When you google it, it may say that Corippo, in Tessin, the Italian part of Switzerland, is the smallest municipality, however, the village Zumdorf, in the canton of Uri is definitely the smallest with 3 people! It’s so small they forgot about it!

Village of Zumdorf

In 1851 Zumdorf had 50 inhabitants but then was buried by a huge avalanche. Zumdorf is currently (2017) inhabited all year round by a single family consisting of three people and has been officially declared the “smallest village in Switzerland”. The father with his two sons is now running the restaurant, which is visited very frequently by hikers and bikers.

Nostalgic and mysterious

Between Hospental and Realp, in the Central Switzerland Canton of URI, politically part of the municipality of Hospental was once and still is the “smallest village in Switzerland”. Zumdorf is a designated Walser foundation and used to be an independent curate-chaplain with a chapel and school. Badly affected by avalanches, Zumdorf united with Hospental. In March 1851 the hamlet was completely buried by an avalanche, however, it was still able to survive. In 1869 the hamlet still had 13 souls living there. Today there are two temporarily inhabited houses in Zumdorf and the much-visited Restaurant Zum Dörfli, whose host family lives in Zumdorf all year round. But the gem of Zumdorf is the one dedicated to St. Niklaus Baroque Chapel,

St Peters and Paul in Andermatt

It was built in 1720 by the Ursen architect Bartholomäus Schmid and was restored in 1971 professionally and stylishly. This chapel harbors a very special gem: the rosary altar, created by Jodok Ritz in 1728, which is surrounded by 10 round reverse glass pictures that refer to the legend of St. Nicholas and several views of Zumdorf.

Architect Bartholomäus Schmid

Bartholomäus Schmid

belonged to the Schmid family, which can be traced back to Hospental in the 17th century. Bartholomäus was born on August 25, 1660, and was adopted as Talmann von Ursern in 1693. In Bartholomäus Schmid, the country of Uri grew up as its most important Baroque architect. Bartholomäus’ grandfather was already a well-known master builder and built the parish church of St. Peter and Paul in Andermatt, which his grandson later enlarged. It took 200 years until the fifth generation of Schmid, namely Bartholomäus with his father and son, was accepted into the citizenship of the Ursine. Son Johann Sebastian served the valley as a long-time village notary and headed it from 1747-49 as Thalmann. A characteristic feature of Bartholomäus Schmid’s architectural style is the attachment of arched panels, the effect of which is enhanced by pilasters placed in front of them. This blind arch can also be found in the chapel in Zumdorf. Various other buildings by Bartholomäus Schmid, some in the Ursenertal, such as the church and chapel of St. Karl in Hospental, should also be mentioned. Bartholomäus Schmid died in 1738, but his wonderful works are still important.

Visit the website of the smallest city in Switzerland

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Jeder, der aus einem anderen Land in die USA fliegt, muss einen negativen Test für das COVID-19-Virus nachweisen. Die Zentren für die Kontrolle und Prävention von Krankheiten haben in den letzten Tagen die neue Regelung angekündigt, da neue Fälle und Todesfälle aufgrund der Pandemie im ganzen Land weiter zunehmen.

Mehr als 24 Millionen Fälle wurden gemeldet.

Mehr als 500.000 Menschenleben wurden gefordert. Der Katalysator für das neue Protokoll ist die Entwicklung eines Stammes des tödlichen Virus (Delta), von dem angenommen wird, dass er sich leichter ausbreitet. Diese Wendung hätte nicht nötig sein müssen, um eine solche vernünftige Maßnahme zu veranlassen, die sowohl für US-Bürger als auch für ausländische Reisende gilt.

Sie tritt am 26. Januar in Kraft.

Nach den neuen Beschränkungen müssen Fluggäste innerhalb von drei Tagen nach ihrem Flug nach Amerika einen COVID-19-Test erhalten und einen schriftlichen Nachweis des Tests vorlegen, ohne dass dokumentiert ist, dass sie den Virus bereits hatten. Das neue Protokoll wird die Sicherheit erhöhen und möglicherweise das internationale Reisen anregen. Staaten im ganzen Land sollten diesem Beispiel folgen und diese vernünftige Maßnahme ergreifen. Etwa die Hälfte der Staaten des Landes verfügt über einige Maßnahmen: eine Anforderung für einen negativen Test, ein Versprechen zur Selbstquarantäne. Alaska gehört zu den fleißigsten in seinen Beschränkungen. Alle nicht-alaskischen Einwohner, die in den Staat einreisen, müssen eine Reiseerklärung und einen Selbstisolationsplan einreichen. Darüber hinaus müssen Reisende den Nachweis eines qualifizierenden negativen COVID-19-Tests haben oder 250 USD für einen COVID-19-Test und die Selbstquarantäne zahlen, bis die Ergebnisse vorliegen. Und die Kosten gehen zu ihren Lasten. Dies ist ein Beispiel für einen Staat, der die Pandemie ernst nimmt. Die Ermahnungen, aus nicht wesentlichen Gründen auf Flugreisen zu verzichten, sind eindeutig unbeachtet geblieben, wie der Anstieg der Flüge in den Ferien zeigt.

