A trip for her thirtieth

Thirteen Days in Europe

Interlaken · Geneva · San Sebastián

01
Saturday · June 13

Geneva to Interlaken

Land, pick up the Sixt rental, drive into the Bernese Oberland. Slow evening, dinner near Leissigen.

18:00
Land at Geneva Airport
18:00–19:00
Pick up Sixt rentalone-hour window
~19:00
Drive Geneva → Leissigen~2.5 hrs · dinner stop in Thun — Restaurant Krone or Schloss Schadau
late
Arrive Leissigen
02
Sunday · June 14

Lauterbrunnen + Mürren

The valley of seventy-two waterfalls. Cable car up to the car-free village. An easier first day in the mountains.

9:00
Drive to Stechelberg~40 min
9:30
Trümmelbach Fallswaterfalls carved inside the mountain · ~1 hr
11:00
Cable car Stechelberg → Gimmelwald → Mürren
11:30
Walk Mürren villagelunch at Stägerstübli or Hotel Bellevue
14:00
Cable car to Schilthorn (2,970m)360° platform · Piz Gloria
15:30
Coffee at the revolving James Bond restaurant
17:00
Descend
19:00
Dinner at Restaurant SchuhInterlaken · lakeside · booked

If Schilthorn is socked in, skip the peak and double down on Lauterbrunnen.

03
Monday · June 15

Heli Skydiving Day

Helicopter up, skydive over the Alps, then float down into a slow afternoon on Lake Brienz.

9:00
Slow breakfast · big morning at home
10:30
Leave Leissigen · drive to Matten bei Interlaken~20 min including parking
11:00
Arrive at Skydive Switzerland · check-in and briefing
12:00
Heli skydiving · Skydive Switzerlandbooked
~13:30
Land · debrief · change
14:00
Lunch in InterlakenHusi Bierhaus or Sandwich Bar
15:30
Drive to Iseltwald on Lake Brienz~20 min
16:00
Walk the pierthe Korean drama spot · swim if it's warm
18:30
Drive back toward Leissigen~25 min via the lake road
19:30
Dinner in Brienz or back in Interlaken

Skydive Switzerland will reschedule if conditions are unsafe.

04
Tuesday · June 16

Alpine ridge hike

Two options depending on conditions — the legendary Schynige Platte to First ridge, or the Männlichen to Eigergletscher walk under the Eiger north face.

Option 1 · Schynige Platte to First
If the trail is open and weather is clear · Faulhorn hut closed until June 20, pack lunch
6:30
Early breakfastpack lunches and water
7:30
Drive to Wilderswil~15 min
8:25
Cog railway up to Schynige Platte~50 min
9:30
Faulhornweg begins15–16 km to First
12:30
Lunch at Bachalpseescenic alpine lake — bring your own
16:00
Arrive First · cable car down to Grindelwald
17:30
Train back to Wilderswil · drive home
19:00
Hot shower · simple dinner at home
Option 2 · Männlichen → Eigergletscher
Weather-flexible backup · restaurants en route, easier bailout
7:30
Breakfast
8:30
Drive to Grindelwald~30 min
9:00
Männlichen Gondelbahn cable car uplongest gondola in Europe
9:30
Start ridge walk at Männlichen (2,343m)
11:00
Kleine Scheideggrestaurants, photo stops
11:30
Continue toward Eigergletscheroptional extension
13:00
Lunch at Eigergletscher or Kleine Scheidegg restaurant
14:30
Train back from Kleine Scheidegg · Eigergletscher to Grindelwald
15:30
Drive home
19:00
Dinner at home or in Interlaken

Most weather-dependent day. Swap with Day 5 if the forecast is bad.

05
Wednesday · June 17

Oeschinensee

Cable car up to the famous turquoise lake. Toboggan runs with mountain views, lunch at the water, rowboat if you're brave.

morning
Sleep in · slow breakfast
10:00
Drive to Kandersteg~45 min
11:00
Cable car up to Oeschinen station
11:30
Rodelbahn Oeschinenseemultiple toboggan runs · CHF 6 per ride
12:30
Walk down to Lake Oeschinen~15–20 min on foot
13:30
Lunch at Berghotel Oeschinenseelakeside
14:30
Lake timerowboat rental on the turquoise water · swim if brave
16:00
Cable car down · drive back to Leissigen
17:30
Rest at the apartment
19:30
Dinner in Interlaken or nearby
06
Thursday · June 18

Niederhorn + back to Geneva

A quiet last morning on the north ridge of Lake Thun. Cable car up, chamois at the summit, then the long drive west.

