Three’s a charm in Switzerland

Zurich, St. Moritz and Basel are three Swiss cities where you’re sure to experience quite a bit of bliss

By Karen Loftus

The Swiss are not only rich; they’re also affluent when it comes to happiness.  The Mercer Human Resource Consulting awarded Zurich with the highest quality of life in the world for six years in a row with a criterion based on cuisine, cultural activities and access to nearby recreation, which apparently leads to a blissful state of Swiss being.

I wasn’t convinced. So, I hopped on Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) to put the Swiss to the test. They wasted no time in convincing. They were passing with flying colors as it was in-flight when the bliss began.

Hop on SWISS Business Class, as their in-flight food is as good as any you would find in a Michelin star restaurant– because it comes from one! The award-winning Swiss Taste of Switzerland features top culinary stars from the different Swiss regions, with a rotation of new chefs every three months.

On our flight over, we were privy to the cuisine of German chef Rene Rischmeyer of Park Hotel Weggis from Lake Lucerne. His pumpkin soup was perfect as was the beef and expertly paired wines from the South African, French (Bordeaux), Italian (Chiantis) and Swiss. Tip a Swiss back if and when you can. They’re excellent wines and they only export 1%.

We offically started our Swiss trip in Zurich, staying in Sihlcity, a new area less than two years old. Sihlcity’s former industrial area has refurbished factories filled with hip eateries, shops, bars and minimalist, sleekly styled hotels where the edgy and the affluent commingle after hours. This newly thriving area is similar to New York’s uber hip Meat Packing District.

We hit the Swiss ground running with a start in Old City with its architectural charm and visual stimuli. Best bet; get lost on the windy cobblestone streets. You’ll wander in to tiny idyllic courtyards with fountains that will make your heart race, yet slow your pace. As you look up to count your lucky stars you’ll see St. Peters church with the largest clock face (8M) in all of Europe. There are several churches of note. Don’t miss the Fraumunster Church with Marc Chagall’s stained glass windows. It’s true urban art.

If water’s you’re thing, you’re in luck. There are 1200 fountains in town and 25 public swimming baths, 18 of which are lakeside. Our local guide said she hops down in summer to the Zurich River at lunch for a midday dip. If you’re thirsty, it’s drinkable.

On the cuisine scene, the French, German and Italian influence makes for a very vibrant and inspired culinary culture. The food is excellent, on par with their joie de vivre ambiance. From the simple yet oversized German inspired Bretzel on the street to the hip, 110 year-old Hiltl, the first ever Vegetarian restaurant in the Western world, you can’t get a bad bite.

For an evening out, Du Theatre (near the Opera House) dazzles with an endless stream of truffle infused dishes offers a casual luxe experience, while The Carlton (just off Bahnhoffstrasse) is unsurpassed elegance with a personal touch. Owner Marcus personally greets you at the door. Take his wine suggestions seriously, as he has one of the most celebrated cellars in all of Switzerland with over 120 wines at his disposal. We had a full bodied red, the German Black Print alive with cherry and plum notes that pair gloriously with the amuse bouche, a truffle and foie gras terrine-crème brule served with soup, and filet flanked with buttery scalloped potatoes and velvety carrot mousse.

Hiltl, the oldest vegetarian restaurant in Europe with its Soho like Coffeehouse-meets-Hollywood Regency style dining room is filled with ladies who lunch, men who mean business and the artistically inclined. If you miss a dish at the expansive Indian buffet with over 40 varieties, pick up their 100th anniversary cookbook to get your veg on at home.

For classic Swiss, historic Zunfthaus with its stained glass windows is an architectural gem and a favorite of Tina Turner and Barbra Streisand. The real star, however, is Sepp Wimmer.  He’ll choose a bevy of local reds and whites (Uetikon, Sandwein) perfectly paired with lambs lettuce salad, duck terrine and Cordon-bleu veal. Don’t ask for the recipe for the chocolate mouse. It’s carefully guarded.

If you’re in to chic boutiques, lay your happy head down at the Widder Hotel in a penthouse built for Bond, James Bond and a bar made for truly intoxicating meetings. We’re told it’s where the best cocktails in town are poured.

