On a Clear Day You Can See Forever...

"No one stays in Zürich for Easter," we were told.  Nothing is open on Good Friday, Easter Sunday or Easter Monday (unless you're at the airport...or a main train station...with everyone else who needs a liter of milk...not fun!) - so it is best to "get out of Dodge" and find someplace fun to go.  Since we just finished with our visit from "the boys" on Friday, we decided to leave on Saturday for a relaxing two night trip to the Italian speaking part of southern Switzerland, Lugano, in the canton of Ticino.  After a quick 2 hour 40 minute trip through the mountains, we were transported from the land of "yah, yah" and "grüezi" to our own little Swiss slice of Italy with its "si" and "buon giorno" and of course, the multi-purpose word of choice..."prego!"  What a beautiful place!

We easily found our AWESOME hotel, the Hotel Lugano Dante Center where we had booked the "Easter in the City" two night special.  Not only did it include an awesome breakfast buffet every morning, FREE mini bar in the room (nonalcoholic drinks only, but FREE), Easter treats, a 10% discount on the room rate...and these cute little guys floating in our bathroom sink when we entered!

The little card included with Frau and Herr Duck says, "A day without LAUGHTER is a WASTED one."

If you ever have the opportunity to go to Lugano, I highly recommend this hotel.  Not only is it a perfect location right in the heart of the old town and a short funicular ride up to the train station, but the staff could not have been more helpful or friendly...just a great place in every way.

What's not to like about a hotel that has big jars of candy for the taking right at the front desk?

We spent Saturday afternoon wandering around.  There was a special street fair set up for Easter weekend, but unfortunately none of the booths had anything that we just had to have.  Although the forecast had said rain, the afternoon started out beautifully, and we even enjoyed a delicious salad lunch outside right across from the lake.  Eventually the forecast caught up with us and a rainstorm let loose - putting a damper on our shopping and exploring until a little later when we were able to check out some of the sculptures and gardens along the lakeshore.

It's pouring!  Good thing we found cover.

Giant head by Polish sculptor Igor Mitoraj who is apparently putting such sculptures all over the squares of Europe.

Sculpture and flowers.

More sculpture.

More sculpture AND flowers!

Dinner was at Parq, a relatively new international asian fusion kind of restaurant near...you guessed it, the park!  Check out their website at www.parq.ch.  Although there isn't much info there, it is a lot of fun to click around!


Easter Sunday morning we woke to brilliant sunshine!  A little colder and windier than hoped for, but sunshine nonetheless!  We had hoped to go to mass at the Cathedral San Lorenzo at the top of the hill above us, but once we climbed up there we found that it appears to be under massive renovation and was closed, with a sign indicating Easter weekend masses at nearby Chiesa di San Antonio.  Although all in Italian, we at least caught some familiar phrases, like "e con il tuo spirito" (and with your spirit) which by the way, hasn't made it yet to the English Speaking Catholic Mission of Zurich which still uses "and also with you."  We had finally gotten used to all that new wording...woe is us when we get back to St. Teresa's in Summit!

We got there a little early....

After mass and breakfast we were off to the funicular at San Salvatore - a short 20 minute walk down to the Lugano suburb of Paradiso.  The funicular takes you up just about to the top of this 2,990 foot peak and offers unbelievable panoramic views - particularly on a clear day such as this!  After getting off the funicular, it is another 5 minute walk up to the top with its 360 degree views.  The views were unbelievable!  But the farther up you got, the colder and windier it was - it was actually so windy it was a little scary to be up on top - you really wanted to be set somewhere when the gusts came along.  The air was so clear, you could see even see Monte Rosa, the tallest peak in Switzerland at 15,200 feet (the infamous Matterhorn is only 14,690) and located way over in the Zermatt region. 

The funicular!

View of Lugano and suburbs below.

Milan, Italy is in the distance.

Monte Rosa is visible through the cloud line, right about in the middle.

Zoom in on Monte Rosa.

Quick photo opp on a level down from the top - way too windy on the very top to stand near the edge...

Old-fashioned poster for San Salvatore - the line going up is the funicular - it was built 120 years ago!

We then enjoyed the rest of the afternoon walking around town on the sunny side of the street - I don't think this is the kind of weather they were expecting for Easter - about 50 degrees (and 40 degree wind chill??)

Interestingly pruned trees lining the walkway along Lake Lugano - wonder what they'll look like in summer?

The Lugano Tourist Train is everywhere...a little reminiscent of the Door County Cherry Train...especially in the wind!

Bellissimo!

Another scrumptious dinner at La Cucina di Alice (see http://www.lacucinadialice.ch/) where we were even served by Alice herself!  Early (8:10) train back to Zurich on Monday morning (Easter Monday is a holiday in Switzerland)...and what do we find coming out of a tunnel...???

Yikes!  Looks like fresh snow!  Hopefully not in Zurich....

Fortunately there's no snow in Zurich.  A little chilly for my liking, but hopefully it will warm up again soon!  Ciao!