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Switzerland

A Country of Contrasts

By Caroline M. Jackson

Bordered by France, Germany, Austria and Italy, the pocket-sized country of Switzerland is a land of diversity both linguistically and geographically. Depending on your proximity to each country, you are liable to hear German (66%), French (18%), or Italian (10%) being spoken fluently. Running through this multi-lingual tapestry, most Swiss also speak English.

Switzerland may be devoid of ocean front property but it has been compensated by a proliferation of lovely lakes such as Lake Geneva and Lake Lucerne. The Swiss have transformed their inland seas into places of beauty enjoyed by both visitors and locals alike. Lakesides and riverbanks are lined with cool leafy walkways, bright cafes and fairytale castles. Watersports and fishing are popular as are the many lake steamers which zigzag across the lakes calling in at tiny villages.

The best way to explore this country is to make use of the excellent Swiss rail system which traverses the country like an intricate spider’s web. Driving is a great way to visit the countryside, but not the best choice for city sightseeing as parking is at a premium especially as many centers are now pedestrian precincts.

One of the most scenic areas is the Bernese Oberland which is a mecca for skiers in the winter and hikers in the spring, summer and fall. The Oberland is home to mighty giants such as the Eiger and the Jungfrau which stand like frozen sentinels guarding the green valleys below.

A good center from which to explore this area is the Victorian resort town of Interlaken which straddles Lake Brienz and Lake Thun. Pick a fine day and travel south to either Grindelwald or Gimmelwald valleys for a day’s hiking. From the ski village of Grindelwald, hikers can choose from 90 km of paths that wend their way through alpine meadows, past chalets and cows with tinkling bells. Those who want to go further afield can catch the yellow Post bus or one of the cable cars that transport visitors to higher elevations. Round the day off with a visit to nearby Gimmelwald where you can watch bungee jumping from a gondola.

A lesser known but majestic mountain outing is a daytrip up to the top of the Stockhorn. Take the train from Interlaken to Spiez on the south bank of Lake Thun, then on to Erlenbach. From the railway station, it is a short walk to the foot of the gondola which will whisk you up to the top of the mountain. Buy a bowl of soup in the restaurant and take a seat on the wrap-around balcony overlooking the shimmering ice blue and white alpine backdrop. On the ridge below the restaurant, hang gliders prepare their colorful ‘wings’ before soaring off into the hazy blue Simmental valley below.

 After your repast, take a ten-minute hike up to the summit. En route, labels identify delicate alpine flowers and the view from the rocky summit is truly breathtaking. On your return journey, download at the mid-station and join many locals for a walk of picnic beside the Stockensee, a pristine glacial lake which is stocked with trout. Wherever you go in Switzerland, there is always a bench in the right spot and this lakeshore is no exception. As you stroll back through the village of Erlenbach, admire the beautiful deep-eaved roofs and scalloped gables so typical of the chalets in this region.

For a change of pace, you can explore the interior of a mountain. Catch one of the lake boats from Interlaken to the holiday resort of Meringen. From here you can walk up to the St. Beatus Caves which were once home to an Irish missionary. The underground temperature is a constant nine degrees centigrade so a light sweater is advisable. The limestone stalagmite and stalactite formations are impressive and a knowledgeable guide heads up the one-hour tour which wends its ways through a network of grottoes, underground streams and lakes.

For the remainder of the day, return to the medieval town of Thun. The cobbled Rathaus Platz is a great place to enjoy a leisurely lunch at one of the outdoor cafes. However, if you are on a budget, pay a visit to Migros, a popular Swiss supermarket to buy an open-faced sandwich, some fruit and a mini bar of Toblerone. Head for one of the seats on the bank of the Aare River to watch the swans and you will soon be refreshed and ready for a tour of the quaint town of Thun. History buffs will want to climb up the covered staircase to Schloss Thun (Zahringen Castle), while shopping aficionados can visit the medieval two tiered-shopping street.

No one should visit the Bernese Oberland without spending a day in the capital city of Bern. On arrival at the train station, walk over to the tourist office to pick up a walking map and perhaps join up with one of the multilingual guided tours. A highlight for visitors is the famous astronomical clock tower. The official guided tour will allow you to enter the tower to watch the machinations of the striking sequence. As it was near noon, I quickly chose to return to street level and watch the Biblical golden rooster flap its wings and crow three times while Father Time moved his lips and swung his scepter.  

Once our little tour group had finished snapping their photos, we strolled along the covered two-tiered arcades ogling into the deep interiors of exotic shops – perfumeries, confectioners, patisseries, tobacconists and wine cellars from which emanated the most delectable aromas. Aside from the medieval fountains and the architecture, this is a town where you can people watch for hours. Musicians decked out in tuxes played cellos and violins with strains of Brahms and Schubert competing with the squeal of passing green and beige trams. Just outside the 15th century Gothic cathedral, our multilingual guide graciously bid us farewell.

From the Bernese Oberland, it is easy to take a day trip across the border into Italy. Catch the train from Interlaken to Brig, then take the Milan train via Domodossola to the beautiful Italian town of Stresa on Lake Maggiore. Make sure you choose a Swiss rather than an Italian carriage. By accident, we chose the latter which was dirty, smelled of cigarettes and had no light bulbs. We knew we had crossed the border when a young Italian rushed along the train corridor enthusiastically shouting GELATO! GELATO! Hot on his heels were the Italian police. Dressed in blue-gray uniforms, hats cocked back from their sweaty foreheads, they ambled past our compartment encumbered by jingling handcuffs, guns and walkie-talkies. If their jails looked anything like the washrooms I had visited in the station, I did not want to even look at these officials the wrong way, so I buried my head in my Lonely Planet guidebook. Soon we reached our destination, Stresa. Surrounded by magnificent mountains, its picturesque setting would be a choice photo for a jigsaw puzzle. Elegant villas overlook the shimmering lake that is dotted with the historical Borromean Islands. Wild rose hedges border the wide esplanades and swifts skim over the waters edge. I would like to have tarried longer here and visited the islands but I also knew the Milan train would be along any minute. After all, it would be on time as it was headed for Switzerland. 

Contacts:

Switzerland Tourism: http://www.MySwitzerland.com

Rail Europe Reservation no: 1-800-361-7245

Images by Hamish M. Jackson

Email: crestlyn@axionet.com

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