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Switzerland is just as magical as you imagine

Wildflowers adorn a hillside beneath the Swiss Alp Jungfrau, which translates to "young maiden." The glaciers on the side of the mountain are said to resemble the skirts of a young woman. / Photo by Patti Smith.
Wildflowers adorn a hillside beneath the Swiss Alp Jungfrau, which translates to "young maiden." The glaciers on the side of the mountain are said to resemble the skirts of a young woman. / Photo by Patti Smith. Wildflowers adorn a hillside beneath the Swiss Alp Jungfrau, which translates to "young maiden." The glaciers on the side of the mountain are said to resemble the skirts of a young woman. / Photo by Patti Smith.

By Roger Smith 6 min read

My wife and I lived in Europe three times during my U.S. Air Force career, and we have vacationed there 10 times since. We relish the different foods, cultures, histories and the scenic terrain from Iceland to Greece. Our most recent travel took us high into the Swiss Alps. We’ve never been more enraptured.

We based out of Zurich, which was a perfect initiation. It is a large city with many museums, parks and restaurants, and it is easy to get around once you learn to use the tram system. The Landesmuseum of Swiss history is a great place to learn about the Swiss people and their proud history. I’ve never absorbed more information in less time through reading, observing and listening through headphones offered by the multimedia presentations. Nearby, the Kunsthaus art museum is one of the most modern in Europe and offers originals by the greatest artists in history – Monet, Munch, Manet, Rembrandt, Picasso and many others.

We had a sweet visit to the Lindt chocolate factory. We learned all about the history of chocolate, how it is made and why Swiss chocolate is the best in the world. Plus, at the end of the tour we got unlimited free samples to compare the varieties. Yum!

We also visited the old Roman City, a mixture of ancient homes and modern shops and restaurants built on the ruins of what was once an elevated Roman fort. Soldiers based in the strategic fort guarded critical passes through the Alps. From a beautiful park atop the fortress one can now take in the entire city and gaze upon medieval churches and houses, ornate bridges and sailboats floating majestically upon the blue water of nearby Lake Zurich.

In the years since the Roman Empire fell, the inhabitants of the region were just as zealous at guarding their resources and developing their country. The Swiss are known for their fierce neutrality despite wars that raged around them throughout the centuries. That neutrality paid huge dividends as Switzerland largely avoided the terrible suffering and destruction that other European countries experienced after the Renaissance.