The mystifying trail up the Uetliberg

by Annie Scott on


It was a ludicrously foggy day when I rode the train up the Uetliberg and embarked on the trail to Uto Kulm. The Uetliberg is a Swiss mountain known as the “Top of Zürich,” crowned with a 236 foot tower which you can climb for panoramic views of Zürich and beyond — unless it’s half as foggy as the day I was there.

Uto Kulm, pictured hazily below, is a hotel and restaurant adjacent to the tower. Normally, it offers pretty fabulous views as well, or so I’m told. When I was there, it was so foggy it looked like the blinds were drawn. I had a fine feast of a dinner there; while the main courses were unremarkable, my companions and I were all wowed by the delicious and complex desserts — and certainly satisfied.

Not that I’m complaining about the fog. No. I was still enchanted by the trek due to the unusual and haunting statues by Bruno Weber, a Swiss fantastic realist, which were made all the more mesmerizing by the thick clouds surrounding them. If you go to Zürich, no matter what museums you plan to visit, you have to see these statues.
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Bewtiching statues like the ones shown above towered over us, leading us up the final steps to Uto Kulm. Never before had I felt so like I was in an ancient land (or perhaps a Tolkien novel), despite the fact that the “sculpture way” was just completed in 2003. The strange creatures and majestic scale tickled my imagination, bringing to mind the ruins of various cities and civilizations past — perhaps this is similar to what those crumbling statues once looked like.

Bruno Weber is a living artist who, among other things, continues to expand and add sculptural elements to his house in his hometown of Dietikon to this day. The house of Bruno Weber is well-known by the Swiss as a magical place to visit. If you go there, you must also head to Skulpturenpark in the same town, which is said to be full of awe-inspiring sights.

His project on the Uetliberg took 12 years to complete. I hope it will be there for archaeologists to explore hundreds of years from now.

My trip to Switzerland was sponsored by Switzerland Tourism, but the ideas and opinions expressed in this article are 100 percent my own.

Photo of the Day (6.22.10)

by Stephen Greenwood on
No matter how remote your current location, it’s a pretty safe bet that you’ve seen some trace of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa over the past 10 days. This humbling shot comes from travel photographer Austin Mann – taken at the Spain v. Switzerland game at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium.

The Moses Mabhida Stadium is capable of seating nearly 63,000 fans and features a support arch similar to that of England’s Wembley Stadium. For a virtual look around Durban from the stadium, check out Durban’s official host city page.

Do you have stories or pictures from the games in South Africa or from your own hometown? Tips for those traveling to the World Cup? Share them with us & submit pictures to the Gadling Flickr Pool!

From World Cup to contemporary tourist destination: part two

by Alex Robertson Textor on

The World Cup provides an opportunity for participating countries to put their best foot forward and invite visitors in. Earlier I looked at fabulous and in most cases affordable hotels in countries in the World Cup’s Groups A through D, hotels that fit their country’s national brand well. Here are some suggestions for hotels that sum up the best of the local national brand from countries in Groups E, F, G, and H.

Group E. Denmark: CPH Living, Copenhagen.

Copenhagen is full of very expensive classic modernist hotels, but the simple clean lines of CPH Living, a boat hotel located near the Langebro bridge in Christianshavn, provide a better-priced sleep. Rooms face the canal, which twinkles toward sundown, showing off Copenhagen at its modern best. There’s a sunroof as well. Doubles from DKK 1000 ($166).

Group F. Italy: Hotel Signum, Malfa, Salina.

While there’s a rich tradition of contemporary design in Italy, it is a more old-fashioned Italian aesthetic most beloved among visitors to the country. On the Aeolian island of Salina is the very special Hotel Signum, a small charmer that epitomizes simple luxury in a manner that showcases an Italian antique spirit in a clean, even modern manner. Salina, which has a few thousand inhabitants, is a quiet and restful place great for honeymooners and mature visitors. Double rooms from €130.

