Recently in Switzerland Category

One of the biggest annual events in the world of art is about to take place in Switzerland. Art Basel will be held from June 10-14, 2009, filling the picturesque town of Basel with contemporary art from nearly 300 galleries and 2,500 artists. Approximately 60,000 art enthusiasts will be on hand to marvel at the magic, and art from just about every medium imaginable will be on display, from painting, sculpture, and drawings to photographs, illustrations, and video. While most of the modern masterpieces will be on display in the main exhibition hall, some of the most engaging works can be found outdoors. Last year's "Moonrise, East" (pictured) by Ugo Rondinone, for example, welcomed visitors to the fair and set the tone for a show that shattered any preconceptions people had about art, beauty, and our relationship with the world, and this year is sure to have more than a few surprises. Known as the "Olympics of the Art World," Art Basel, together with its sister event in Miami Beach, defines contemporary art for the season, and provides a great excuse for people to get together in the restaurants and pubs of this charming city on the Rhine. Art Basel is a short drive from the Sheraton Neues Schloss Hotel - Zurich and the Four Points by Sheraton Sihlcity.

[image via nysun.com]

Zurich is known as the cultural capital of Switzerland, and an upcoming festival brings together its renowned opera, ballet, and symphony for three exciting weeks of art and culture under the alpine stars. The Zurich Festival (June 19 to July 12, 2009) features a lively mix of operas, concerts, art, drama, and dance performances in a celebration of the many cultural institutions that have shaped the city throughout its history. Among this year's highlights is a tribute to pianist and composer Felix Mendelssohn on the 200th anniversary of his birth, with performances of classics like the "Hebrides" overture and the Reformation Symphony. Taking advantage of Zurich's summer weather, several Open Air events are scheduled as well, ranging from IOS in the Centralhof, a musical review by the International Opera Studio, to a Midsummer Night's Ball at Zurich's Main Station, an elegant way to welcome the season. I'm most curious about The Sounds of Silence, a wordless play by Latvian director Alvis Hermanis with music by Simon & Garfunkel. Starwood has two hotels in Zurich, the Sheraton Neues Schloss Hotel - Zurich and the Four Points by Sheraton Sihlcity - Zurich.

[image via myswitzerland.com]

Like most European cities, Geneva embraces the holiday season with Christmas markets and holiday-themed events, but one major December festival commemorates something else entirely. The Fête de l'Escalade (Feast of the Scaling) honors the city's victory over Duke Charles Emmanuel of Savoy in 1602, and while it might not be as familiar as the city's Christmas rituals, some residents take it very seriously indeed. As for the name, Escalade refers to the surprise nighttime attack by the Duke's troops, who attempted to "scale" the city's walls with ladders and put the town under the Duke's control. The townspeople fought back mightily and repelled the invaders, maintaining their sovereignty. Now, more than 400 years after the historic event, costumed reenactors participate in a three-hour torchlight parade in the city's old town, while onlookers enjoy a confectionery version of vegetable soup. Why confectionery soup? According to legend, Mère Royaume dispatched of an invading soldier by dumping a cauldron of hot vegetable soup on him from her window. Hey, whatever works. The three-day festival occurs on the weekend closest to December 11, and is convenient to the Hotel President Wilson, Geneva, a member of Starwood's Luxury Collection.