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Scenic Swiss SpasBy Caroline M. Jackson
My first introduction to a spa experience came at a most opportune time. Having flown overnight from Vancouver to Zurich via London, my husband and I were a touch disheveled by the time we arrived in the elegant lobby of the Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa in Interlaken. On arrival, however, it was music to our ears to learn that we had been booked for a two-hour spa treatment the following day.
Train aficionados will want to take a trip on the Brienzer Rothorn, Switzerland’s last remaining steam cog railway which has been huffing and puffing its way to the top of the 2350 meter high Rothorn since 1892. Because of an exceptionally heavy volume of snow in mid-May, our engine could only push us up as far as the Middle Station. However, on arrival at our destination we had the perfect opportunity to watch the impressive snow clearing equipment in action.
An integral part of enjoying any Swiss spa experience is to
breathe in the pristine air of the
Hemmed in by perpendicular cliffs, 72 waterfalls spout onto the valley floor. By far the most spectacular are the Trummelbach Falls. An elevator bored through the rock gives access to a series of illuminated galleries. The ten glacier-waterfalls make for a damp, earsplitting walk along paths which overlook cascading and roiling waters. No-one has described these falls better than Lord Byron “…the sunbow’s rays still arch and torrent with the many hues of heaven, and roll the sheeted silvers’ waving column o’er the crag’s headlong perpendicular” Each evening after our various forays into the mountains, we returned to the Victoria-Jungfrau and relaxed our tired muscles in the saltwater outdoor Jacuzzi or the beautiful swimming pool.
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When our lake boat from Lucerne drew into the tiny dock at
Hertenstein, I knew we had arrived in an oasis of tranquility. This modern
hotel’s spa facilities include a whirlpool, sauna and solarium and is especially
popular with locals and
After visiting a small family-owned cheese factory, we walked up to the Swiss Path which afforded us a stunning view over the turquoise lake and the Rutli meadow – birthplace of Swiss history. From here we walked down to Bauen, an idyllic little village on the lakefront. * * * Our third spa destination was Baden which was one of Switzerland’s most important spas towards the end of the Middle Ages. The town’s 19 sulfur springs yield close to a million liters of salty water a day and have the highest concentration of minerals of any spa in Switzerland.
After this refreshing experience, we took a walk along the Limmat river to the Mediaeval Old town. We found an outdoor restaurant right beside the city tower and breathed in the history of this quaint town. Being less than a 40-minute train journey to Zurich Airport, the spa town of Baden was the perfect stopover before our next international flight. Tourism Contacts: Travel: Where we stayed: Images by Hamish M. Jackson |
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Where
does a neophyte find a spa-centered holiday combined with some Alpine walking
and scenic beauty? My dogged research uncovered three locations, each in a
different canton of Switzerland. Interlaken in the Bernese Oberland, Hertenstein
near Lucerne in Central Switzerland and Baden near Zurich.
After
a dreamless sleep in our spacious room, I tiptoed over to the window to check
out the view from our balcony. I stood transfixed as I watched the early morning
mists lift like gossamer veils from the face of the majestic icy Jungfrau
massif. The swathe of green parkland opposite the hotel beckoned and minutes
later I was walking briskly across the dew-laden grass breathing in the fresh
alpine air. By 8 am, it was time to partake of the sumptuous breakfast which
included a great selection of fresh fruit, cheeses, meats, breads, yogurts and
Bircher Muesli. After this repast, we became a couple of sleuths checking out
the facilities of this
five-star
hotel which is almost one and a half centuries old. Like the patina on a fine
oak table, this grandfather of hotels is improving with age and exudes an
alluring old-world charm. Soon it was time for our two-hour spa treatment in the
new state-of-the-art ESPA facility. After my first ever perfumed footbath, I was
cleansed, wrapped up like an Egyptian mummy and deftly massaged. My tired, tight
muscles relaxed and the effects of jet lag evaporated. Rejuvenated, my husband
and I were now ready to see some of the surrounding countryside.
Interlaken
as its name implies, is situated between two lakes, Lake Brienz to the east and
Lake Thun to the west. Still relaxed after our spa treatment, we took a lake
steamer across the turquoise-blue waters of Lake Brienz to the picturesque town
of Brienz. Renown for its famous woodcarving centre, we took a leisurely tour of
the Jobin workshop which has been producing artistic carvings and music boxes
for collectors and connoisseurs from all over the world since 1835.
