|
Secluded SwitzerlandBy Caroline M. JacksonAfter our Trans-Atlantic flight to Zurich, my husband and I found ourselves being whisked south by train to the spa town of Bad Ragaz which is renown for its healing waters. On arrival at our first stopover, the Hotel Ursalina, we were warmly welcomed by the Fried family who looked after us royally for our two days of rest and relaxation. Set astride the fast-flowing Tamina River, Bad Ragaz exudes tranquility with pathways skirting around its picturesque18-hole golf course and opulent spa hotels such as the Hotel Quellenhof. No-one seemed to be in a rush here and fellow walkers passed us with a smile and the friendly greeting ‘Gruezi’.
A highlight of any sojourn in Bad Ragaz is, of course, a visit to the Tamina Spa. Known since medieval times, the thermal springs gush out of the Tamina Gorge at a temperature of 36.5C. and warms two indoor pools and an outdoor pool which boasts a grotto, bubble massage seats and a waterfall. My favorite was the ‘current canal’ which swished us round in circles.
In the hills just outside Bad Ragaz is the town of Maienfeld situated in an area promoted as Heidiland. A pleasant walk up from the station took us to Heididorf (Heidi’s Village) complete with a 300-year-old house which was the inspiration of authoress Johanna Spyri who wrote Heidi, the touching story of an orphaned girl.
Feeling refreshed after our relaxing time in Bad Ragaz, we headed fifteen minutes south by train to Chur (pronounced koor), the cantonal capital of Graubunden, Switzerland’s southeastern canton bordering Austria, Italy and Liechtenstein. Because this city commands a key position on the north/south route through the Alps, it has a history as rich as a fruitcake. It boasts a 5000-year history of settlement thus making it the oldest town in Switzerland. A walk along the cobbled alleys of its Medieval old town is like stepping back into another era. It was easy to while away an afternoon here popping into courtyards, visiting the 15thC. Rathaus (Town Hall), and enjoying the cool interior of its imposing 800-year-old cathedral. In the evenings, we enjoyed local cuisine at two delightful restaurants, the Hotel Duc de Rohan and my favorite, the Weinstube at the historic Romantik Hotel Stern where we were served by staff attired in local costume.
Just south of Chur, near Thusis, is Switzerlands “Grand Canyon”. Known as the Viamala Gorge, this steep six-kilometer long ravine plunges 500 meters down to the gushing green Hinterrhein River. It was easy walking down the 321 steps to the lower section of the ravine but quite another matter on the return journey. During the ascent, I took many pauses admiring the ‘whirl-pots’ and other extraordinary rock formations gouged out by eons of powerful torrents. En route, we got glimpses of precarious bridges that once formed part of the Via Mala (Evil Road), a route carved out of the rock and used by north/south traders and pack animals over the centuries.
Situated on a massive escarpment at the northern entrance
to the Viamala Gorge are the ruins of Hohen Ratien Castle. The 40-minute ascent
was worth every step as the view over the Domleschg Valley is spectacular with
its sides dotted with castles and fortresses. Apples from the valley’s lush
orchards were once exported to the Tzar of Russia. Near the castle, recent
excavations have unearthed a late Roman church with a
For one of the sections in our “Stairways to Heaven” excursion, we took a modern Postbus to the beautiful Convent of St. John in Mustair, a World Heritage Site near the Swiss/Italian border.
Intrigued by all this history, we continued further eastwards to the 16th century walled town of Glurns in Italy. Dating back to 1163, this city is a treasure trove of arcaded streets and medieval buildings. After enjoying a cappuccino in the main square, we took a picturesque walk around the perimeter of the city walls.
Ensconced in Hotel Hauser, we sat by the window and drank in the majesty of the mountain panorama set before us. In the plaza below, we watched Japanese visitors disgorging from luxury coaches and quickly donning their warm ski jackets. Even though the area averages 322 days of sunshine each year, an altitude of 6,000 feet means the air can remain quite cool even in June.
A nearby confiserie with the most exquisite pastries and chocolates prompted us to find a light meal. With my trusty guidebook in hand, we walked half way down from the Dorf to the Bad and enjoyed an inexpensive meal in the Co-op Supermarket restaurant. From here, we enjoyed a lovely evening stroll around St. Moritz See. On the return journey, I lost my husband to the imposing Waldhaus am See hotel which claims to have the world’s largest whisky bar.
In the morning we awoke to the noise of a helicopter hovering overhead. I surmised that perhaps an exciting mountain rescue was underway but I was mistaken. The helicopter was delivering skips of concrete to a mountainside construction site. Judging by the proliferation of cranes, summer is apparently the season for expensive hotel expansions and renovations. After all St. Moritz boasts several luxury class palaces.
