I can go on and on about our time in the Swiss Alps – and I probably will. I absolutely LOVED every minute of our time there!
Davos may be one of the prettiest towns I've visited - I love Switzerland!
The train ride through Switzerland was absolutely gorgeous! The kids loved seeing the jagged mountains, swift rivers, and countless waterfalls. The cows…oh how they loved the cows! Every cow wore its own collar with a giant cow bell attached. Anyone who knows my children knows how much they want to own their very own cow – seeing these pretty pale brown and gray cows with their “necklaces” on just added to their cow-filled dreams.
After a three hour train ride, we arrived in Davos, Switzerland. It has some similarities to Vail and Aspen in Colorado. I would say that all the charm that people appreciate in the Colorado villages originated in Davos. Basically, developers in Colorado mimicked the town of Davos when they created the ski towns of Aspen and Vail. The town has everything you need – markets, shopping centers, ski trams and gondolas, pristine lakes, lush valleys, and endless hiking trails!! It is certainly a town that I want to return to time and time again.
One of our first sights was Reinerhorn. It is a ski area complete with a gondola, petting zoo, playground, and hiking trails. We took the gondola up the mountain and the views were amazing. All the valleys in the area are a brilliant green and covered with yellow, purple, and pink wildflowers.
Alpine flowers were in bloom.
Once on top of the mountain at Reinerhorn, we hit the trail. I can’t go on enough about how pretty this area is – a must-see!
Hiking atop Reinerhorn.
I think the highlight of Reinerhorn for the kids was the playground.
The playground on Reinerhorn.
A jumbo see-saw, long zip-line, multi-tiered merry-go-round, trampoline, and kid-sized gondola were the favorites in our crowd. Big Fun!
The trampoline was a favorite on top of the mountain.
The playgrounds in the town of Davos were amazing, as well. Zip-lines, treehouses, giant wooden bugs were some of the highlights.
Giant wooden bugs at the playground in Davos.
Treehouse and Slide at the park.
Zip line...need I say more. Getting ready for Costa Rica?
But…nothing beats the giant wooden plane or albatross – especially for a three year old boy.
The Albatross of Davos
We took one afternoon for a hike atop one of the mountains overlooking town. The tram ride was fun for the kids and a nice break from the hills for me. We managed to time it perfectly so that there were no lines and we had the entire tram to ourselves.
Going UP!
The nights were still crisp in the Alps, but luckily we brought enough warm clothes. Most dinners were spent at restaurants with my husband’s co-workers. Lively stories, delicious food, and a glass or two of wine became the norm. One night, one of his Swiss co-workers taught us all how to yodel. I’m not sure if the rest of the restaurant patrons were impressed by a group of 10 adults and 2 kids yodeling in unison – but it sure was fun! Who knows, maybe it will end up on you-tube!
