Grand Tour of Switzerland: Fantastic Landscapes and Where to Find Them
Alps, I did it again
Standing on the Schaffhausen platform on a Sunday morning felt as though I had been dropped into a world blooming from the bones of the old. The stillness that infused the October air hung heavily in the absence of the streaming crowds I was so used to. The biting breeze, which ebbed and flowed with the shifting wind, signalled the cold front of the looming months. Finding comfort in the familiar warmth of my jacket pocket, where the Swiss Travel Pass printout lay folded, I began navigating my way to the first stop in the itinerary. The long-awaited Grand Tour of Switzerland experience, hailed by many as the most beautiful road trip route across the landlocked country, began not with a bang, but with a brisk walk.
SCHAFFHAUSEN
With every step across the old town, the past seemed to seep into the present. Fronwagplatz, especially, is a time machine. Strolling past the fountain statues, the frescoed facades, and the elaborate oriel windows, I was reminded of the grandeur of a bygone era. Exquisite details that prior to this only existed in period dramas. These musings came to an abrupt end when the church bell chimed. The soft humming of local buses could be heard in the distance.
The sight of an elderly man sifting through his newspaper and a couple splitting a pastry at a local bakery crept into my peripheral vision as I moved beyond the cobbled streets of the traffic-free square. Within mere minutes, I was already at the foothill of Munot Fortress, a 16th-century landmark towering over the town. The climb was a challenge, albeit a moderate one, but seeing Schaffhausen revealing itself was a thoroughly rewarding experience.
Looking at the mountain curvatures blanketed by browning leaves left me craving a closer look at the country’s bountiful natural riches. So I headed for Europe’s largest waterfall: the Rhine Falls. The fifteen-minute drive went by in a wink. In the quiet turn of seconds, I found myself standing on the viewing platform, enthralled by the sound and sight of the waves crashing against the rocks. The crowd swarming the photo spot did little to break my reverie.
Where to Stay: Hotel Vienna House
Where to Dine: Wasserfels & Güterhof
ST. GALLEN
About 80 kilometres southeast of Schaffhausen is another city brimming with history: St.Gallen. The journey that was supposed to take an hour—I chartered a Cabrio bus with a few colleagues—was stretched a little longer as we decided to make the most of the Grand Tour of Switzerland’s itinerary by making a detour to Lake Constance via Stein am Rhein. Needless to say, breathing in the fresh lake air and getting an eyeful of the idyllic scenery was worth our while.
Pulling up into the old town felt like, again, being transported to another world. My exploration of the Abbey District, in particular, led to some poignant revelations. The baroque cathedral made a mighty first impression with the intricate stucco work embellishing its facade. But it was the Abbey Library that left me properly stumped. The extensive collection of books and manuscripts dating back to the 4th century had me in deep reflection on how far civilisation has come.
The feeling of amazement followed me to the Textile Museum. The imposing brick building it’s housed in, designed by Gustav Gull, serves as a prelude to what’s to come. Celebrating the city’s deep-rooted tradition in fabric arts—it was a pioneer in linen production at one point in time—the museum features 30,000 objects across its four floors. From heritage costumes to handmade utensils, the displays here promise to enthral fashion and history enthusiasts alike.
Where to Stay: Tailormade Hotel Leo St. Gallen
Where to Dine: Zum Goldenen Schafli & Brauwerk
ST. MORITZ
This was where the trip hit its stride. Journeying to the diamond-strewn resort town of St. Moritz was an event deserving its own mention. Any trace of tiredness from the two-hour drive dissipated the moment the Cabrio bus wove through the mountain passes. Think long roads trailing the curves of snow-capped summits, still lakes cradling the clouds above before the wind stirs ripples across the surface, and tiny alpine villages glistening in the sun.
Wonders in this part of the country never cease, as surprises lurked in every corner as I descended into the Engadin Valley, where the glamorous enclave of St. Moritz rests in serene beauty. One of the things that stood out to me while walking around St. Moritz Dorf was how the old and the new can co-exist in harmony. The high-end boutiques lining Via Serlas, for instance, are seamlessly juxtaposed against a former farmhouse and a leaning church tower up the hill.
The trail eventually led me back to Switzerland’s unspoiled nature. The excursion to Lake St. Moritz was particularly memorable. Here, the elevated terrain and crystal-clear water offer that postcard-perfect moment everybody plans ahead for. Taking the experience to new heights—literally—I then took the funicular to Muottas Muragl. The view of the valley at 2453m above sea level at sunset, when a sea of lights slowly reveals itself, is not to be missed.
Where to Stay: Hotel Hauser
Where to Dine: Panorama Restaurant Muottas Muragl & Le Lapin Bleu
TICINO
Like a well-orchestrated medley, the Grand Tour of Switzerland arranges the country’s greatest hits in a way that the beauty spills from one destination to the other, with pristine nature being the invisible string that ties them all together. And while there are countless ways to experience the 1,600-kilometre itinerary, mine culminated with a stop in Ticino. The Italian-speaking canton, much like its neighbouring regions, is dotted with rolling hills and rustic villages.
But that’s not to say that Ticino is without its own unique charm. For one thing, many admire Monte San Giorgio for its historical importance. This is where fossils dating back to the Middle Triassic period, over 200 million years ago, are preserved. So naturally, the Fossil Museum in Meride was a must-visit for me. Getting a glimpse at a lost world through the remains of the prehistoric lives, including the 2.5-metre-long saurian Ticinosuchus, was as enlightening as it was exciting.
From there, I made my way to Swissminiatur in Melide. Offering a bird’s-eye view of Switzerland, this 14,000-square-metre open-air miniature park boasts 128 scale replicas of the most famous buildings here and more. It allows you the space to connect the dots between all the places, faces, and stories you’ve gathered thus far. A much-needed reminder before I boarded the Gotthard Panorama Express en route to Zürich to catch my flight back to Malaysia.
Where to Stay: Park Hotel Principe
Where to Dine: Antico Grotto Fossati & Cantinetta Balmelli 1912
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