I couldn’t believe she had walked up such a steep slope
but after a lot of sign language and a little German, she explained she had
taken a few days to make the journey.
Next on our itinerary was an exciting daytrip aboard the red Bernina Express bound for Tirano in Italy. The route wends its way through corkscrew tunnels and tracks around an amazing circular viaduct. As the train hauled itself up to the top the Bernina Pass we passed Lago Bianco, a milky-green colored lake created by glacial melt water.
Switzerland Tourism:
http://www.myswitzerland.com Images by Hamish M. Jackson |
|
TM
We were not alone on our pilgrimage. Dozens of Japanese
enthusiasts were following us up the little ladder into Heidi’s loft.
Unbeknownst to me, this children’s classic is apparently the most popular book
after the Bible and has been translated into more than forty languages.
6th century font where
adults were once baptized. This secluded church is just one of many special
locations which are part of the “Stairways to Heaven” sites in the canton of Graubunden and the southern Tirol in Austria. Once traveled by the Rhaetians (a
Celtic tribe) in the Middle Ages, today’s travelers can now visit these remote
chapels and castles by following well-marked footpaths just as the pilgrims and
knights did in the days of yore. Longer distances can be covered by taking the
narrow-guage Rhaetian railway.
Our next destination was St. Moritz. Renown as one of the
world’s top ski destinations once its snowy mantle has melted, summer visitors
can enjoy the ambience of this mountain resort. Located in the southeastern
canton of Graubunden, a snowball throw from the Italian border, our scenic train
journey from Chur took two hours. On arriving at the train station we discovered
St. Moritz is really a twin resort: St. Moritz- Bad (Spa) by the lake and St.
Moritz-Dorf (Village) where the Jet Set sleep and party after schussing down the
ski slopes. To our chagrin, we found our hotel was in the Dorf, a fair hike up
from the lake. With a cocktail of suitcases, a chill wind and the thin mountain
air, my Scottish husband was easily persuaded to spring for a taxi.
Refreshed, it was now time for an evening stroll. Our
footsteps took us past a chic coffee house with chairs covered in sheepskin
rugs.
It was time to leave town and by chance we stumbled upon
the St. Moritz Design Gallery, an elegant pedestrian passageway with very long
escalators connecting us down to the train station. After purchasing a baguette,
local cheese and a delectable Swiss pastry at the station delicatessen, we set
off to explore the countryside. A local bus took us alongside a necklace of
alpine lakes to the town of Maloja which stands sentry to the mountain pass
leading into Italy. From here we enjoyed an idyllic hike through the valley and
up to a fortress, a perfect location for a picnic.
In the afternoon we caught a funicular up to the Muottas
Muragl viewpoint. From a height of 2500m we saw St. Moritz and the chain of
lakes stretching along the Engadin Valley floor. A highlight for me was a
solitary walk along the mountain paths which zigzagged down to the River Inn. I
thought I was all alone until suddenly I came face to face with a farmer who was
leading her cows to summer alpine pastures.
Her physique reminded me of the paintings
I had seen earlier in the local Giovanni Segantini Museum. This local artist
brilliantly portrays mountain life as it was in the 19th-century. On looking at
the countenance of this fresh-faced cow herder, I pondered on the fact that so
little had changed.
Surrounded by an other-worldly landscape, I watched a
group of hikers disembark at the highest point, then completely vanish into an
enveloping mist. After passing the Palu Glacier, a stunning tablecloth of
shimmering ice suspended between two mountains, the whining brakes alerted us to
the fact we were now on a downhill journey into Italy. The majestic glacial
landscape was now replaced by hillsides draped in terraced vineyards and valleys
lined with palm trees. The sing-song names of towns spoke for themselves –
Poschiavo, Campocologno and our final destination, Tirano.
This lively town is situated in a spectacular river valley.
The piazzas were awash with holidaymakers and locals enjoying pasta and exotic
dishes of gelato under colorful umbrellas. Trying to avoid the crowds, we walked
in the opposite direction along a cool avenue lined with Lombardy poplars. Soon
we reached the famous Renaissance-style church of Madonna di Tirano in the
Piazza Basilica. Built in 1515, its cool, dark interior was a welcome contrast
to the heat of the noonday sun. Being the sole visitors, a friendly volunteer
gave us a personal tour of the church’s elaborate interior of frescoes and
ornate statuary. Before returning to the station we spent a leisurely hour
walking through the old part of town with its narrow streets, cobbled courtyards
and frescoed buildings. All too soon the red Bernina Express hove into view and
we would once again zigzag through the Alps on our homeward journey to St.
Moritz.