When I was a child, I used to dream of wandering forever in the fairy tales of Grimm or Andersen, of walking through the streets, admiring the ancient houses or even just watching the gray smoke billowing from the tiled roof houses. My childhood dream would have ended there if I had not set foot in Switzerland - a country possessing the peaceful beauty of Western Europe.
Peaceful church
I stayed right in the heart of the Old Town when I arrived in Zurich. Although I am not sure if I could wander around Zurich in a few short days, I can definitely walk around the Old Town alone and still find my way back to the hotel, because the area is not too big. Just take the bell tower of St. Peter's Church and the Grossmunster Church as the center, you will not be able to get lost in Old Town.
The place where I stayed was a few hundred meters from the church, a lucky thing for the trip because this place has many historical marks as well as preserving the most unique architecture of the Middle Ages. Standing from afar, I could see the churches and small neighborhoods standing out along the peaceful Limmat River.
The city's main church is St. Peter's Church, also known as Sankt Peterskirche. In 1538, the church's bell tower was fitted with a clock measuring 8.7 meters in diameter - the largest clock face in Europe. Despite being several centuries old, the clock still functions normally today.
Another landmark of Zurich is the Grossmunster Church, which has a strong Romanesque architecture with two identical towers designed like two rockets pointing straight up to the sky. And thanks to its unique architecture as well as the accompanying religious history, this church soon became a typical symbol of the city. Above all, these are also two prominent churches of the Protestant Church in Switzerland.
To understand a city, you not only need to listen to historical stories but you can also go and feel the rhythm of life, culture, people and the unique breath of that city. I had an early morning, walking alone around the old town to have my own feelings. Sometimes, I stopped just to count the church bells - the bells that rang three times every half hour, though few but enough to make my heart feel relieved.
In the romantic city of Lausanne, I visited the Lausanne Cathedral - a typical work of Gothic architecture. The church was built in 1170 and is always considered the most beautiful church in Switzerland. In addition to the sophisticated design lines on the outside of the church, Lausanne also owns 12 sculptures depicting 12 apostles and missionaries of Christianity. Another valuable point of the Lausanne Cathedral is its location next to a river and next to the famous Lausanne University - a wonderful resonance for both magnificent architectural works.
More specifically, the cathedral is always chosen as the venue for the biggest concerts in Switzerland. The time I visited Lausanne Cathedral was also the time when the main stage was being set for the opera Nabucco by the famous composer Verdi, which took place on Christmas 2018.
City tour - Ancient houses and beautiful streets
A city tour will never be boring when it is done in Switzerland. Because you will regret it if you miss the streets or the ancient, pretty houses along the river. Do not miss the deep slopes leading to a dead-end alley, because you will not know that at the end of that alley is a house covered with beautiful climbing plants.
Here, the houses are like classic ladies, both cold and charming, sometimes warm and open. If it is morning, you will see a peaceful "lady" because in winter, the city often wakes up late and they will go to work as soon as they wake up. At this time, let yourself go on the small slopes or stand in a daze in front of some ancient houses of the 13th-14th century that remain.
On the other hand, you will only see a cheerful, bustling “lady” at noon because this is the time when people go to restaurants to enjoy the most important meal of the day. Especially in winter, noon will be the time to create the most satisfactory pictures because this is the time of the most beautiful sunlight of the day.
If you walk around the city in the evening and at night, you will encounter a quiet, thoughtful "lady". At night, the temperature often drops, even if not at home, people will find a familiar restaurant or cafe to stay instead of walking or shopping. For some reason, the shops here often close very early. If you want to shop or see the streets, you have to go before 5 pm. Because there are areas like the old town of Zurich, Thun, Interlaken or even the poetic Lausanne, just after 7 pm, you will no longer see a shop open.
Trains: More than a journey
One of the things that left an impression on me about Switzerland was the train journey. In this country, people travel mostly by public transport. The Swiss are proud to be the country that uses public transport the most in the world. Partly because of the culture, partly because of the convenience of these means of transport.
When you come to Switzerland, you will see trains moving around the city day and night. In addition, for long-distance trains, they will be classified as fast trains, slow trains, high-speed trains and even tourist trains. Tourist trains are the type I use the most during my trip because the time spent on the train is the time to enjoy the most beautiful scenery. You can take photos without worrying about shaking or losing focus because the train runs quite slowly. In particular, the route for tourist trains is often the route with beautiful scenery on both sides.
Through the window, the scenery along the road is like a slow-motion film. There are fields stretching as far as the eye can see, small houses with peaked roofs on the steppe, vineyards straight like the legendary Tuscany. Some places are green to the horizon, while others are covered in white snow. What I love about riding a train is that I never know what will appear on the road ahead. And that is also what makes the journey worthwhile, when everything appears like a fairy tale.
More information
Visa:Switzerland uses the Schengen visa. Swiss tourist visas are usually issued for 90 days, and the application process must be completed at least 4 weeks before departure.
Trip:Edelweiss Airlines has opened the first direct flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Zurich, with a flight time of only about 13 hours.
Move:Public transport in Switzerland is quite punctual, you can use the Swiss Travel Pass service to travel around the country. Remember to consider the length of stay to buy the appropriate card.
Time:Switzerland is beautiful in all four seasons, so choose your favorite season to visit.
Accommodation:Switzerland has a wide range of hotels to choose from so find one that fits your budget.
Cuisine:Cheese fondue, raclette, zurcher geschnetzeltes (Zurich-style veal), and ice cream are typical dishes.
Skin: In winter, you should prepare shoes with good grip to walk in the snow, warm clothes, scarves, gloves, woolen hats. In addition, you should also prepare a thermos to carry hot water if you need to walk outdoors.
Sightseeing:
- Swiss National Museum and FIFA Museum in Zurich;
- Lunch on a cruise and sightseeing in Interlaken;
- Tour to visit Jungraujoch - snow-capped mountain peak 3,466 m high;
- Try mountain climbing or skiing;
- Go to romantic Geneva and visit the Olympic Museum.
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