Italian Lakes & Swiss Mountains: Criss-Crossing the Alps

Bacaro – the name is derived from the wine god Bacchus – is the name given to the simple taverns in Venice. There are few chairs, but a long bar and a large selec­tion of wines with a few snacks. Do Mori not far from the fish market is the oldest Bacaro of Venice and already over 500 years old. Count­less pots and copper kettles hang from the ceiling, more than 100 excel­lent wines await you in the bar. There are also many different tramezzini.

More than 400 bridges cross about 150 canals and connect 100 islands. Some are name­less or incon­spic­uous. Some are of partic­ular importance from a traffic or cultural-histor­ical point of view. The Rialto Bridge, which has connected the districts of San Marco and San Polo since the 16th century, is world-famous and most frequently photographed. Busi­ness flour­ished here for many centuries: merchants and seafarers unloaded their goods at the quay behind which the banks and trading houses were located. Bridge archi­tect was a certain Antonio da Ponte, who was able to assert himself against star archi­tect Miche­lan­gelo with his practical design because he left enough space for shipping traffic.

The Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari is the great Gothic Franciscan church of the city. On the outside it is modest and simple, as is the mendicant order itself. Inside, however, it docu­ments the power and wealth to which the disciples of Saint Francis have come. The Frari turns out to be an art shrine of the very first order. The tomb pyramid of the sculptor Antonio Canova imme­di­ately catches the eye in the enor­mous nave. Oppo­site is the tomb of Titian with his Pesaro Madonna. Precious altar leaves by Bartolomeo Vivarini and Giovanni Bellini hang in the choir chapels. A sculp­ture of St. John by Donatello stands where the composer Claudio Monteverdi is buried. Every­thing, however, is surpassed by Assunta, the sky-driving Mary, who floats freely above the high altar. Titian created it and, at the end of the Renais­sance, already antic­ipated the Baroque era with it.

Treviso's historic old town is surrounded by a city wall and honeycombed with idyllic canals. Among these features you will find patri­cian houses from the 12th and 14th centuries as well as arcades and tranquil squares, all dating to the city's heyday. A local culinary specialty is the red Radic­chio (a kind of leaf chicory).

According to Homer, the town 30 kilome­ters west of Venice was founded by sailors after the destruc­tion of Troy. Thus it would be one of the oldest in Italy and during the times of the Roman Empire it was certainly one of the richest cities in the world. Devasta­tion during the barbarian inva­sions, however, had left very little of it. In the late Middle Ages the city, which is connected by a channel system with the main rivers of the Po Valley, managed to rise once again. In part thanks to the glorious univer­sity, where Albertus Magnus and Galileo Galilei have taught. Worth seeing is the old market square, which is surrounded by water, and the Scrovegni Chapel, with frescoes of Mary and Jesus. The father of the builder, the noto­rious extor­tioner Reginaldo Scrovegni, is said to have met Dante in hell.

This city of the arts, with a popu­la­tion of over 100,000, is located about 60 kilome­ters northwest of Venice. The city is famous for its jewelry and garments indus­tries as well as for the build­ings of the Renais­sance archi­tect Andrea Palladio, for which it has earned the status of a World Heritage Site. Vicenza is also among the wealth­iest cities in Italy. A stroll down the main avenue, the Corso Palladio, and across the Piazza dei Signori is like walking through an open-air museum.

The picturesque town­ship on the western shores of Lake Maggiore has a beau­tiful waterfront, where a market is held every Sunday. It has a beach, a church from 1571 and a historic center. Located just west of the city, the Cannobino, a rushing mountain stream, has dug a deep gorge.

The Ticino valley stretches from Intragna on Lake Maggiore to Camedo in the west at the Swiss-Italian border. It owes its name to the numerous side valleys. There are not 100 but more than 150! Hiking trails along former mule tracks lead through the chestnut forests and on to ancient old villages, which are mostly deserted or inhabited by artists. The romantic valley is made acces­sible by the Centovalli Railway, which travels over 83 bridges and through 34 tunnels.

