Mini Travel Guides

In preparation for our Germany trip, my husband kept talking about some big waterfalls and it took me a while to realise that I’d already been there: and they are as impressive as he said. I’m talking about the Rheinfall or Rhine Falls near Schaffhausen in northern Switzerland.

If I tell you in advance that they’re “the biggest falls in Europe” your expectations might be too high, but they do apparently have the largest volume of water of any waterfalls in Europe; there are no particularly high falls but the width is impressive and you can take plenty of great photos. There are various viewing platforms to walk around to and you can also take a boat trip to get close to the falls – but expect to get wet from the heavy spray coming off the Rhine Falls themselves.

You can get to the Rheinfall Waterfalls easily by car but even by train from both Switzerland or Germany. There is talk about using the falls for hydroelectric projects so I’d recommend getting there soon in case anything comes of that and spoils the scene.

Get splashed by the Rheinfall waterfalls in Switzerland

Browse through our Europe travel tips to find the best places to visit in Europe. Content published on Europe a la Carte.

Amanda wrote earlier about Enjoying the Views of Burg Hohenzollern Castle, Germany. And I couldn’t agree more with her in regards to stumbling upon those fairy tale castles that sometimes dot the landscape of Europe.

In the city of Gruyères, Switzerland sits one of those castles – the Château de Gruyères.

I went to Gruyères for a cheese festival.  Because eating cheese is one of the most obvious things to do in Gruyeres.  The rain dampened the hopes of a great cheese festival, luckily as we walked up to the city of Gruyères, the castle came into view.  And just like Amanda, it was worth it.

The Château de Gruyères makes a great day trip from Geneva.  Take the train from Geneva to the town, you’ll have to make a change onto a little local train that winds its way about half a kilometer or so from the city.  The remaining hike will lead you to the city.

The medieval city of Gruyères is situated in the foothills of the Alps.  Of course, the foothills of the Alps make some mountains pale in comparison.  The 13^th century castle sits atop a hill looming over the surrounding valley.  During the day, this Gruyeres attraction is impressive in its own right.  At night, it lights up like a movie scene.

Another interesting thing to do in Gruyeres is to visit the HR Giger Museum which displays science fiction artwork.

If you’re planning a trip to Gruyeres, find the best deals at hotels in Gruyeres using the HotelsCombined price comparison site.

The Château de Gruyères, Switzerland

Browse through our Europe travel tips to find the best places to visit in Europe. Content published on Europe a la Carte.

Located just north of the Italian border (7km) in southern Switzerland, Lugano (the largest Italian-speaking city in Switzerland) is home to lakeside retreats, gourmet eateries, galleries, museums, universities and world-class shopping.

Read more about Lugano, here.

Written By Jen Westmoreland Bouchard for EuropeUpClose.com

Located just north of the Italian border (7km) in southern Switzerland, Lugano (the largest Italian-speaking city in Switzerland) is home to lakeside retreats, gourmet eateries, galleries, museums, universities and world-class shopping.

Getting to Lugano:
Lugano has a small airport at Agno which accomodates small planes flying mainly to other Swiss airports. There is, however, a privately run shuttle service that provides transportation from Agno (or area hotels) to Milan’s (Italy) international Malpensa airport. Moreover, Lugano is located on the railway linking northern Switzerland with Italy via the Gotthard.

Where to stay:
There is no shortage of lovely hotels and resorts in Lugano, many of which offer spectacular views of Lake Lugano and the surrounding mountains.  Grand Hotel Villa Castagnola, a five-star establishment, is famous for its wellness center, offering thalassotherapy (water therapy treatments) as well as a full menu of massages and beauty services. Their luxurious resort offers lake views, a pool, sauna, tennis courts, and fitness center, as well as a five-star gourmet restaurant.  The four- star Hotel du Lac,  located directly on the lake, offers luxury accommodations, spa services and innovative Mediterrranean-inspired cuisine at their restaurant, L’Arazzo. The three-star Hotel Ceresio is located within walking distance of the lake promenade. The reasonable room prices (starting at 90 euros) includes a continental breakfast.

