SWITZERLAND - TOP OF THE WORLD

SWITZERLAND
TOP OF THE WORLD
By: Christine Arnold

What makes Switzerland so perfect? The answer is as clear as the air and the sky surrounding the majestic Matterhorn. Everywhere you turn there is something new and different-snowcapped mountain peaks, medieval towns clinging to a hillside full of wildflowers, a market or festival in a town's center square or a palm-lined promenade along a gorgeous lake. Switzerland is divided into 26 cantons, or regions. It is a secure and peaceful place. It does not seem to be part of this world.

Flying into Zurich, you are transported to a city of parks and gardens, which still retains much of its 19th century charm. Although it is highly industrialized, it is relatively unpolluted since the factories run on electricity. Like the rest of Switzerland, its buildings and streets are so clean you feel like you are in a fairy tale. The trains are always on time and the many outdoor clocks really do run with the precision of a Swiss watch, yet the atmosphere is laid back and comfortable.

The food and the service in Switzerland are impeccable. There are many hotel and restaurant schools throughout the country and these industries are as highly respected as Swiss banking. French, German and Italian influences prevail in the regions where those languages are spoken. Each region has its specialties: Fondue and Raclette (melted cheese dishes) in the French region, sausages, roasts and Rostï (fried shredded potatoes) in the German region, and Italian specialties in the Ticino. Of course Swiss pastries and desserts are world-famous.

English is spoken in most shops and department stores. Fine watches abound and are usually less expensive than in the United States. Other excellent buys are embroideries, fine linens, pocket knives, music boxes, wood carvings, cuckoo clocks and other handmade items. The rail system is so extensive and easy to use that we used it for almost all of our transportation in Switzerland. There are many stunning vistas reachable only by rail and the famous rail trips are ready to take you anywhere your heart desires.

Leaving the beautiful city of Zurich, we (my husband Scott and I) ventured south to Lugano, in the Italian region of Ticino. This area is known as the Swiss Riviera and is the retirement fantasy of thousands of Swiss living in the north. Lugano is built on Lake Lugano, whose shores are shared with Italy. The Italian influence is evident in the city's cafes, sunny piazzas, cobblestone streets and the promenade lined with palm trees along the lake. You can wander for hours exploring the historic old streets, while the peaks of San Salvatore and Monte Brè sit on opposite sides of the town like bookends. Funiculars (basically very steep trains) will take you to the top of both and a cruise on Lake Lugano is an absolute must.
We reluctantly left Lugano and took the Palm Express to St. Moritz. This is a comfortable motor coach that leisurely makes its way through tiny Italian villages on its way to the premier ski and social resort in eastern Switzerland. There are some hair-raising curves and incredible views on the one road that leads into this skiers haven on the southern side of the Alps. St. Moritz is also famous for the healing powers of it's mineral springs, discovered by the Celts about 3, 000 years ago. There are some wonderful hotels and restaurants here since St. Moritz attracts many people very familiar with conspicuous consumption. We, on the other hand, could only stay one night-but what a night it was! We watched a wedding party all in Rolls Royces and Ferraris drive laps around the center of town, horns blaring. We then ate like royalty and tried to figure out what we would have to do to live like this always.

I then had to be talked into taking the Glacier Express (one of the most famous trains in the world) to Zermatt, which turned out to be 7 ½ hours of breathtaking scenery and 170 miles of incredible Swiss engineering. The tracks through southern Switzerland cross more than 291 bridges and pass through 91 tunnels, traversing some of the country's most inaccessible mountains with ease. You then must board a cogwheel train, which is the only way to reach the pedestrian-friendly resort of Zermatt.

Zermatt is on a high plateau at the foot of Switzerland's highest and most photographed mountain, the Matterhorn. It is an utterly charming and hedonistic village with some of the most superb skiing in the world. The highest open-air cogwheel train in Europe transports you to Gornergrat. An observatory there (over 10, 000 feet above sea level) looks out on the gray and white expanse of the Gorner glacier. You can take a cable car even higher and you have the option to hike or ski down if you dare. A complicated network of chair lifts, cog railways and gondolas carry skiers and sightseers to the many peaks surrounding Zermatt. We took several gondolas and cable cars to get to the base of the Matterhorn. It was magical and silent (we were the only 2 people there) and you truly feel like you are on top of the world.

We headed to Montreux, on the French-Swiss border and saw an alarmingly large monument to of Freddie Mercury, the lead singer from the band Queen. He considered Montreux his adopted home and I can see why. We discover old houses and crooked streets. Everyone is hospitable and friendly. We strolled along the scenic lake path and visited the most impressive castle in Switzerland, The Chateau de Chillon. It is believed to be over 1, 000 years old and is one of the best-preserved castles in Europe.

More spectacular scenery and outdoor adventures beckoned in the "glacier village" of Grindelwald, in the Bernese Oberland region. It is set against a backdrop of the Wetterhorn and the towering north face of the Eiger. The area is full of folkloric hamlets, streams and as much alpine beauty as you will find anywhere in Switzerland. The hiking options are baffling and the cable car systems carry you to glaciers and peaks unlike any you have ever seen. There are more than 100 miles of downhill ski runs and alpine walkers enjoy clearly marked paths year round.

Bern, the capital, evokes the feeling of a large town rather than an important city of diplomats and international organizations. They are home to the famous Bear Pits, a crescent shaped den where the city's mascots have been kept since 1480. The modern mingles with the old and many streets are reserved for pedestrians only. There are open squares that include Theaterplatz, with its famed Clock Tower, and Kornerhausplatz, which boasts the often-photographed Ogre Fountain. The entire city is a work of art and painted sculptured fountains line the center of the streets like soldiers.

Our last stop was Lucerne, where the mountaintops are covered with perpetual snow and their sides flanked with glaciers. The glaciers drain into Lake Lucerne, where paddle steamers service the many cable cars and beaches at the water's edge. Sports such as skiing, tobogganing, skating, hill climbing, rowing and curling are popular here. The cobblestone streets, narrow spires and turrets, covered bridges and fountains make Lucerne one of the most romantic cities in the world. A popular excursion is one to the top of Mt. Pilatus, with panoramic vistas overlooking Lucerne and beyond. Legend says that the ghost of Pontius Pilate haunted the slopes of Pilatus and for many years travel up the mountain was banned so as not to anger him, which would cause violent storms.

It was difficult to leave, but I know we will return soon to Switzerland. In the meantime I will have to be content with the memory of sipping champagne on our hotel balcony in Zermatt, gazing at the crystal clear view of the Matterhorn.

About Christine

Christine Arnold is the Sales Manager at Classic Travel and has been with the agency since 1993. She has a degree in Travel and Tourism from the College of DuPage in Illinois, is an International Travel Institute Certified Travel Consultant and has been voted "Travel Agent of the Year" for the Greater Lansing Area since 1998 and has a very loyal client following. A native of Chicago, Christine has traveled extensively in Europe, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Russia and South America. Utilizing her backround in hotel management and her contacts around the world, Christine's travel experience, her passion for travel and personalized attention for her clients result in exciting trips and incredible travel values.