How can you not love Switzerland!

In the little time we had in Zurich, we decided not to rush through the places but pick a few iconic sights and explore them at a leisurely place, keeping room for absorbing the sheer beauty that this place possesses and learning things along the way. In the end we had seen just the Rhine falls and Mt. Titlis with some loitering on the streets, but it’s really hard to put in words how incredible we felt!

First up, we stayed in the chic Zurich Youth Hostel in Mutschellenstrasse, a huge property with extremely polite staff, great amenities and quaint surroundings. The most interesting thing about this place is that it is nestled in an area between two train stations, just a short walk away from both.

What excites me the most is that this the area has a descending terrain, so the road from Wollishofen SBB to the hostel is a sloping descent and the road from hostel to Brunau goes further down. The lazy panda in me is elated, in the mornings we catch the train from Brunau and in the evenings we get down at Wollishofen. I am so kicked by this little clever arrangement that I don’t bother looking at tram and bus schedules.

In Zurich we feel different than we have felt in other parts of Europe, there’s a whiff of cold and fresh air tantalizing our bodies constantly. The culture feels intense and not laidback, unlike Venice and Paris.

The Titlis experience

We take the train from Zurich HB to Engelberg, via Lucerne. This is one of those numerous breathtaking journeys in Switzerland, which put it on the map as the champion of scenic rail journeys. The journey throws up natural splendours at every turn and bend. Looking out the window, we marvel at the mountain pastures, the snow capped Alps, the cozy chalets and the serene waters. It is truly possessing and we lose track of time.

We get off the train at Engelberg and move towards the cable car station which is a short walk away from the train station. We take the gondola and ascend till an observation deck. From the observation deck there is a huge revolving cable car (rotair) that takes us all the way to the top. Although it has been extolled endlessly in movies, media, text and elsewhere, it still is incredible enough to pay a visit.

We got mind numbing views of the Titlis snow melting into infinite water streams down to lakes and rivers. I am intimidated by the vast expanse of the mountain range.

The cliff walk is a walk across a narrow valley from one side of the mountain to the other, on a hanging bridge, which makes it amusing as everyone starts screaming and laughing when the bridge moves.

The ice flyer which is an open chair car makes me lose my sanity as I look down and notice the endless stretch of snow beneath my feet.

What intrigues me the most is the series of cracks (running several feet deep) in the snow, exposing its unbelievable thickness. Luckily for us, the weather is super clear that day and so we have an amazing day, literally on the top of the world.

Engelberg in itself is a pleasant little place, especially in the off season when the tourists are gone and it turns into a regular swiss hamlet.

On our way back to Zurich, we make a pit stop at Lucerne. Adorned by Kapellbrucke, one of Europe’s oldest covered bridges, this historic town sits on Lake Lucerne.

Visiting the Rhine Falls

From the Zurich HB station, we take a train till Schloss Laufen am Rheinfall. After walking a few metres, we reach the 1000 year old Schloss Laufen (Laufen Castle). We then reach the observation platform using the panoramic glass lift. Switzerland is so kind to its visitors, I start to think. The first sight of it and we are absolutely glad to have come to this grand and absolutely gorgeous waterfall.

There are so many platforms to get a different perspective and absorb the place at a leisurely pace. It was amazing how we could actually get so close to the falls and feel the extreme force. Misty and refreshing, we notice that the waterfall is not so high but it is the wide expanse that makes it beautiful. We then take the pedestrian path on the railway bridge and walk along the river promenade. It is pleasant to see a range of facilities like public seating, picnic spots and restaurants in the area.

The magnetic charm of this place keeps pulling us back and we sincerely hope to go back there again, for there are many things left undone.