What to do in Lugano:
One of the most popular activities in Lugano is to take  boat cruises on the lake. Most hotels will have boat schedules at the concierge desk. If cruising by foot is more your liking, head down to the pedestrian shopping area in the middle of town. Here you’ll find high end gift shops as well as popular European chains such as H&M. Lugano is home to a variety of fascinating museums as well as an ethnographic arts center. Lugano’s extensive municipal art collection is housed in the Villa Malpensata and features artists from the 20th and 21st centuries as well as rotating international exhibitions.

Where to eat in Lugano:
Ars Café (5 Riva Albertolli) is a stylish bistro café by the lake’s edge. The menu features a  range of Mediterranean-inspired salads and pasta dishes served with fresh artisanal breads. I suggest going here for a leisurely lunch on a sunny afternoon. It is quite possibly the loveliest eatery on the lake. For a lively dinner, head to the Olimpia (1 Piazza della Riforma) after 7:00pm to catch some live music and fantastic contemporary Italian fare in this large establishment. Be sure to save room for dessert- it’s worth it! Trani (12 Via Cattedrale), a favorite amongst locals, is located near the cathedral. The menu is comprised of a variety of reasonably priced pastas, seasonal fish dishes, snacks (sandwiches, paninis), a decent selection of local wines, and several decadent homemade desserts.

Written by Jen Westmoreland Bouchard for EuropeUpClose.com

Visiting Switzerland is a dream come true! Getting a chance to mingle and become one with the nature – streams, mountains, lakes, woods – each moment there has to be savored. If you are really thinking of spending your vacation in the heart of Switzerland amidst the Alps,  then Oberried am Brienzersee near Interlaken is my Europe travel tip. This is a small but beautiful municipality with gorgeous view of the Alps and surrounding lakes.

Since the town is just a few miles away from Interlaken, where all the action is, settling for accommodation here makes sense. A number of cosy rented apartments at great prices are available here. Surrounded by the magnificent high Alps on one side and serene lakes on the other side, these cottages are a real gem.

Lovely cowbells chimes wake you up early morning to a landscape worth clicking a thousand pictures. If its spring time, flowers of all colors wish you good morning and there you are – filled up with the most beautiful thoughts, all ready for the day! Prompt and clean service at these apartments by the soft spoken, ever smiling locals adds a feather to the already brimming hat.

Try this out once and you would always want to see Switzerland this way.

Guest contributor Margaret Doherty gives us some Europe travel tips on the best Lucerne attractions and  five free things to do in Lucerne, following her visit to this Swiss city.

The Chapel Bridge and Water Tower Lucerne

I’ve only been in Lucerne a few hours and it’s all getting a bit surreal. I’m getting my bearings among the medieval lanes and cobbled squares, admiring the painted facades of the hotels and hostelries and starting to feel the layers of history embedded in the very fabric of the buildings when I catch a glimpse of a small troop of brightly-clad Swiss Guards armed with pikes marching across a distant bridge. In an instant they are gone, my imagination clearly going into overdrive, especially as I’m sure I hear the sound of horses hooves clattering on the cobbles in the narrow streets nearby. Then, as I turn the corner I run into what looks like an army of extras from The Three Musketeers, all dark blue and white uniforms topped with dashing wide-brimmed hats with huge white feathers. It turns out that I’ve arrived in the middle of festivities for Corpus Christi when the fraternity of the Herrgottskanoniere, ‘the gunners of god’, praise god with canon fire on the eve and on the day of Corpus Christi. The Lucerne Marching Band (they of the blue outfits) accompanies the fraternity from the Kornmarkt to the Chateau Gütsch where this celebration takes place.

