A stroll with Swiss legends
Zurich
© Switzerland Tourism / Christof Sonderegger
Forget the climb and the snow. Today, history is walking toward you on four enormous paws. Meeting a St. Bernard in the heart of Zurich feels a little surreal, like discovering a piece of the Swiss Alps quietly wandering the city, happy to share the sidewalk and a moment. And just like that, our ordinary Thursday lunch break at Cosa transformed into a heart-warming encounter with two living Swiss icons.
Born to rescue
Born to rescue
Before we set off, our guide opened with a thousand-year-old saga about a monk named Bernard de Menthon and his remote Alpine hospice in need of loyal guardians. From there, the legend practically wrote itself – colossal dogs with remarkable empathy, forming the earliest four-legged rescue team in Switzerland. And because Switzerland is Switzerland, their lineage was recorded with such devotion you’d think even the paperwork deserved a medal.
Lunch break with legends
Back on the shores of Lake Zurich, we found ourselves holding the leads of two modern-day ambassadors of this history: Rhia and Xénia. Walking beside them felt surprisingly effortless, their presence steady and calm, their paws left prints bigger than our travel design dreams. Xénia, the older sister, carried herself with that Alpine wisdom you only find in creatures who’ve watched storms roll in and hikers lose their way. Rhia, the younger spirit, wagged her tail as if urging us onward: so many scents, so many stories to follow – shall we?
Brandy barrels and big hearts
Brandy barrels and big hearts
Have you ever wondered how heavy St. Bernards really are? Heavy enough to melt your heart. Patient, humorous and clearly devoted to his four-legged companions, our guide answered every question we threw his way. We even uncovered the truth about those iconic little brandy barrels – more legend than logistics, but still delightfully Swiss.
A furry farewell
A furry farewell
By the time we walked back to the Cosa office, something inside us had shifted. A sense of connection, joy, and a reminder that sometimes the best stories come with paws. Rhia and Xénia weren’t just part of Switzerland’s past, for one unforgettable lunch break, they became part of ours. And if you’d love to meet these Swiss icons yourself, we’ll happily bring them to you.
