Swift, VLT and Gamma Ray Bursts The Richness and Beauty of the Global View

In this paper we emphasise the role of ESO in the optical follow-up of gamma-ray burst light curves and the importance of early observations via rapid response mode. We describe some of the best short gamma-ray burst observations ever and illustrate the need for spectroscopic data. Specifically, we show how the exceptional dataset collected for the naked-eye burst GRB080319B, the brightest burst ever, has proved very challenging for current theoretical models. The final aim is the understanding of the physical processes that make such phenomena the true beacons at the edge of the Universe.