in the area
Language
Switzerland has four languages: German (often called Swiss German which is slight different), French, Italian and Romansh (a more local language). German is spoken most widely across the country, but many living in Switzerland will be able to speak a few languages. Vevey is in the French part of Switzerland so expect to see the French language on menus and used as the main form of communication here.
Time of year
Spring, Autumn and Summer are ideal times to visit Vevey. In the summer, you can expect it to be busier, but also have a much higher likelihood for nice weather. Alternatively, the late spring and fall can be a nice time to visit with flowers blooming or tree colors changing.
Expense
While Switzerland is a lovely country as a whole to visit, it does come at a price. Switzerland is known for being an expensive place to visit.