Gruyeres

The cheesy town of Gruyeres (you see what we did there?) is perched on a tiny hill in the Fribourg region and has a heart that belongs to the medieval era. The River Saane flows in the background while a 13th century castle casts a shadow of enigma and mystique. There is also a museum that documents more than 800 years of growth of the history, culture and architecture of the region. If this learning experience isn’t enough for you, there are two other museums in town, one of which is the Tibet Museum with hundreds of Buddhist sculptures and anecdotes from the Himalayas while the other is dedicated to the Oscar winning painter H. R. Giger. There is an ‘Alien’ bar across the street from this museum for all of the fans. And no, we haven’t forgotten about the many dairies dedicated to the velvety, sinful cheese that derives its name from this traffic-free hamlet. When in Gruyeres, romance perpetually wafts in the air along with a generous helping of the nutty aroma of creamy Swiss goodness. It is therefore imperative to dig into a large pot of local fondue during your visit.
Gruyeres is a two hour train journey from Bern and you will have to change trains at Fribourg or Bulle. You can even rent a car and drive for an hour along the A12 motorway.