I had my my first Swiss trip to Locarno in the early 1960's with Mum and Dad - it must have taken months of organisation with letters to and from hotels, looking up train timetables and flights. Although I recall that the Swiss travel service in London was a major source of help whenever Dad was in London on business. - the Swiss efficiency continues to flourish. Instead of a long and tortuous road through the towns on the way to where we are staying - they just tunnel underneath and whisk the hordes of sun hungry Germans, Swiss and the odd (very odd - only seen 2 Brit cars in 3 weeks here) Brit from cold to sunny Lakes. If only our own Lakes had this weather (and not just 2013 summer!) ............ But then none of us could afford to live there or want to, due to even bigger hordes of tourists.
Anyway - I relived my holiday memories when we drove half an hour to Locarno along the busy coast road - goodness knows what it is like in July and August.
We took this funicular up from the town, past the hotel we had stayed at (which may or may not now be a block of flats - distant memory!) and arrived at the major pilgrimage church - Madonna Del Sasso
I remembered it being a lot less bright inside - and it seems it was repainted in 1980's so it was probably still in medieval mode when I was there. But it still had hundreds of these silver hearts and other momentoes in thanks for the miracles that she has performed. I was
so impressed by those at the time!
There was a big sign saying it was the start of the pilgrimage to Santiago to Compestela - bit of a long way to walk to Northern Spain.
Then we repeated what would have been my first cable car and then chair lift (Mum and I were petrified!) to the top of the mountain overlooking Locarno - this brilliant viewing platform suspended into space was a definite new installation!
But I guess the views were the same and we walked on for an hour to the very top for spectacular views across the Alps and Italy.
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