Montreux is a small mountainous city set foot by the romantic Lake of Léman with the majestic Dents-du-Midi mountain range imposing its miraculous reflection on the water.
Montreux is so gorgeous to the point that you don’t even wanna leave. It’s a place where newly-wed couples and photographers immerse themselves in the sheer beauty of the high blue sky, sun-kissed meadows, and a majestic lake.
Despite being a small town, Montreux is worth spending at least 2 full days to cover the major attractions and complete a loop around the town. There’s the Panoramic-Express train on the Golden Pass Line that takes you from Interlaken to Montreux. For that reason, if you’re really short on time, the train will come in handy for you to complete a day trip back and forth.
To help you fulfill your time-strapped journey, I’ve rounded up a brief journey to Chillon castle and Vevey town in Montreux below.
Chillon Castle
Getting To Chillon Castle
The best way to reach Chillon Castle from Montreux is by local train. It’s a short ride less than 5 minutes to Veytaux-Chillon station. The castle is about 5 minutes walk away from this station.
Chillon Castle sits on top of a rocky headland that juts out to Lake Geneva. If you get there early, take a short walk around the lake and soak in the views of the far-flung Alps Mountain.
Summertime is the best time to visit the castle when they operate plenty of boat rides from Lausanne to Lake Lemon and Chillon Castle.
The opening times are different throughout the years depending on which season you visit. The last entry time is an hour before closing time.
Things To See And Do In Chillon Castle
The beauty of Chillon Castle goes far beyond its majestic architecture and scenic location. The old exposed stoned castle has married Lake Geneva since the 12th century. Thanks to its excellent location, you can even see it all the way from the promenade of Montreux.
The expansive castle takes over a large footprint and consists of 100 independent buildings. They are connected to one another via a system of moats and towers. In the 13th century, the building served as a fortress for Pierre II of Savoy. Shortly after, it turned into a summer palace for the Savoy family before they expanded the complex with new buildings used for a prison and an arsenal.
Walking along the prisons under the low ceiling and looking out to the gothic arches gives you a nostalgic vibe. The washed-out beams and trunks as well as the unfinished stone walls contribute even greater to the sightseeing experience.
Nestled between the large columns, they place some small galleries picturing the forms of torture used during the medieval age.
On top of the building lies a dining room with a view where you can immerse into the day in the life of the Savoy family back in the day.
There’s a narrow, low-ceiling corridor running along the towers where you can soak in the entire view of the castle at once.
Vevey
As the visit came to an end, I walked back to the same Veytaux-Chillon station and caught another train to Vevey 15 minutes later. Vevey is one of the most gorgeous little towns in Montreux that takes you no more than 2 hours to complete sightseeing.
Albeit a lesser-known destination in Switzerland, Vevey is an impeccable place for nature lovers. Most of the landmarks and attractions gather here such as the Charlie Chaplin Statue, the famous fork sculpture, and the Swiss Camera Museum, as well as the world headquarters of the international food and beverage company Nestlé.
Vevey Promenade
This extensive walking path is similar to the Vancouver Seawall in Canada, looking out to the distant mountains emerging in the heart of Lake Geneva. This walking path lies on the northeast of the lake, covering some of the most picturesque statues and attractions in town such as the bronze Chaplin statue and the silver fork sculpture rising out of the lake. Vevey is also the home of the famous public figure Charlie Chaplin who decided to spend the last 25 years of his life here. Not far away from the statue is now a museum in his honor.
Nestle’s Alimentarium Food Museum
The Alimentarium is dubbed as one of the first museums in the world about food. It’s looking out to the giant fork statues rising out of Lake Geneva. The entire beige building is over 900 square meters dedicated to the evolution of food using electronic displays and engaging modes of interaction so you can experience anything from cooking to digesting.
If you’ve obtained a Swiss Travel Pass, you can enter it for free.
Check out more travel ideas in Switzerland here:
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- Ultimate Travel Guide to Lucerne: A Blissful Escape to Switzerland’s Magical Lakeside City
- Top 10 Things to Do in Switzerland
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