10 Days. 3N ZURICH 4* | 3N LUCERNE 4* | 3N ZERMATT 4*

About the city: Zurich labours under the misconception that it is nothing more than a sterile banking city – don't believe a word of it. True, Zurich plays home to one of the largest stock exchanges in the world and is the financial motor of Switzerland itself, but step back from the markets and share prices and you'll find an arty, trend-conscious and vibrant city. Just hang in Zurich West for a while. Its former warehouses, viaducts and ship building caverns have been converted into art centres, funky bars and quirky boutiques. Along Langstrasse, the city’s notorious red light district, you’re now as likely to take home a chic handbag crafted by an emerging designer as you are a piece of skirt. Zurich’s character booms from the speakers of the annual Street Parade, a mammoth techno festival that weaves through the city with DJs and minimally-clad dancers on floats. There isn’t a banker’s tie in sight. If there is in the pretty east bank quarter of Niederdorf, it’s loosened. These medieval streets are abuzz with cafés on corners, trendy taprooms and world-class restaurants. It’s easy to while away an afternoon just absorbing its laidback atmosphere, especially in summer when the riverside take on a beach vibe. Winter is special too. Under the spell of snow, the cobbled alleyways, fountains, lakeside promenades and stunning architecture of the Old Town were made for the stroke of an artist’s brush. This is when one of Europe’s best Christmas markets rolls into town and the warming citruses and cinnamons of the glühwein (mulled wine) stalls fill the air. Shoppers will be in their element here at any time of year. Zurich’s flashy side is evident in the upmarket designer boutiques of Bahnhofstrasse, the city’s main shopping drag. But this is no longer a city for the smart set alone; there are plenty of unusual shops to be discovered down hidden streets. Sitting astride the River Limmat and the northern tip of Lake Zurich, Mother Nature certainly smiles down on Switzerland’s biggest city. Architects were courteous in their additions too - just check out the Fraumünster and Grossmünster churches, which face each other across the river. Then, when you’ve had enough of the city’s diverse array of restaurants, first-rate museums and pulsing nightlife, there’s always the nearby Uetliberg mountain or a boat trip on Lake Zurich to enjoy – if only to catch your breath before diving back into the city’s delights again.

About the city: With the Alps and the Lake Lucerne as its backdrop, charming and prosperous Lucerne is a spectacular city. Brightly coloured wall painting, an art form that flourished in the late 16th century, decorate its narrow streets and colourful squares. The city is ideal for boat trips and excursions to Mt. Rigi and Mt. Pilatus. A walk along the river affords a great view of the old city. Two ancient bridges cross the river. The Chapel Bridge is decorated with scenes from Swiss history, and runs by the Water Tower, symbol of the city. The shorter Spreuerbrücke is adorned with Kaspar Megliner’s eerie Dance of Death paintings. Walk by the Altes Rathaus, City Hall, and through the charming squares of Weinmarkt and Hirschenplatz for a taste of authentic Swiss wall painting. For a bird’s-eye view of Lucerne’s dozen or so churches and three mountains, Pilatus, Rigi and Titlus, climb the medieval fortifications with their numerous towers. Don’t miss Das Löwendenkmal, a huge sculpture of a lion carved into the face of a rock dedicated to the Swiss mercenaries of Versailles. Mark Twain dubbed it “the saddest and most compassionate piece of rock on earth”. In the Am Rhyn Haus, next to the Altes Rathaus, you can see an interesting collection of late Picasso works. The combination of tranquil lake and breathtaking snow-capped mountains give Lucerne a special charm which is furthered even more by the medieval old town, famous wooden bridges and beautiful skyline.

行き先について: ツェルマットは、強大なマッターホルンの北の麓にある風光明媚なスキーリゾートです。スキー、ハイキング、登山がこのリゾートの主なアトラクションですが、それにもかかわらず、この花で飾られた村にはもっとたくさんの見どころがあります。ヒンタードルフはツェルマットの最も古い部分で、17世紀と16世紀にまでさかのぼる古い伝統的なスイスの木造住宅のいくつかを今でも見つけることができます。聖モーリシャス教会はツェルマットのスカイラインを支配しています。ツェルマットのにぎやかな市内中心部、キルヒプラッツのチャーチスクエアにあります。カトリック教会の隣にあるマッターホルン博物館には遺跡があり、ツェルマットの歴史が保存されています。聖モーリシャス教会の近くにあるのは、町の墓地であるマウンテニアーズ墓地です。そこでは、墓石がマッターホルンを登ろうとしたときに運命に遭遇した登山者の驚くべき物語を語っています。メインストリートは活気にあふれ、レストラン、バー、土産物店、ギフトショップ、スイスの時計を販売する多くのショップがあります。美しいスイス風の建物が通りの両側を飾っています。イングリッシュチャーチは、ツェルマットを見下ろす丘の上にある素敵な小さな教会です。内部は非常に重厚な木造の建物で、カトリック教会ほど大きくも華やかでもありませんが、それ自体が魅力的です。丘を登る価値は十分にあります。賑やかで、混雑し、忙しく、そして美しいと同時に、ツェルマットはスイスの雰囲気の縮図です。訪問者や行楽客でにぎわっていますが、この町はその素敵なスイスの雰囲気を保ち、それについて感じています。