Hot shops are endless in Zurich. For label slaving, Bahnhofstrasse, one of the most expensive streets in the world, the Rodeo Drive of Zurich has all the big names and numbers.

Those living left of center, tend to head to Zurich West, another area on the rise. There are very expensive lofts or trendy warehouses where mixed used development makes for one stop shopping and hip living. It’s casually cool and home to local cult label Freitag with their recycled bags, once trucker tarps and Fabric Frontline with its stunning silks, where many of the major houses (Vivienne Westwood) source for upcoming seasons and haute couture cuts.

In search of art and history? The Kunsthaus Zurich (Museum of Fine Arts) was an excellent choice with a special Pop Art exhibit and The Swiss National Museum had a religious exhibit that was ethereal!

Navigating your way around the city is easy and breezy with one of the best public transport systems in the world. The tram came every few minutes with clean seats to spare. If and when lost, locals ran up with vested interest and sent us on our well-directed way. It made for mindless, yet engaging afternoons.

Grab a Zurich card to get around town and a Swiss card to get out of town. If you, like me, over pack, fear not. The impeccably dressed Euros jumped in asking, “Please, may I help you?” Before I could answer, my bag was up, up and away with a hand held out for me.

The storybook scenery on the train from Zurich to St. Moritz is sure to get your bliss a buzzing. Pull down the train window to catch the wind and the winter wonderland first hand. It’s otherworldly, so keep cameras handy.

Ease your way in the Engadine Valley by starting in Pontresina, an idyllic Alpine village close to the Italian border. It’s a hip mix of posh, quaint and cool. Start with a quick slip in to the Engadine Museum to truly appreciate the local Engadine architecture, houses and culture. Then sip in the scenery and the après ski scene with a high tea at the regal and refurbished Kronenhof Hotel filled with impeccably pretty people.

Cross-country surprisingly has as many takers as downhill here. It was easy to believe as we caught the annual Engadin cross-country (42km) skiing marathon, which draws in 12,000 incredibly fit participants from all over Europe.

St. Moritz meanwhile, is so much more than the sum of its parts, which include the skis and slopes.  Corviglia Mountain Railway is not only the fastest way to world-class skiing but also the world-class Mathis Food Affairs, 2,486 meters above sea level. As the highest gourmet restaurant in Europe, it brings casual dining to extreme heights. There’s a vibrant mix of languages swirling around the room, complemented by kitschy and classic piano musings from an Albert Einstein lookalike. If the panoramic 360-degree Mountain View doesn’t make you high, the cuisine, playful ambiance and sexy skiers donning fashion forward, St.Moritz based, Jetset ski-ture outfits will.
 
Celebrity chef Reto Mathis (who also helms of St. Moritz Gourmet Festival) serves haute cuisine creations sure to tickle the most discerning taste buds– Brie with caviar, carpaccio with truffles and salmon and the famed “Carousel” appetizer platter, with foie gras duck liver pate, smoked salmon, salmon gravlas (marinated salmon) and dill sauce which is slowly savored and followed by deer, better than any filet you’ve ever had. The many wines are perfectly paired with opposed wine characteristics throughout.
 
For high tea, Badrutt’s Palace is the place to see and be seen in.  Another great lunch bet, is the Badrutt-owned Chesa Veglia, housed in St. Moritz’s oldest building, dating back to 1628, where you can feast on classic Engadine dishes, architecture and décor in the Patrizier Stuben restaurant. Best bet, the signature dish Pajarsky, with veal and chicken served with pasta, peas and foie gras sauce with truffles.

If you find the good life a bit exhausting, you can rest your pampered head at the boldly innovative Carlton Hotel, designed by the truly mad Carlo Rampazzi. Christopher Cox, Carlton’s GM will warmly greet you upon arrival. His team hailing from all corners of Europe, offer seamless hospitality. Have an app and a rose champagne in the library lounge, an intoxicating setting overlooking the lake or your have your butler, on call 24 hours; arrange dinner at Carlton’s Euro Asian inspired Tschine Restaurant and Bar where you’ll enjoy duck consommé, carpaccio, mushroom ravioli, filet and a sample plate of desserts. Or perhaps a hot stone massage or a private champagne party in your room with a view. Be sure to sneak in a private hotel tour, as it is truly museum quality.

