Trip Report: Northern Italy and Switzerland
Mar 27th, 2006, 02:12 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 972
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Trip Report: Northern Italy and Switzerland
I want to start by thanking everyone who helped me plan this trip. The highlights would never have happened if it weren't for people on this forum, especially Ingo and Schuler. Thanks to the both of you!
Day 1 (Sunday): We arrived Milan Malpensa at 11:00 and immediately found our shuttle bus to Lugano. The reservation that I'd made online was not even asked about, and except for P and I and one other person, the bus was empty. It was a beautiful day in Lugano when we arrived. The Hotel Federale was right near the train/bus station and the pictures online do not do justice to this lovely old world building. P immediately upgraded us to a room with a view, 506, which looks out on the cathedral with the lake behind it. Because we were on the top floor and Lugano is built on a hill, we were actually looking down at the campanile. Aside from the room, which was amazing, I liked Lugano very much. There were four churches in the old town for me to peek into. The distinctive feature of the churches in this region seems to be elaborate frescos, which help to compensate for their structural simplicity. The lakefront was lovely and bustling. The old town is nice, although a bit marred by neon. Along with that is the fact that there are many modern buildings interspersed with the older ones, so there is not the magical feel of being in an earlier age that I sometimes expect in Europe, and which some of the towns on Lake Como (which I couldn't help comparing Lugano with) provide.
After pizza on the main square, it was off to the lovely room with a view.
To be continued...
Day 1 (Sunday): We arrived Milan Malpensa at 11:00 and immediately found our shuttle bus to Lugano. The reservation that I'd made online was not even asked about, and except for P and I and one other person, the bus was empty. It was a beautiful day in Lugano when we arrived. The Hotel Federale was right near the train/bus station and the pictures online do not do justice to this lovely old world building. P immediately upgraded us to a room with a view, 506, which looks out on the cathedral with the lake behind it. Because we were on the top floor and Lugano is built on a hill, we were actually looking down at the campanile. Aside from the room, which was amazing, I liked Lugano very much. There were four churches in the old town for me to peek into. The distinctive feature of the churches in this region seems to be elaborate frescos, which help to compensate for their structural simplicity. The lakefront was lovely and bustling. The old town is nice, although a bit marred by neon. Along with that is the fact that there are many modern buildings interspersed with the older ones, so there is not the magical feel of being in an earlier age that I sometimes expect in Europe, and which some of the towns on Lake Como (which I couldn't help comparing Lugano with) provide.
After pizza on the main square, it was off to the lovely room with a view.
To be continued...
Mar 28th, 2006, 12:27 AM
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 972
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Day 2 (Monday): We woke up to a lovely buffet breakfast in the breakfast room, all panelled with pink table cloths and a crystal chandelier. Very pretty. We took the city bus from the nearby station to the Paridiso section of Lugano where the funicular to the top of Mount San Salvatore can be found. You can see pictures of the Mountain and of spots along the hike we did at http://activityworkshop.net/hiking/s...salvatore.html (I found out about this thanks to Schuler's post about another hike in Lugano.) Once at the top, we immediately found the trail and began the 2 1/2 hour descent to the lake. What a beautiful walk on a gorgeous spring day! Wild flowers in blue, lavender, yellow and pink blanketed the upper slopes of the mountain. I wish I were a botanist so that I could tell you what they were. Also on the upper slopes were patches of snow, very exciting to two Florida people. Along the hike the trail opened onto a series of towns, and roadside walking was required. Not a problem since I got to go inside yet another church! Back in the woods, we simply enjoyed the quiet and the views (which would have been missing had there been leaves on the trees). We passed a mountain sanctuary (locked) and the tiny village of Torello (pictured on the website above), both very picturesque. At one point, deep in the woods, a crew of three men were using a leaf blower on the trail. I couldn't help taking a picture of these workers, toiling on the behalf of a populace who wants its hiking trails clear of leaves. Caption: Switzerland! 
