Zurich and Lucerne in a Weekend

Sheila Berrios — Wed, 29 Mar 2017 20:17:58 +0000

Switzerland. Cheese, chocolate, and the Swiss Alps. After a 9-hour flight from Miami, I was more than ready to arrive and start enjoying a weekend in Zurich and Lucerne.

Nevertheless, I need to give props to Swiss Air. A flight that only cost me around $500.00 USD had great food (I can’t believe I’m saying this about airplane food), an extensive selection of entertainment, and attentive staff. Excellent value for your money I must say.

Before you keep reading: GoldenAgeTrips.com is making use of affiliate links, which in some cases will end up in a commission for purchases originated from this website. However, all referred companies/products/accommodations have been tried out or researched by us first.

Zurich

It was just before noon when we arrived at the Zurich Airport. After the ‘always fun’ border control and customs protocols, we boarded the tram and picked up our Pocket WiFi (we used Travelers Wifi) and rental car.

Then, we went straight to the Airbnb we had booked for the next two nights. The Bungalow was in Meilen, a municipality in the canton of Zurich. According to the GPS, we were not that far, but 40 minutes might seem an eternity when you drive through steep and narrow roads.

Cozy Bungalow in Meilen, Switzerland.

To be completely honest, we were tired and ready to sleep. Also, the coziness of the Bungalow was not helping in keeping me awake. However, we had plans for the afternoon, and “I didn’t cross an ocean just to sleep” (at least that’s what I was telling myself). So, we took a shower and were ready to go.

To Avoid Being a Victim of Jet Lag, Check out 9 Tips from Travel Bloggers on How to Avoid It

FIFA World Football Museum

I needed something to keep me awake, which made Café Schober our first stop. This century-old cafe was packed, but we were quickly taken to a table. We ended up ordering two Mocha Coffees that were delicious and two croissants that never arrived.

Sadly, we were in a rush and couldn’t keep waiting since we had tickets for the FIFA World Football Museum and had less than 2 hours until closing time.

FIFA World Cup Trophy

We bought our tickets for the FIFA World Football Museum online. This type of purchase made admission a breeze. There were not too many people, and we only had to scan our tickets at the turnstiles to get in.

The museum’s almost new. It opened in 2016, and it’s noticeable. All the exhibitions were in perfect condition, and everything looked brand new. It’s a great place for everyone who loves Football, including kids.

Altstadt

Now, it was time to go to the Altstadt or Old Town. The Fraumünster and the Grossmünster churches were now in front of me. I had seen many pictures before arriving, and they met my expectations.

Talking about expectations, I was not expecting to hear reggaeton music in Old Town Zurich. The recount of this incident might seem like an odd side commentary, but as a Puerto Rican, I assure you it’s not. Who would have thought that Daddy Yankee and Nicky Jam were going to be blasting out of speakers in Old Town Zurich? Not me, that’s for sure.

Zurich Altstadt (Old Town) at Night

We kept walking while looking at the gorgeous window displays, but it was starting to get windy and cold (er). This weather was our cue to have dinner. We did not have to think much since we had seen the restaurant Raclette Stube on a TV show, and there were no doubts we were going there.

Just your typical Zurich store window display.

For whatever reason, it did not occur to us to make a reservation. Luckily, the server told us that if we were able to eat in an hour or less, he could give us a table that was reserved for an hour later. Challenge accepted.

Around 20 other people who came after us were not that lucky, so please remember to reserve a spot if interested. We didn’t hesitate (ok, maybe we did, once we sniffed the overpowering smell of cheese) and said yes. I’m glad we did. Yes, the menu it’s limited. Don’t be looking for something else that’s not melted cheese.

Nonetheless, it was the perfect ending to our 36-hour day. Cheese, bread, potatoes, and wine. If that is your definition of a good life, then this place would be perfect for you.

Zurich to Lucerne

The next morning, we started by having breakfast at Kafi Dihei in Zurich. It is a small breakfast place with indoor and outdoor seating, good food, and reasonable prices (for Switzerland).

Waffles with Crème fraîche & Bread and Croissant with Butter, Preserves, and Yogurt.

Now that we were well fed, we departed to Lucerne. Maybe because it was a Sunday morning, there was almost no traffic, and it took us less than an hour to arrive.

How to get from Zurich to Lucerne (Luzern)?

We had rented a car, so we drove through the A4 and A14. You can also take a train from Zurich Main Station to Luzern. I recommend using Rome2rio for all your mass and public transportation needs. If you want more information about the Swiss Railway, Click Here.

The road from Zurich to Lucerne.

