Gruyeres is a small town located in the canton of Friborg. The town is seeable quickly since it is not very big. However, it has several curiosities to pay attention to. The easiest way to visit Gruyeres would be to include it in a route that you have thought through the Freiburg area or as a 1-day trip from Geneva or Bern.
What to do in Gruyères
SAINT-GERMAIN CASTLE
It was built between 1270 and 1282. The visit to the castle takes about an hour.
It was acquired by HG Giger in 1998 and installed his Alien museum on it (more information below).
ENTRY PRICE
- Adults: 12 CHF
- Students and retirees: 8 CHF
- Children: 4 CHF
- Children under 6 years: free.
They accept payment by credit card and also in euros, but keep in mind that they will return the exchange in Swiss francs.
SCHEDULE
The castle of Saint-Germain is open every day of the year.
- April to October: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- November to March: 10 am to 7 pm
Cheese and chocolate factories in Gruyères
Another activity to consider could be to make a day trip to the Gruyeres cheese and chocolate factory.
HR GIGER MUSEUM
In 1998, the museum of Alien’s special effects designer, Hans Ruedi Giger, a Swiss painter who won an Oscar for Alien’s special effects and has a museum dedicated to the various creatures, was inaugurated.
Entry Price for HR Giger Museum
- Adults: 12.50 CHF
- Students: 8.50 CHF
- Children: 4 CHF
SCHEDULES FOR 2020
- January 1, 2020 – March 31, 2020:
- Closed Monday
- Tuesday – Friday: 1pm to 5pm
- Saturdays – Sundays: 10am to 6pm
- April 1, 2020 – October 31, 2020:
- Monday to Friday: 10am-6pm
- Saturday – Sunday: 10am to 6.30pm
Saint Théodule Church 
Walk around the walls of Gruyères
We can take a walk through much of the walled area that is still passable today.
How to get to Gruyères from Geneva
There are direct flights to Geneva from the following Spanish cities:
- Palma de Mallorca
- Malaga
- Seville
- Bilbao
- Minorca
- Madrid
- Ibiza
- Valencia
- Santiago de Compostela
- Gran Canaria
Once you are in Geneva, you have the option of going by train to Gruyeres or by rental car, what suits you best and is more economical is what I recommend. The train in Switzerland is quite expensive, so if you are travelling with friends, it may be more feasible to rent a car.
Additional information
I leave a pdf with a map of the town of Gruyere, which contains many points of interest to visit.
The official tourism website of Gruyeres is available in English, French, and German.