The trail eventually opened onto a road with luxury villas on either side which brought us the the charming town of Morcote. The lakefront is a perfect stage set of rose and yellow colored buildings in a sort of Italo-Bavarian style that is very picturesque. We had time for an amazing lunch of pasta frutti di mare (with one of those gorgeous orangey tomato sauces that you can only find in Europe, delicately infused with the taste of the sea) and mozzarella with tomato and basil. (By the way, all of my no-dairy, no-beer, no-wine dietary restrictions that I adhere to in the U.S. due to my asthma went quickly out the window. There were no ill-effects, so maybe there's something else making me wheeze back home.) I would have liked to have walked the stairs to the Morcote church, but I was walked-out. You know I'm sore if I forgo a look in a church! The bus offered more frequent rides back to Lugano than the boat did, so we took it to the station and went back to the Hotel Federale where our luggage had been stored for the day. We said our sad farewells. P, I have a feeling, will be talking about room 506 at the Hotel Federale for a long time. We then caught our train that took us away from Lugano. We actually needed three separate trains, and almost missed a connection because the wrong binario was printed on our ticket. We spoke to a very friendly young man from Locarno who wanted to know all about how people in the U.S. travel in their own country. He's a big fan of trains, and wishes we would use them more!
Some of you remember my dilemma, to rent a car or to take trains and busses? Well, I'm so glad that we opted against driving ourselves. The roads are curvey and mountainous; we had a day of rain making them all the more dangerous; parking in Lugano would have been tough; it would have added A LOT of stress to the trip. (I've rented cars for Tuscany and the Loire Valley, but this region is very different from those.)
Well, after a somewhat circuitous journey by train we arrived in the Italian town of Chiavenna and to our home for the next three nights, the Palazzo Salis. You can see it here www.palazzosalis.it/ This is a b & b run by the couple who live here. Very beautiful, but also strange. The Signor seemed at first startled by our arrival. After taking us to our room, he was visibly relieved by our willingness to share a king-sized bed. Also a bit odd was his ushering us from the front door, through the "ballroom," to our room. It was clear that the rest of the house was off limits, except for the breakfast room (for breakfast). Had we spoken a word of the other's language, things might have been more comfortable. Again, the house was all very beautiful but it has a faded beauty, with cracked ceilings and chipped molding. Ikea-style lighting and furnishings punctuated the lost grandeur of the place. Also, the smell of the owners' cigarettes permeated the house, and our windows looked out on the main street of Chiavenna's old town which had its share of traffic.
We wandered the streets of Chiavenna, a very picturesque town in the center, with squares and fountains and cobbled streets. However, the river that runs through the town, the Mera, is a sad combination of pipes that spill the water over rocks. And the rest of the town, beyond the center, is a gritty commercial area. Well, we ate a delicious pizza that we took back to the haunted palazzo, and we called it a day.
The trail eventually opened onto a road with luxury villas on either side which brought us the the charming town of Morcote. The lakefront is a perfect stage set of rose and yellow colored buildings in a sort of Italo-Bavarian style that is very picturesque. We had time for an amazing lunch of pasta frutti di mare (with one of those gorgeous orangey tomato sauces that you can only find in Europe, delicately infused with the taste of the sea) and mozzarella with tomato and basil. (By the way, all of my no-dairy, no-beer, no-wine dietary restrictions that I adhere to in the U.S. due to my asthma went quickly out the window. There were no ill-effects, so maybe there's something else making me wheeze back home.) I would have liked to have walked the stairs to the Morcote church, but I was walked-out. You know I'm sore if I forgo a look in a church! The bus offered more frequent rides back to Lugano than the boat did, so we took it to the station and went back to the Hotel Federale where our luggage had been stored for the day. We said our sad farewells. P, I have a feeling, will be talking about room 506 at the Hotel Federale for a long time. We then caught our train that took us away from Lugano. We actually needed three separate trains, and almost missed a connection because the wrong binario was printed on our ticket. We spoke to a very friendly young man from Locarno who wanted to know all about how people in the U.S. travel in their own country. He's a big fan of trains, and wishes we would use them more! Some of you remember my dilemma, to rent a car or to take trains and busses? Well, I'm so glad that we opted against driving ourselves. The roads are curvey and mountainous; we had a day of rain making them all the more dangerous; parking in Lugano would have been tough; it would have added A LOT of stress to the trip. (I've rented cars for Tuscany and the Loire Valley, but this region is very different from those.)
