Travel report: Cycling Holidays along the Aare
From our guest Jenny
Jenny from England decided to take on the Aare Cycle Path in the summer of 2019. She chose to arrive early and visit the beautiful cities of Geneva and Laussane. Finally on the bike she cycled from Bern to Zurich, visiting Biel, Solothurn and Aarau, and was just amazed by the beautiful landscapes.
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Day 1: Geneva
As we live in England, we fly out instead of driving (as I imagine many German people do). This year, we flew to Geneva then took the train to Lausanne and then to Bern before we got started on the cycling!
We flew to Geneva and took a walking tour. The Geneva Convention was signed right here at the Hotel de Ville (town hall) in 1864. The Jet d'Eau is so impressive and Lake Geneva offers opportunities for beautiful photos. Don't forget to visit St. Pierre's Cathedral.
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Day 2: Lausanne
On our second day we took the train from Geneva to Lausanne.
Once there, the hotel will give you free tickets for the Metro. The Olympic Museum was so interesting that we spent the whole day there! You can see Usain Bolt's running vest!
Day 3: Bern
The next day the train whizzed us to Bern.
It's the birthplace of Albert Einstein and you can visit his former house. Don't forget to find the Zytglogge and the Kindlifresserbrunnen. If the weather is hot, join the Swiss and jump in the Aare. Let the current carry you upstream!
Cycling day 1: Bern - Biel
At last, we were off on our bikes. How pretty it is cycling along by the River Aare. This beautiful quote was written over the doorway of a barn we cycled past:
"Wenn du das Geheimnis kennst, den Augenblick zu nutzen, kennst du das ganze Geheimnis des Lebens.“
("If you know the secret of seizing the moment, you know the whole secret of life.")
It's a great quote for a cycling holiday!
Cycling Day 2: Biel - Solothurn
Do we try to speak French or German here? Why not mix it up in the same sentence! Look at the sign we saw above a store!
Büren is a picturesque place to stop for a break. We cycled through the covered wooden bridge and walked through the town to visit the pretty watermill.
In Solothurn, we got a take-out at Pittaria which serves authentic Middle Eastern stuffed pitta. Some guidebooks say it's the best take away in Switzerland! Make sure you soak up the lively atmosphere in the evening here!
Cycling Day 3: Solothurn - Aarau
There was lots of evidence of beavers today as we cycled to Aarau. Look out for felled trees and dams. What a pretty town Aarau is! We took a stroll around in the evening, looking up at the pretty, painted gables on the buildings which this town is famous for.
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Cycling Day 4: Aarau - Zürich
You might spot a red squirrel or a kingfisher as we did, cycling along by the Aare. Baden (in Aargau) is about halfway along the route to Zurich. We looked back for a picture postcard view of this lovely town on the Limmat as we reached the end of our tour. In Zurich we took a guided tour of Swiss history at the Landesmuseum. What a complicated history for a small country!
It was a great cycling tour - lots to see, lots of fun!
