Travel Diaries: Geneva, Switzerland and Chamonix & Mont Blanc, France

While traveling I find it really hard to remember to write down what I did everyday. But I also have a terrible memory so I find myself struggling to recall details a week after I've returned. I figured an online account of what I've done would be a great space for me to share my journeys and hopefully to positively impact someone else's.

The first "solo" trip I went on was actually with a few Australians I had met while studying at Bristol. We had met at Study Abroad Orientation and all got on really well so decided to embark on a few trips together during the semester. The first trip was a week before my 20th birthday and it was to Geneva, Switzerland for a long weekend. We chose Geneva because Ryanair had really cheap flights directly from Bristol Airport, but after booking we realized that 4 days might be too long in the not-so-large city. Upon talking to my grandparents and hearing their suggestions for great nearby day trips, we decided to be adventurous and head to Chamonix, in the French Alps just across the border to get the best view of Mont Blanc, the tallest mountain in Europe.

Our four day weekend that we thought we were planning great for began falling apart a bit as we realized there were no cheap hostels for the duration of our stay. In the end it all worked out and we ended up booking a slightly more expensive hostel for the first night and moving to a much better, and cheaper hostel for the second night. It also started becoming a debacle when there was some trouble deciding who was going and whether everyone was going to get there the same way. All in all, it worked out, and we all had a great time together!

The first day we got there at night and went straight to our hostel, settled in and then decided to have a fun night out in the city. Only to realize upon looking at a few menus that everywhere in Geneva is far too expensive for a college students budget! We didn't let it ruin our vibe though and had a fun first night and prepared to get up early to see the city the next day. the following day we got up early and started touring the city by foot. The first place on the agenda was the United Nations Headquarters because it wasn't too far from our hostel. We hadn't realized it but it was Open Day and there were food trucks, free goodies, tours, bands, and many more activities going on so it ended up being the perfect day to spend there. We were so lucky with gorgeous weather as well. From inside the UN you can see perfectly across Lake Geneva and the whole city, it was a marvellous experience. We spent most of the day exploring the UN campus and the surrounding parks since we knew we would have plenty of time to see the rest of the city on Monday.

The following day was our day trip to Chamonix and Mont Blanc. We booked our trip through Viator which I have absolutely loved for booking trips (thanks to my grandparents suggestion), I have had so many great experiences with them. The trip was a full day excursion, wandering around Chamonix and getting breath taking views of Mont Blanc, and a fun little hike through (a very easy) part of the alps was arranged. We had such a great day there and were all glad to have been able to get out of the city and go on a bit of a nature walk.

On our last day in Geneva we had a bit of a relaxing morning and then set out to see the main sights of the city. The Jet d'eau and the Flower Clock were must dos, as was climbing to the top of the cathedral and venturing into quirky parts of town.

Jet d'eau, Geneva 

Hike in French Alps

UN Headquarters, Geneva

Flower Clock, Geneva

Chamonix, France

Chamonix, France

Geneva, Switzerland

Mont Blanc

Views from the hike through the Alps

UN Headquarters, Geneva

Views from the cathedral in Geneva

Quirky streets of Geneva

All in all, I had a blast in Geneva. It was a beautiful time of year to visit (early October) and it was not a hustling, bustling, overwhelming city. There was so much beauty to take in and so many incredible places near by that I hope to go to someday. The only thing I would say is that maybe it's not the most budget friendly when it comes to food... we ended up getting most of our meals from a Lidl down the street from our hostel!