Well, after a somewhat circuitous journey by train we arrived in the Italian town of Chiavenna and to our home for the next three nights, the Palazzo Salis. You can see it here www.palazzosalis.it/ This is a b & b run by the couple who live here. Very beautiful, but also strange. The Signor seemed at first startled by our arrival. After taking us to our room, he was visibly relieved by our willingness to share a king-sized bed. Also a bit odd was his ushering us from the front door, through the "ballroom," to our room. It was clear that the rest of the house was off limits, except for the breakfast room (for breakfast). Had we spoken a word of the other's language, things might have been more comfortable. Again, the house was all very beautiful but it has a faded beauty, with cracked ceilings and chipped molding. Ikea-style lighting and furnishings punctuated the lost grandeur of the place. Also, the smell of the owners' cigarettes permeated the house, and our windows looked out on the main street of Chiavenna's old town which had its share of traffic.
We wandered the streets of Chiavenna, a very picturesque town in the center, with squares and fountains and cobbled streets. However, the river that runs through the town, the Mera, is a sad combination of pipes that spill the water over rocks. And the rest of the town, beyond the center, is a gritty commercial area. Well, we ate a delicious pizza that we took back to the haunted palazzo, and we called it a day.
Mar 28th, 2006, 12:43 PM
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 972
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Day 3 (Monday): Woke up to drizzle. After a lovely breakfast was provided to us, I decided to make my way down to Lake Como and the Villa Carlotta which I had always regretted not seeing on previous trips. Not ideal to go to Lake Como (or a villa famous for its gardens) in the rain, but certainly better than hiking or moping about the crumbling Palazzo. P took the day to rest and read while I hopped a train to Colico, a town on the northern end of the lake. After just a half hour, I arrived at Colico, and a short walk in the drizzle brought me to the lakefront. The schedule I had printed from the official website said a boat would be leaving in a half an hour for Tremezzo and the Villa Carlotta. I took a peek at the booth by the boat launch. I was worried by a paper with that day's date on it which was posted in the window. Refusing to believe there could be a problem, I proceeded to the Albergo Rizzi (sp?) that a couple on my walk had recommended for lunch. They served me a beautiful pizza, with the vegetables placed in "stations" all about it. Everything fresh and brilliant with flavor. Upon my returning to the booth, my noticing the absence of any boats or other passengers, and taking another look at the paper, I began to fear the worst. I returned to the restaurant where the helpful staff, upon hearing what the sign said, told me it was the day of the boat strike! Navigazione de Lago had decided to strike on the day of my visit!!! The staff quickly looked up bus schedules and sent me back to the station where I would get my regional bus to Tremezzo on the other side of the lake. What this allowed me to do was see towns I would never have gotten to see, like Dongo where Mussolini and his mistress were shot as they tried to get out of Italy. I only had 40 minutes to tour the Villa Carlotta, peek into the soggy garden (its famous azaleas just beginning to bud) and make a purchase in the gift shop. I was at my bus stop five minutes early, for my journey back to Colico. From there, I got my train to Chiavenna where P was waiting. When I told him about the travails of getting to the Villa Carlotta, of the rain and the strike and the bus ride, he was glad he stayed in. But I will always have fond memories of that challenging day.
Dinner was watercress salad with smoked salmon and a tuna panini in a pretty tea shop/bar on one of Chiavenna's squares. I love how, in France and Italy at least, the simplest foods are startling in their deliciousness. The bread was so delicate, unlike the tough ciabatta that is invariably used in the states for our version of panini, and the ingredients delightfully fresh and flavorful.
Dinner was watercress salad with smoked salmon and a tuna panini in a pretty tea shop/bar on one of Chiavenna's squares. I love how, in France and Italy at least, the simplest foods are startling in their deliciousness. The bread was so delicate, unlike the tough ciabatta that is invariably used in the states for our version of panini, and the ingredients delightfully fresh and flavorful.
Mar 29th, 2006, 11:07 AM
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 972
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Day 4 (Wednesday): Woke up to sunshine and a fresh appreciation for Chiavenna, surrounded on all sides by mountains. After breakfast, bought tickets for the Swiss Post Bus to Soglio (thanks to Ingo's recommendation). The bus made its way into the Bregaglia Valley, which became increasingly picturesque as we left the town of Chiavenna behind us. Soon we saw snowcapped mountains, the whitest white I'd ever seen against a blue sky. We crossed the border into Switzerland and changed to a smaller bus which made hairpin turns up one of the mountains to Soglio. What a pretty little town snug against the mountain, overlooking meadows and the valley with huge peaks towering above! Many pictures were taken. A shop was open and we chatted with the friendly proprietress who was excited that I spoke Spanish and took the opportunity to practice a language that is rarely needed in this part of Switzerland. The bus driver had shown us where the Via Bregaglia begins its way for an hour's hike to Castasegna at the Italian border. That was amazing, passing slate roofed wooden huts and haylofts, along with sheep. The trail made its way through a famous chestnut wood and through a small tunnel that cut through the mountain behind a waterfall. Eventually, Castasegna appeared in the distance. We had to have the experience of walking across the border (no guard said a word to us; indeed, we were never stopped on a bus or train either as we crossed the Italian-Swiss border, which surprised me.) We then waited for the post bus which returned us to Chiavenna. (In Soglio is a different Palazzo Salis from the one where we stayed on this trip. It hadn't opened yet for the season, but someday, perhaps, we will base ourselves there in the summer for a few days of blissful mountain walks.)
