By C P Ravindran
The view from Mount Pilatus was breathtaking. Light and shadows shifted in the valley as strings of wispy clouds hovered just below us, delicate veils offering glimpses of Lake Lucerne, its waters glowing like polished glass. It was a magical setting.
On a clear day, it is said, Pilatus offers a panoramic view of 73 Alpine peaks.
There were dozens of tourists at the summit but there was hardly any sound at all. Words were forgotten and sentences were left unsaid as people immersed themselves in the stunning beauty of the mountain scenery.
In a far corner, a group of Chinese tourists suddenly began doing tai chi as if on a cue, their slow and flowing movements adding to the mystical atmosphere.
But then Mount Pilatus (2,128m) has always been associated with mystery and fables. “Maker of weather, dragon’s lair, home to giants and grave of rulers”, Pilatus is one of the most legendary places in central Switzerland. And one of the most beautiful too.
I was at Pilatus as part of a group of journalists from the GCC, invited by Switzerland Tourism.
Pilatus (2,128m) is a popular destination for tourists in Switzerland.
To get to the top, we took a cogwheel train from Alpnachstad. The train rides the steepest cogwheel track in the world. The cog railway, which was built in 1898, still runs on its original tracks.
The mountain can also be reached by gondola lift and aerial cable car. The trip, if one wishes to make it more exciting, can be combined with various types of sports and hiking tours. Mount Pilatus has the longest summer toboggan track in Switzerland (0.88 miles or 1,350m) - a thrilling experience one should not miss. What a ride!
Coming down from the mountain, yet another treat is waiting for you: the lake city of Lucerne. The city, which could be seen from Mount Pilatus, offers a range of attractions to discover and cherish. Centuries-old sights like the Chapel Bridge, the Musegg Wall, the Lion Monument and the historic Old City form an exciting contrast to contemporary Lucerne with its Culture and Congress Centre (KKL Luzern), abundance of restaurants and a wide range of shopping outlets.
Its museums, theatres and festivals have all contributed to establishing Lucerne as a “city of culture” which elegantly combines both tradition and trend.
Lucerne was once known as a city of bridges; in 1400, it was the only place in Europe to boast four bridges.
The Water Tower and the Chapel Bridge, both built around 1300, are Lucerne’s trademarks. Chapel, the oldest preserved wooden bridge in Europe, displays a number of 17th century paintings on triangular panels under its eaves.
A major part of the bridge was destroyed in a fire on August 18, 1993. The reconstructed bridge was opened in April, 1994. Many of the paintings, lost in the fire, have been replaced or recopied. The octagonal Water Tower, like the Chapel Bridge, once formed part of the inner city fortifications and has served as an archive, a city treasury and a prison.
Lucerne’s second wooden bridge, the Mill Bridge, built around 1408, has its own series of 17th century paintings, featuring the famous Dance of Death on 65 panels by Caspar Meglinger.
Lucerne’s Dying Lion monument, created by the Danish sculptor Thorwaldsen, is one of Europe’s most famous sculptures. It is dedicated to the memory of the Swiss mercenaries who were killed while protecting King Louis XVI during the French Revolution at the Tuileries Palace in Paris in 1792.
Tourism is an important industry for Lucerne and the surrounding region which rank among the most popular destinations in the world.
Lucerne has approximately 1mn overnight stays per year and is visited by 4.5mn to 5mn day guests every year. Though people from America, Germany, Britain, China and India form the bulk of tourists visiting the city, it is increasingly becoming a popular destination for travellers from Qatar and other GCC countries.
The city plays host to a number of cultural events such as the Lucerne Festival at the Piano, the Lucerne Blues Festival and the Fumetto International Comics Festival. Winter is traditionally ushered out every year with a carnival in February. Comical characters in colourful costumes and masks parade through the streets and squares of the Old Town.
After Lucerne, the next stop, for an overnight stay ideally, should be the resort of Weggis where there are a number of excellent hotels to welcome you. Weggis, which is also on the shore of Lake Lucerne and at the foot of the renowned Rigi (called the “queen of mountains”), offers tranquility and relaxation. In 1897, Mark Twain wrote that Weggis was the “loveliest place” he had ever visited.
But then that is a description that could appertain to all of Switzerland and not just a small part of it. Mark Twain would have found Rapperswil, located on the upper end of Lake Zurich, as equally beautiful and lovely as Weggis.
Rapperswil is called the “town of roses” because of its vast displays of roses in three parks. They contain more than 16,000 plants and 600 kinds of roses. There is even a rose garden in the town centre for the blind with particularly fragrant roses, the names of which are written in Braille on guide panels.
Overlooking the town, the Rapperswil castle is perched high on a hill and is home to a Polish museum. This top spot offers visitors panoramic views of the lakeside surroundings.
After Rapperswil, our next destination was Zurich, Switzerland’s financial district. The city, situated in the heart of Europe and at the foot of the Swiss Alps, is the ideal base from which to explore the entire country. Zurich Airport, which has direct connections to 170 international destinations, including Doha, is just a 10-minute train ride from the centrally located Zurich Main Station.
Lake Zurich, around which the city is built, and the River Limmat, which winds its way past Old Town buildings and through up-and-coming urban quarters, lend the metropolis a refreshing Mediterranean ambiance.
Awash with wellness facilities and opportunities for water sports, and as home to Europe’s mightiest waterfall, the Rhine Falls, Zurich entices with a variety of watery experiences, ranging from laid back to action packed.
In Zurich, there is no need to look for a supermarket to buy bottled water if you get thirsty, since you can simply drink straight from the nearest fountain. And that can never be far away, because Zurich has the largest number of fountains of any city in the world with more than 1,200 of them. Many of these fountains are themselves small-scale works of art. And they all provide clean drinking water.
Zurich’s shopping mile has contributed largely to the city’s reputation as an El Dorado for shoppers and is home to many international fashion labels and jewellery and watch stores.
For lovers of art, Zurich has much to offer. The city, which is home to over 50 museums, is the birthplace of Dadaism, an avant-garde artistic and literary movement that began in 1916. Next year, Zurich celebrates the centenary of the Dada movement with a number of events and shows.
No trip to Switzerland would be complete without a visit to the Rhine Falls near Zurich. A magnificent spectacle, it is touted to be the largest plain waterfall in Europe, falling from a height of around 23m and 150m at its widest point.
The ultimate holiday destination, Switzerland is a treat that will linger in your memory long after you experience the country.
A cogwheel train on its way up to Mount Pilatus. Photo: C P Ravindran