For
a pleasant outing, we took a short bus ride from Brienz to the Ballenberg
open-air museum which features nearly a hundred re-constructed rural buildings
arranged in clusters according to their canton of origin. Paths weave between
the various hamlets interspersed with picnic areas and inns which serve
traditional cuisine. Ballenberg is also a living museum and we observed crafts
people at work and gained insight into the harsh conditions under which Swiss
peasants survived.
Since
clothes could only be laundered twice a year, in spring and fall, we watched how
beeswax was rolled into clothes to prevent them from being easily soiled. After
walking around nearly a third of the sixty-six-hectare site, we returned to
Brienz to shop for some wood carvings and enjoy a leisurely evening stroll
along the lakefront.
high
Alps and there is no better place to visit than the Jungfraujoch, the highest
railway station in Europe at 3454 m. We took the train from Interlaken up to
Kleine Scheidegg then changed trains for the steep ascent through a series of
tunnels chiseled out of the Eiger and Monch. On a clear day the views are
spectacular and the snow covering the glaciers sparkles like a moving tapestry
of diamonds. Inside we followed the signs to the ice palace, an icy gallery hewn
out of the glacier with tableaus of creative ice sculptures. We were reminded
that the air is pretty thin at this altitude when we came across a distressed
gentleman being given oxygen by first aid personnel. Afterwards we walked out on
the sun-drenched plateau to join the many international visitors.
On
the return journey, we chose an alternative route via the delightful ski resort
of Wengen which is dwarfed by the surrounding mountains. The hilly village is
car free, but if you hear a whine behind you, it will probably be an electric
cart whisking visitors and their luggage to their appointed hotel. After a
traditional repast at the Baren restaurant just below the railway station, we
took a scenic aerial jaunt from Wengen up to Mannlichen and down into Holenstein.
Below our dangling legs, we watched furry marmots stand on their hind legs
before scurrying across snow banks then disappearing into their underground
homes.
From
Wengen, we traveled down to the lush green Lauterbrunnen Valley.
Our
second spa experience was at the Wellness Hotel Graziella located on the shores
of Lake Lucerne.
Germans
seeking ‘time out’. Our balcony overlooked the lake where the only action was
the moorhens and swans vying for territory. Nearby the muted cowbells took up
their place in nature’s orchestra as heads bowed, the cows treaded along their
steep narrow staircases in search of a breakfast of dew-laden buttercups, clover
and daisies. Our own breakfast was usually muesli and healthy bread with black
cherry jam.
For
some exercise, we cycled along the lakeside to the idyllic town of Weggis which
boasts several spa hotels. Best of all, its ever-helpful tourist office offers
excellent guided walking tours of the area. Headed up by Heidi, we have over the
years taken many of these excursions but on this occasion she introduced us to a
new route which would lead us to Switzerland’s famous hiking path, the
35km-long Swiss Path. Created in 1991 to commemorate the 700th anniversary of
the founding of Switzerland, the path was built all the way round the
southernmost end of Lake Lucerne (Lake Uri) from Rutli meadow to Brunnen.
Visitors
can walk along different sections of the Path and make connections by train,
boat or bus. With our backpacks stocked with sandwiches and water, we took the
boat across lake Lucerne to Trieb where caught a funicular up to the little town
of Seelisberg, a well-kept secret retreat for Swiss holidaymakers.
Seeking
a quiet location, I found the family-run Atrium Hotel Blume via the internet and
we were not disappointed. Built in 1840, this jewel of a hotel is like walking
into a time capsule. Each floor of its interior courtyard overlooks a fountain
surrounded by basket chairs and a proliferation of healthy green plants. On
arrival, a tiny elevator whisked us up to the fourth floor. Our spacious room
with creaky parquet flooring overlooked a quiet square. Double-facing doors, the
inside one being covered in red cushioning, meant that not even a whisper from
diners could be heard in our bedroom.
Our
hotel was adjacent to the Thermalbad, the public baths which anyone can visit.
The idea is to swim round the perimeter of the baths which is ensconced with
jets at different levels. A little
buzzer
alerts bathers when to move onto the next jet. It is a very relaxing experience,
then one is wrapped in a warm bath robe and directed to the relaxation room
where talking and cell phones are not permitted.