8:00
Breakfast · pack up
9:00
Drive to Beatenberg~30 min
9:30
Cable car up to Niederhorn (1,950m)
10:00
Walk the ridgelook for chamois and ibex · panoramic photos
11:30
Cable car down · drive begins
12:30
Lunch on the roadThun or Bern depending on hunger
15:30
Return Sixt rental
16:00
Check in at YOTEL Geneva Lake
afternoon
Walk along the lake or rest
19:30
Dinner in GenevaCafé du Soleil (fondue) or somewhere refined
07
Friday · June 19

Flying to San Sebastián

Morning flight south. Arrive in the Basque Country, settle in at Paseo de Francia, walk La Concha in the evening.

morning
Transit to Geneva Airport
flight
Geneva → San Sebastiándetails TBD
afternoon
Arrive · check in at Paseo de Francia
sunset
Walk La Concha to Peine del Viento
evening
Light dinnerAtari Gastroteka or La Madame Coffee
early
To bed
08
Saturday · June 20

A first day at her pace

Pintxos crawl through Parte Vieja. Bar Néstor for tortilla, Ganbara for mushrooms. The full classic.

9:00
Breakfast at Antonio Barfamous for tortilla, open Saturday mornings
10:30
Stroll Parte ViejaMercado de la Bretxa for atmosphere
12:00
Ganbara openswild mushroom plate, txangurro, gildas
12:30
Bar Néstorput name down for the 13:00 tortilla seating
13:00
Tortilla · pimientos de Gernika · txuleta split
14:00
Walk toward Gros
14:30
Surprise Activitybooked
16:30
Back to the apartment · rest
19:30
Evening pintxos continuationLa Cuchara de San Telmo · Borda Berri
20:30
La Viñafor the Basque cheesecake (they invented it)
21:00
Slow walk back · wind down
09
Sunday · June 21

Day trip to Tolosa

Lunch at Ama (1-star Michelin) plus time to wander the medieval old town and the river paths of one of Gipuzkoa's most underrated towns.

9:30
Slow coffee at the apartment
10:30
Drive to Tolosa~30 min south
11:00
Arrive · stroll the Casco Histórico
11:30
Plaza Euskal Herria + Plaza Berduraarcaded historic squares
12:15
Walk along the Río Oria + San Juan Bridge
12:45
Stop at Eceiza or Gorrotxategifamous Tolosa pastry shops
13:30
Lunch at Ama (1-star Michelin)booked
16:00
Slow walk through the old townIglesia de Santa María
16:30
Optional: TOPIC International Puppetry Museumverify Sunday hours
17:00
Drive back to San Sebastián
18:00
Back at the apartment
20:00
Light dinner or walk on La Concha
10
Monday · June 22

Surf + a slow day in Donostia

Morning at Zurriola, then nothing forced. A casual lunch, La Concha in the afternoon, easy dinner.

8:30
Breakfast at Pastelería Otaeguihistoric Basque pastry shop in Parte Vieja since 1886 — try the pantxineta
10:00
Surf at Zurriolalesson or rental session
11:30
Shower · change at apartment
13:00
Lunch at BergaraGros · local favorite, classic pintxos, open Mondays
15:00
La Concha afternoonbeach time, swim
18:00
Rest at the apartment
20:30
Light dinner in Parte Vieja
11
Tuesday · June 23 · Thirty

Her birthday

A morning on Mt Urgull, lunch at Usarbi, golden hour on Monte Igueldo, and bonfires on the longest night of the year. The day the city ritually burns the old to welcome the new.

7:30 am
Coffee in bed
8:00
Sakona Coffee Roasterslight start to the day
9:00
Hike up Mt UrgullSanta Cruz castle, cannons, panoramic views over La Concha
10:30
Back to the apartmentshower, change, take her time
12:30
One quick pintxo in GrosBergara · Bodega Donostiarra · Hidalgo 56
1:00
Lunch at Usarbi (Egia)monkfish, squid ink rice · booked
16:00
Taxi to Funicular Igueldobase station, ~10 min
16:30
Vintage funicular up to Monte Igueldo1912 wooden cars
17:15
Cava at the topsunset over La Concha
18:45
Funicular down · taxi back
19:15
Back at the apartmentshower, change
8:00
Plaza de la Constituciónthe bonfire, the ash tree, the Goizaldi dancers
9:00
Drift through the neighborhood bonfiressardines, kalimotxo, the leaping ritual, the slips of paper we burn together
late
Wherever the night takes usGandarias or Atari if hunger hits
12
Wednesday · June 24

After San Juan

The city sleeps in. So do we. La Concha all afternoon. Nothing demanding.

morning
Sleep in
11:30
Late breakfast at apartment
12:30
La Concha beach daysunbed, swim, read
14:00
Casual lunch at a beach kiosko
afternoon
Rest on the beach
19:30
Simple dinnerGandarias or Atari Gastroteka — reliably open on holidays
early
To bed

Many restaurants in San Sebastián will be closed for the San Juan public holiday — plan light.

13
Thursday · June 25

One last walk along the bay

Final morning, last meal, slow goodbye to the city.

8:00
Slow breakfast at apartment
11:00
Walk La Concha one last timephotos
13:00
Final lunch at Tamborilclassic Parte Vieja pintxos, open all days
afternoon
Pack up
evening
Departureflight details TBD