The Swiss resort on Lake Maggiore has received its town charter from Fred­erick Barbarossa. The medieval center of the posh town is the Piazza Grande where every Thursday a market takes place. Orig­inally the Piazza was right on the lake. Today the water's edge is far away with debris being washed up by the mountain river Maggia year after year. Also worth seeing is the Roma­nesque church of San Vittore, with its ornate crypt.

With an eleva­tion of 2,005 meters, this pass connects the Rhône Valley in the Swiss canton of Wallis with the Val d'Ossola in the Italian province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola. People have been using the pass since prehistoric times. It was even later used by Roman emperors. The influ­en­tial merchant Kaspar von Stockalper built the first road here in the 17th century, which is now a hiking trail. The modern road through the pass follows Napoleon Bonaparte's route. At the top of the pass there is a hospice. Coming down the southern side, you will find the Mediterranean-looking town of Simplon and the the romantically wild Gondo Gorge with the majestic, glacier-covered Fletschhorn towering above it.

The valley in the extreme northwest of Italy is an inde­pen­dent region – by far the smallest in Italy, but also one of the most beau­tiful. The valley is surrounded by the highest mountains in Europe. To the west the Mont Blanc, to the north the Matter­horn and the Monterosa group, to the south the Gran Paradiso massif. While the largest glaciers in Europe lie at the top, wine and palm trees grow at the bottom. The large and the small St.-Bernhard-Pass have been opening up the valley for many centuries. Numerous customs castles and mountain fortresses have been preserved along the medieval trade routes.

This historic town with 5,000 inhab­i­tants is situ­ated on the southern shores of the Rhone between the Bernese and the Valais Alps. A few kilome­ters to the north lies the UNESCO world heritage site of the Aletsch area with the largest glacier of the Alps. Various cable cars lead to the glacier area. The best cable car ride to Belalp, a car free village, is from Brig. Because of its loca­tion at the foot of the Simplon Pass, an important connec­tion to Italy, the site was already settled in 7 B.C.(!) Brig has a picturesque historic old quarter with the Stockalper Palace.

The mighty castle does not lie on a cliff, but only on a hill. Appar­ently it did not serve as a defense, but was from the outset the presti­gious resi­dence of the Challant family. Since the 14th century, a magnif­i­cent court­yard has been built around the keep, deco­rated with murals depicting Saint George as a dragon slayer and a group of wise men and prophets.

This ancient town lies between vine­yards and woods in the Rhone Knee. The Gallo-Roman temple of Mercury, the foun­da­tions of which were only discov­ered in 1976, bears witness to the fact that the Romans already recog­nised the strategic importance of the town at the inter­sec­tion of important roads and passes. Today the Musée Gallo Romain displays the most important archae­o­log­ical finds of the area. Also worth seeing is the Bernar­diner Museum, dedicated to the legendary rescue dogs of the Great St. Bernard.

Mürren is situ­ated in the heart of the Bernese Alps and faces the towering peaks of mounts Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. The car-free town with a popu­la­tion of 450 is nestled on a sunny mountain terrace high above the spectac­ular Lauterbrunnen Valley, one of Europe’s deepest valleys lined by over 500 m steep lime­stone cliffs. Mürren can only be reached by a cable car system that cont­inues in three more stages to the peak of Mount Schilthorn (2,970 m). On a clear day the view from the top extends to Mont Blanc in the south and the Black Forest in the north. The revolving restau­rant on the summit was once used for a scene in a James Bond movie. A number of walking paths start from Mürren. A partic­u­larly scenic route leads from the Grütschalp via Winteregg to Mürren. The view of the surrounding mountain peaks is abso­lutely stunning on clear sunny after­noons.

The health resort with 35,000 inhab­i­tants lies picturesquely on a terrace on the southern shore of Lake Geneva. From the spa you can see far over the lake into the Swiss Jura. All around, wine is grown that bears the designa­tion of origin Vin de Savoie. Thonon-les-Bains was the seat of the Dukes of Savoy until 1589. Their castle stood on a peninsula in the lake and has completely disap­peared today. Ripaille Castle now stands on the same site. It was bought and rebuilt by an Alsa­tian indus­trialist in 1892.

