MAGICAL WINTER BLISS IN SWITZERLAND
This holiday season, actor Ranveer Singh shares his winter experience in Switzerland
There are a lot of reasons to visit Switzerland in winter – the country turns into a different world with snow all over – with the best winter sports, Christmas markets, gluhwein, thermal spas and a lot more. Can you imagine anything better than being inside a warm fire lit chalet when it’s snowing outside? And Switzerland in winter is not
MT.TITLIS
only about skiing and snowboarding, one can also indulge in fun activities like sledding, snow biking and snowshoe walking which does not require any special training and can be done by anyone. If you want to try skiing, there is a special “FIRST SKI EXPERIENCE” that gives you a half day of ski lessons including rental of ski clothes and shoes, skis as well as an instructor. Besides, if you are really interested in learning to ski, several resorts in Switzerland offer a three day ‘learn to ski’ guarantee.
Every ski resort has its own unique reasons that make it worth a visit. Here are some popular ones, also visited by Bollywood heartthrob Ranveer Singh this year who is #inLOVEwithSWITZERLAND!
ENGELBERG TITLIS
Engelberg Titlis is the largest ski resort in Central Switzerland. It is a typical village located an hour away from Lucerne, great to go with family as it has activities for all ages from relatively sedate ones like going up Mt. Titlis by Rotair to hardcore skiing and snowboarding for snow lovers to tubing and sit back and enjoy a fondue or other suitable dish with a sledding for kids of all age. The Titlis Rotair is the world’s first revolving gondola, the 5 minute long ride gives you a panoramic view of the snow-capped mountains. For all the cheese lovers, the cheese factory in Engelberg is Switzerland’s first Cheese factory which is located in the Benedictine Monastery. cup of coffee or a glass of wine.
St.Moritz is the ultimate playground that offers sunshine throughout the year. Winter makes it a stunning sight especially when the three lakes in the region freeze over and become the base for various activities that are played on it viz. polo, horse races, & even cricket, something that Ranveer indulged in on his recent trip. You can also go bob sledding or tobogganing and of course all the other winter sports.
OLYMPIC BOB RUN
The Olympic bob run at St. Moritz-Celerina is the oldest bobsleigh track in the world. It is the only bob run that is naturally refrigerated and built from scratch every year. The Olympic Bob Run is definitely worth a try when in Switzerland.
SKIING & SNOWBOARDING
For winter sports enthusiasts there are 350 kilometres of pistes with a state-of-the-art infrastructure in the surrounding area. St. Moritz’s ‘house mountain’, the Corviglia, boasts of the steepest start slope in Switzerland with the Piz Nair Wall’s 100% vertiginous drop. For winter hikers it offers a 150 km long winter walking trails and for cross-country skiers it offers track network that is 200 km long. The snowboard fun park, curling and altitude training are just some of the other winter sports facilities.
TOBOGGANING:
Tobogganing is a fun filled activity of zipping down a hill or a slope on a wooden sledge. This cool and easy ride will get your heart beating faster as you slide amidst the snowwhite winter landscapes. Ranveer recollects the thrilling experience - “I loved the Toboggan Run at Muottas Muragl! It is the fastest toboggan run in Switzerland, with 20 curves and a vertical drop of 718 metres over 4.2 kilometres! Going down the snow-covered mountains and frozen lakes was one of the most thrilling experiences of my life. Right in the lap of nature, it’s definitely one of the most beautiful views in the world.”
ICE CRICKET
St. Moritz Ice Cricket is a passion project, made real in the ice and snow of the famous St. Moritz. Cricketers play on the frozen St.Moritz Lake for a tournament every year. In Feb 2018, a special tournament is to take place which would include many world famous players like Virender Sehwag and Mohammed Kaif. Ranveer Singh tried the pitch on his last visit and sharing his experience recommends, “Cricket is a way of life for me and a game I love playing. I never thought that I would get a chance to play cricket on ice amidst the snow and picturesque mountains in St. Moritz. It’s an outstanding experience playing this quintessentially Indian game on a frozen lake in Switzerland. I would definitely recommend it to every cricket fan”
FOR MORE INFO
To know more about tourist spots and activities in Switzerland log on to www. MySwitzerland.com
Other than Ice cricket, there are also horse races, polo matches, skating events on the frozen lake making St Moritz a much visit winter destination.
GLACIER EXPRESS AND BERNINA EXPRESS
Travel on the famous Glacier Express - one of Switzerland’s best scenic train rides across the Alps connecting two of the most popular resorts: St. Moritz and Zermatt. The entire journey takes around 7.5 hours and crosses 291 bridges, the train passes through 91 tunnels and climbs over the 2,033 m high Oberalp Pass. The Bernina Express is regarded as one of the most spectacular Alpine crossing. It seamlessly connects the cool north with the warm sunny south, effortlessly overcoming the steepest gradients. This is one of the most beautiful rail trips in the world.
GASTRONOMY
St. Moritz has some of the best local produces and cafés. The Café Hanselmann in St. Moritz is a world-renowned paradise of all that is sweet with a range of culinary delights to satisfy even the most discerning tastes. Other options include Kochendörfer cake shop and Café Badilatti.