What to do in Zürich

St.Gallen Library - by Julia Newton

Vineyard Terraces in Lavaux © TrekEarth

Swiss World Heritage Site

Switzerland is home to nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which are all worth a visit. Six of them are designated cultural sites, and three are natural phenomena. Some are easily accessible while others are more remote.

They are listed in the order in which they were adopted. You can learn more at the following link:
http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/ch.

A useful guidebook is the Michelin Green Guide to Switzerland. Plus the SBB website is a mine of useful train travel advice and often features special excursions. www.sbb.ch.
For weather reports, check these links: www.meteoswiss.admin.ch and www.swisswebcams.ch.

Cultural sites:

Benedictine Convent of St John at Müstair (1983)
This church is one of the oldest buildings in Switzerland and lies in one of its remotest corners. The church was founded, according to legend, in the time of Charlemagne in the late 8th to early 9th century, and is located in the Graubunden region on the border with Italy.
The monastery became a women's convent in the 12th century and is still occupied today.
The original basilica design was transformed in the 15th century into a Gothic structure. It contains frescoes said to be 'the most important cycle of wall-paintings from the Carolingian period conserved in situ' and includes a scene of the Last Judgement. Some of the frescoes can also be seen in the Landesmuseum in Zürich.
There is also a 12th century statue of Charlemagne and a small museum. Guided tours are available. www.muestair.ch. Phone 081 858 5000.

How to get there:
By train and post bus, via Landquart and Zernez. The journey takes about four hours. www.sbb.ch. By car, over the Flüela pass beyond Davos and then over the Ofenpass. Takes 3 to 4 hours.
Check weather conditions before setting off.

Convent of St Gallen (1983)
The town of St. Gallen is the highest in Switzerland and also one of the coldest. It lies in the north-eastern corner close to the Bodensee. The abbey, formerly a Benedictine monastery dating back to the 8th century, features an 18th century cathedral with a decorative dome, and a famous library or Stiftsbibliothek. The library with its ornate rococo ceiling contains a unique collection of early manuscripts, some of which date back to the 8th century. The library floor is made of parquet inlaid with stars, and visitors are provided with protective shoes to enter.
www.stiftsbibliothek.ch.

How to get there:
St. Gallen is easily reached by train or car from Zürich in just over an hour. Check opening times of the library and museum before travelling. 071 227 3416

Bern Altstadt (1983)
The federal capital city of Bern was founded in the 12th century on a hill overlooking the river Aare. The medieval buildings of the old town date from the 15th and 16th centuries and feature beautiful arcades, decorated facades and fountains. Renovation is ongoing, but now is a good time to visit. The Bundeshaus, the seat of Swiss democracy, has been recently renovated. You can take a guided tour of the city by bus (Saturdays only in winter; tel: 031 328 1212) or explore on foot - a walking tour takes about half a day. Look out for the eye-catching Zeitglockenturm or clock tower. The famous Bern Onion Market takes place on the fourth Monday in November.

How to get there:
By train from Zürich; the fast train now takes under an hour.
By car: takes an hour from Zurich on a good day.

Bellinzona's Three Castles, Defensive Wall and Ramparts (2000)
This market town in the Italian part of Switzerland is located in a valley surrounded by three castles and fortifications. The late medieval fortifications are a protected heritage site. The Castelgrande, with its two square towers, is the largest of the three castles and overlooks the entire Ticino valley. A second castle, Montebello, forms an integral part of the fortifications, while a third but separate castle, Sasso Corbaro, was built on an isolated rocky promontory south-east of the other fortifications.
Access to Castelgrande via lift from Piazzetta Maria della Valle; to Montebello on foot up a ramp from the station; and Sasso Corboro is better accessed by car.

How to get there:
By train: the Cisalpino direct from Zürich takes two and a half hours.
By road via the Gotthard takes a bit longer, depending on length of queues.

Lavaux, Vineyard Terraces (2007) The northern shores of Lake Geneva between Montreux and Lausanne, with their ancient vineyards, have only recently been preserved as a UNESCO world heritage site.
According to the criteria for qualification, 'the Lavaux vineyard landscape is an outstanding example that displays centuries of interaction between people and their environment.' The vineyards date back to the 11th century. You can enjoy the view best from the train from Montreux in the east to Lausanne and Geneva in the west. Or take the Lavaux corniche road from Villeneuve, via Chillon and Montreux to Lausanne, or vice versa.

How to get there:
By train from Zurich to Lausanne via Montreux takes just over 2 hours.
By car via Bern takes 2 to 3 hours. Drive along the northern shores of Lake Geneva. The corniche road gives a closer view of the vineyards than the motorway.

Rhaetian Railway in the Albula / Bernina Landscapes (2008)
The historic Rhätische Bahn or RhB operates in the Graubunden region and the stretch through the Albula and Bernina sections represents a particularly outstanding example of railway engineering. It brings together two historic railway lines that cross the Swiss Alps through two passes by means of a series of tunnels, viaducts and bridges, linking previously isolated settlements. The Albula line, with its spectacular spiral track, runs from Thusis to St. Moritz and the Bernina express runs via glaciers and gorges from St. Moritz to Tirano in Italy on the highest railway in the Alps.

How to get there:
By train from Thusis or St. Moritz. At the time of writing, the SBB has a special overnight offer.
www.sbb.ch.


Natural phenomena:

Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch (2001; extended in 2007)
This alpine area is one of the most well-known mountain regions in Switzerland, outstanding for its beauty and its geological significance. The Unesco website describes the site as follows: 'The extension of the natural World Heritage property of Jungfrau - Aletsch - Bietschhorn expands the site to the east and west, bringing its surface area up to 82,400 hectares. The site provides an outstanding example of the formation of the High Alps, including the most glaciated part of the mountain range and the largest glacier in Eurasia.' The Jungfraujoch or 'top of Europe' is a favourite destination for sightseers.
http://www.welterbe.ch/en.

How to get there:
The train journey from Zürich via Interlaken takes four and a half hours, or you can drive to Interlaken and begin your journey there. You can also travel via Grindelwald. It is also possible to take a Jungfrau round trip via Wengen and Kleine Scheidegg.
www.sbb.ch.

Monte San Giorgio (2003)
This mountain in the Ticino region is the site of significant marine fossil finds from the Triassic age, over 200 million years ago. The wealth of marine life as well as plant and insect remains has been well catalogued. There is a fossil museum in Meride, and a nature trail nearby which leads to the mountaintop. The walk along the well-signposted trail takes 4 hours.
www.unep-wcmc.org.

How to get there:
By train to Lugano and thence Mendrisio, then take the post bus. Takes about 4 hours.
By car via the Gotthard tunnel takes 3 to 4 hours, depending on queuing time at the tunnel.

Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona (2008)
This exceptional mountain region in the Glarus and Graubunden cantons features seven peaks of over 3000 metres. The Glarus Overthrust is one of the most significant geological regions demonstrating how mountain ranges came to be formed by plate tectonics. The small town of Glarus and the lake resort of Klöntal are worth a visit, as are the villages of Elm, Schwanden, Kerenzerberg, Flums, Bad Ragaz and Flims.
www.myswitzerland.com.

How to get there:
By car via Chur autobahn to Glarus takes just over an hour. Other resorts take a little longer. Most are also accessible by train and post bus or cable car: www.sbb.ch.

by Julia Newton, 6 October 2008

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