This charming village is located on the shores of Lake Geneva halfway between Geneva and Lausanne and surrounded by the vine­yards of the La Côte area. Three Corinthian columns standing on a hill in the lake­side park attest to the region's Roman history. After conquering Gaul, Julius Caesar decided to estab­lish a colony in the area which is now the city of Nyon. The colony was called Iulia Equestris and had its center in Noviodunum. This can be seen in the exca­va­tions on display in the Roman museum. In summer, the town is a paradise for nature lovers and water sports enthu­siasts.

French lifestyle, interna­tional culture and an unsurpassed beau­tiful loca­tion on the lake with the same name makes Geneva one of the most livable cities in Switz­er­land – but also one of the most expen­sive!  World history was written in Geneva during the Reforma­tion, when the reformer Calvin introduced a harsh and strict church discip­line in the city. While dancing, drinking and singing were banned, Calvin allowed an interest-based economy, which was forbidden to Chris­tians in Catholic surround­ings at that time. As a result Geneva became an important trade- and banking center. Today, 200 interna­tional orga­ni­za­tions have their head­quar­ters in Geneva. More than 40% of the inhab­i­tants are foreign nationals. Landmarks in Geneva are the lakefront and the Rhone, on whose bank the three-towered cathedral is located.

With 130,000 inhab­i­tants, the capital of Switz­er­land is the country's 4th largest city. Bern was founded in the 12th century, then destroyed by a disas­trous fire in 1405 and rebuilt in the Renais­sance style. Most of these build­ings still stand today, making Bern one of Europe's leading exam­ples of urban devel­op­ment during the late Middle Ages. The old town has 6 km of covered arcades, the longest medieval shopping prom­enade in Europe, inviting tourists to stroll and shop at a leisurely pace. The wide 17th century resi­dences with their jutting roofs and painted facades reflect the histor­ical pride of the Bern citi­zens. The entire city center, which boasts eleven histor­ical fountains, has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Only a few kilome­ters to the west to the city a very different event took place: in Zimmerwald near Riggisberg the Third Interna­tional was founded in 1915 in the pres­ence of Lenin and Trotsky, which led to the crea­tion of the Soviet Union.

The main axis through the historic center of Bern is the Gerechtigkeitsgasse (Justice Street) which extends into the Kram-, the Market- and the Spital­gasse. With its patri­cian houses on either sides of the street and also the arcades, behind which hide upmarket shops, it forms a unique ensemble. The long prom­enade is dotted with artis­tically deco­rated fountains of which the Justice fountain from 1543 is the oldest. At the end of this typical Helvetic boul­evard is the “Zytglogge” with its astro­nom­ical clockwork. In the 13th century the Clock Tower served as the western city gate.

The 15 kilome­ters long and 74 meters deep lake is one of the three large Jura lakes in Switz­er­land. The name Jura derives from the Celtic language and means forest which still dominates the landscape of this less fertile and sparsely popu­lated region. On the sunny slopes of the lake shore between Biel and Le Landeron grows a fruity white wine, which is served in the taprooms with Treberwurst, a local specialty. Since the Franco-German language border runs through the lakes, most places have bilin­gual names.

This easy hike between Wutach and the Rhine leads through the foothills of the Black Forest to the Küss­aburg, the striking fortress high above the Rhine Valley. The starting point is in picturesque Tiengen. The way back leads through romantic river valleys.

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In the 7th century the Luciara monastery stood where the river Reuss leaves Lake Lucerne. A trading place grad­u­ally grew around the monastery, which was declared a town in 1178. The citi­zens and merchants benefited from the loca­tion on Gotthards­traße. When the Habsburg Duke Rudolph bought the town in 1291, the rebellious citi­zens joined forces with the orig­inal cantons of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden to secure the survival of the young Swiss Confed­er­a­tion. Pros­perity and beauty are at home in all epochs of the city – in the medieval build­ings, the patri­cian houses of the Renais­sance, the Art Nouveau hotels and the bold build­ings of the present. The landmark is the Kapellbrück (Chapel Bridge) from the 14th century. It leads across the crystal clear lake, which reflects a magnif­i­cent mountain pano­rama.

