Montreux is the “Queen” of my heart!

Since Switzerland borders three countries, it is possible to experience three different Switzerlands. With my Swiss home base in the German region, it was time to visit the French region. Lausanne was our final destination of the day, however we planned to make two stops, so we headed out early.

Our first stop of the day was in a beautiful lakeside town of Glion. My goodness, I don’t think I have ever visited a more scenic location. We opted for some wine and cheese at the exquisite Hotel Victoria Glion. The grounds of this hotel were like no other; offering breathtaking views from the gardens overlooking Lake Leman. Fantastic views, delicious cheese, and tasty wine, Hotel Victoria Glion was a delightful experience. Maybe next time I visit, I will get to reserve a room at the hotel.

Sated and giddy, we were off to our next stop of the day: Montreux!

Something to know about me is that before traveling to a new place, I always look up if there are any notable or weird statues worth visiting. Well, in Montreux there is a Freddie Mercury (of Queen fame) statue. Freddie fell in love with Montreux and Lake Geneva and took up residence there. After his death, the people of Montreux erected a statue in his honor. Since we basically had to pass through Montreux to get to Lausanne, my friends and I decided to stop for a few minutes so I could hop out and snap a pic of the statue. When we arrived, there were crowds of people milling about. As it turned out, much to our surprise and delight, it just so happened to be the annual Freddie Mercury birthday celebration. Live performers, food, drinks, and art installations filled the square. We could not believe our luck! We only stayed for one band, so I am not sure what the rest were like, but the one band we got to see was a group of female lip syncing Queen impersonators. So. Much. Fun.

I couldn’t help but tear up as I looked around and saw the joy on everyones faces. I thought about how lucky we were, to be where we were, at that very moment. Truly a wonderful experience.

Soon enough, it was time to head to our final destination of the day: Lausanne.

I was lucky enough to be traveling Switzerland with someone who was born in Lausanne, so she took me to all the special places. Did you know that Lausanne is the Olympic Capital? If you know me, you know that I LOVE the Olympics. Every 2 years, you’ll catch me watching the opening ceremonies eating only circular foods (like the Olympic rings, duh!) and cheering on Team USA. So I was super excited to be in THE Olympic Capital. After meandering through the halls and reveling over the flags festooned above my head, it was time to head into the Old Town. At the heart of Old Town sits Lausanne Cathedral. The views from the top are simply stunning. I understand why Lausanne has been named one of the best in the world.