Switzerland

Oct 16

For those that know me personally or have read previous blog posts, you probably know that I have spent 4 years living and working on a cruise ship. During this time, I got to travel to many amazing places all over the world. I worked contracts that lasted 4-5 months and I would then get 6-8 weeks time off in between contracts. During my time in between contracts (or as crew members call it, “vacation time”) I got to travel to lots of amazing places around the world… including some places that cruise ships cannot access - like Switzerland!

Standing in the midst of the Swiss Alps with the resort town of Zermatt behind me

I got offered to work a contract on a cruise ship sailing the Mediterranean. This contract was set to last until the end of July of 2014. The company I worked for (Disney Cruise Line) is required to get staff home once their contract is over. Disney pays for the flight to get crew members back to their hometown. The cool thing is that the flight doesn’t have to be immediately when the crew member’s contract is up. It also doesn’t have to be at a specific airport. Crew members can elect to stay for an extended period of time post-contract and request to fly home from a list of pre-approved airports.

So knowing that my contract finished at the end of July in Barcelona, Spain - I chose to stay for an additional week in Europe and then fly home to Pittsburgh, PA, USA from the Milan, Italy airport. This meant I had a little more than a week to decide what to do with my time before I headed home after a summer in the Mediterranean. I can’t explain how much fun it was to be in my 20’s, flying to and from Europe, all on Disney’s dollar! Ultimately, I decided to fill in that week in between my contact ending and my flight back home with a trip to Switzerland. So I departed the cruise ship in Barcelona, Spain and took a bus to Zurich, Switzerland.

Rheinfall is the largest waterfall in Europe

Zurich

I broke my trip up into 4 different stops. There is plenty to do and see in Switzerland. I could’ve spent a lot more time in each of the cities I visited. However, due to time and money, I spent just 2-3 days in each of the following: Zurich, Lucerne, Schaffhausen, and Zermatt. I purchased the Swiss Pass for a small portion of my trip and I highly recommend this way of traveling if you choose to Switzerland. The Swiss Pass gives you access to the trains, buses, boats, public transportation, and cable cars. You can find all the information you need my clicking here.

Although I was in Switzerland for a week, I chose the 3-day pass. I used this to get from Lucerne to Schaffhausen and then Schaffhausen to Zermatt. (I only spend one night in Schaffhausen.) I also used my Swiss Pass for a boat tour along Lake Lucerne. I could have easily spent my entire Switzerland visit on the Swiss Pass alone because the views from the trains and boats were absolutely spectacular! However, I needed to sleep. So I booked hotels for my overnight stays.

The Lammat River runs through the center of downtown Zurich

The first thing I needed to do upon my arrival to Zurich was to find my hotel. This wasn’t an easy task to do in a foreign country but the people of Switzerland made it easy. I was immediately blown away with how friendly and helpful the people of Switzerland were towards foreigners. (Keep in mind, I had just spent a summer abroad in different parts of Greece, Italy, and other beautiful, but not-as-friendly places in the Mediterranean.) I should mention that there’s a good chance the people of Switzerland didn’t realize I was a foreigner until I started speaking. My blonde hair, blue eyes, and fair skin allowed me to fit right in with the locals. This was quite the opposite of my experiences in the Mediterranean countries! People in Switzerland occasionally would start speaking to me in German. I don’t speak any German. Nor do I speak any other language they speak in Switzerland other than English. In Switzerland, they speak 4 different languages. They speak the languages of their surrounding countries so German, French, Italian, and Romansh (a Swiss native language). Most people I interacted with did speak at least a basic amount of English. So I didn’t have any trouble with any type of language barrier.

As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, the people here were extremely friendly towards me. My first experience in Switzerland occurred when I got off of the train that I took from Barcelona to Switzerland and immediately got lost searching for my hotel. Not knowing what to do and not having any cell phone service, I stopped into the first business that I saw open which was a bank. The staff member asked how he could help me. I told him I wasn’t there for any banking and that I needed directions. Not only was he happy to help but he went above and beyond. I gave him the address of my hotel. He printed off a MapQuest-type map. He drew some arrows and highlighted where my hotel was located and sent me off in the right direction. Although I didn’t do any banking, I would give this bank a 5-star rating for their high quality customer service!