Lucerne Marching Band

With its taste for pageantry, fantastic mountain scenery and ability to keep well-heeled travellers happy, Lucerne has long been a magnet for those drawn by its stunning location in the shadow of Mount Pilatus. From humble origins as a fishing village, its strategic location between the Swiss Plateau and the Alps in the centre of Switzerland and the opening of the Gotthard Pass around 1220 led to its inevitable growth. By its nineteeth century heyday when steamboats traversed Lake Lucerne and luxury hotels like the Schweizerhof were built on its shores, Richard Wagner, Mark Twain and Leo Tolstoy were among its famous visitors. Wagner liked it so much that he stayed at the Schweizerhof Hotel for six months before moving to a large house overlooking the lake at Tribschen. Today you can visit the elegant house where he spent six happy years and where his son Siegfried was born. Wagner was famously inspired by the Swiss Alps, taking to the glaciers and mighty peaks with little more than everyday boots, a straw hat and boundless energy, even incorporating the sounds alpine instruments in his work.

Lakeside sculpture in Lucerne

If you don’t have Wagner’s energy or the weather is uncertain, Lucerne has plenty to keep you occupied. For the casual stroller all the city’s main sights are within walking distance. The wooden Chapel Bridge which spans the River Reuss and was built in the fourteenth century and once part of the city’s defences, was nearly destroyed by fire in 1993. A large part of the bridge and many of the paintings under the eaves were lost but sensitive restoration has ensured it remains one of Lucerne’s most iconic images. The octagonal Water Tower was also part of the city’s defences and over time has served as an archive, a treasury and a prison. Ten minutes away the Dying Lion Monument dedicated to to the Swiss mercenaries lost while defending Louis XVI at the Tuileries in 1792 draws big crowds. Created by Danish sculptor Thorwaldsen it sits high above a small pool and is hewn directly from the rock and was described by Mark Twain as ‘the saddest and most moving piece of rock in the world’.

The Dying Lion, Lucerne

In the nineteenth century the panorama was a popular entertainment in a time before cinema, especially in a region blessed with astounding views. You can find a history of its development as well as one of the remaining examples at the Bourbaki Panorama The original 16-sided building, now contained within a much more modern cube, houses a wonderfully atmospheric 10m high circular painting by Edouard Castres depicting the the internment of the defeated Bourbaki Army in Switzerland during the Franco-Prussian war. Castres’ experience as a Red Cross volunteer during the 1870-71 conflict enabled him to convey with great insight the desperate condition of the stricken French forces, refugees, German POWs and Red Cross volunteers that found relief at the hands of the Swiss during that dreadful winter. An english commentary and and a three-dimensional sculpted foreground really draws you in to the work and, though the sun shone outside, I felt the bitter chill of winter in my bones.

For an eclectic trawl through Swiss history the Museum of History is a treasure trove of pieces both ancient and relatively modern. A bar code guide enables you to get information on any object on your handset or follow specific themes as diverse as the Roman era, Foreign Visitors in Lucerne or Lust. There’s everything from a fabulously carved racing sleigh (1684), a guillotine built in 1863 but last used in 1940 to carnival costumes and archaeological finds. Among my favourites was the 15th century Milanese painted shield bearing the arms of the Sanseverino family with the latin inscription ‘live well and have fun’. Good advice for any traveller.

If you fancy a spot of evening entertainment the Lucerne Theatre  established in 1839 offers a programme which includes opera and dance in its intimate 555-seater auditorium and is in the heart of the city.

Five Free things to do in Lucerne

1 Take a stroll along the lakeside. The walk along the lakeside towards the Lido is lined with parks, cafes and plenty of benches where you can sit and watch the world go by and see the snow-capped mountains in the distance. You might even catch a free concert at the bandstand.

2 Check out the local landmarks. Both the Chapel Bridge and the Dying Lion Monument are free to visit.

3  Climb one of the Musegg Wall’s towers for spectacular views of the city and mountains beyond. You can also walk along a section of the 800m long city walls which were built in 1400 and are among the longest and best preserved city rampart walls in Switzerland. You might even see a llama. No, really.

Musegg Wall, Lucerne

4 Have a quiet moment in one of the city’s many churches. Built in 1666 the Jesuit Church is one of Switzerland’s finest baroque churches with its distinctive onion domes a later addition. The interior is finely decorated in white, clotted cream and salmon pink colours and beautiful ceiling paintings. The simple Protestant church where Wagner married his second wife Cosima is tucked behind the Schweizerhof Hotel while the imposing Renaissance Hof Church with its twin towers was built on the site of a Benedictine monastery founded in the 8th century and is the city’s main cathedral.

