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What's new in Switzerland?

What's new in Switzerland?

By Simon Beast Published 2 years ago 4 min read
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What's new in Switzerland?
Photo by Lin Mei on Unsplash

Located at a crossroads of Switzerland's north-south and southeast-west, Andermatt has always been an important tourist destination.

When St. Gotthard Pass was able to navigate in a horse-drawn carriage in 1830 and became a popular spa resort with distinguished guests, including Queen Victoria. All of that ended in 1882 when the railway tunnel was opened, and the city was removed from the tourist map.

In 1886 the army entered and became one of the country's most important military bases because of its strategic position. Jackets, warehouses, and military barracks were built inside the mountains to serve as a major refuge in the event of an attack. By the end of the Cold War, all fears had disappeared, and most of the troops withdrew in the 1990s. The departure of the army was a major obstacle to the city.

Enter the Egyptian millionaire Samih Sawiris, who has a great vision of the area and a lot of money to achieve that. He started by opening the five-star deluxe Chedi Andermatt in 2013, an amazing building that combines wood and stone with Asian art. With 169 luxury rooms, a 6,000-bottle wine cellar, and a state-of-the-art restaurant, including a Michelin-star Japanese restaurant, it soon became a place of its own. That was the beginning and the end, a plan for six hotels and 42 apartments.

It has been a few years since I last visited and, as I got off the train, I was surprised by the change. Long cranes reach the sky and the modern resort, Andermatt Reuss, has risen to the occasion where there were once barracks of inactive soldiers. I live in the brand new Radisson Blu Reusser. It sits in an attractive Piazza Gottardo, an open square surrounded by stylish apartments, shops, and a cafe. Below is an 18-hole golf course, four miles [6 km] long, stretching up the valley.

The mountain infrastructure has also been redesigned with a glittering gondola replacing the old ski lift up the summit of Gütsch. At an altitude of 1,444 feet, the Andermatt ski season runs from November to May and has more than 1890 hours of sunshine a year. It is the largest area in central Switzerland with a slope of more than 180km and 33 lifts.

Mountain E-biking to Vermigelhütte

Bicycling to Vermigelhütte

I am here just before the snowfall, taking full advantage of the warm autumn days and excellent visibility. Mountain E-biking is popular in the Alps and I started in the valley and went to Vermigelhütte for a little over 2000m. Farmers gather their sheep in the winter and we are forced to stop as they try to herd animals in their trailers. It is already snowing on the summit and it is a happy climb to the mountain cottage. A team of experts, who are already working on ski resorts, enjoy a hearty breakfast and add warm soup and sausage.

Later that day I tried the express gondola over Gütsch in the 2300m. As well as renovating the cable car, there are now two Michelin-star restaurants here. One is from Japan, the center of The Chedi, another, run by the famous Swiss chef Markus Neff, offers fancy food with local products.

Lutersee

Lutersee

I roam the mountain trail, on the newly laid snow to the picturesque Lutersee, a mountain lake where you can bathe in the summer. From here you can take a ride up to the central station of Schneehüenerstock Express, where you can take the gondola down to Oberalp Pass and back to Andermatt by the Matterhorn Gotthard railway line. Unfortunately, I'm out of date so I go back the way I came.

Golf course

Golf Course

The next day I leave my bike behind and walk across the golf course along the Reuss River along its ridge. Soon I climbed up the side of the valley in a series of zigzags to the 2200m, golfers under tiny green dots. Up here, no one is there, and I follow the concrete road just above the village of Realp. Getting off is easy, I get off the forest and head for the station, where I catch the narrow Glacier Express gauge back to Andermatt.

The new reconstruction has been a success as there is room for ten completed blocks. Four more are still under construction and two are in the planning phase. They ingeniously combine traditional materials with modern construction, technology, and sustainability. I am impressed by the architecture that blends well with modern and traditional Alpine styles. This is truly the city of the future.

True File

NOTE: Andermatt Swiss Alps has information about the city.

My Switzerland has information about the country.

TRAVEL: SWISS offers more than 160 weekly flights from London City, Heathrow, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, and London Gatwick (season) to Zurich or Geneva. Another mode of transport starts from £ 76 to Zurich and £ 54 to Geneva which includes all taxes, fees, and extras, one piece of checked luggage, and hand luggage.

Swiss Travel Pass offers unlimited travel for consecutive days across the entire network of train, bus, and boat Swiss Travel System. The world also includes scenic routes and local trams and buses in about 90 cities and towns. Swiss Travel Pass includes a Swiss Museum Pass, allowing you free admission to over 500 museums and exhibitions. Prices range from £ 186 for 3 days in the second class.

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About the Creator

Simon Beast

I am a passonate writer learning new things.

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