Two cities, both on their lakes, with a very different feeling to each place. Zurich is a bustling city with a slick banking feel to it, and spare Protestant churches with thought-provoking stained glass windows; Lucerne is an incredibly pretty city on a lake with medieval houses and towers, and a gorgeous Jesuit cathedral. I enjoyed both cities, but Lucerne is the one I’d return to as a tourist. The tour on the lake, with mountains so close by and sailboats cruising past, was a peaceful and reflective end to a special part of the trip.

Photos of Zurich …

I mentioned the stained class windows in Zurich, which were beautiful in a thoughtful and very intellectual way. The Marc Chagall windows in the Fraumunster Church were vibrant and modern images from biblical themes; the agate windows in the Grosskirche are asking the question if God created the world or if the beauty of the world is evidence enough of divinity without an all-creating God.

I chose to revisit Lucerne for my last day, as I’d only done a very quick dash around the town after visiting the top of Mount Titlis. In a way it was relaxing to visit a city where I knew the basic layout, and could just enjoy the farmers market ( and a very good chocolate croissant), walk along medieval walls, and enjoy an hour on the lake looking at the mountains I’d visited a couple of days before.

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