The Matterhorn was Calling

Switzerland

 We had been on the road for 26 days. Paris, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Tuscany. Touring, exploring, wining and dining. On foot, on bikes, on buses.  By ourselves, with good friends, meeting other travelers.  The trip had already far exceeded our expectations. But we weren’t done yet. 

When we first decided to join our wine group in Tuscany, we wanted to add other elements to the vacation, fresh places and exciting adventures.  And why go for a week when you can stay for a month, or so?  While discovering new parts of France and digging deep into the wine region of Tuscany were amazing, the rugged outdoors of Switzerland still lay ahead.

After a week of Tuscany wine tasting, we spent a couple of days in Florence to rest, recharge and get the purple tinge off our tongues.  We had been to Florence twice before so there was no pressure to run around and see everything this incredible city has to offer, but it was tempting.  It has been said that “If Italy were the Mona Lisa, Florence would be her smile.”  For centuries, poets, writers and painters have flocked to Firenze, the City of Art, to study legendary masterpieces while seeking inspiration to create new ones.  The landmark city attracts more than a million visitors each year from all over the world.  They travel there because Florence is fascinating. Nowhere else on the planet can one stroll the same pedestrian paths walked by Michelangelo, Leonardo, and Botticelli.  We wandered the city, finding comfortable spaces to soak up the vibe, and views.

While we could have rented a flat and spent a month or so emerging ourselves in the culture, the Matterhorn was calling.  This portion of our extravaganza was planned around unique types of travel including nine trains with three vernaculars, three gondolas, and two cable cars thrown in for good measure.  By the time our two weeks were complete, we had become experts in the nuisance of riding the rails. 

Once again, we said our goodbyes to beautiful Italia and made our way north, past other Italian gems like Milan and Lake Como; oh, how we wanted to stop, but the Matterhorn was calling.  And we had tickets on the famed Bernina Express.

Operated by the same company since 1920, the Bernina Express is a narrow-gauge train built to blend in with the stunning countryside between Italy and Switzerland.  Designed with panoramic windows, the classic railway snakes 76 miles, climbing to an altitude of 7392 feet, through 55 tunnels, across some 200 bridges, providing breathtaking views of glaciers and Alpine mountain peaks.

 It is considered a marvel of engineering; a portion of the route (from Thusis to Tirano ) was even designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008.  It took four hours to travel on the Bernina Express from Tirano Italy to St. Moritz Switzerland; one of the most magnificent intervals in time that we have ever experienced.  “Wow” was all we heard, from every passenger, at every turn. 

Before visiting, we knew little about St. Moritz but for its popularity as a cosmopolitan winter destination for the rich and famous.  We were also familiar with the area as the filming locale for a favorite James Bond blockbuster “The Spy Who Loved Me”.

But St. Moritz is more than just a holiday resort. Over the next few days, we would learn about a varied, unusual history.  It was the birthplace of Alpine winter tourism (in 1864) and has twice hosted the Winter Olympics. In contrast, the town first became famous 3,000 years ago for its mineral springs, which established the area as a summer spa retreat.  It was the site of the first curling tournament on the continent, the first European Ice-Skating Championships, the first golf tournament in the Alps, the first bob-sled competition, a horse race and polo tournament held on snow, a golf tournament on the frozen lake, and Cricket on Ice.   St. Moritz has also been a summer venue for Sailing and Windsurfing World Championships.  Quite an impressive legacy.

We could feel the altitude the moment we stepped from the train station.  The lavish lifestyle at 6,100 feet above sea level challenges the lungs.  The highest summit reaches more than 13,000 feet.  For convenience, we had chosen a hotel directly across from the tracks; the views from our room to the lake were stunning.

We spent several days ascending the mountains, hiking the trails, taking in the views from the highest peaks, enjoying the sail boats on the lake.  The small town was uphill from our hotel, so we had the opportunity to adapt to the loftiness of the air as we explored and sampled Swiss delicacies like fondue, which was good, but we think our version of the gooey cheese treat is better.