A quiet afternoon and evening of shopping ensued (snagged a great black turtleneck for three euros!) Finally got a chance to look in the church of San Lorenzo, a heavily frescoed church, and stayed for some of the mass. Dinner was at one of the nicer restaurants (risotto and batter-fried seafood), but I think the panini and pizza we had for other meals were even better. Then off to bed for the last time in Chiavenna.
A quiet afternoon and evening of shopping ensued (snagged a great black turtleneck for three euros!) Finally got a chance to look in the church of San Lorenzo, a heavily frescoed church, and stayed for some of the mass. Dinner was at one of the nicer restaurants (risotto and batter-fried seafood), but I think the panini and pizza we had for other meals were even better. Then off to bed for the last time in Chiavenna.
Mar 29th, 2006, 11:10 AM
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 972
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Mar 30th, 2006, 01:20 AM
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 972
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks Dixie, Viaggio, Ingo, and laartista! I'm glad you're enjoying this...or were. Are you still with me?
Day 5 (Thursday): We'd bought our tickets the day before for the post bus from Chiavenna to St. Moritz and planned to catch the 7:08. We got to the station in plenty of time, but no bus. We were lucky to have been joined by an Italian gentleman(whose brother manages an Italian restaurant in Chatanooga!) who takes the bus every morning to his job in Maloja. After a while, he got on his cell phone to the hotel closest to the station where the driver spends the night; he found out the driver was indeed there, but must have overslept. The desk worker would wake him. He finally arrived with his yellow post bus, almost an hour late. This was a problem, since P had a train to catch in St. Moritz. The driver made no apologies, but said he would try to make up the time. We were doubtful that an hour could be made up, however, on twisting mountain roads. At least not safely. We took the same route that we'd taken the previous morning toward Soglio and then even deeper into the Bregaglia Valley. There had been some indecisiveness about whether this route or the Bernina Express would be better. The Bernina would have caused our journey to Zurich to be 9 hours with 6 changes. This would be only 5 hours with 2 changes. I have no regrets, as the route couldn't have been more scenic. It soon became a snow-filled landscape, and the mountains rose increasingly higher. Just before Maloja was when it was most spectacular. Then we passed some towns I'd heard of, like Sils, all looking like the villages you'd find under a Christmas tree. We reached St. Moritz and the driver told P to buy his ticket on the train which would be leaving in two minutes. I, on the other hand, wanted to see how the other half lives and spent two hours wandering around St. Moritz. Ingo is right; it is not particularly charming. Just a few Bavarian style buildings among the more recent structures. Since I don't ski or shop for jewelry or furs, there wasn't much for me in St. Moritz. But it was still fun to see it, and now when I read that Prince William is having his holiday there, I will have a picture in my mind. Anyway, on to Zurich on the 11:00 train. It started to snow at one point while still in the mountains and then we reached flatter land. One quick change in Chur, and the last leg of the journey ensued. Arrived in Zurich and found the hotel (Hotel Montana) not far from the station. There was a note from P saying he'd arrived safely and reminding me we'd meet in the room at 19.30 to go to dinner. To be continued...
