We actually got some sleep last night and woke up just in time for breakfast. We found a cute bakery just around the corner and enjoyed tea and pastries while watching folks get started on their day. There are a few more bakeries near by, but I think we’ll be back to this one.

Since all of Switzerland is new to us, it was hard to decide what to do for the day. We opted for a trip to the town of Chur, which is the oldest town in Switzerland, has a neat “old town” area, and a cable car up the nearby mountain.

Once again, we had to navigate ticketing on a different train – thank you to the friendly train employee for her assistance (I think we can do it on our own next time!). I love the trains here! They are dead quiet, smooth riding and comfortable. And, you can go almost anywhere you’d like. This train ride did not disappoint! We rode along the shore of the lake and into the beginning of the Alps. The mountains are very impressive, rising steeply from the lakes, with many small vineyards dotting the lower slopes. It was a pleasant 1 1/2 hour ride.

We went directly to the cable car – about a 10 minute walk from the train station. The first part of the ascent is in a large cable car. There were about a dozen people and 4 mountain bikes in our car. Then we transferred to smaller cars – 4 seaters, more like the ski gondolas back home – for the rest of the climb. The views were spectacular!

(Click on the photos for the full pictures)

At the top, we walked along to an area with a hotel and a couple of restaurants, then walked some more. The signpost said 30 minutes to walk to Alpbeizli Malix. We didn’t know what that was, but decided to go. It took us less than 30 minutes (even with me stopping and saying I couldn’t make it), but it was walking up a ski slope. The Alpbeizli Malix and neighboring Alpibar (restaurant and bar) were closed, but pictures online look like it’s a popular place during ski season.

We walked back down to one of the restaurants for lunch, and enjoyed a plate of Brapo – bratwurst in onion sauce and fries. Delicious!

Back down the mountain in the cable cars, and a short stroll into the “Old Town” – a lovely, pedestrian-only area. We wandered around here and visited Saint Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, built between 1150 and 1272. Then back to the train and a quiet evening at the hotel.