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| Switzerland |
| Switzerland is an interesting country buried in the middle of Western Europe. It�s really more of a confederation of city states than a country. Known mostly for its chocolate and clocks there is much more to explore in this diverse country.
I will spend 1 day in Locarno, 1 day in Lucerne, 2 days in Interlaken, 4 days in Bern, and one day in Geneva. I will add one extra day as a buffer making it 10 days. I have already spent time in Zurich, so even though this will seem very short the country is small, and very expensive. |
| Locarno
This is in the Italian speaking area of Switzerland. It is thought that Leonardo Di Vinci may have designed the castle here. I wasn�t able to find very much information on this little town online. Things to Do: Church of Madonna del Sasso- It takes about 20 minutes to walk up the hill to this fascinating church. There are a lot of small niches that have wooden statues to entertain you along the way. There is also a museum that has ancient reliquaries and pilgrims souvenirs. Museo Elisarion- This museum celebrates the art of Elisar Von Kupffer. He launched an interesting anti-Christian ideology that focused on the relationship of charity and chaos. |
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| Lucerne
Lucerne was a small fishing village of ancient origins. Then around 700 A.D. the Benedictine monastery was founded. When the St. Gotthard pass route opened over the mountains in the 13th century Lucerne became an important trading town for people in the Alps. It was acquired by the Hapsburgs in 1291 and then the Swiss federation in 1332. During the Counter Reformation it was a stronghold for Roman Catholicism. Today it is a major destination in the Alps. Zeitturm- Climb up this medieval rampart for a great view of the city. Picasso Museum- Unlike other museums this one focuses on photos of the artist. There are a few unpublished paintings here as well. Verkehrshaus der Schweiz- This transport museum has many interactive displays on everything. Be sure to see the section on trains. Gletscheregarten und Spiegellabyrinth- Lucerne was a great spot for dinosaurs millions of years ago. You can learn about them here. There is also a hall of mirrors. Glacier Garden- This museum displays things that have been found in the glacier throughout Lucerne�s history. Historisches Museum Luzern- This building was originally an arsenal in the 1560�s. It has since been turned into a show place of medieval and renaissance art and sculptures. There are also exhibits on the history of the town. |
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| Interlaken
This small town is a great place to explore the surrounding area from. Be sure to check out the Jungfrau Mountain. The whole point of being here is to do some adventure type thing. Try not to kill yourself. Jungfraujoch Ice Palace- Take the world�s highest train to see the Alps largest glacier, then take a walk down the tunnels and check out the ice sculptures. |
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| Bern
Bern was founded by the Duke of Z�hringen in 1191, he is said to have named it after a bear that he had killed. The town was made an imperial free city by the Holy Roman Emperor in 1218. This meant that it belonged to no territory and answered only to the emperor. In 1353 Bern joined the young Swiss confederation. Quickly it became a leading member. In 1798 the city was occupied by French troops. Then in 1848 it was made into the Swiss administrative capital. M�nster- This protestant church has a sculpture of the last judgment that is worth a look. Climb the spire for a great view. Kunstmuseum- This art museum has the world�s largest collection of Paul Klee. I don�t quite know who he is, but it could be interesting to find out. Most of the rest of the museum concentrates on 20th century artists. Bernisches Historische Museum- This museum will help you to learn all the things you did and didn�t want to know about Bern. Albert Einstein�s House- This is where he conceived the theory of general relativity. Now the apartment is full of mementos. Kindlifresserbrunnen- This odd fountain has a statue that looks as if it is devouring children. Psychiatric Museum- This museum traces Switzerland�s attitudes toward mental illness from prehistory to present time. It looks at all sorts of gruesome cures over the ages. There is also art by mental patients. These are Day Trips from Bern Basel This was definitely a Roman settlement, however there is some evidence that the Celts may have been here briefly. Beginning in 999 Basel was run by the Bishops. In 1356 an earthquake caused extensive damage to the city. Then in 1501 they joined the Swiss confederation. The first public art museum was opened here in 1662. M�nster- This structure is made of red sandstone. You can visit some interesting tombs and then climb the tower for a great view. Kunst Museum- This museum houses an outstanding collection of new and old masters. Fondation Beyeler- This is one of Europe�s finest private art collections. Almost every major European artist is represented here. Anatomisches Museum- This museum has a large collection of organs, bones, and random preserved body parts. There is also a section on deformities. Historisches Museum Basel- This is recognized as the most important museum about the upper Rhine. There are some rare medieval treasures, and other Basel specific artifacts. J�disches Museum der Schweiz- This museum depicts the life of medieval Jews in Switzerland. Neuch�tel This French speaking town is known for its variety of fondue. In 1011 Rudolf III of Burgundy built a castle here. By 1214 this domain was declared a city. For the next three centuries it flourished. Then in 1530 the locals accepted the reformation. At the end of the 17th century the small area became a principality. In 1707 Frederick I, King of Prussia became the prince, he was chosen by the people. This ushered in a golden age. During the Napoleonic Wars Prussia lost possession of the principality and one of Napoleons Marshalls gained control. In 1814 Neuch�tel became part of the Swiss Confederation but sill remained a Prussian principality. Then in 1848 they shook off Prussian rule and declared themselves a republic within the Swiss Confederacy. Ch�teau- This can only be entered with a rather dull tour, still it might be worth it to get inside of the grand castle. Tour des Prisons- Climbing this tower will give you a great view of the area. Mus�e d�Art et Historie- There wasn�t much on this. Just that there is an eclectic collection here. Mus�e d�Histoire Naturelle- This natural history museum has stuffed animals displayed in surprisingly entertaining dioramas. Montreux This city was at the intersection of a few important Roman roads. Soon it became an important city. In the 12th century the Swiss in Bern occupied the city with no resistance. Eventually they joined the Swiss Confederation. Ch�teau de Chillon- This is one of Switzerland�s most visited attractions. The inside has everything from state rooms to prison cells. Musee du Viewx-Montreux- This museum concentrates on Montreux�s past. |
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| Geneva
Geneva was originally a Celtic settlement. In 58 B.C the Romans conquered it. Then in the 9th century it became the capital of Burgundy. After the reformation it became a republic. Geneva is often dubbed the protestant Rome because in the 16th century it was the center of Calvinism. Cath�drale de St. Pierre- This church was at the heart of the early protestant world. Climb up the north tower for a nice view of the town. Below there are ruins of a Roman sanctuary. Municipal History Museum- This is in Geneva�s oldest building. Petit-Palais- This mansion contains works by Picasso, Renoir, C�zanne, and others. Museum d�Histoire d�Art et d�Histoire- This museum houses a diverse amount of artifacts from Egyptian to present times. |