Switzerland Newsletter December 2001, Volume 10
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Introduction:
Carvers and snowboarders, tobogganing enthusiasts and cross-country
skiers
– whether you want a traditional or a novelty sport, you will
find it for
sure in Switzerland. Some of the new ideas include tubing, snow-scooting,
zorbing and snowbiking which give you a different perspective of the
slopes. On the contrary, a ride on the „Velogemmel", or sliding downhill
on barrel staves, revives old traditons.
If you are looking for peace and relaxation, take a winter hike or maybe
try out snow-shoeing. You can combine these activities with wonderful
views by taking one cable car up and coming down on a different one.
Maybe
take in a meal and a drink along the route in a mountain restaurant,
and
then sit outside in a deck chair on the terrace for a while, enjoying
the
sun. In addition to the variety of activities, there is a wide choice
of
accommodation: luxury hotels, family hotels catering to children,
self-catered apartments for those who prefer their independence, youth
hostels with rooms for various numbers of people, and even igloos for
eskimo-style vacations.
But there is more on offer in Switzerland than just fabulous winter
days –
we have a whole range of holiday offers. So whether it’s deep new snow
that you want, warm mountain sun, après-ski parties or relaxing
evenings
round a cozy fireplace, the new Switzerland Tourism winter brochure
will
be the place to find it. It contains details on more than 40 winter
resorts; including booking information.
For information and for ordering a FREE winter brochure click
on
myswitzerlandshop.com
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FEATURES IN THIS NEWSLETTER:
1. Davos Winter News
2. Photogenic Switzerland on TV
3. Special Business Class Offer from Swissair
4. Steps #8 – Switzerland’s International Dance Festival,
April 4 – May 5, 2002
5. Two noteworthy restaurants in Berne
6. What’s an "arteplage"? Welcome to Expo.o2, the
Swiss National Exhibition!
7. Alpine Ski World Championships 2003 to be held in St.Moritz, Switzerland
8. Kempinski to Open Hotel in St.Moritz
9. Package deals not to be missed
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1. Davos Winter News
____________________
Davos is an ideal destination for active winter holidays and spectator
sports. This year, Davos hosts the Nordic Cross Country World Cup December
15/16, 2001. The annual Spengler Cup Ice Hockey Tournament this year
takes
place from December 26-31, 2001. It celebrates its 75th anniversary.
Climax to the winter season will be the UBS Snowboarding Wolf Championship
Finals from March 25 – 31, 2002.
Hotel news: The 5-star Hotel Steigenberger Belvedere has undergone an
extensive renovation, offering a new indoor pool, complete with whirlpool.
In addition to the 30 renovated guest rooms, there will also be a new
luxury Presidential suite. Guests at the Berghotel Schatzalp will benefit
from a new glass-topped funicular which ascends from Davos to the
Schatzalp in only 4 minutes.
For more information contact www.davos.ch
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2. Photogenic Switzerland on TV
_______________________________
Want to travel with Burt Wolf? His show "Travels and Traditions" on
Public
Television will take you all over Switzerland and familiarize you with
Switzerland’s cities and towns, mountains and lakes, fine hotels, trains,
postal buses and lake steamers, wonderful restaurants, delicious food,
great wines, and fun markets. To find out the scheduling for your city
log
on to myswitzerland.com
Hosted by Erik Estrada and Laura McKenzie, the American Adventurer series
will show you the sporty and adventurous side of Switzerland. Check
your
local cable program for a listing of the next episode in your area.
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3. Special Business Class Offer from Swissair
_____________________________________________
Fly round-trip from any of Swissair’s 7 US gateways including Boston,
Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, New York’s JFK and Washington
DC to
Zurich or Geneva, Switzerland for 30% off the normal Business Class
fare.
Purchase your tickets between December 1 – December 21, 2001 and travel
between December 1, 2001 – March 26, 2002.
