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Not far from Leysin is Gruyere, a medieval walled town with no traffic famous for its cheese and well worth going to for the castle. Inside, there is that indefinable fustiness of very old wood. Twisted ageless vines grow from the courtyard and entwine themselves around pillars as they stretch upwards. There is a permanence about this castle which appears to have grown from the rock on which it is built.
Outside in the cobbled street, sit and relax at one of the discreet little cafes. And if you must buy a souvenir, buy a Swiss chalet music box or a Swiss Army knife with a multitude of accessories ... as I did for my son, who promptly sliced himself open with it.
Gruyere lies north-east of Leysin in the canton of Fribourg.
Not too far away are Les Diablerets, the Little Devils, a range of peaks where even in high summer, snow obstinately refuses to melt. At ten thousand feet and reached by a chain of three cable cars, it is cold, and the sudden change in altitude can cause dizziness.
An interesting tunnel through a huge captive ice glacier leads to the restaurant (with exorbitant prices) from the cable car station. The ice here is so old that there are arrows pointing out different times in history. A very thin black line in the ice from the eighteen hundreds bears witness to the eruption and extinction of Krakatoa, the volcano which destroyed itself with the biggest explosion of recent times.
It's a chocolate factory shop and has super bargains on chocolate.
Lindt Shop, Seestrasse 204, 8802 Kilchberg
Tel : +41 44 716 22 33
Kilchberg can be reached via suburban train.
www.zvv.ch for timetables
www.lindt.com
Memorable dining experience in a very comfortable atmosphere with attentive service and excellent eclectic cuisine.
Widdergasse 5
Tel: 41 44 211 56 65
www.restaurant-lumiere.ch
Lots of nice mountain huts and chalets open to the end of Sept. Many marked trails next to glaciers, open alpine pasture and forest.
Lots of train connections to Interlaken from Geneva, Basal etc. Take a local train to Wilderswill, Gridevald etc.
An independent chalet company in the Swiss Alps. Beautiful chalet, amazing service. Five Star.
This small restaurant in Zurich-Wipkingen offers delicious Asian dishes. It feels like being at home, with personalised service from your own chef. Anthony Carlos, from the Philippines, offers serious a Asian menu with homemade specialties. Check as well the monthly events. Recommended for lovers of gourmet, but you will need to make reservations, as the place is small (max. 25 seats).
Nordstrasse 199, near Zurich-Wipkingen train station, and about 5 minutes from the main train station (Zurich HB), or you can catch bus no. 46;
tel: 043 539 76 79;
email: info@anthonyskitchen.ch
www.anthonyskitchen.ch
A massive exhibition of all the top watch brands and lots and lots of diamonds. It’s a great place to buy cool watches and see new ranges.
Messe Platz, the conference centre
The best zoo I have ever been too. Its layout and enclosures are fantastic. There is also a special Amazon dome.
You must take the tram from Banhofstrasse up the hill and it is a short walk from there
It is a small restaurant in the style of a French bistro with undoubtedly the best steak and french fries available in the city (I have lived in Zurich for 2 years). The service and ambience are excellent, look out for Alessandro the manager/owner who is extremely friendly. House wines are always excellent, no need to chose from the wine menu. For non-steak lovers the king prawns, chicken tarragon and mussels are all wonderful. Try the lemon tart for desert.
Lumière
Widdergasse 5
8001 Zürich
Telefon: 01 211 56 65
info@restaurant-lumiere.ch
(Centrally located, just next to the Widder hotel)
Best Asian restaurant in town ("wild, young, simple, sexy"). Good place to meet other party-goers since on the long wooden tables you can't hide. Try the Japanese soups or the curries. My favourite is the "Red Thai Curry".
Langstrasse 197 (in the lively red light district in Kreis 4); www.lilys.ch
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