Group G. Portugal: Fontana Park Hotel, Lisbon.

The verve of this very contemporary hotel might first seem out of place against Lisbon’s delightfully antiquated core; in the context of Portuguese modernism, however, the Fontana Park’s rooms match up well. The Fontana Park, in the neighborhood of Estefãnia, is undeniably hip, and the hotel goes to fun lengths (sushi workshop, anyone?) to attract guests. Double rooms from €90. The hotel is currently running a two-night City Break special with tons of bells and whistles for €315 for two.

Group H. Switzerland: Therme Vals, Vals.

In 1996, Peter Zumthor built the extraordinary Therme Vals, a sharp spa and hotel in the town of Vals (see above) in the canton of Graubünden. Owned by the municipality itself, Therme Vals was built with stunningly beautiful local quartzite. Therme Vals has more or less redefined the contemporary Alpine spa genre. Doubles from CHF107 ($96).

(Image: Flickr/Jeremy Burgin)

Must have: Swiss fondue

by Annie Scott on


If you find yourself in Switzerland, you absolutely must treat yourself to some fondue. The Swiss are known for fondue because they invented it and they do it right. It’s tremendous.

Swiss fondue is served in earthenware pots with handles, none of that crazy stainless stuff you see nowadays. Traditional ingredients for melting include cheese (of course), cheese with truffle oil (pictured), cheese with tomato (see gallery), cheese with wine, peppers, mushrooms, and a number of other combinations. Usually, bread is dipped — first into a small container of a strong liqueur, if you’re into that, then into the cheese pot — but in some cases, boiled potatoes are also used. Chocolate is not a traditional fondue ingredient, and wasn’t really heard of until the 1960s. Meat fondue (where you dip raw meat in hot oil to cook it) developed a little earlier than that and is very similar to a Chinese hot pot, but Swiss fondue goes back to the 18th century (and some allege the original concept dates back as far as Homer’s Iliad).

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The cheeses are usually Emmentaler, which is what we think of as “Swiss cheese,” with the holes, Vacherin or Gruyere. The fondue should be warm enough to be smooth, but never burn. A perfectly served fondue forms a toasted crust at the bottom, which you can see once you’ve eaten it all. If you burn it, you should feel bad about yourself.

In Seelisberg, you can have fondue in a funicular, which is fun to say.

I tried my first Swiss fondue at Café du Grütli (above), a Montreux restaurant which specializes in fondue. The restaurant was charming in bright yellow with funny decor like garden gnomes, butterflies and soccer stats on the walls. The wine was local to the Swiss Riviera and perfectly paired with the cheeses. After dinner, traditional after-dinner drinks like flavored kirsch (like schnapps) were served. I indulged in 86 proof apricot kirsch — perhaps it has to be that strong to help you digest all the glorious cheese.

One last important thing: Don’t go for Swiss fondue alone. You may think you’d never eat an entire pot of cheese by yourself, but you totally will, and then you probably won’t feel very good. Ever again.

My trip to Switzerland was sponsored by Switzerland Tourism, but the ideas and opinions expressed in this article are 100 percent my own.

Swiss town offers “bike hotels”

by Sean McLachlan on

Switzerland is a mountainbiker’s dream. There are hundreds of miles of trails, beautiful scenery, and a generally bike-friendly culture.

One town has decided to get even friendlier. Gstaad, in the Berne canton, has organized “bike hotels” to specifically care for cyclists’ needs. Ten hotels in the scheme now offer repairs, maps, tours, staff who are knowledgeable about routes, even laundry services so you don’t have to smell like bad cheese at dinner. The hotels are in Gstaad and its satellite towns, and it’s possible to create an itinerary and stay in several. Gstaad itself doesn’t allow vehicle traffic, making it even more bike friendly.

Gstaad is a popular destination for skiing, and local officials hope to boost tourism revenues in the summer by encouraging more cyclists to visit.

Image courtesy Gstaad Tourism.