See Switzerland up close and personal on Magical Switzerland
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So, Carl, what’s first?
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SOUNDS FANTASTIC. SO WHAT’S NEXT IN ST. MORITZ?
“You have the day free, with the option to go on the famous Bernina Express, which is one of the best train rides in the world. This is because of the views of the glaciers, and it is also the only crossing of the Alps without cogwheels – for anyone into engineering, that’s a big attraction.”
WOW. SO WHAT HAPPENS AFTER ST. MORITZ?
“The Glacier Express goes through the Schöllenen Gorge, and one of the crossings is by Devil’s Bridge. This name comes from a legend about the Devil making a deal with the locals to help build the bridge, in exchange for the first soul who crosses over it. The farmers had a beer together, smiled and said ‘okay, let’s do it’. And when the bridge was finished, the first soul they sent across was a goat.
“The devil then got so mad at them that he threw a huge rock down in the valley, which can still be seen. The Schöllenen Gorge is one of the best mountain passes, with spectacular views of the skiing, and the beautiful river that eventually ends in Lucerne.”
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THEN GUESTS ARRIVE TO THE FAIRYTALE VILLAGE OF GRINDELWALD?
WHAT CAN GUESTS DO IN GRINDELWALD?
“The Jungfrau. This the reason why you came. You can choose to take the famous cogwheel train up the Jungfrau, where for two thirds of the stretch, the train is in a tunnel inside the mountain. Because of this, it is not weather dependent and so they rarely close the train. This is a masterpiece of engineering, dreamt up by a Swiss industrialist who was daring enough to build it.
“Going up, you can see the hard rock of the mountain and there are also windows in the rock wall, so you can look out at the beautiful view. On the way up, you can also see into the Eiger North Wall, so it’s a really amazing journey.
“At the top, you arrive at the highest train station in Europe. There, you can visit a wonderful underground ice cave with ice sculptures. You can go under the ice of the glacier up on the Jungfrau. You have a lookout place, the so called ‘sphinx’, where you’ll see the Alps’ largest glacier: The Aletsch. You can also visit the highest chocolate manufacturer and the highest pastry shop in Europe here, for chocolate tasting, pastry tasting, both at high altitude.”
THAT SOUNDS AMAZING. THEN WHAT HAPPENS ON DAY 6?
“And then we go to wonderful Chillon Castle, setting for It is the best preserved and most visited castle in Switzerland, easy to go to and wonderfully romantic – on an island in the lake with a bridge connected to the mainland. It’s beautiful place and really in good shape.
“Nearby is the lovely town of Montreux. Here you start to see more of the modern Switzerland. You have winter palm trees on the lakeshore, lovely little livestock and beautiful gardens. There’s always modern sculptures in the garden, and there is the famous life-size statue of Freddie Mercury. It’s nice to have Freddie Mercury standing there down on the lake shore, and there’s always lots of flowers there. Then, it’s to Geneva.”
ALL GOOD THINGS COME TO AN END, RIGHT?
THANK YOU SO MUCH, CARL.
See Switzerland close and personal on Magical Switzerland
