Switzerland: 3 Mistakes Many Travelers Make
There are three common, expensive pitfalls when travelingSwitzerland: 1) Transportation; 2) Food; and 3) Deciding Where To Visit.
Let’s start with Transportation:
Americans are car-addicted, so when I found a good rental deal online I felt certain I wanted the freedom of driving in Switzerland. But one has to factor in the huge cost of gas, parking, tolls, and grouchy local drivers. And if you’re unlucky enough to have a speeding or a parking ticket (or worse, a fender-bender), then suddenly driving in Switzerland doesn’t look so good.
The happy alternative to this drama is thetrain. Switzerland has the most dense train network in the world and the trains are Japanese-style punctual, so our train trips seldom took much longer than if my daughter and I had driven.
But here’s the clincher: rather than driving a car and staring anxiously at the winding, unfamiliar roads, on atrainyou can drink in the make-you-cry beautiful scenery. Our journey from Zurich to St. Moritz included the most breathtaking train ride I’ve ever taken, betweenChurandSt. Moritz. For the entire two hours, we had the windows down and we stood leaning on the window sills with the breeze rushing over us as we took in one mountain, river, and bridge after another. It was here we spotted our first Swiss cows with their charming, clanging bells.
Still think you want to drive? Then let me tell you about the cable cars.
Many of the mountain sites we wanted to visit were only accessible by very expensive cable cars. But the first classSwiss Train Passincludes most cable cars, with 50% discounts on the remaining ones. Also, kids 15 and undertravel for free, and unlike many other European countries, you don’t have to pay extra to “reserve seats” even after you bought a train pass, so you can hop onto any train. Switzerland is definitely the place to go green and take the train. Better value than driving, and much less hassle.
2) Food:
Swiss food is make-you-cry expensive, but there’s a delightful way to save a ton of money. Most hotels include your breakfast, and for lunch you need look no further than the ubiquitousMigros Supermarket, which is like the Swiss version ofTrader Joe’s. Migros is a GREAT place to buy tasty, cheap sandwiches or take-out food, and our daily picnic lunches were a beloved ritual for my daughter and me on this trip.The Coopalso offers a similar To Go menu, and you’ll find either a Migros or a Coop in every train station.
3) Which places are worthy to visit? I’m glad you asked.
Sure, I have the greatest job in the world as a travel writer, but the worst part of my job is planning logistics. Like you, dear reader, I also have to make those first Google searches ofWhere To GoandWhat To Doin Switzerland. And like you, I feel totally overwhelmed by too much information, too many choices, fear of the unknown, and of course the dreaded FOMO: Fear of Missing Out on something great because I (gasp!) made a dumb choice.
But the best part of my job is becoming your travel designer after my trip. Below I’ll give you the fastest, bestest ways to get Maxi-Fun and Maxi-Value from every Swiss Franc you spend. Cross my heart. Let’s go:
OMG, Lucerne changed my life. Centered around Lake Lucerne and boasting stunning monuments and architecture, the city ofLucerneis by far the most beautiful city in Switzerland--walkable, accessible, and delightful.
My local friend Marina introduced me to a new MUST for every tourist to Lucerne. The “See Bad” (pronounced “Tsee Bawd”) means “lake bath,” and it is the ultimate old-fashioned bathing station. This charming, blond-wood structure was created decades ago on the coast of Lake Lucerne as an aquatic paradise. There are change rooms, a kiddy pool fed by the lake water, and a grand staircase leading into the lake itself.
To swim in Lake Lucerne while enjoying stunning views of the city was an absolute delight, and I felt like we were participating in a 19th-century summer ritual at the same traditional bathing house, where dozens of generations had gone before us. The atmosphere was friendly, lighthearted and convivial, as if we all were sharing a special secret.
The small canteen also served excellent food at reasonable prices, and my local friend Marina and her husband seemed to know every baker and banker in Lucerne, who came up to our table to offer greetings. This bathing community was the highlight of our time in Lucerne, and it earns an A+ for ambiance and as a great place to meet locals.
After dinner, in the dusky light of sunset, my friend Marina took us for a stroll around the major tourist sights.
I highly recommend sightseeing after dinner in any city, because all the tourists have already left, the weather is cooler, and the diffuse sunlight is much more amenable to beautiful photos. We saw theweeping lion, the wooden bridge and several ancient town plaza squares that were aesthetically perfect.
The Rosengart Collectionis an intimate, accessible collection to the art of Picasso and Paul Klee. I found Klee’s art much less engaging than the many lesser-known pieces by Picasso, which were collected by Mr. Rosengarten, his personal friend, as art for art’s sake, rather than a vanity or an investment. This collection featured works from Picasso’s early, “Blue Period,” as well as late works that explored sex and sensuality. The three hours we spent here absolutely flew by.
The restaurant in theHotel Sternwas a big win. We ate at an outside table on a quiet street, right across from a picturesque church with beautiful bells chiming the hours.
Their “7 Stars” appetizer offered 7 different starters served in 7 tiny mason jars. All were interesting, but some were superlative: the pickle soup, the rough-cut steak tartar, and the gazpacho really stood out as our favorites.
