To help you avoid the getting caught on hundreds of other vacationers’ souvenir snapshots this summer, here are eight undiscovered Swiss towns (brought to you in a two-part series, click here for Part 2), that all offer something unique—from a spa with the most mineral-rich water in Switzerland to three grand Roman castles you can call your own.
Baden
Baden means, “to bathe”, and this medieval spa town boasts the most mineral-rich water in Switzerland. Complete with bubbling lounge chairs and rows of jets carefully measured for a complete massage, the Baden spa is also lit by candlelight on weekend nights in the winters. So let the rest of the tourists flock to Vals for their wellness escapes. Baden, (the choice of Goethe and Nietzsche) is where exapts (and travelers) looking to avoid the crowds relax today.
Gandria (pictured above)
Palm and olive trees frame this colorful cliff-clinging town on Lake Lugano. Narrow lanes, locals that greet you with “Buon giorno,” and restaurants that cook with the locally produced olive oil, make Gandria an atmospheric boat trip from Lugano —especially if you plan on stocking up on handmade ceramics. But for those that depart without heavy bags, a well marked, (but not too well-traveled) olive tree trail winds back along the lake.
Neuchatel
Mix fine wines, watches, and yellow limestone buildings, and you’ve got the recipe for a town Dumas described as being carved out of butter. Only 12 miles from France, Switzerland’s French-speaking university town comes complete with a Gothic cathedral and a 15th century castle. Walk along the lake, admire the fountains in the old town, or take a hike through the vineyards—anything to work up an excuse to eat at a brasserie.
Seengen
Find the middle of nowhere and make it the center of the universe. That’s pretty much how it feels standing in front of the Hallwyl Castle in Seengen. Complete with a moat and a grassy courtyard, the castle also holds performances of operas and plays. From the castle, it’s only a 15-minute walk to Lake Hallwil, where the day can be completed via a boat ride, a swim, or a stroll past the many vineyards.
Stay tuned next week for Part 2. But in the meantime, what do you think? What are the best undiscovered Swiss spots you’ve found?
6 comments:
I'm going to have to say Bremgarten AG. We live in the region and the Old Town in Bremgarten is really something special. Plus there are hardly any tourists that come out here and it's only 25 minutes away on the "Schnellbus" from Zürich Enge.
Bremgarten is really beautiful. I agree. I've been there twice. Although the number of people at their Easter Market was a bit overwhelming.
Chantal,
How did I miss that you yourself had a blog!?!?! I've read One Big Yodel (probably even left a comment) but if I realized you and this yodeler were one and the same I'd forgotten it! Nice to rediscover you through a link on Swisstory's blog about the article!! I'll be posting one today!
Now, I'm off to go get some Swiss tips from you! We leave for Italy tomorrow morning and will be cutting across la Suisse in route to our destination! Why, oh why, did we choose the oh so swelteringly hot Amalfi Coast? Clearly this was a decision made mid winter when the sun sounded good!
Hi Toma,
Welcome to my blog :) Have a fabulous vacation.
So much fun to read this and reminisce about my days in Switzerland in the 70's and 80's. Some things haven't changed there, that's for sure.
Thanks for visiting and glad you're enjoying the blog. You're right--things don't change very fast in Switzerland...
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