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Switzerland

NATURE AT ITS BEST!

  • Switzerland’s most famous painter never attempted to capture the blaze of colours deluging this land of mountains, meadows, streams, forbidding peaks and fast flowing rivers. Instead, Hodler pared it down, leaving it to the imagination and the eyes. The home of precision, chocolate, cheese and banks has a host of natural and manmade surprises up its sleeve. It all depends on where you look!

Not to be missed

  • Grindelwald Alpine Trails
  • The towering peaks of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau, smile down on Grindelwald.
  • The towering peaks of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau, smile down on Grindelwald. Inviting trails through crisp Alpine air, nodding flowers, snow capped mountains in the backdrop, fresh cheese and warm, baked potatoes make you wonder if you slipped into a Heidi novel. This is Switzerland. And walking through the mountains is one way of etching the moments firmly on to your memory cells.
  • Pick your hiking gear, and follow the trails. Slow down to 4 kmph. Someone said, “man has no time to stand and stare”. Stare all you want, as time seems to stand still here. Pass through valleys and gentle slopes; prick your ears as you hear the far away tinkling of cows grazing in the meadows. You could walk up to a specific destination and take the train that chugs up to Jungfrau Joch as well.
  • Grindelwald offers many hiking trails ranging from easy to moderate. Walk up to Kleine Scheidegg for spectacular views on the north side of the Eiger Mountain. The lakes of Brienz and Thun shimmer in the golden sun below. Witness 1,000-year-old larch trees, exotic varieties of flowers, and take in the peace that blankets the region. Reach Murren, a cosy little village, famous for its revolving restaurant. Load up on fresh seasonal produce of cheese, fresh berries and fondue. And don’t forget to treat yourself to the most indulgent and sinful chocolates!

Must Dos

  • Attend the Montreux Jazz festival, the second largest Jazz festival in the world.
  • Pay your respects to the unlikely hero of Geneva, Freddie Mercury, whose statue overlooks the lake.
  • Get inspired à la Victor Hugo and step into the Château de Chillon, an architectural masterpiece nestled on the shores of Lake Geneva, at the foot of the Alps.
  • Taste fondue.
  • Enjoy the Italian vibe of Ticino and see the Bellinzona castles, medieval fortifications, which are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
  • Take the train. Not only are they punctual, but some like the Bernina Express (part of the Rhaetian Railway) chug past amazing landscapes. This train negotiates 55 tunnels, 100 bridges and viaducts supported by stone pillars. The stretch between Thusis to Tirano, including St Moritz is listed as a UNESCO Heritage Site.
  • Visit Basel to be part of the world’s largest Watch and Jewellery Show.
  • Bite into Fire cake or ‘Feuerkuchen’ a Basel speciality - flat bread grilled with cream cheese and toppings.
  • Also in Basel, see the world’s largest Christmas store, sporting an equally long name, “Weihnachtsbaumschmuck ausstattung spezialgeschaeft”.
  • Walk the 6 km covered arcade and drop into underground shops at Bern, the modern capital with a medieval heart. Listed a UNESCO World Heritage site, its buildings and fountains date back to the 15th century.
  • Don’t miss the Bear Park in the capital either.
  • Swim in the River Aare at Bern. A popular activity, more so because the river currents do all the work!
  • Catch Switzerland’s most important collection of art at Kunsthaus Zürich, which also houses a timepiece museum, a concrete museum and a toy museum.
  • Take a walking tour in the ‘City of Lights’ Lucerne, and feast your eyes on its many churches, street towers, houses and balconies.
  • Spend time at the Kapellbrücke, Lucerne, the oldest covered bridge in Europe and the world’s oldest truss bridge. See its lavishly decorated interiors, boasting of 17th century paintings.
  • Ski over to Italy for lunch from Zermatt.
  • Try playing the Alphorn.

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