Gruyères is a beautifully preserved medieval village in the idyllic countryside of western Switzerland. The village is tiny, just one cobblestone lane within the fortress walls, lined with the attractive facades of shops, hotels, and residences.

It's a lovely place for a short stroll and lots of picture taking, with the surrounding mountains a stunning backdrop. We always combine this village with a visit to the nearby Maison de Gruyères dairy and Cailler Chocolate Factory.

What to eat

If you have time, we suggest stopping for lunch at one of the outdoor cafes to try traditional Swiss dishes, including fondue. We usually eat at Gruyère Traditions, which has patio seating in the village and in back with mountain views. If it's a cold day, the interior is very cozy with stone walls and timber ceilings.

At a minimum, you must try this region's signature dessert of meringue dipped in Gruyères double cream, served in a wooden bowl. If you are short on time, you can buy a box of meringue and pot of double cream to go at one of the shops and have a picnic later.

Castle

At the far end of the village, you'll find picturesque Castle of Gruyères, built in the 13th century. For a fee, you can explore the castle interior and grounds and learn through an "enhanced reality" audio guide on your phone. They also have tours designed for children to make the visit more fun.

HR Gieger Museum

It's not really my vibe, but some visitors enjoy visiting the HR Gieger museum, showing the fantastical and often shocking art of H.R. Gieger, artist involved with the "Alien" movie. Even if you don't go to the museum, definitely peek into the Gieger bar, elaborated decorated with skeletal elements on the ceiling, furniture and floor.

How to get there

By public transport: The Gruyères train station is just below the village, next to the Gruyères cheese dairy. From Montreux or Lausanne 1h15, Bern 1h20, from Interlaken 2h40

From the train station, it's about a 10 min walk uphill to the village center. To save yourself the walk, you can ride the bus to Gruyères, ville, which drops in the parking lot.

By car: There are three big parking lots just outside the village at Route de la Cité 100, 1663 Gruyères. From Montreux 35 mins, Lausanne 45 mins, Bern 50 mins, Interlaken 1h30

Chocolate train: If you'd like an easy packaged tour, you can visit Gruyères via the "Chocolate Train" tour from Montreux. The tour includes a train ride to the area (Montbovon), then a charter bus to the Gruyères cheese factory, Gruyères village, and Cailler chocolate factory. The fee includes entrance to cheese factory and chocolate factory, but not the Gruyères castle.

Plan to spend about 1 hour at the Gruyères village, longer if you visit the castle museum or sit down for lunch.