For the main course, I ordered the lamb with a Swiss red wine, but the waiter suggested I pair the lamb with a Spanish Rioja that had just the right bite and aftertaste to show off the lamb--a perfect pairing is always a thrill to me, and it’s a sure sign that this eatery takes great pride in their work.
Wanna hike in summer? Wanna ski in winter?Le Grand Bellevuein the mountain town of Gstaad was the best hotel we stayed in, by far.
The owner, Daniel Koetser is a Swiss native who went to the famousEton College boarding schoolin England before graduating fromTufts in Boston.
Morale is sky-high at Le Grand Bellevue, and they were constantly surprising us with little extras. My daughter loves to cook, so we got a chef’s tour of the kitchen with different tasters of Swiss cuisine, always with a delightful twist.
We were fortunate to be in Gstaad during the annualYehudi Menuhin Classical Musical Festival, and the concert we attended in Saanen Church was spectacular. The musicians and the setting were fantastic: Saanen church was built in 1604, and provides great acoustics and a spiritual setting for music that was sublime.
August 1 isSwiss National Day, and Le Grand Bellevue celebrated with a gala brunch that served many traditional Swiss dishes. We loved their outdoor terrace, where we could watch the bees hovering and dancing in the lavender while we dined.
The pool was beautiful and had a bench just under the water’s surface that pumped out millions of delightful bubbles that tickled our skin and made us giggle. Most fun bench ever.
Geneva: If I were stuck on a desert island with only one hotel chain, it would be theMandarin Oriental. The Geneva MO was awesome, with a killer location right on the river, big huge rooms, and staff who are just dying to make you happy.
And they succeeded: on a perfect, sunny, amazing day in Geneva, they provided my daughter and me with the firstelectric bicyclesof our lives, which were (wait for it…) make-you-cry fun. An electric bike has a small engine and battery pack, which basically give you a boost up hills, so we rode up and down and all around the city for over six hours straight. There’s something so exhilarating about the gentle breeze on your cheeks as you glide along effortlessly on two wheels, taking in a new city and its architecture.
We visited a lively flea market, thePhillipe Patek Mueseumof watchmaking, theMuseum of Contemporary Art, and theBotanical Gardens.
In the Meet-The-Locals Department, our dinner at “Cafe Voisins” was a total home run. It looks like a typical sidewalk cafe, but it’s actually a brilliant social experiment.
It’s in a residential neighborhood where no tourists go, and it’s all friendly locals. I met a local surgeon, his Italian colleague and his French girlfriend, and we chatted for hours over hors d’oeuvres, dinner and wine.
The food and wines are organic, and the wait staff all share a tremendous sense of camaraderie--our waiter even sat down and joined our table for a while.
Dinner atRasoiin the Mandarin Oriental was also a treat. After 2 weeks of eating Swiss food, it was thrilling to dive into the cilantro, mint, and rich curries of Indian food.
This was the first time I had ever experienced a sommelier pairing French and Swiss wines with Indian cuisine, and it was fascinating.
Village of Zermatt: This is the home of the famousMatterhorn mountain, it’s a city without cars; we were transported from the train station by one of the charming little electric buggies that ply the village.
TheFocus Matterhorn hotelis a masterpiece of design.
Our room had floor to ceiling windows on three sides, but was situated on a hill top such that no other buildings could see into our room. It felt both spacious and at-one with nature, and the views were grand. The staff were gracious, and morale is obviously very high. Their pool has both an indoor and outdoor section, such that you can lie in a bubbling jacuzzi while gazing up on the mountains. Memorable.
A brilliant, new up-and-comer is theWaldhaus restaurant, which is happily away from the tourist scrum, and run by a husband and wife team.
The food is hearty, the prices are fair, and the views of the Matterhorn from the patio are absolutely stunning.
This couple deserves your business, and you deserve their hospitality.
There are 3 main cable cars that take you up different mountains around Zermatt. Here’s how to see the most and save the most:
Take theSunnegga Liftone-way to Blauherd. From there, the three-lake hike toStellisee, Grindjisee, and Grünseeis famous with good reason (after Grunsee, follow signs to Riffelalp and take the train down from there). Bring water and sunscreen for the beautiful 3 hour hike that’s mostly gentle inclines.
Take theGornegratbahnline down one-way from Rifflealp into Zermatt.
The next day, buy round-trip tickets and take theGlacier Paradise lift, located conveniently outside the Focus Matterhorn Hotel. We took several lifts that brought us all the way into Italy, where we watched many people skiing in July, which seems impossible until you realize how high we were, and how big the glacier was.
One thing we accidentally did that was surprisingly important to our Matterhorn visit was to tour theMatterhorn Museumin central Zermatt. Their video of a couple climbing the Matterhorn, with close-up views of them summiting the peak, as seen from a helicopter, gave us such respect for the mountain. Before this video, the Matterhorn was like a two-dimensional postcard to be viewed. After the video, the Matterhorn was an awesome creature, and an example of powerful Mother Nature--to be appreciated, but not to be trifled with. I found theMountaineers’ Cemeteryparticularly moving, with gravestones of generations of young people who gave up their lives to this challenge over the last two centuries.