Swiss Fondue

I made my way to the hotel to unload and unpack. Then I went off on my first adventure! I went to try out the world-famous Swiss fondue. I went to the restaurant called Fribourger Fonduestuebli but you can find fondue restaurants all over Switzerland and, from my experience, they all are top quality! But not necessarily cheap…

Switzerland isn’t a cheap country to visit and their fondue is can be very pricey. When you order fondue at a restaurant in Switzerland, you will get a heavy pot (called a caquelon) of melted cheese with a basket of bread cubes for dipping, some boiled potatoes, and possibly some slices of meat. This costs on average about $35 (USD). Add in a drink or appetizer and you are easily spending $50 on a meal that’s not entirely filling. Because of the high price, I decided I would do fondue once, maybe twice, during my week in Switzerland. However, after I tasted my first authentic Swiss fondue dish, I was hooked and I kept craving it throughout the entire trip. I’m not sure how many times I had the swiss fondue but I know I had it three times just in Zurich. The first restaurant I went to is called Fribourger Fonduestuebli. I also went to Adler’s Swiss Chuci. And I couldn’t pass up an outdoor fondue restaurant on the side of a mountain while hiking down Mt. Uetilberg.

Mount Uetilberg

After a quiet night of fondue and wine at a local restaurant followed by getting a good night’s sleep in my hotel, I woke up to a foggy Swiss morning and made my way towards Mt. Uetilberg. I would have preferred to have done this activity on a sunnier day but my time was limited and I had an agenda to stick to if I wanted to see everything that I wanted to see. There are three ways to get to the top of this mountain. You can hike, take a train, or take a cable car. I chose to take the train up and hike down. I’m not a huge fan of cable cars. In my experience on cable cars, the views usually are amazing but not worth the anxiety I feel during the short time I’m riding in a dangling box attached to a rope hanging from the sky. I’ve tried them before and I don’t enjoy them so I stopped wasting my money and time.

Once I arrived at the top, I made my way to the only restaurant at the top called Berggasthaus Uto-Staffel. I didn’t eat here but I did have a beer. Fortunately, the weather cleared up slightly and I was able to see some pretty awesome panoramic views of the city. I walked around and explored the area by observing all the trees, statues, staircases, and trails. I soaked in the view as long as I could until the fog became too much and I could hardly see anything. Then, I made my way down the mountain (a little over 3 miles) and came across more cool statues and natural drinking fountains.

About a quarter of the way down, I discovered another restaurant. This restaurant advertised cheese fondue. I had a pleasant experience the night before while indulging in the fondue. I was a little chilly and some melted cheese sounded like a great way to warm-up. Also, this restaurant had some outdoor picnic tables along the mountain top so visitors could sit and eat fondue while enjoying the views. I couldn’t pass it up. I had a cup of warm tea to go with my cheese fondue while I sat on a Swiss mountain on a chilly, foggy afternoon. My scarf and the lit tiki-torch next to my table kept me warm enough for a very enjoyable and unforgettable experience here!

A view of Zurich from the top of Mt. Uetilberg

Stairs to hike to the top of Mt. Uetilberg

Unique statues along Switzerland’s hiking trails

After my cheese fondue stop, I continued my way down until I reached Zurich. I went back to the hotel to rest and relax until dinner time. I explored downtown Zurich around sunset and enjoyed the walks along the bridges and side streets along the Limmat River. I did some window shopping but didn’t make any purchases because most items were out of my budget. I enjoyed the views of the two Grossmunster churches. These two look-alike churches are the most prominent buildings in Zurich’s skyline and said to be built over the graveyards of the city’s patron saints, Felix and Regula. You can go inside and walk to the top for a view of the city but I was already spoiled with my Mount Uetilberg views from earlier that day so I skipped out. Instead, I had one last fondue dinner in Zurich. I sat right along the river. I saw a local riding his bike and fall when he crossed the tram tracks near my restaurant. I saw all the other nearby locals stop what they were doing and go to assist him. People got up from restaurant tables to go help. Eventually, the man was able to get back on his feet and resume his ride. The helpers resumed their evening out. It was comforting to see a group of people in a major downtown city stop what they were doing to assist a stranger. I’m not saying that this doesn’t happen in major US cities like New York or LA… I’m just saying that I haven’t seen it happen in major US cities like New York or LA. I was impressed with the simple kindness that I noticed and experienced all around during my time in Zurich, Switzerland.