For information of reservations, call your travel agent or Swissair
at
1-800-221-4750 or log-on to Swissair
*Fares are based on round-trip purchase of Business Class travel on
Swissair from the following: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark,
New York’s JFK and Washington DC to Zurich or Geneva, Switzerland only.
Valid for travel originating and for tickets purchased in the U.S.
Tickets must be purchased within 72 hours o f making reservation but
not
later than December 21, 2001 for travel between December 1, 2001 –
March
26, 2002. All travel must be completed by March 26, 2002.
No stopovers
permitted. Minimum stay required: Saturday night.
Maximum stay
permitted: 30 days. Fares subject to changes without notice.
Fees, taxes
and airport charges of up to approximately $63 not included.
No other
discounts permitted. Not combinable with any other offers.
Certain other
conditions and restrictions may apply. Seats are limited and
may be
subject to availability.
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4. Steps #8 – Switzerland’s International Dance Festival, April 4 –
May 5,
2002
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Switzerland’s major international dance festival will feature 12 dance
companies which will be presented in over 70 performances in 23 cities
throughout Switzerland. Under the theme "Interdisciplinary Encounters
and
Dialogues" it will showcase works by world-famous and influential artists
as well as innovative dance discoveries. Among the companies performing
are the Nederlands Dans Theater III, the Spanish Compania Nacional
de
Danza, the Rennie Harris Puremovement from Philadelphia, Jose Navas
and
Walter Haman from Montreal.
The eighth edition of Steps, a biennial dance festival will open its
exciting program in Lucerne at the architecturally renowned Culture
and
Congress Center Lucerne.
For more information please go to: www.kulturporzent.ch
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5. Two noteworthy restaurants in Berne
______________________________________
The "Kloetzlikeller" at Gerechtigkeitsgasse 62 opened its heavy wooden
doors for the first time in 1635. Patrons of Berne’s oldest wine cellar
sat on long, plain benches, drinking wine in a congenial, medieval
atmosphere. The Kloetzlikeller has been run by single women since its
beginnings. However, its present owner – the City of Berne – has been
unable to find a female successor, and to the amazement of Berne’s
citizens, this bastion of female domination has finally fallen.
The management of the Kloetzlikeller is now in the hands of a couple,
but
it is still cozy and can accommodate up to 70 people for private and
business functions. For more information e-mail kloetzlikeller@bluewin.ch.
Kornhauskeller Berne voted "Historic Restaurant 2002"
The 6th "Historic Restaurant Of The Year" award was bestowed on
Berne’s
Kornhauskeller, a sprawling cellar restaurant with a must-see interior.
Built in 1711-1718 as a three-story corn cellar with high vaulted
ceilings, the almost 300 year old Kornhauskeller was turned into a
festival hall and furnished with a wooden mezzanine galleria in 1893.
Swiss artist Rudolf Muenger added the early Jugendstil mural paintings.
Since its most recent 1998 restoration, the Kornhauskeller houses an
upscale Italian restaurant.
For more information contact usa.myswitzerland.com
________________________________________________________________________
6. What’s an "arteplage"? Welcome to Expo.o2, the Swiss National
Exhibition!
______________________________________________________
From May 15 to October 20, 2002, the Three Lakes Region of
Neuchatel/Biel/Murten in Western Switzerland will be home to Switzerland’s
first national exhibition since 1964.
In come the "arteplages", a new word coined by and for Expo.02. Combining
an exhibition park on the lake shore at Neuchatel and floating platforms
at Biel, Murten, Neuchatel, and Yverdon, each "arteplage" is dedicated
to
a specific theme. Awaiting you on the arteplages are exhibits, concerts,
shows, musical clubs, fun parks and restaurants.
Watch this place for monthly news describing each exhibition site.