When it was time to leave St. Moritz, we caught the rails again, bound for Zermatt. Known as the “world’s slowest express train”, the Glacier Express traverses the breathtaking Swiss Alps, connecting St. Moritz and Zermatt.  This iconic route covers 180 miles passing through 91 tunnels and over 291 bridges, during the span of eight hours. 

The views were fantastic, moving from snow capped mountains to lush green valleys, and charming Alpine villages.  One highlight was the Landwasser Viaduct, another UNESCO World Heritage site, where the train glides over a six-arched bridge before tucking into a cliffside tunnel.

With large all-encompassing windows, we could enjoy the scenery while sipping champagne in luxurious comfort.  It was an unforgettable adventure through some of the world’s most spectacular landscapes.

Upon our arrival in Zermatt, we were transported by golf cart up the hill to our hotel.  The town has had a ban on combustion vehicles since the 1960s; the only way to arrive inside the town is by train, or helicopter.  Home of the iconic, pyramid -shaped Matterhorn peak, Zermatt is a mountain resort renowned for skiing, climbing and hiking, an outdoor-lovers paradise. 

We were disappointed to see the thick cloud cover; the tip of the Matterhorn was barely visible from our hotel room, but we could sense it was calling to us, teasing that there was more to come.   We made a plan to go to the top the next day for a better vantage point.

The Matterhorn is one of the world’s most dramatic mountains, attracting visitors from around the world. The mountain straddles the border between Italy and Switzerland. At 14,692 feet above sea level, it is a large, near-symmetric pyramid peak.  There are four steep faces, rising above surrounding glaciers, each facing one of the four compass points. While most great Alpine peaks had been scaled during the 1700s, the Matterhorn remained unclimbed until 1865.  It is considered one of the deadliest peaks in the world, claiming the lives of more than 500 alpinists. 

As we were purchasing our tickets for the train to the top, the woman behind the counter pointed to a large television screen and asked if we had seen the view from the weather camera at the top.  We took a look and saw nothing but clouds and fog, but decided to take the risk, hoping it would clear during the 30-minute ride to the top. Much to our dismay, as we stepped onto the platform, the wind was howling, and it began to rain.  There would be no Matterhorn encounters that day.

Back down in town, the drizzle turned to a torrential downpour. We found a spot under cover and entertained ourselves with some people watching, while working out a plan to try for the Matterhorn again the next day.

 

Sadly, the magic mountain continued its elusive behavior, shrouded in mist.  We made the best of our time, exploring the town and finding our way up the other side, where the sky was clear with beautiful views, albeit, not of the Matterhorn. 

Our three days in Zermatt passed quickly and the Matterhorn continued to hide from view.  Packing our bags, we felt defeated.  But as we walked to our waiting golf cart, the clouds parted and there it was, calling to us in all its splendor.  It was a beautiful sight.

The remainder of our travel was less exciting than the Bernina and Glacier railways.  But by that time, we had mastered the process of getting on and off crowded boxcars with multiple pieces of luggage. 

Our final stop in Switzerland was the cosmopolitan city of Zurich. The largest, and capital, city of Switzerland, Zurich is an economic and cultural hub known for its vibrant traditions, world-renowned museums and thriving arts scene.  It was a bit of culture shock after so much time in small Alpine towns.  We spent a few days wandering, eating, and relaxing, a fitting end to our 34-day European extravaganza.

Our last train ride to the airport was perhaps the most exciting. The cars were filled over capacity, standing room only, shoulder to shoulder.  With multiple stops, passengers would have step off the train for others to get out, often having to fight their way back on as the train began to pull away from the station.  We were looking forward to the nine-hour flight in business-class. 

Back in the states, while boarding our remaining connection to get home, we received emails and texts inviting us to join a trip to Argentina in 2025.  “Space is limited so hurry and sign up”, were the messages from our friends.  And so it began, before we had even unpacked, we began planning the next excursion.  We decided that cruising on Berkeley East was much simpler; vacations are exhausting.