December 2021. The world had just begun to breathe again. Travel was possible but not without paperwork, those annoying Covid-19 swabs, and plenty of nerves. Flights were still half-empty, tickets were cheaper than they had been in years, and for the first time since the pandemic began, we felt the pull of going somewhere far, beyond the virtual and physical borders that pandemic has set on us for a couple of years.
We chose Switzerland.
It was never going to be enough. A week in Switzerland is a teaser at best, some might even call it unfair. But for us it was the perfect way to taste freedom again. To see mountains instead of screens, to hear the crunch of snow instead of news bulletins. They say Switzerland is seeing is believing, and they are right.
This is the story of how my wife and I spent one week in a country that left us certain we would return.
Zurich and Interlaken: A Quick First Taste
We landed in Zurich on a crisp winter morning. The airport was calm, almost too calm, a reminder that international travel had yet to bounce back. With our Swiss Travel Pass in hand, we stepped straight onto the train from the airport to the city centre. That pass became our best friend for the week. Expensive, yes, but worth every franc for the freedom it gave us to hop on trains, trams, buses, and even ferries without a second thought.Zurich gave us only half a day. We walked its streets with the urgency of people who knew they did not have much time. The city unfolded in layers: medieval lanes twisting into wide boulevards, shop windows glowing with Christmas displays, and the slow rhythm of trams gliding past. By the river, the air was sharp and clean, the kind that makes you stop just to breathe. It was easy to see why Zurich is loved for its order and beauty, yet we also knew it was not the city to base ourselves in. It was a gateway, a place to set the tone before heading deeper.
The next morning we boarded a train bound for Interlaken, a detour we almost skipped. It turned out to be one of the best decisions of the trip. The journey itself was half the reward: villages blanketed in snow, frozen lakes glinting in the sun, and peaks that looked like they had been drawn with impossible precision. By the time we rolled into Interlaken, the view outside the station alone was enough to convince us we had arrived somewhere special.
Winter had quieted the town. Streets were hushed, shops unhurried. We wandered, stopping often just to take in the scale of the mountains around us. Interlaken is known as a base for skiing and adventure sports, but you do not need to ski to fall in love with it.
That afternoon we rented kayaks and pushed out into icy water. The lake was so still that our paddles sounded like small thunderclaps. Snow-covered peaks stood guard in every direction, mirrored on the surface so perfectly it felt like paddling through a painting. For two hours there was nothing but the rhythm of paddling and the occasional laugh we shared, grateful for such opportunity to experience the beautiful God’s creation. Alhamdulillah.
As the sun dipped, the town glowed under a soft winter light. We caught one last glimpse of the lake before boarding the evening train, already knowing that Interlaken was the kind of place you plan to see again, properly, with more time.
Zermatt: In the Shadow of the Matterhorn
Every country has an icon. For Switzerland, it is the Matterhorn. You see it on chocolate wrappers and postcards, but nothing prepares you for the real thing.
Zermatt itself feels like a world apart. No cars, just electric carts gliding through snow-dusted lanes lined with wooden chalets. The air was thinner, colder, sharper. And towering above it all, the Matterhorn stood like a watchful giant.
We based ourselves in the town for a couple of nights, determined to see it from as many angles as possible. The Gornergrat Bahn took us higher into the mountains where the view widened into a 360-degree panorama of peaks. From one spot you could see glaciers spilling down valleys, sunlight turning snow into diamonds, and the Matterhorn cutting through the sky with that perfect triangular silhouette.
For non-skiers like us, Zermatt still offered plenty. We did a simple snow walk between train stations, a trail quiet enough that our footprints were the only marks in the snow. Back in town, we wandered its streets, found corners perfect for photos, and warmed up with cups of hot chocolate that never tasted so good.
The best moments, though, were the still ones. Standing on a bridge at dusk, watching the mountain turn shades of pink and orange before fading into deep blue night. That view alone was worth the trip.
The Glacier Express: Eight Hours That Flew By
I’ll be honest. I am an aviation guy. I like planes, not trains. So when my better half suggested we ride the Glacier Express, an eight-hour journey from Zermatt to St. Moritz, I expected boredom. I was wrong.
The Glacier Express is not just a train ride. It is a moving postcard. Wide glass windows frame valleys dusted with snow, villages clinging to hillsides, bridges arching over impossible drops, and tunnels that suddenly reveal new worlds. SubhanAllah, at times it felt unreal, as if we had been dropped into a fairytale book.
The train itself was comfortable, almost luxurious. We watched hours pass without ever looking at the clock. At one point I found a window that could be opened and leaned out into the cold, snapping photos as the train curved against mountain backdrops. Those are some of my favourite shots from the trip.
Eight hours never felt so short. By the time we rolled into St. Moritz, I realised this ride had changed the way I thought about trains altogether.
Lucerne: The Perfect Base
Our final stop was Lucerne, where we stayed four days and three nights. If Zurich felt like a gateway, Lucerne felt like home. Centrally located, charming, and full of character, it was the ideal base to explore more of Switzerland.
The town itself was a delight. The Kapellbrücke bridge stretched across the river, its wooden roof dusted with snow. The Lion Monument stood in solemn silence, carved into stone as a reminder of sacrifice.
By day we explored its winding streets, and by night we took photos of the city lights glowing on the lake.
From Lucerne we took day trips to Engelberg and Mount Titlis. We played in the snow like kids, rode cable cars up into the mountains, and stood breathless at the sight of the Alps spreading endlessly in every direction.
The Swiss Transport Museum was another highlight, especially for someone with a passion for aviation and all things that move. Every hall celebrated a different mode of transport, from ships to planes, reminding us how travel itself is part of the adventure.
Winter days ended quickly in Lucerne, but that was not a disadvantage. The early sunsets gave us quiet evenings to walk the city, camera in hand, capturing reflections of bridges and lights dancing on the river.
A Teaser of Many More
A week in Switzerland is not enough. We knew it then and we know it now. But as a first taste after years of being grounded, it was exactly what we needed.
The mountains, the lakes, the towns, the trains. Each moment was a reminder of how lucky we were to travel again, to see new places together, and to fill our memories with sights that no photograph could ever truly capture.
Switzerland is seeing is believing. And now, for us, it is also returning is a must. But tu la… this is one of those destinations that we have to hustle enough and earn enough to repeat… mahal!