For late night liaisons, you can swirl the world’s most expensive scotch at The Kempinski or hit Badrutt Palace’s famed Kings Club for a quintessentially naughty night. One expects the best in the ritzy region of St. Moritz. What one gets, is far better.

Basel bordering Italy, France and Germany is more subdued than it’s other Swiss cities, yet no less interesting. This sophisticated city was one of the recent host cities to The World Cup last summer and continues to draw in cultural crowds each year for Art Basel, the annual event, and sister event to Art Miami. The city is a work of art on its own with its architecture, swirling streets and The River Rhine, which immediately charmed us.

There were several can’t misses on the museum front, which sent us in to cultural overload mode. We started with the Kunstmuseum of Fine Arts, which displayed world class collections of painting and sculptures from Renaissance to Modern, and the Beyeler Foundation, which focused on modern masters like Jackson Pollock who had an amazing temporary exhibit. The Beyler’s location is in a gorgeous park-like setting in neighboring Riehen en route to the Frank Ghery-designed Vitra Design Museum across the German border. So, pack your passport.

Finally the Tinguely Museum, featuring Jean Tinguely’s, automated whimsical sculptures and the Basel Historical Museum (which recently underwent a renovation at its main Barfüsserkirche location, a former church) in the St. Alban-Tal district and the paper museum’s exhibition on the 50th anniversary Helvetica font, which originated in Switzerland should sate any and all cultural interest and cravings.

Your other appetite will delight in the unique regional cuisine, which was enjoyed at the baroque and art deco designed Brasserie Les Trois Rois with it’s Rhine River view, Schloss Bottmingen’s 14th century castle, a spot for a special occasions or your last night in Switzerland as we did. Finally the Gasthof zum Goldenen Sternen, one of the city’s oldest buildings is filled with locals, families and execs enjoying the local cuisine and scene.

It’s no wonder every where we went the food, wine and ambiance felt fit for a king as the restaurants were in internationally acclaimed and historically relevant buildings as rich in local culture as the museums we visited.

Past guests of the Les Trois Rois Hotel have included an international mix of Bob Dylan, the Dalai Lama, Queen Elizabeth, Rufus Wainright and rock royalty, Rolling Stones to name but a few.

For an evening tipple, it’s Bar Rouge filled with the visiting, sexy exec set. The music, the view, suits and the luscious local wines made for a sensuos evening.

For final retail therapy, check out the Belts and Buckles or Johann Wanner’s winter wonderland, open all year long. Johann is an inspired soul with a Christmas shop filled with whimsy. He won’t name drop, but it is believed that the has decorated a few White House trees in his years.

Johann takes a page from fashions catwalks allowing the season’s trends and colors to influence his new releases. They stand alongside classic colors and vintage inspired designs. It’s a bit of magic, whatever the reason or season and even more magical if you sneak in some time with Johann. He’s quite the storyteller.

For you globally minded bargain shoppers, run to the local Brocki’s, the not for profit thrift stores similar to America’s Salvation Army’s. You’ll find fab ceramics, some signed, and incredible costume jewelry at competitive prices with a staff willing to bargain…a bit.
 
As our train pulled out of Zurich en route to the airport, I looked back at the snow capped Swiss Alps with the cityscape reflected on the glistening Lake Zurich. As I bid adieu, I could feel a wee bit of my  bliss slip away with the scenery. 

Thankfully, I was able to ease the pain a bit as I tipped back in SWISS business on our return flight. I sipped a big Swiss red, clicked my well and happy heels saying, “There’s no place like Switzerland…”
 
 For more information on Switzerland and the three cities:

Zurich: www.zuerich.com

Basel:  www.basel.com,

St. Moritz: www.stmoritz.ch 

Switzerland: www.myswitzerland.com,

PHOTOS AND TEXT BY KAREN LOFTUS – [email protected]