Small Town in Switzerland Was a Hidden Gem While Backpacking Europe

The last night of my two-week trip to Europe was the best one. But it didn’t start that way. 

Back in October 2022, I was staying in an Airbnb in Roggwil, a 1,910-acre village in the rolling hills of Switzerland that’s about an hour west of Zurich by train. I chose this Airbnb rather than booking a hotel in the city to save some money.

I thought Roggwil was a quiet, modest village with friendly families and a stunning mountain backdrop. When I crossed paths with people, I noticed they smiled — something I’m not used to seeing too much, living in New York City — and little kids waved at me at the train station.

And though there isn’t as much to do as there is in a city, the village has some restaurants, a library, a swimming pool, and a go-kart race track, according to its website. I didn’t get time to visit these, but I still enjoyed staying in the area and thought it was a good base outside Zurich.

The area also appealed to me as a place that offered unique accommodation. Not only was my Airbnb cheaper than options in Zurich, but it was also much more interesting.

For $200 a night, I slept in a wine barrel converted into a tiny home on a garden property, steps from the train station. From the garden, I had a sparkling view of the night sky. I doubt that I would have found a similar stay in Zurich.

On my final night, I thought I’d enjoy a view of the night sky while cooking dinner on the fire pit provided by my Airbnb.

I planned to stop by the town’s grocery store on the way home from Zurich and grill some sausages, or “wurst.”

On my way back to Roggwil, my plan fell apart. I was three stops from the village when I searched Google and found that the store I was heading to had closed.

With no alternate plan, I ran off the train to find somewhere else to buy dinner. After scanning the internet, I found only one open store — a gas station that was a 25-minute walk away.

“Whatever they have, I’ll be grateful for it,” I thought.

The route led through some woods, and as the sun began to set, the path opened onto a wide-open field lined with houses beneath the mountains. I stopped in my tracks. The scene was so picturesque, and finding it by accident made me feel like I was in a fairy tale. 

This was the most striking sight of my two-week adventure through four countries. I couldn’t help thinking that if I hadn’t booked that specific Airbnb, I never would have seen it. 

About a mile later, I was thrilled to find that the gas station had a small grocery store inside selling sausages, hard rolls, and pickles — everything I needed for a fireside dinner. 

As I cooked, ate, and looked up at the stars that I wouldn’t have seen from the city, I reflected on my trip and decided that booking a stay in Roggwil was the best decision I’d made.