I could’ve easily stayed another week or two in Zurich (or any of the Swiss cities I visited) but my time was limited and I could only do so much. If I’ve convinced you to take your own trip to Zurich, then I encourage you to check out this article titled “Top 10 Places to Visit in Zurich”

A view from Uto-Staffel restaurant overlooking Zurich

On of the twin towers of the Grossmünster — On of the twin towers of the Grossmünster

Lucerne

The next morning, I made my way to the bus station and took a short (less than an hour) bus ride to the next Swiss city on my itinerary - Lucerne. Lucerne is located in central Switzerland in the German-speaking portion of the country. It has a population of about 80,000 so it is much smaller than the city of Zurich’s population of approximately 415,000 people. There’s a great deal of things to do in Lucerne with my favorite activity being the boat tour along Lake Lucerne.

I only had one full day in Lucerne. I skipped out on fondue and just ate some grab ‘n go sandwiches and chips. After lunch, I walked around downtown. The city’s landscape is similar to Zurich’s in that a river runs through the downtown area and both cities are situated next to a large lake. The Reuss River, coming from Lake Lucerne, runs through downtown Lucerne with walking bridges to cross over. The most notable difference between Lucerne and Zurich is that Lucerne is home to much more unique bridges.

There are two notable bridges to visit while in Lucerne. These bridges are the Chapel Bridge and the Spreuer Bridge. The Chapel Bridge is worth seeing because it is Europe’s oldest wooden covered bridge. A walk through the Spreuer Bridge displays artwork along the ceiling depicting the Dance of Death.

After checking out these bridges and walking along the water, I made my way to my boat cruise. If you ever get a chance to visit Lucerne, I highly recommend taking a boat tour! It’s 2-hours of breathtaking mountain views along the beautiful Lake Lucerne. There are options to combine your boat tour with lunch/dinner. You can also combine a walking tour with a boat tour. I did the evening dinner tour and I was able to bring in my own bottle of wine to go along with the dinner. It was a quiet experience. I shared the boat with about 15-20 others. It was chilly and windy so the outside area was almost always vacant. I walked back and forth between the indoor and outdoor seats. Eventually, I stayed put outside all bundled up to take in the amazing views and breathe in the fresh Swiss air.

The next morning, I did some sight-seeing throughout the city. Nothing I saw this morning was overwhelmingly significant and I think that’s what I enjoyed most about my morning here in Lucerne, Switzerland. It was simple and serene. I didn’t deal with any large crowds or expensive entrance fees. Everything I saw was within walking distance. I took my time in between sights to grab some coffee, window shop, chat with locals, sit on a bench and gaze at the water… There was no “hustle and bustle” during my time in Switzerland and my soul was happy to experience this lifestyle, even if just for a few days.

Europe’s oldest covered wooden bridge, the Chapel Bridge

Some notable sights include the Lion Monument. This is a statue located in a small park near Lake Lucerne. This monument was created to commemorate the Swiss Guards who were massacred in 1792 during the French Revolution, when revolutionaries stormed the Tuileries Palace in Paris. Mark Twain describes this monument as "the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world.” I didn’t expect to feel emotional but it's hard not to while viewing this dying lion.

After viewing the lion, I walked around the Musegg Wall and its nine towers. You can read more about this walk here. I didn’t have a lot of time because I needed to take the train up to Rheinfall that afternoon. This was a nice activity to kill an hour or two while getting some unique views of Switzerland with very few people around… especially if this is done on an early weekday morning.