5 Soak up the atmosphere in the bustling markets. The Saturday flea market that meanders along Burgerstrasse, Reusssteg and Reussplatz must be one of the most picturesque locations to peruse the stalls of treasure and tat. For the best seasonal local produce from white aspargus to plump radishes and as well as meats, cheeses and a fish market there’s a market every Tuesday and Saturday morning along the Reuss river from the Chapel Bridge.

Saturday Food & Flower Market, Lucerne

Where to stay

For a bit of 5* luxury the Schweizerhof Hotel was built in 1845 and has been owned by the same family since 1861. Now run by the fifth generation it is in a prime, central spot on the lake and close to the station.
Or, if you fancy something a little more quirky and luxury-lite (no phone or TV in the rooms), you could stay in the Jailhotel Lowengrabe. Yep, it’s a former prison, built in 1862 and in use until 1998, mainly for those on remand or those who refused compulsory military service, opening as a hotel in 1999.

General information about Lucerne

For information on the Lucerne Card which offers discounts and free local transport and other information such as city tours, boat trips and day excursions go to the official Lucerne site.

Here are Margaret’s other Europe a la Carte guest posts on Switzerland:

The Bernese Oberland

Best Basel Attractions

Free Geneva

Many people may wonder if my geography is correct when I speak of Europe and the World Cup. A couple of weeks ago I wrote about “Getting ready for the World Cup through European travel” and with the World Cup kicking off  this Friday June 11 in South Africa, one of its biggest, most passionate audiences will be in Europe. France, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Serbia, England, Slovenia, Denmark, Netherlands, Slovakia, Switzerland, and Greece all take their shot at winning the World Cup.

The World Cup in South Africa - Europe's biggest destination? (Photo by Clare Appleyard)

For the casual fan or for someone who is not interested in football at all, one may wonder how this relates to seeing more of Europe. The answer to that question?  The people of Europe.  Anyone who travels to these European countries will see a side of Europe that only appears once every four years. Of all the football fans in the world, only South Americans can compete with Europeans in their passion for football.

The World Cup is the biggest sporting event on the planet. And for many countries in Europe, football is either the biggest or second biggest sport in the country. For the next 5 weeks, businesses may close, bars and pubs will be full, jerseys will be worn, and fans will celebrate with passion or express their disappointment in defeat. The World Cup matters and any visit to these countries will be a visit like no other.

While many people travel to see Europe’s museums, beaches, mountains, historical sights, and landmarks, the true beauty of this continent is found in its people. Go beyond the places and meet the faces that make up the rich culture and heritage of any European country. This will be on full display during the World Cup.

Do Germans drink beers and celebrate with restrained enthusiasm? Do Italians scream and yell wildly, throw huge parties, and close down the streets in celebration? What about in Portugal, France, Spain, or Serbia?  Observing how people engage in this event and how they react in victory and defeat can give you a lot of insight into each country’s culture.

Talk to people on the streets. Ask the security guard at a museum what he plans to do for the World Cup. Strike up a conversation in a pub or bar. It’s an easy conversation starter so you can get to know people. In both small towns and big cities, even in countries that didn’t qualify for the World Cup, people will be watching.

One of the biggest, most anticipated match ups in the opening round is England versus the United States.  Both sides of the Atlantic are excited about this one (while England may be a bit more interested and even a little more nervous).  In war and in peace, the English and Americans have long been allies and rivalries between the two are friendly.  However, this may be the biggest match up between these two countries since 1950.

The World Cup – what does it mean to you?  Will you be watching?  As an American, football (i.e. soccer to us) is not a big sport here.  Many people here hate the sport and even many sports fans will be nothing more than casual observers as they root for the USA.  However, if (and probably, when) the USA bows out, many TVs will be turned off.

As an American who is passionate about football, it is my hope that this catches the attention of many here in the US.  For Europeans, this event is as big as it gets.  And for anyone traveling around Europe the next five weeks, it will be a wonderful opportunity to engage the wonderful cultures of Europe during the biggest sporting event in so a the world.