Grampi’s Italian Restaurantis on the second floor, on a side-street just off the tourist scrum, but the prices and the food are refreshing.
I loved my spaghetti carbonara, and helped my daughter finish her scrumptious, wood-fired calzone. The ambiance was cheerful and light, the wait-staff were gracious, and the windows were a great place to people-watch.
City ofLausanne: As we walked in the hallways of the newly-renovatedBeau-Rivage Palace, I couldn’t understand why I suddenly felt so happy. My daughter explained that the color scheme was fresh, refreshing, and beautiful. I’m a bit of a guy on such points, so I couldn’t articulate why I felt great, but I’m now a firm believer in color schemes. Here is our room:
We loved our walking tour ofLausanne. Most of the streets in Old Lausanne are closed to traffic, and many of the buildings maintain their charm of yesteryear.
We fluked onto theDesign Museum, which was right across from theNotre Dame cathedral. This museum contained many innovative Swiss products that were so cleverly designed that we felt we were diving deep into Swiss cultural ingenuity. Lovely glass sculptures on another floor as well.
Our dinner at theCafe Beau-Rivageincluded lobster, stuffed zucchini flowers and grilled prawns a la Lebanese. Our highlight was being seated on the beautiful terrace right down next to the strolling trail beside the lake, so we watched many local couples and families stroll by.
Baur au Lacis a lovely hotel set right on Lake Zurich. It felt like 19th century Old Europe luxury, with original stained glass windows in the mezzanine, and well-appointed rooms with a beautiful pastel color scheme and retro-chic bathroom fixtures:
My first dinner in Switzerland was atJosef’s, a restaurant on Zurich’s hipper, more gritty side of town.
The tasting menu gave me a fascinating introduction to Swiss cuisine, and I found the risotto delightful on the tasting menu.
I am obsessed with local bike tours as the best way to get your bearings in a new city, with a good overview of what there is to see and how to prioritize your time. OurTopTrek bike tourswas a perfect introduction to Zurich, and I remember how the first bridge across the river in the Old Town was breathtaking.
Zurich has a lot of nice nature and parks, and biking along the lakeside in a gentle breeze was Europe at its best. Our guide Bruno genuinely cared about us, and offered us an additional 40 minute tour at no extra charge.
Upon arrival at theSan Moritztrain station, we were delighted to find a vintage, 1920’s bus from our hotel,Suvretta House, waiting for us.
The Suvretta felt like mountain Alps retreat, lost in time. The lobby was quiet, plush and huge, giving a very positive first impression. And our room was all dark woods with bright, sunny views of the nearby mountains. The bathroom was huge and ornate, evoking brilliant craftsmanship. The fruit basket contained fruit I remember from my childhood: not perfect in appearance, but rich in fragrance and taste. Who knew one could enjoy a simple peach so much?
The concierge sent us on a hike into a mountain valley beside a rushing stream, and this was truly Heidi Country from the children’s storybook.
We were amazed at how all those big, happy cows could stand on such steep hillsides while they grazed. A local talent.
We enjoyed the ambiance of the evening cocktail party the Suvretta hosts for new guests, and dinner at the hotel’s casualStuble Restaurantwas delightful. Being a cheese fanatic, I had to try the fondue. The melted cheese mixed with wine was bubbling in the pot, while I skewered pieces of bread or meat, and rolled them through the pot in a figure-8 style, to coat them with cheese. My daughter’s meat ravioli with pureed pea sauce was marvelous,
We got to enjoy the return train trip from San Moritz to Chur, and then on to a two-hour stop inBern, where we strolled leisurely around the Old City, which was dotted with flower boxes and local flags. The highlight for me was to stand inAlbert Einstein’s apartment, the scene of his incredible insights on physics while he worked as a poor clerk in the Swiss patent office. I was very moved to be in that very room where history was made, in a triumph of passion and grit over tremendous obstacles.
We took the train from Bern toInterlakenand two cable cars to the car-free village ofMurren. There’s a storybook beauty to a village accessible only by cable cars, and this village is a must-see.
TheHotel Eigerwas conveniently located right across from the BLM cable car station, and our room’s balcony looked out directly from the bathroom onto the face of a mountain that seemed so close one could reach out and touch it.
I sat out there for over an hour, trying to hold still and center myself long enough to really absorb what my eyes were showing me.
It’s not easy for an American to hold still. We seem to take in a cursory inventory of a place with our eyes, pluck what’s useful and ignore what’s not, then our eyes move on to our next visual conquest.
We took cable car up to theSchiltorn, the highest local peak. In addition to stunning panoramic views, this peak was where many scenes from the James Bond film, “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,” were filmed. We were lucky when we were there, because it was mostly sunny and clear, except for a single cloud that completely enveloped the cables, such that we watched several cable cars apparently disappear, which was rather wondrous.
We walked around the charming village ofMurrenand found a giant chessboard where my daughter and I waged a formidable battle in one of those unforeseen but unforgettable spontaneous Vacation Moments.
Thanks for reading, and I wish you many more of those wonderful Vacation Moments.
