Is there a nicer way to spend a day than having coffee, sitting in the sun and catching up with family? My parents had a brilliant few days exploring Sils Maria and were travelling back to Zurich, with an overnight in this beautiful lakeside town, so I stopped by to join them. It was so nice to soak up a little blast of heat and vitamin D. Even in late March, the temperature reached above 20 degrees the day we were there.
I hadn’t seen my parents since January, so the feeling of the train pulling into the station was so exciting. Living away from home, there’s nothing quite like seeing loved ones and the feeling of connection again. It’s amazing how time passes and coffees and gipfeli later, we had debriefed on their trip and all the news from Switzerland!
Not knowing the city so well, we decided to hop on a tourist train that runs along the lake. It was a great way to get our bearings and figure out what we wanted to see. This was how we learned about the two peaks either side of the lake shore, with incredible views over lake Lugano. If you have more time than us, I would recommend taking the Funicular to Monte Bré or to Monte San Salvatore. I have added these places to my list to come back to sometime soon.
One of the highlights of the day was stumbling across a stunning Marc Chagall exhibition depicting the love story between Daphnis and Chloe, by the famous author Longus. We spent time exploring the paintings and the gallery host gave us the history of the owners (spouses Gabriele and Anna Braglia) who also own a Foundation in the same name. The collection was amazing and really extensive. Right above the check-in desk there was another recent acquisition by Gabriele – The Welcome Mat by Banksy. This handstitched piece is made from the fabric of life vests used my migrants and later abandoned on the beaches of the Mediterranean. So moving and a real contract to the work of Chagall in style. The two artists are a perfect example of how completely different art styles can trigger emotion instantly.
Late afternoon, we took a train back to Zurich to enjoy more family catch-ups and a fondue dinner of course! A really memorable and happy day.