Switzerland
May 16 '00
If you are going to Europe, don't miss Switzerland.
The country is divided into three different sections, French, German, and Italian. I prefer the Italian speaking canton of Ticino, which borders Italy. It's about a half hour or so away from Milan, Italy. To narrow it down even further, I love the town of Lugano. If you fly into Zurich, you can get to Lugano by train, in about 3 hours. The heart of town is within walking distance of the train station, if you aren't carrying more than a backpack. If you are carrying more, get a taxi.
Lugano is a touristy kind of place, but not in a spoiled sort of way. It's a tourist place for all nationalities, which makes it incredibly easy to meet people from all over the globe. The main attraction in Lugano is the lake. I've never seen a more beautiful lake. It's framed on all sides by mountains. If you go out on the lake at night, the town sparkles, it's amazing looking. I can barely put it into words.
I was fortunate enough to live there, and got to know the area very well. The food is amazing. It's mostly Italian, but with their own special Swiss touches that make it unique. The calzones at the Sayonara restaurant were mouth watering creations that I crave to this day. If you get to Lugano, look up Sayonara. Order the calzone con spinachi e fungi... it's a dining experience made in heaven.
English isn't widely spoken, but if you don't have your English/Italian dictionary handy, you can be understood most of the time. I found that it's better to attempt to speak the language of the country you are in, rather than expect everyone to know English. The people of Lugano speak Italian, and look Italian, but they are Swiss. I found after being there for awhile, that they have their own dialect separate from the people just across the border in Italy. It's amazing!
Lugano is one of those places that you have to wander around in to find your own special place. There are so many nooks and crannies that offer their own personal experience. Don't drive around Lugano, you'll miss too much. Walk. Walk until you get to the edge of town, and the then turn around and go back in a different direction. It will be a completely different experience. You might even find a funiculare (a tram that travels on rails up a hill) that you didn't know was there, that will take you to a place you didn't dream possible. Or maybe you'll find a staircase that you can't see the top of. Go up those stairs, because something amazing may be waiting for you, even if it's just a view that you didn't know was possible with human eyes. You will be taken in, taken back, and thrown for a loop, I promise you that. Let yourself go, just don't miss out. If you go to Europe and don't see Lugano, you may as well stay home.
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Epinions.com ID:
Denalisky
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Reviews written: 45
Trusted by: 47 members
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