Day 5 (Thursday): We'd bought our tickets the day before for the post bus from Chiavenna to St. Moritz and planned to catch the 7:08. We got to the station in plenty of time, but no bus. We were lucky to have been joined by an Italian gentleman(whose brother manages an Italian restaurant in Chatanooga!) who takes the bus every morning to his job in Maloja. After a while, he got on his cell phone to the hotel closest to the station where the driver spends the night; he found out the driver was indeed there, but must have overslept. The desk worker would wake him. He finally arrived with his yellow post bus, almost an hour late. This was a problem, since P had a train to catch in St. Moritz. The driver made no apologies, but said he would try to make up the time. We were doubtful that an hour could be made up, however, on twisting mountain roads. At least not safely. We took the same route that we'd taken the previous morning toward Soglio and then even deeper into the Bregaglia Valley. There had been some indecisiveness about whether this route or the Bernina Express would be better. The Bernina would have caused our journey to Zurich to be 9 hours with 6 changes. This would be only 5 hours with 2 changes. I have no regrets, as the route couldn't have been more scenic. It soon became a snow-filled landscape, and the mountains rose increasingly higher. Just before Maloja was when it was most spectacular. Then we passed some towns I'd heard of, like Sils, all looking like the villages you'd find under a Christmas tree. We reached St. Moritz and the driver told P to buy his ticket on the train which would be leaving in two minutes. I, on the other hand, wanted to see how the other half lives and spent two hours wandering around St. Moritz. Ingo is right; it is not particularly charming. Just a few Bavarian style buildings among the more recent structures. Since I don't ski or shop for jewelry or furs, there wasn't much for me in St. Moritz. But it was still fun to see it, and now when I read that Prince William is having his holiday there, I will have a picture in my mind. Anyway, on to Zurich on the 11:00 train. It started to snow at one point while still in the mountains and then we reached flatter land. One quick change in Chur, and the last leg of the journey ensued. Arrived in Zurich and found the hotel (Hotel Montana) not far from the station. There was a note from P saying he'd arrived safely and reminding me we'd meet in the room at 19.30 to go to dinner. To be continued...
Mar 30th, 2006, 09:10 AM
#11
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,906
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Still with you and soaking up every word! You know I'm a fan of this part of the Alps and in no case I'll miss your trip report!
I am so glad you liked Soglio! It is yet more beautiful in summer I think (haven't been in winter admittedly).
Believe me, the Bernina Express is yet more scenic ;-)
Looking forward to more!
Ingo
I am so glad you liked Soglio! It is yet more beautiful in summer I think (haven't been in winter admittedly).
Believe me, the Bernina Express is yet more scenic ;-)
Looking forward to more!
Ingo
Mar 30th, 2006, 10:51 AM
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 972
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Glad you are enjoying this, Ingo.
I think it may be just us at this point, so I'm going to sum up the rest of the trip...
I really liked Zurich. The mix of the big city with the charming old-town was a lot of fun. I enjoyed looking in the many bookstores, used and new, as well as the antique shops.
The Kunstmuseum has a great exhibit called Fest der Farbe--colorful art from the Meyerhoff collection. I also enjoyed the Swiss artists in the permanent collection and their own fauvist bent.
I found the food to be OUTRAGEOUSLY expensive. Fodorites have talked about it, but I was astounded by how difficult it is to eat well in Zurich without spending a fortune. How do the locals do it?? Even street food adds up very quickly. We went out to dinner twice (vegetarian restaurants, one in the train station and one at the end of Niederdorffstrasse called Pot au Vert) and both came to almost $100 for two. That's unheard of for us. (I thought the buffet in the train station restaurant was mediocre, but Pot au Vert had delicious food--I had falafel on a bed of cooked, vinegary vegetables in a sour cream sauce; better than it may sound).
We went to Lucerne by train (only an hour from Zurich) for our last morning. What a beautiful city! I remember reading someone on Fodor's thought it was the most overrated city in Europe, but I thought it was wonderful. The Saturday market was going on along both sides of the lakefront. And I, who love churches, have a new favorite on my list, the Jesuit Church of Lucerne. A baroque wonder in white and pink! I made my most significant purchase in Lucerne--rose-scented incense and an incensor at a religious goods store (Arte Pro Deo?) in front of yet another beautiful church on the other side of the lake.
On the way home I got a bonus, as my connecting flight in Madrid was delayed 4 hours. I quickly got a taxi to the Rastro Market, peeked into some churches, and saw the Plaza del Sol. So I had a taste of Spain thrown in, although I was glancing at my watch the whole time!
Thanks for listening. Hope you enjoyed my trip report, and thanks again to those who helped it all come together so beautifully.
I think it may be just us at this point, so I'm going to sum up the rest of the trip...
I really liked Zurich. The mix of the big city with the charming old-town was a lot of fun. I enjoyed looking in the many bookstores, used and new, as well as the antique shops.