A scenic view behind me during my boat tour

Animals spotted while walking around the Musegg Wall

Rheinfall

I took the train from Lucerne to Shauffhasan. This is about an hour and a half ride and I have some advice if you take the train in Schaffhausen. Make sure you get off on the correct stop! I got off one stop too soon and ended up lugging my bags across the bridge and through some hiking trails. I eventually made it to the town of Schaffhausen after about an hour or so of wandering along the outskirts of the town. The hiking trails were beautiful, though!

I happened to arrive in Schaffhausen on July 31, which is the eve of Swiss National Day. It’s kind of like their 4th of July except it's on August 1st. It seems like most people only go up to Schaffhausen to see the Rheinfall Waterfall for a daytrip. However, I I chose to stay the night and I’m happy I did. I stayed at the Best Western Plus located conveniently right along the main road in town. I had a wonderful experience in this small town. This is a great town to stay at if you really want to intermix with the locals. Because of the holiday celebration, I was able to watch an amazing fireworks display overtop of the waterfalls. This did get a bit crowded and it was hard to see much of the waterfall in the dark hours. However, it was fun to see everybody showing off their Swiss pride by waving flags and wearing red and white. After the fireworks show, I made my way back into town where there was a min-festival happening. I’m assuming this was going on because of the holiday celebration but I could be wrong. They had hotdogs and beer and bingo and live music. It seemed like everyone knew each other in this town. I noticed lots of people greeting each other by first names and giving hugs. Luckily, I looked like I fit right in and shared a table with some other people celebrating and had a few beers before walking back to my hotel.

People climbing up the ladder on the island in the middle of the falls

The next morning reminded me of a typical American summer holiday like Memorial Day, Labor Day, or Independence Day. I went to the waterfalls early in the morning. It didn’t cost me anything to just go look at the waterfalls but there are boat tours available for purchase. These boat tours take passengers to a tiny island in the middle of the falls where tourists can climb up a staircase to the top of a hill on the island. It looked awesome but for budgeting purposes, I skipped out on this experience.

After about an hour or so at Rheinfall, I had lunch at a local cafe and felt the need to order the “Cafe Lutz” (my last name is Lutz). I thought I was ordering some sort of latte but I spit it out after the first sip once I realized it was mostly whiskey with a splash of coffee. After my “morning coffee”, I went to the bike rental station. I rented a bike and rode along the Rhine River. It was a very picturesque and leisurely bike ride. I ended up in the heart of Schaffhausen and witnessed a band dressed in Swiss gear playing the alphorns (a musical instrument similar to a didgeridoo) in some sort of tribute to their nation. I ended the afternoon with more window shopping (the only type of shopping I did in this expensive country) and grabbing some ice cream. I made my way back to my hotel to pick up my luggage and take the train to my last stop in Switzerland, Zermatt.

Zermatt

The last stop on my Swiss itinerary was arguably the most unique stop. I took a train because that’s the only way to get into this small ski village in southern Switzerland. I had no issue getting off at the wrong stop here because the railroad tracks literally stop at the town’s entrance. Upon entering, I realized right away that no cars are allowed in Zermatt. You can only get around by foot or by a horse-drawn carriage. There is the option for a taxi or bus but the town itself is very small so I didn’t see any need to spend extra on that.

Zermatt is known best for being home to the Matterhorn. This 4,478 meter mountain is the most famous in Europe with its jagged, triangular-shaped peaking along the horizon for a majestic alpine scene. You can see the mountain top from almost anywhere in Zermatt. Zermatt is known for its skiing but since I was there in August, I didn’t have the opportunity (nor the money) to take advantage of the ski slopes here. Even though it was summer, I did catch a snowfall once during my 2 days here. But for the most part, it was mostly cold rain.

Families herding animals through the town of Zermatt

I stayed at a very cozy cottage hotel that came with a kitchenette and access to a yard. This yard had outdoor seating as well as a view of the Matterhorn. In the hotel basement, there was an entire spa area with swimming pools and hottubs. One pool was located underneath large sky windows so I was able to swim and look at the Swiss Alps at the same time. This spa, along with a hotel cup of coffee, was a refreshing way to start my afternoon before I walked around the town of Zermatt.

