A Grand Train Tour of Switzerland

Scenic and Switzerland go hand in hand. There is no shortage of beauty surrounding you there and I had the opportunity to experience it all on a grand train tour of the country with stops at historic hotels, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a whole lot more along the way.

Getting to a destination is always half the battle, not to mention a nine-hour trek that this trip required. Luckily, MIA offers a direct flight into Zurich, the capital city. My last visit to Switzerland was in 2004, to Lucerne, and I was excited to return, although this time I’d be visiting a new set of cities.

One thing to remember about Europe is that it’s easier to get around by train. Once my flight landed, I had to navigate my way from Zurich to Chur; it took two trains and a little over two hours to reach. I was a bit nervous, but I had my directions and when I wasn’t sure where I was going, I asked for help and had no problem – people were quite friendly.

UNESCO Views

I’m a notorious over-packer and paid for it dearly on this journey, because once I arrived in Chur, I had to walk from the train station to Hotel Stern with my suitcase on the cobblestone streets. Chur is the oldest town in Switzerland, more than 5,000 years old, and today the population is about 40,000 people; walking around you see the ancient buildings mixed in with a touch of modern sensibilities. A cool spot to check out is the Giger Bar, created by Swiss artist H.R. Giger. The interior is so unique – it’s like a replica of the film “Alien.” This place is very Instagrammable.

A great way to take in the sights is by the Bernina Express Line. I took it to Filisur to go to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Rhaetian Railway. Walking shoes are a must; it’s a 20-minute hike to the “Landwasser Viadukt” viewing point, but once you’re there it’s so worth it. You’d think that what you’re seeing is AI-generated, but it’s no illusion – just nature’s beauty at its finest.

After the views in Filisur, it was on to Bergun for lunch and a tour of the Abula Railway Museum. Bergun is also home to the Kurhaus Bergun, a 69-room hotel that’s nearly 4,600 feet above sea level. Built in the early 1900s, Kurhaus is gorgeous, with grand rooms and beautiful views. Later that evening I toured the kitchen – where everything is made from scratch – and garden-grown fruits and vegetables are bottled and jarred, something that’s not so common these days.

Everything at dinner was delicious, from the herbstlicher blattsalat (autumn leaf salad with fresh figs and diced beetroot) to the apfel-crumble (apple crumble with cinnamon ice cream and ginger). I decided to try the salmon instead of the more traditional hirsch-geschnetzeltes aus Berguner (sliced deer) and it did not disappoint.

A Taste of Italy

It was time to move on to the next city, Poschiavo, and to get there it was back on the Bernina Express. The train ride from Bergun to Poschiavo is almost 21/2 hours. The scenic route makes the time go by fast; take advantage and sit in the panoramic wagon if you can.

Walking around Poschiavo felt very familiar, as if I was in Rome, and it’s no wonder. Poschiavo is the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland, with signage in Italian and a very different feel from Chur and Bergun. Hotel Albrici would be my refuge while in town. It’s a 10-room masterpiece that was formerly a 17th-century palace and said to be the meeting place for the Illuminati. The décor is a combination of Italian countryside mixed with regal, with the bedrooms having the most pleasant scent.

For more history there’s Casa Tomé, the oldest house in Poschaivo at 700 years old. It’s now a protected site with tours available. One of the great things about Europe is the ability to country-hop, so it was a no-brainer to go to Italy … for lunch. It takes almost 45 minutes to get to Tirano, Italy, by the Rhatische Bahn train. Merizzi was the recommended spot. The décor and vibe are very stylish; even better was the homemade pumpkin and truffle-filled ravioli. It was “magnifico” – no one does pasta like the Italians.

Swiss Hospitality

The last stop of my four-city tour was Lugano. I took the Bernina Express bus from Tirano to Lugano, a three-hour ride. If you sit on the left side of the bus you’ll see the best views of the lakes. It’s a long trip, with a stop midway in Piantedo.

Once in Lugano, it was on to Hotel Villa Carona, another Swiss Historic Hotel that sits above Lake Lugano. It’s a family-run, 18-room property that’s hidden away and for those looking for peace and seclusion. Originally built in 1790 as a holiday house, the property went through many owners before its current proprietors, Cornelia and Joerg Deubner-Marty, bought the property in 2004.

My last dinner in Switzerland would be at the hotel’s on-site restaurant, La Sosta. The dining area is a perfect blend of the property’s classic design with a merger of modern, surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows. The chef and his team outdid themselves with the appetizer, risottini carnaroli, a rice dish made with saffron mousse; the main dish, brasato di manzo, braised beef; and dessert, sbrisikina alle mandorle con gelato cremoso, and almond crumble cake with creamy vanilla ice cream.

Switzerland is magical, and with one of the best travel systems in the world for sightseeing you’ll never be short on views or hospitality.