The Kunstmuseum has a great exhibit called Fest der Farbe--colorful art from the Meyerhoff collection. I also enjoyed the Swiss artists in the permanent collection and their own fauvist bent.
I found the food to be OUTRAGEOUSLY expensive. Fodorites have talked about it, but I was astounded by how difficult it is to eat well in Zurich without spending a fortune. How do the locals do it?? Even street food adds up very quickly. We went out to dinner twice (vegetarian restaurants, one in the train station and one at the end of Niederdorffstrasse called Pot au Vert) and both came to almost $100 for two. That's unheard of for us. (I thought the buffet in the train station restaurant was mediocre, but Pot au Vert had delicious food--I had falafel on a bed of cooked, vinegary vegetables in a sour cream sauce; better than it may sound).
We went to Lucerne by train (only an hour from Zurich) for our last morning. What a beautiful city! I remember reading someone on Fodor's thought it was the most overrated city in Europe, but I thought it was wonderful. The Saturday market was going on along both sides of the lakefront. And I, who love churches, have a new favorite on my list, the Jesuit Church of Lucerne. A baroque wonder in white and pink! I made my most significant purchase in Lucerne--rose-scented incense and an incensor at a religious goods store (Arte Pro Deo?) in front of yet another beautiful church on the other side of the lake.
On the way home I got a bonus, as my connecting flight in Madrid was delayed 4 hours. I quickly got a taxi to the Rastro Market, peeked into some churches, and saw the Plaza del Sol. So I had a taste of Spain thrown in, although I was glancing at my watch the whole time!
Thanks for listening. Hope you enjoyed my trip report, and thanks again to those who helped it all come together so beautifully.
Mar 30th, 2006, 10:59 AM
#14
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,345
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
nononoNO, it's NOT just the two of you! I've been enjoying this, especially your lovely descriptions of the towns & vistas of the Engadin. You really dug under the surface there and came up with a territic experience.
Hmm. Food costs in Zurich. I don't think I've spent that much. I usually treat a friend to dinner in Kuesnacht (outside Zurich), and it comes to around $50 for the two of us (including wine & dessert); we usually eat in hotels by the lake or in her favorite Italian restaurant, also by the lake.
I agree with you about Luzern: it is lovely.
Glad you had a good trip, and I hope to hear more of your Swiss travels! Welcome to the Swiss enthusiasts' club!
s
Hmm. Food costs in Zurich. I don't think I've spent that much. I usually treat a friend to dinner in Kuesnacht (outside Zurich), and it comes to around $50 for the two of us (including wine & dessert); we usually eat in hotels by the lake or in her favorite Italian restaurant, also by the lake.
I agree with you about Luzern: it is lovely.
Glad you had a good trip, and I hope to hear more of your Swiss travels! Welcome to the Swiss enthusiasts' club!
s
Mar 30th, 2006, 02:13 PM
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 972
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks Swandav and Sea Urchin. Yes, Switzerland is beautiful. I notice a lot of derision towards Zurich on this site, however. It's as interesting a European capital as I've been to (and I've been to several). It has that edgy, youthful vibe that I associate with Berlin in the 90's or with Amsterdam (though I've never been there.) Don't know why everyone wants to rush off to the mountains. It's worth a day at least...
Mar 30th, 2006, 02:34 PM
#19
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 19,419
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ahhhh those snow-capped mountains! I am about to cry now! looking at the pictures from my last trip trying to figure out how to get back!
And I loved Zurich and Lucerne! How can one not to fall in love with this country?
To cut on cost, I ate lunch (cooked food, good for your stomach) and then bought bread, cheese, veggies, fruit, drinks at Co-Op to cut on cost. And ice-cream. Don't forget ice-cream, the most important meal of the day
And I loved Zurich and Lucerne! How can one not to fall in love with this country?
To cut on cost, I ate lunch (cooked food, good for your stomach) and then bought bread, cheese, veggies, fruit, drinks at Co-Op to cut on cost. And ice-cream. Don't forget ice-cream, the most important meal of the day
Mar 30th, 2006, 02:49 PM
#20
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,518
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thank you so much, Guy18. Days 1 through 5 were in a part of Switzerland (and Italy) we have not yet enjoyed. I think I will have to put it on our next trip, based on your report. I especially like Day 2 and the Mt. San Salvatore hike.