Located in the heart of old Switz­er­land, Lake Lucerne borders on and is surrounded by the three orig­inal Swiss cantons: Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden. The area around the lake played an important role in the national and polit­ical myths and legends, among others those of the Swiss national hero Wilhelm Tell. Due to the reflec­tion of the Alpine mountains in the water, Lake Lucerne is widely regarded as the most beau­tiful lake in Switz­er­land. The best way to expe­r­i­ence the cross-shaped lake, orig­inally formed by a glacier, is by taking a ride on one of the paddle steamers or cruise boats that connect Lucerne, Brunnen and Flüelen. A number of marked hiking paths of varying length and diffi­culty are located on the southern side of the lake at the foot of the Alps. Highly recom­mended are the cable car or cogwheel railway to one of the view­points on the summits of Mount Pilatus, Rigi or Stanser­horn.

A thou­sand steps lead to the pilgrimage chapel in Hergiswald, which was conse­crated in 1662. It is simple on the outside, but unique on the inside. The picture of the Black Madonna and a vaulted wooden ceiling with 324 sections amaze and enthuse art histo­rians. Kaspar Megglinger, the crea­tive artist, was partic­u­larly known in the Baroque period for his Marian symbolism. After all, the more than 300 images of the Virgin Mary are regarded as the only cycle in the world to have been designed in this form.

Although located just 25 km south of Lake Lucerne, the Alpine town founded in 1120 exists in a completely different world and is suit­able for longer stays. Mount Titlis soars above the picturesque mountain valley to the south, while Mount Hahnen dominates the skyline to the east of the town, creating a fork in the valley. Numerous cable cars and ski lifts lead up the mountain­side, espe­cially in the area around Titlis. During the summer months, a network of marked trails of various levels of diffi­culty await hikers. Other possible activ­i­ties include mountain climbing and parag­liding.

After the Furka Base Tunnel between Realp and Oberwald was completed, the cogwheel railway over the pass was deemed to be closed perma­nently. However, ideal­ists and railway enthu­siasts ensured that the historic railway line over the mountain was preserved. From May to late September steam engines depart daily needing a good two hours for the 18 kilometer route.

This mountain road winds its way elegantly up the Gotthard Pass. It has been a protected landmark since 1832 and is consid­ered one of the “great drives of the Alps.” From the Middle Ages up until the 20th century, the pass was one of the most important routes over the mountains. Coaches would use the road in the summer, and sleighs in the winter. Today, it is preferred by nostalgic visitors; those in a hurry can simply drive straight through the mountain via the Gotthard tunnel.

The picturesque town on the western shore is consid­ered the most elegant holiday resort at Lake Garda. Exquisite restau­rants and cafes await on the waterfront. Within the sizable botan­ical gardens (10,000 square meters) grow more than 2,000 plant species, including subtrop­ical ones thanks to the mild climate. The Vitto­riale degli Ital­iani was the resi­dence of the Italian poet Gabriele D'Annunzi. Today the complex is a spacious museum on an area of nine hectares.

Most Lake Garda towns feature a jetty where excur­sion- and speed-boats land. Informa­tion on times and prices can be obtained during a walk along the prom­enade. Gener­ally speaking it is not neces­sary to reserve, as the boats run approx­i­mately every 30 minutes to an hour. And if a boat is too crowded then you just take the next one.

From Gargnano a steep pano­ramic road leads up to Lago di Valvestino. It travels through the romantic and wild landscape of the Parco Regionale Dell Alto Garda Bres­ciano. Along the way one cont­in­u­ally passes spots with great views of Lake Garda. The reser­voir itself looks more like a Norwe­gian fjord. Restrained by Monte Bagno, Monte Alberelli, and Monte Carzen it has crystal clear water. Around the lake are a number of marked trails.