Lucerne’s a place not to be skipped if you are visiting Switzerland. It has that perfect and almost “photoshopped” beauty that Bourdain hated. I came back to this post after Anthony Bourdain passed away on June 8, 2018. I just want to thank him for inspiring me to travel and try things I didn’t feel comfortable with at first but ended up being great experiences. Once you arrive, the first thing you will notice it’s the Kapellbrücke. This 14th-century wooden footbridge is the oldest wooden covered bridge in Europe, and it is very eye-catching and photogenic.

The Kapellbrücke in Lucerne.

Even if we did not visit Mount Pilatus or Mt. Rigi (the most popular attractions in Lucerne together with the Kapellbrücke), we enjoyed the time spent in this beautiful city. It’s the perfect place for a stroll and to grab a bite or drink while enjoying the gorgeous views.

Guinness by the Kapellbrücke.

Views while strolling along Lake Luzern.

As part of our visit, we also had plans to visit the Lion Monument. This monument was carved out of a sandstone rock above a pond, and it’s a memorial to Swiss soldiers who died during the French Revolution. It is truly a work of art and a beautiful place to slow down, take a seat, and reflect.

Lion Monument in Lucerne

It was now time to return to Zurich, but we stopped to buy a few souvenirs before leaving. Nothing was out of the ordinary; it was just your typical tourist souvenir shop when the unexpected happened.

My credit card was charged $1700.00 USD instead of $17.00 USD. I saw the panicked expression on the employee’s face until he confessed. After a long 10 to 15 minutes, a call to Mastercard, and many apologies, everything worked out. The transaction was canceled, and I was able to leave Lucerne happy and full of great memories.

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One Afternoon in Basel

Sheila Berrios — Wed, 15 Mar 2017 20:16:44 +0000

In the last century, the city of Basel in Switzerland became a hub for the pharmaceutical industry. As an example, Novartis, a healthcare company that has a revenue of more than $50 billion dollars per year is headquartered in Basel. There is also a Pharmacy Museum in a house where Erasmus and Paracelsus once lived in the Old Town. Basel, like many other European cities it’s a place where the new and the old collide in every corner. This a recap of what we did and saw one afternoon in Basel.

The Old and the New Basel

Before you keep reading: GoldenAgeTrips.com is making use of affiliate links, which in some cases will end up in commissions for purchases originated from this website. However, all referred companies/products/accommodations have been tried out or researched by us.

We decided to visit Basel at the end of our trip because of three things: its proximity to the Zurich Airport (less than one hour), how close it is from France and Germany (extremely close), and to get a glimpse of the ‘Le Rhine’ River.

The Rhine River in Basel

Getting There

We drove from Nuremberg (Germany) to Basel (Switzerland) through the Autobahn, and it was terrible. There was construction everywhere, and the rain was not helping at all. At least we did not have to stop at the border crossing, probably because the rental car had the Autobahn Vignette.

We arrived after almost six hours on the road, and then the mission to find the closest parking to the hotel started. In all honesty, that probably took about another hour (foolish Americans!). At that moment, I only wanted to check in at the hotel and see at least half of what I already had planned to see.

Checking In

Our stay for the night was in Motel One Basel, which ended up being a great budget hotel. The front desk staff was very helpful, and they even gave us a two-day pass for the local transportation system. We ended up not using them because the location of the hotel was excellent, and we could walk almost everywhere.

The terrace behind the Basel Münster Church – Yes, that is confetti.

I knew where I wanted to go and had to be there before twilight. Lucky for me, the Basel Minster, better known as the Münster, was only 3 minutes away. Probably because of the rain, we avoided most of the tourists. The sky had just started to clear up, and we had the church almost to ourselves.

Plaza near the Münster Church

The terrace in the back of the church is also a must-see. You can see the Rhine and the contrast between the Old and the New Basel from there.

Part of the View from the Terrace behind the Münster Church

After starting to see the Basel we had been dreaming of, we started to get hungry. But, before eating, we needed to walk along the river. I kept seeing people jogging and what appeared to be people leaving work, and I couldn’t stop thinking how lucky they were for being able to live in a place with so much history and incredible views. I wondered if they knew.

Basel Old Town

It was getting late, and we finally had dinner. The place was full of locals, and we ended up having a nice meal except for the dessert. It has been more than five days, and I’m still not over the disappointment (looking at this post one year later, I’m ok now). At that time, we were ready to return to the hotel and prepare for the next day’s ten-hour flight.

The visit to Basel did not go exactly as planned but walking along and across the Rhine surrounded by such beautiful architecture was indescribable and worth the six-hour drive.

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