Alien artwork and medieval Swiss cities don’t usually go hand in hand.  But in Gruyères, a city better known for cheese than aliens, science fiction fans the world over can marvel at the artwork of H.R. Giger, the man who received an Oscar for his work on Alien.

Before arriving in Gruyères, I had never heard of H.R. Giger.  I am not a science fiction fan, I haven’t even seen Alien.  It didn’t matter; the HR Giger Museum housed an impressive display of artwork, regardless of my propensity to science fiction.  The work ranged from drawings, oil work, sculptures, movie props, and everything in between.

Part of the appeal was not so much the artwork, which at times was just too disturbing, but the setting.  Outside, a cheese festival was going on in the medieval European city.  A 13^th century castle loomed on top of the hill.  The surrounding mountains were shrouded with fog.  It was stereotypically Swiss.  Inside, the museum was dark.  Mechanical.  Alien.  It was stereotypically not Swiss.  And I loved it all.

There’s even a bar and café across the street from the museum that is designed and decorated in biomechanical style used by Giger in his artwork.

A Europe travel tip, after having written about kid friendly things to do in Switzerland such as the Natural History Museum in Geneva, it is important to realize that the H.R. Giger Museum cannot be described as kid friendly.  The artwork is dark, foreboding, and often times sexual.

Geneva is stereotypically known to be filled with diplomats and bankers.  Not something the average kid wants to see when travelling through a European city.  Luckily the Natural History Museum of the City of Geneva is a great place for kids, and, because admission is completely free, a great way to save a bit of money in notoriously expensive Geneva.

There’s nothing like walking into a museum and being met by a dinosaur. And a two-headed tortoise named Janus.  A fitting moniker, considering Janus’ namesake was the Roman god of gates, often depicted with two heads.  Janus has become a bit of a cult favorite at the museum; there is even a two-headed tortoise donation bin just in front of the large dinosaur.  Proving once and for all, that dinosaurs might be impressive, but it’s the tortoise that keeps plodding along, even today.

Janus, lives a sparse existence in a terrarium in the foyer of the museum.  That sparse existence though, according to the museum, is for Janus’ safety.  Instead, Janus spends the days idly in his terrarium, eating lettuce. Despite his lack of movement, Janus draws a crowd, and I found myself waiting patiently as children much younger than me admired the two-headed tortoise.

The Natural History Museum in Geneva is great to remember when doing your European travel planning.  Especially if you have kids. Or if you are 26 and still act like one when confronted with a two-headed tortoise. I’d also recommend a walk through Bastions Park.  There are many other free things to do in Geneva highlighted by guest author Margaret Docherty.

If you’re planning a Geneva city break, find the lowest prices at hotels in Geneva with the HotelsCombined metasearch.

As I wandered throughout Bastions Park in the European city of Geneva, Switzerland, I was struck by the dichotomy of the park itself.  So many of the churches of Geneva represent the austerity of the Calvinist movement and fittingly, here at the edge of Geneva’s Old Town, a wall commemorating four of the Protestant founders of the reformation stretches hundreds of feet.  The Reformation Wall is hard to miss and is a prominent sight while at Bastions Park.  The desert colors of the wall seem to reflect the religious leanings of the men depicted on it.

But the park itself is vivid.  With color. With people.  With activity.

Bastions Park was founded as one of the first botanical gardens in Geneva.  While it is no longer a botanical garden, it is filled with beautiful Swiss flora.

Entering through the park gates, I was met by oversized chess and checkers boards filled with people, young and old, contemplating their positions before bounding over to make their move.

To the left were several ping pong tables being use with varying degrees of success.  Some saw sustained rallies, while others saw games of fetch.

To the right was a May Day celebration with food, music, and the requisite protesters and petitions to be signed.

There was even a live band playing at the far end of the Reformation Wall.

The quite reflectiveness of the wall, mixed with the liveliness of Bastions Park was fascinating and a great way to spend some time exploring Geneva.  We have some Europe travel tips for free things to do in  Geneva on the Europe a la Carte Blog.