Angesichts dieser Realität sollte das reisende Publikum – innerhalb und außerhalb der USA – nachweisen müssen, dass es keine tödliche Krankheit von einem Land in ein anderes oder von einem Staat in einen anderen mit sich führt.

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You will be amazed at how things go in these hotels during the shutdown. All Covid regulations  (distance, masks for employees, at most four per table) are admirably consistently adhered to, also by the guests. The hosts are warm and always ready to go the extra mile for you. And they pretend to be cheerful, even if the financial worries naturally hit their minds!

As you know, the Swiss Covid regulations allow hotels to stay open and cater to their in-house guests.

The Chedi Hotel, Andermatt, Switzerland

The Firefly, Zermatt

Through our English-speaking chat on Whatsapp, I found out about the new owners of this great spot located between Altdorf and Flüelen in the Canton of URI. My wife Nazarine is British and we live in the area for the past 8 years, so when I mentioned Scones, Fish&Chips, and Beef’n Ale Pie to my wife she got all excited! It reminded both of us of our visit to Lyme Regis, Dorset, where we ate Scones and Fish & Chips all day long!😁

This mountain guesthouse is owned and operated by Gaby & Andy Brownrigg, Andy is British and Gaby is a native from the Central Switzerland region. They are not new to the gastro scene, they operated a restaurant in the Grison area of Switzerland for several years, then in 2018, they decided to take over Eggberge. They renovated it in a sustainable way such as an energy-efficient new kitchen and Minergi insulated windows. They designed the interior themselves with local wood and using local craftsmen whenever possible.

Only 9 minutes by cable car, yet high and far away from everyday life. Eggberge is a longing destination for mountain lovers. Spend time, don’t hurry: just sit, eat, drink and look at the beauty and tranquility of the Alpine peaks, and overlooking Lake Lucerne. Our small natural paradise offers a great variety for all active people: in summer, lush alpine meadows and summit trails lure you to adventures on foot or by bike. In winter you can soak up the sun on the ski slopes up above the mist. Or lay the first track in fresh snow with snowshoes.

Berghaus meets gastropub

Inspired by English gastropubs, they would like to introduce social get-togethers with homemade ‘make you happy’ cuisine. There are some classics from Andy’s homeland on our menu: Fish’n’Chips, the juicy whiskey burger, or have you ever tried our Beef’n’Ale Pie – tasty beef and vegetables in a rich beer sauce with a unique homemade puff pastry lid? Do you have an appetite for hearty Swiss food? How about Gaby’s crispy rösti, or a delicious cold ‘Eggä’ meat platter with local meats, or in winter our unique fondue trio?

The renovated dining room combines homely charm and a stylish, modern character. Take a seat without any obstacles: the restaurant, sun terrace, and disabled toilet are ‘barrier-free.

For more information and  directions to Eggberge, please see their website here: Eggberge Berggasthaus – Switzerland

Matera in the Basilica region of southern Italy is famous for its livable caves. That includes also the 18 rooms and suites of the popular Hotel Sextantio – situated in the Abruzzo region of southern Italy, just north of Matera, a very impressive, different way and style to stay in a hotel, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, 

Santo Stefano di Sessanio is a fortified medieval village. It is located in the mountains of Abruzzo at 1250 meters above sea level, inside the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga national park. The village is a classic example of an Italian medieval hill town, with perimeter walls encircling houses and squares. During the last century, the “modernization” of rural Italy compromised the architectural heritage of many of its countryside villages and towns.

But Santo Stefano, like many more remote Mediterranean mountain villages, was deserted when its impoverished inhabitants left in search of work. Paradoxically, the abandonment saved the town from architectural abuse.

The project to conserve and revive Santo Stefano as an “albergo diffuso” involved a detailed plan to preserve the integrity of the village and its surrounding landscape. Working alongside local organizations such as the town mayor and the national park, we proposed special laws to prohibit any new construction. Our aim was to bring the village back to life and to welcome tourists, but without sacrificing Santo Stefano’s identity.

To retain Santo Stefano’s local character all modern technology is hidden. They searched out original architectural materials, and the furniture and textiles are authentic items from the Abruzzo mountains.

They have preserved traces of bygone countryside life in the fabric of the buildings – symbols of hardship that evoke the spirit of ancient rural life.

The interior design of the rooms is inspired by pictures that Paul Scheuermeier, a Swiss linguist, took in Abruzzo in the 20s of the twentieth century. 

To preserve the unity of the interior aesthetic-affective and avoid the over-use of contemporary elements, they used native objects, often stored in museums, and ancient and traditional local materials.

Watch a virtual tour of the hotel here

Address: Hotel Sextantio – Via Principe Umberto, 67020 Santo Stefano di Sessanio AQ, Italy

Telefon: +39 0862 899112 

eMail: santostefano@sextantio.it

Hotel Sextantio Website