That evening, I drank some wine in my outdoor area before walking through the town center. I skipped out on the fondue but did get a German-style pretzel and cheese at a grab ‘n go stand. I was getting to the end of a busy, fun-filled week and didn’t have much energy for anything else. So eventually the sunset and I made my way back to the hotel to relax.

The Valais Blackneck sheep in Switzerland are black from head to belly and white from belly to tail.

I spent my last morning in Switzerland walking around the hiking trails. I didn’t do anything too adventurous or crazy. There are plenty of options for activities like riding cable cars, ziplining, extensive hikes through mountains and gorges, and (if you’re there in the winter) skiing. However, simply being surrounded by the Swiss Alps was magical enough for me. Let me remind you that I wasn’t just at the end of a week-long trip to Switzerland. I was also at the end of an entire summer spent in Europe/Mediterranean. This is not a bad problem to have but I was exhausted! I had already seen different parts of Spain, Greece, Italy, France, Croatia, Monaco, Turkey, and now Switzerland… Part of me wishes I did more during my short time in Zermatt but I was a little burnt-out on sightseeing and international adventures. I was ready to go home…

So after my partly magical, partly mundane morning wandering through the Swiss Alps and the village of Zermatt, I made my way to the train station. I took the train from Zermatt to Milan, Italy. During this 3+ hour afternoon ride, I saw more amazing views of the Swiss Alps. What I remember the most is going past Lake Como and seeing a lake that looked like it was right out of a fairy-tale with its perfect blue waters, bright flowers, and Mediterranean-style buildings. I could only see if from a distance but it’s definitely on my list of places to return to one day!

After my train ride, I got off at the Milan stop and realized quickly that I was no longer in Switzerland. I couldn’t find my hotel. Nobody was printing off maps and drawing arrows for me. Nobody was mistaking me for a local. Nobody was helping strangers on the street. Nobody was smiling. I finally was able to make a connection with someone who spoke English. When I asked him where my hotel was located, he said, “Somewhere that way.” And then he was gone. So I walked “that way” and around the corner and after circling around a few times, I finally found my hotel where I would spend one night in Milan and my last night in Europe before heading back to the United States. I needed food and it made sense to get some pizza while in Italy. While eating the authentic Italian pizza and realizing it tasted somewhat normal, I knew my time in Europe needed to come to and end. I had been spoiled by the Greek Salads, the Italian Pastas, the Spanish Sangrias, and the Swiss Fondues. In order to appreciate something, you need to spend some time away. I was starting to appreciate the comfort of my own bed, cell phone service, drive-through restaurants, and knowing my way around. I was missing the United States. I was missing Pittsburgh. I was missing home.

The outdoor area accessible from my hotel in Zermatt

Zermatt is a small town with a population of approximately 5,800 people

Conclusion

Of the many places I went to during the summer of 2014, Switzerland is most definitely on the list of places I’d like to go back to one day. Ideally, with more energy, more money, and more time. Geneva, Interlaken, and Basil were also on my list of places to go in Switzerland that I didn’t make it to during this trip. I would love to spend more time in Zermatt during the winter season. I also could spend a few more days in Zurich. I am content with my time in Schaffhausen and Lucerne, although I wish I would’ve been able to fit Mount Pilates in during my time in Lucerne.

Overall, this is a friendly and safe country. I do not recommend staying in one spot. Bounce around, if you can. A week was a great amount of time here but I could’ve easily spent 2-3 weeks in this country. The downfall is that Switzerland is very expensive so I don’t know if 2-3 weeks here is realistic for me or for most people. If you’re traveling Europe and want to stop here for only a day or two, then I recommend booking your one night in Zermatt and seeing the Matterhorn. Andy Warhol once visited Switzerland and summed it up with this quote: “Switzerland is my favorite place now, because it's so – nothing. There is absolutely nothing to do.” and that describes it perfectly! Take your time in Switzerland to do absolutely nothing amidst the Swiss Alps and enjoy every moment of it. And do a little bit of nothing in all of it’s tiny, unique little towns. And eat all the Swiss Fondue!

Melanie Lutz