Page 550 - Lonely Planet Europe’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

DETOUR:
JUNGFRAUJOCH: THE TOP OF EUROPE
Presided over by monolithic Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau (Ogre, Monk and Maiden), the
crown jewels of Bernese Oberland’s Alpine scenery, will make your heart skip a beat.
The ‘big three’ peaks have an enduring place in mountaineering legend,
particularly the 3970m Eiger, whose fearsome north wall remained unconquered
until 1938. Today, it takes only 2½ hours from Interlaken Ost (return fare Sfr204.40)
by train to Jungfraujoch (3454m), Europe’s highest station. From May through to
October, the Good Morning Ticket costs Sfr145 if you take the first train (6.35am
from Interlaken Ost) and leave the summit by 1pm.
From Kleine Scheidegg (the last stage of the journey), the train burrows through
the Eiger before arriving at the Sphinx meteorological station. Opened in 1912, the
tunnel took 3000 men 16 years to drill. Along the way, the Eigerwand and Eismeer
stops have panoramic windows offering glimpses across rivers of crevassed ice.
Good weather is essential for this journey; check beforehand on www.jungfrau.
ch and always take warm clothing, sunglasses and sunscreen. Within the Sphinx
weather station there’s a nice sculpture gallery, restaurants, indoor viewpoints and
a souvenir shop. Outside there are views of the 23km-long Aletsch Glacier. On
cloudless days, the views stretch as far as the Black Forest in Germany.
When you tire (as if!) of the view, you can zip across the frozen plateau on a flying
SWITZERLAND 38 GENEvA TO ZüRICH
fox, dash downhill on a sled or snow disc, or enjoy a bit of tame skiing or boarding at
the Snow Park. A day pass covering all activities costs adult/child Sfr45/25.
If you cross the glacier along the prepared path, in around an hour you reach the
Mönchsjochhütte (%033 971 34 72; www.moenchsjoch.ch; dm/d with half-board Sfr28/64;
hlate Mar–mid-Oct) at 3650m, where hardcore rock climbers psyche themselves up
to tackle the Eiger or Mönch.

The Drive » Retrace your yet Switzerland’s largest shaker steeples, and the
route along the A2 and head in and wealthiest metropolis excellent Kunsthaus (%044
the direction of Lucerne before has an artsy, postindus- 253 84 84; www.kunsthaus.ch;
changing to the A4 and following trial edge. Much of the Old Heimplatz 1; adult/child Sfr15/
the signs to Zürich (50 minutes, Town, with its winding free, Wed free; h10am-8pm
65km).
lanes and quaint squares, Wed-Fri, to 6pm Tue, Sat & Sun),
is lovingly intact. Must-see which holds an impressive
TRIP HIGHLIGHT sights include the glorious permanent collection. In
9 Zürich Fraumünster (www.frau summer, the fun revolves
around the pools of the
muenster.ch; Münsterhof;
Culturally vibrant, effi- h9am-6pm Apr-Oct, 10am-4pm lake and river, such as See-
ciently run and attractively Nov-Mar), with its Marc bad Utoquai (%044 251 61 51;
set at the meeting of river Chagall stained-glass Utoquai 49; adult/child Sfr7/3.50;
and lake, Zürich is con- windows, the Grossmün- h7am-8pm mid-May–mid-Sep),
stantly recognised as one ster (www.grossmuenster.ch; Frauenbad (Stadthausquai)
of the world’s most liveable Grossmünsterplatz; h10am- and Männerbad (Badweg 10).
cities. It’s a savvy, hard- 6pm Mar-Oct, to 5pm Nov-Feb)
working financial centre, with its salt-and-pepper- 5 p549

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