For more information, usa.myswitzerland.com
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7. Alpine Ski World Championships 2003 to be held in St.Moritz, Switzerland
____________________________________________________
The Alpine Ski World Championships 2003 will take place from February
1-
16, 2003 and will present one of the most challenging runs in the history
of these championships. The extremely steep start can make for
near-dangerous accelerations and needs to be managed carefully by the
athlete. Spectators can expect exciting views of thrills and spills
as the
competitors barrel down the slope at very high speeds
On a more immediate level, these championships also bring with them
many
infrastructural improvements in St.Moritz and surroundings. All together,
about 700 million Swiss francs (US$437.5 million) have been invested,
revamping hotels, redoing spas, and installing a new casino to make
St.
Moritz’s stars shine even brighter.
For more information on the Alpine Ski World Championships 2003, check
out
stmoritz2003.com or write
to admin@stmoritz2003.com
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8. Kempinski to Open Hotel in St.Moritz
_______________________________________
The German luxury hotel chain Kempinski will open the doors of its first
Swiss property in St. Moritz. The grand opening is scheduled to take
place
just in time for the Alpine Ski World Championships in 2003. The chain
will remodel the former Parkhotel Kurhaus, a privately owned spa hotel
for
which the chain has signed a 20-year lease. Kempinski plans to invest
more
than 55 million Swiss francs and will rename it the five-star house
the
Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains.
It will have 200 rooms and suites, a well-designed spa zone with swimming
options and wellness treatments, tennis courts, an ice skating rink,
and
its own polo field.
For more information click on www.kempinski.com
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9. Package deals not to be missed
_________________________________
Zurich Christmas Market/Winter Getaway from USD $449
Zurich is a city of culture with style. You'll fall in love with this
city. Arrive as a stranger and leave as a friend with this 3
night
package or extend your stay to explore more of Switzerland.
Package Includes
Round trip airfare on Continental Airlines
3 nights hotel accommodations
Continental breakfast daily
Hotel taxes and service charges
go-today
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Switzerland Winter Fly & Drive from USD $399
Fly And Drive Special in Switzerland includes airfare on scheduled air
carriers and a 7 day car rental - perfect for the value-conscious consumer!
Package Includes
Round trip airfare to Zurich on Continental Airlines
7 day car rental inclusive of local tax and Collision Damage Waiver
go-today
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Switzerland Ski Special from USD $539
Enjoy the unsurpassed beauty and European charm of the Swiss Alps! Whether
you make your base in Interlaken or Lucerne you'll find a multitude
of ski resorts
within easy reach of either of these Swiss cities.
Package Includes
Roundtrip airfare into Zurich on Continental Airlines
Roundtrip transfers by rail from Zurich airport to city center
6 nights hotel accommodations in Interlaken or Lucerne
Continental breakfast daily
Hotel taxes and service charges
go-today
//////////////////////////////////
Zurich City Highlights Air-Inclusive from USD $408
2-day/2-night shopping vacation to Zurich from $354 on American Airlines!
Shop till you drop at the top of the world—in exhilarating Zurich,
Switzerland!
Zurich has all the elements of Swiss charm: a crystalline lake surrounded
by snowy mountains, an Old Town with cobblestone streets and
fountain-filled squares, and the Lindt/Sprungli chocolate factory offering
free samples ... yum!
eurovacations
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Lucerne City Stay, from $568
The lake, the mountains, the medieval city, an unmistakable composition
of
natural and man-made beauty, time-tested over the centuries and carefully
nurtured. Lucerne, a city of culture and style.
Package includes:
Private car transfer from Zurich Airport to the Palace Hotel Lucerne
5 nights accommodation at the 5 star Palace Hotel Lucerne
Buffet breakfast daily
Private car transfer from the Palace Hotel Lucerne to Zurich Airport
brendantours
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Lucerne Carnival Featuring
Switzerland's craziest days of the year. This beautiful and historic
city
located on Lake Lucerne turns into a whirlwind of music, parades, costumed
locals, food spiced wine & fun!
Colpitts Group Travel has designed this itinerary to blend incredible
sightseeing and as much fun as you can stand!
8 Days for $999.00 plus $99.00 tax & service
Phone number for group sales information or reservations 1-781-326-7800
or
1-800-972-7777 ext 707
colpitts
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