Impressions about some of the places that we visited....

Ascona

A real charmer. Smaller than Locarno with a waterfront piazza and promenade that captures the sun all day long. Consistently friendly people who go out of their way to help. 

Basel

Cosmopolitan city with old world charm on the Rhine River and bordering France. City Hall is a stunner. Fascinating history all around, side-by-side with the headquarters of some of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies. From the train station it's easy to get around to all the sites on tram #8. We wish we had more time here--Basel is one of the world's great cities.

Lugano

Loved Lugano! Like Ascona, picturesque locale and consistently friendly people. Very romantic eye-popping scenery. We could return again and again.

Zermatt

Vistas abound. One of the few towns without cars. Has a cemetery where climbers who died climbing the Matterhorn are buried. 

If you stay at the centrally located Hotel Matterhornblick, ask for the Matterhorn Room. The view is unbeatable!  You can arrange to be picked up at the bahnhof by the hotel shuttle. Consider dining at the classy Max Julen Restaurant in another Julen-run hotel on the corner just a few doors down. Zermatt has several hotels managed by relatives of Max Julen, Olympic gold medal winner (1984). 

Zurich

Bustling city! Both the Limmathof Hotel and Hotel du Theatre were inexpensive, clean, friendly small hotels, and only a short walk from the central train station (haupbahnhof or HB).  

Try the Bona Dea restaurant next to the HB. This has got to be the best vegetarian buffet in the world! For cheap eating, the Macdonalds opposite the HB cannot be beat. The same food inside an HB fast food restaurant  is 10 times the cost.