I looked at our blog and realized the last few posts were about food. So I thought it might be time for a little female intervention. I’ve taken over the posting duties for our first weekend getaway to the Swiss cities of Zurich and Lugano.

Friday started out a promising day and we weren’t disappointed. Bright and sunny, it was the perfect day for a train ride through the countryside of Switzerland. Our adventure started with a 2.5 hour train ride from Geneva to Zurich. The route hugs the coast of Lake Geneva then runs across the countryside until it rolls into the vibrant city of Zurich.

The banking center of Switzerland, Zurich is surprisingly “unstuffy”. (Zurich is also ranked #1 in Mercer’s 2008 world-wide quality of life survey. Geneva ranks #2.) After a short detour on the tram (we got lost) we enjoyed drinks at the “Jules Verne Panoramic Bar” (ok, touristy but a good view). Dinner was an all vegetarian restaurant that was a cross between a buffet, a nightclub, and a singles scene.

Saturday we hopped back on the train and travelled south to the city of Lugano. Snuggling up to the Italian border, it’s hard to believe you are not in Italy when you are in Lugano. A beautiful lake, mountains, winding streets and hills, good food and great wine – it’s all here. And don’t forget the snow covered Alps surrounding it all. Sunday we travelled to Bre’ Passe which is a mountain village just above Lugano. The clear sunny weather held out and we were treated to some breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains with towns and villages dotting the hillsides. Lugano and the lake rests just down below. Also of interest is Bre’ village, an extremely old but still functioning village, which sits at the top of the mountain.

By the end of the weekend we were exhausted and admittedly a bit tongue-tied. Switzerland has three languages – French, German, and Italian. Geneva is French, Zurich is German, and Lugano is Italian. By Sunday our phrase books were as worn out as we were!

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