Hand in hand, we roamed around Switzerland and Italy

Having studied abroad in England, Phuong Truc has had the opportunity to travel to Europe three times and set foot in 10 European countries. Currently, although she is working as an accountant - a somewhat dry job, deep inside she is still a girl who loves to explore, travel and loves beauty.

“I love everything beautiful, from people to life and scenery. I always long to see and touch the perfect beauty that nature has to offer, to immerse myself in enjoying the beautiful life and to preserve that moment with colorful photos,” the 9x girl confided.

Unlike previous trips, Phuong Truc's journey to explore Europe became more special when she accompanied her husband. "This is the first trip to Europe with my husband, so it is very special to me. Not only that, this is also the trip that I get to visit the most beautiful places in my life that I have ever been to." Besides, this trip, she and her husband decided to only last one day and prepare everything for a whole month.

The European discovery tour lasted 17 days, of which two days were for travel, the first two days in Switzerland and 13 days were spent in Italy. Having been to Switzerland in the winter of 2018, this time Phuong Truc only spent a little time experiencing the Rothorn Bahn steam train, Lauternbrunnen village, Lungern lake and Iseltwald. After two days in Switzerland, the road trip of nearly 2,600 km around Italy officially began.

Impressive destinations in Switzerland and Italy

Brienz (Rothorn Bahn steam train)

“The experience of riding the Rothorn Bahn steam train is my most memorable experience in Switzerland. The scenery is as beautiful as a painting, you will be amazed by the landscapes that appear before your eyes, the mountains hovering below, the blue Lake Brienz and the floating clouds. All combined with the rumbling sound of the train will forever be an experience I will never forget,” the 9x girl said.

This scenic route across the Emmental Alps in central Switzerland features an impressive steam train that ascends the Brienzer Rothorn. The highest station on the line is at the summit, at an altitude of 2,244 m. The train also passes through mountain tunnels and many spectacular loops.

Lake Lungern

One of the final scenes of the movie “Crash Landing on You” took place in Switzerland. Although this scene was considered by many viewers to be “too beautiful to be real”, it was actually Lake Lungern.

According to Phuong Truc, the lake has many beautiful angles for taking photos, famous for being the angle in the movie “Crash Landing on You”, but for her, this angle is not very attractive. She discovered Bergstrasse, a road where she can see the whole lake but is deserted, almost no one comes here.

Alpe Di Siusi Mountain

In the summer, the entire mountain range is covered in green grass and flowers, making it suitable for trekking or walking. As the largest mountain meadow in Europe, it is still rarely visited, so the landscape here is extremely poetic and peaceful. The wooden houses, mountains and grass seem to be skillfully arranged because it is unclear why nature is so beautiful.

Phuong Truc said: “I brought some sandwiches, cakes, and tea to enjoy in front of the brilliant sunrise, the red-pink light shining down on the mountains, the mist creeping over the grass fields. There are really very few places that make me as elated as this place. Perhaps, this is the most beautiful place for me at the moment, hopefully in the future I will have the opportunity to set foot in more beautiful places like this.”

Val Di Funes Valley

Val Di Funes is located about 90 km northeast of Trento and about 45 minutes northeast of Bolzano. Val Di Funes is a beautiful valley in the province of South Tyrol with views of the Dolomites. The steep walls, cliffs, and long, deep, narrow valleys create a breathtaking landscape.

“The valley has two churches that are often used as postcards when you learn about the Dolomites. These two churches are Chiesetta Di San Giovanni and Chiesa Di Santa Maddalena. Chiesetta Di San Giovanni is currently fenced off so you can’t take pictures. As for Chiesa Di Santa Maddalena, type Santa Magdalena Viewpoint and Panaroma Von Sankt Magdalena to get to the view point of the church behind the mountain and around the grasslands,” Phuong Truc said.

Lake Como

“The Lake Como area has two famous villas, Villa Monastero and Villa Balbianello. The day I went to Villa Monastero, I wanted to wait until closing time to avoid the crowds, but unfortunately the nearest ferry was more than an hour away, so I was late and couldn’t get there in time,” Phuong Truc shared.

Lake Como is considered one of the precious gems located in the Lombardy region, Northern Italy. Located in the northern Alps and about 50 km northeast of Milan, Lake Como is proud to be an attractive destination in the heart of the beautiful natural complex of the Lombardy lake region.

All the travel experiences in Switzerland and Italy

According to Phuong Truc, driving a long and consecutive day trip is a big challenge. She and her husband travel by self-driving rental car, so finding a parking space is also difficult because the number of parking spaces is limited. Therefore, you need to prepare carefully to have the most effective schedule.

Regarding cuisine, the 9x girl suggests that chocolate and cheese are an indispensable part when coming to Switzerland, everyone must try and buy them as gifts for friends and relatives. In addition to the famous pizza and pasta in Italy, if you have the opportunity to come to Florence, you must definitely try steak - a large and thick T-Bone, grilled with a moist, soft, pink inside. Tiramisu and gelato are also two typical Italian sweets that you cannot miss.

For Phuong Truc, spring is always the best time to go anywhere, not just Europe. Spring is considered the season of life, with colorful flowers and plants, fresh air, not too cold like winter and not too hot like summer. Besides, the number of tourists at this time is not as crowded as in summer so the prices are also reasonable. The next choice is autumn, then summer. For those who love snow and skiing, of course winter is the most ideal time.

Sharing about things to note when traveling to Europe, Phuong Truc advised: “You should research, consult and invest your brains before the trip, especially with a trip that requires a lot of money. Don't just accidentally know and like a place through a few photos on social networks and rush to go. You may be disappointed because everything outside is not as good as in the photos or you will likely miss many other interesting places because you don't know because you have never heard or consulted them. Use Google and research in English. After having a list of places you want to go, start to learn more about accommodation, transportation, regulations of the area, prices and budget for the trip. All can be done on the internet."

Let's take a look at the impressive images of Ho Chau Phuong Truc's 17-day European tour:

Phuong Mai is a reporter for Travellive Magazine in Hanoi.

Phuong Mai