With the disclaimer that I love my husband and children dearly, I can honestly say that my favourite activity in the world is a girls’ trip. If it was acceptable to list as a hobby, it would be at the top of my list.
Of course, a couple of days not having to worry about dependent small humans is a big reason for my love of girls’ trips, but it’s also because women are generally incredible, and getting to spend some concentrated time with some of my favourite women is good for the soul – and always so much fun.
That is my pitch for why you definitely should make sure you have at least one girls’ trip in your calendar this year (or boys’ trip – I hear they are also good fun) – and I will now dedicate the rest of the article to listing a few tips for planning and executing a fun and stress-free getaway, as well as list a few trips I have taken in or close to Switzerland as inspiration.
Choosing the location and accommodation
I very consciously include both these decisions in the same category, because it is not always clear which one should come first. Living in Switzerland, there are so many beautiful places within such a small area, that you don’t need to lock in a very specific location before you start the accommodation hunt.
In my experience, it is good to ask the group for some input upfront (on general location, city vs country and budget), and then for one or two people to go off and do the research, returning to the group once they have a couple of shortlisted options to vote on. Most groups of women are lucky enough to have one or two women who will naturally take on this role (and many of the other roles listed in this article), and if you are reading this article, there is probably a reasonable chance that it’s you.
Apartments and houses are certainly preferable to a hotel (unless there are only 2-3 of you and you can share one hotel room) – as the most fun of a girls trip is just spending relaxed time together before and after activities – which requires a common living area and a kitchen. Airbnb is always a good place to start the hunt – I have had many great experiences with the platform, but it is still always important to carefully check reviews.
Next priority – what to eat and drink
While each group of women may have a different idea of what a good weekend of food and drink is, I think we would all agree that it’s important. While a group of foodies or a group who loves or hates to cook might want a different approach, here is the approach that I have taken on many girls trips, with a lot of success:
- Ideally, one or two people can arrive early on Friday and do the supermarket shop. You then cook something simple for dinner, to maximise chatting time. Homemade pizzas is always a winner – with some more gourmet toppings if you want to lift the bar a little (this is exactly what we did on our Z’Nüni girls’ weekend earlier in the year)
- Breakfast at home allows for a nice relaxed start to the day, with flexibility for various waking times and hangover states
- An activity on Saturday which includes lunch at a restaurant is always nice – something simple if you plan on heading out again in the evening, or something a bit nicer if you will have another night in
- As most girls’ trips I attend include a not insignificant amount of wine, the Saturday night dinner is dictated by location. If we are in a city and can walk to restaurants, of course, it’s lovely to take a night off cooking and go out. However, if we can not easily access a restaurant by foot or public transport, we will usually choose to cook at home again, ensuring no one has to draw the short straw and play designated driver. Think easy meals like fondue or raclette here.
A few other tips for a great Girls’ Trip
- When it comes to deciding what you will actually do – it is dependent on where you are and the interests of the group. My girls’ trips often include some sort of outing on Saturday, which incorporates a nice walk, nice food and probably an Aperol Spritz. I can imagine there might be groups of women who would want to spend their Saturday going on a group run or climbing a mountain, but I am (thankfully) not friends with them. So figure out what you all have in common and go from there. If you are new to the institution of the girls’ trip then be wary of over-planning; the most fun comes from just spending time together, being able to chat and relax without any time pressure (or anyone calling out ‘Mami’)
- When it comes to dealing with the finances, the most important tip I can give is to make sure you assign someone to take the lead in this (let’s be honest, the person who booked the accommodation will probably volunteer). This person can then choose what system they prefer; pooling cash together in a kitty is a bit old-fashioned these days, so probably best that they either pay for all expenses, or at least keep track of what each person has paid for, and then use an app like Splitwise to then calculate who owes who what at the end of the trip, and an app like Twint to easily make the transfers
- Rather than everyone pulling out their phones to get the same shots (or none), nominate an official photographer for the trip (ideally someone who enjoys it and takes a decent photo), buy them a drink and ask them to send through all their photos into the group chat on their way home
Some Swiss Girls’ Trip Accommodation Inspiration
- This house in Oberhofen am Thünersee was great for a girls’ trip – sitting out on the balcony to enjoy the incredible view, a huge kitchen to whip up some nice meals in, and the perfect base to walk along the lake into town, for a really nice lunch at Schloss Oberhofen
- Luzern is an excellent base for a girls’ city trip; we stayed in an apartment right in the centre of the city, all arriving by train and spending the weekend walking nearly everywhere, including to the docks where we took a ferry over to Bürgenstock Resort, where there was a really stunning 5km walk, along which we rewarded ourselves with a coffee and cake at Villa Honegg. We also had an amazing dinner at Restaurant Fed – lots of really interesting dishes and an atmosphere that made us feel young and cool again.
- For those close to Basel, heading just over the border into France or Germany is a great option – with some excellent properties for much better prices – such as this great property, or this one. If you are anywhere in Alsace, a perfect day trip is to go into either Riquewihr or Ribeauville (the picture book villages that the town in Beauty & the Beast is modelled off).
- Our z’Nüni team had a girls’ weekend in January to Engelberg – a great central location in Switzerland, with alpine charm and easy accessibility. We stayed at Titlis Resort – perfect apartments for a girls’ trip, and had a lovely day trip up to Trübsee, for a walk around the lake and lunch on the terrace.
