Savvy Sightseer - tips and insights for seasoned travelers!
Bridge over the River Limmat.
Einstein welcomes visitors to the apartment where he developed the famous Theory of Relativity.
A monument to the Swiss guards who bravely gave their lives while in service to King Louis XVI during the French Revolution in 1792.
Major Cities
A quick tour of three of the country's main cities shows just how diverse this region is in heritage and culture. The largest city in Switzerland and one of the financial capitals of the world, Zurich is a mere 34 square miles - a great place for a walking tour! Bern, the country's capital, displays both its serious and playful sides. Luzern is home to one of the most picturesque and historic wooden bridges in the world, and just a short boat trip away from a hidden fortress!
A bustling city of shops and dining
Visit this quiet park, watch a chess game in action or catch a view of the Limmat River.
An historic Gothic cathedral with dramatic twin towers dominate the landscape of Zurich
This 100 year old Neo-Gothic mansion houses the Landsmuseum Zurich.
One of the many collections on display at the Swiss National Museum in Zurich
A 13th Century church boasting the largest clock face in Europe
Zurich
Zurich’s winding, cobblestoned streets are packed with shops, history and charm throughout, with new vistas around every bend. Despite crowds and busy streets, the city exudes a classy and dignified atmosphere. Its busy train station, the Hauptbahnhof, connects Zurich with other European capitals, leading many to see Zurich only as a transfer stop on to somewhere else. That's their loss, though - it's a great destination in itself.
If you don't feel like zipping through Zurich on a tram, try a delightful walk through the town an a path that takes you through stately parks overlooks the Limmat River, down historic streets and along the lively Lake Zurich promenade. Click on the set of Zurich images to the left for an expanded slide-show view and additional information.
Ancient and ornate, this intricate timepiece has been entertaining Bern visitors since the 1500s.
A lively street in the heart of Bern's shopping and market area.
Bern
A bustling street market, the apartment of a world-famous scientist, a fountain that randomly spurts plumes of water skyward in front of the Parliament building - not the usual trappings of a country's capital, but such is the charm of Bern.
A narrow winding staircase leads the way to the humble home where Albert Einstein devoted himself to physics concepts and developed the Theory of Relativity. Einsteinhaus depicts both the living quarters of the scientific mastermind as well as a small museum detailing Einstein's life and work.
Towering above the entrance to Market Street is the 16th century clock. A lively performance of jesters, marching bears, knights and a crowing rooster delights visitors while keeping time and illustrating astronomical facts.
Crossing busy Market Street can be a real challenge, but visitors need to remember trams trump traffic! People-watching from a central bench while snacking on a sandwich is a traveler's must-do as pedestrians vie trams for street space. Equally entertaining is Parliament Square, where fountains spout into the air in front of the Parliament building. Children and adults alike play a game of chance trying guess where the next squirt will pop up from 26 locations - one for each of Switzerland's cantons or federal states.
Click on each set of images for an expanded slide-show view and additional information.
Young and old enjoy cooling off on a hot day in the country's capital.
Luzern
A photographer's dream location, Luzern (aka Lucerne) is a medieval town brimming with beauty and history. At the junction of Lake Luzern and the river Reuss, and nestled in the arms of the Alps, this city is loaded with charming and hidden delights. A popular photo stop is the Chapel Bridge, the oldest, and arguably the prettiest, wooden covered bridge in Europe. The bridge connects not just the pedestrian-only old town to the new, it also links the past to the present. Triangular paintings on overhead spans depict the town's and country's history.
A short walk away is the Hofkirche, St. Leodegar Church, built on the remains of an 8th century monastery. Understated on the outside, inside the Hofkirche bursts with light, golden altars, carved choir stalls and ornate wooden pulpit, and an organ with almost 6000 pipes. Parts of the extravagant Death of the Virgin altar and the structure's twin spires, survived a devastating fire in 1633 and have been restored.
In the Old Town, the Manor department store offers a rare treat - stop by the fifth floor food court then bring your tray up to the rooftop terrace and get the best view in town!
Street art takes on a new meaning in Luzern, when murals take up entire houses. One of the most popular painted facades is in Sternenplatz on the Restaurant Fritschi. The bawdy artwork irreverently portrays the Fritschi family and friends reveling during Mardi Gras.
A traditional folklore show is a fun way to enjoy Swiss cuisine while hearing alphorns and robust clapping dances, all the while learning about Swiss culture.
Historical and scenic, the Chapel Bridge, or Kapellbrücke, connects old with new.
Although many of the original artworks were destroyed by fire in the 1990s, many still remain.
Lucerne's main church, the Hofkirche, stands where a Benedictine monastery was first founded in the 8th century.
Dating from about 1500, the lavish altar depicting Mary surrounded by disciples, along with the twin spires, survived the fire of 1633 that destroyed the rest of the church.
Fritschi restaurant mural
While Switzerland is synonymous with neutrality, the Swiss people are not oblivious to the vagaries of war. Virtually obscure from passersby, a nondescript shedlike building is the entryway to a massive hidden fortress, Festung Fürigen. Should Switzerland be invaded, the plan was to squirrel away important citizens and army personnel. The facility could house up to 100 people, and could store provisions for up to three weeks.
Although billed as a museum, Fürigen doesn't resemble any usual military display. Visitors can step behind and aim a cannon, and observe model soldiers at the ready. Barracks are set for troops to sleep in staggered shifts, and the kitchen is primed for feeding the masses. Swiss army coats are available to ward off the tunnel chill, and iPods provide commentary at each station.
A trip to Festung Fürigen is a multiple treat - a scenic boat ride on a nice day lets visitors enjoy the majestic ring of mountains and lake views, as well as the tiny town of Stansstad on the 10-minute walk from dock to fortress.
Click on the set of images for an expanded slide-show view and additional information.
Continue your trip through Switzerland with a visit to the Scenic Sights and Famous Playgrounds page,
or go back to the Switzerland home page.
