Switzerland

[Cind11]

Anyone been there? My sister and I would like to go in June. We almost went last summer (chose Alaska instead) and would have gone on the Golden Pass train which goes from west to east or maybe vice versa. (can't remember) But we have decided we would rather concentrate on probably two cities and spend about four nights in each. I am not sure we are interested in big cities like Zurich but if there are must sees then that would be an option. I am more interesting in smaller, charming cities with beautiful scenery. I like taking photographs, shopping, eating and seeing whatever noteworthy there is to see. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks!

 

[justginger]

I visited on my own back in 2004, and DH and I went last summer (June!) for a couple of weeks. I'm on my mobile right now, but will write a review when I get off work. I know Haven has visited many of the same areas we did, so maybe she'll pop in as well. Overall, Switzerland is a VERY good choice for your interests and activities.

 

[justginger]

Ok, at home and on my laptop so I have the facilities (and wit!) to formulate a proper answer.

Switzerland is a magnificent destination. Truly. It is safe, clean, easy to navigate (the Swiss are extraordinarily well-organized and prompt), and BEAUTIFUL. June is an excellent time to go, as the weather is lovely, there are few tourists (most areas are ski destinations), and for the right couple of weeks, the mountains are a CARPET of wildflowers. They were all in bloom when we were there last year and it was breathtaking. Unfortunately it doesn't translate well to film, but I will post a couple of photos for you.

We chose a hostel-type accommodation in Muerren for our stay - we were only there for 5 days (why in the world I said a couple of weeks before, I have no idea - I must have been thinking of our time in mainland Europe total, not the time in Switzerland). It was not long enough -- but it was expensive enough! Coming from the States, you'll have nasty sticker shock. The prices are on par to Australia, so it was much the same for us. I think we spent about $600 just on tickets for trains, gondolas, etc.

While we were there, we explored the area around Interlaken, which is (in my opinion) some of the most beautiful scenery in mainland Europe. We visited Jungfraujoch, the Schilthorn, Gimmelwald, Lauterbrunnen, that general area.

If you want to read specifics and see some photos, I blogged during our holiday last year. It might be a page or two back, as the Switzerland portion was towards the middle of the trip. http://geesquared.tumblr.com/

 

[AGBF]

I have been there, but did not get to spend any time there. I passed through in about one day. Luckily I didn't simply change planes there, so I got the chance to see a small slice out of life in Zurich (Italian friends of my husband had been on a bicycle trip through the Dolomites and showed up there with their bicycles to meet us and go to dinner). Then we took a train through the (melting) Alps to Milano. The pictures justginger posted of the green fields looked like what I saw out the train window. Water was rushing down everywhere from the snow melting above; it was simply gorgeous.

Deb/AGBF

 

[Skippy123]

oh wow, those pictures are incredible JustGinger! Cind, I would love to see pictures when you return; I am going in 2016 to find where my great grandfather was born.

 

[Joolz]

We went last March for a ski trip and stayed in Wengen (nearby village to Muerren, where Justginer was) and Zermatt. We would go back and do the same trip in warm weather to go hiking, enjoy the scenery, etc. We felt Switzerland had such a good vibe with friendly people and it was easy to navigate (the trains run like clockwork). Both Wengen and Zermatt are carless villages which only added to the charm. And Zermatt is home to the Matterhorn, an impressive iconic mountain. We intended to go to Lucerne but ran out of time, but it sounds like it would be a great small city to add to an itinerary. My understanding of Zurich is that it is very small and not particularly worthwhile to spend time in but Geneva would be better if looking for a city. We’ll actually be flying into Zurich next month while en route to Austria but decided it wouldn’t be worth it to stay over.

 

[AprilBaby]

Also went to Muerren/Gimmelwald and it was heaven on earth!!! Highly recommend it!

 

[Haven]

YES! We loved Switzerland! I should just ditto JustGinger's post because our experience was so similar. The Berner Oberland region was our favorite. But don't stay in Interlaken, go UP and stay in Murren or Wengen or such.

We loved it so much, in fact, that we just named our first born son Brienz (nn Enzo). We took a boat ride on Lake Brienz during our trip and decided then and there that if we ever have a son that's what we'll name him, and we did.

ETA: We aren't much for cities when traveling, but Luzern is definitely worth a visit. A dreamy little city, that one.

 

[Haven]

I shared this in a photo book thread a while back:

Mixbook travel book from Summer 2011 to Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland:
http://www.mixbook.com/photo-books/travel/belgium-germany-and-switzerland-2011-7700314

 

[SB621]

I have always wanted to go to Gorges de l’Areuse, Switzerland

 

[Cind11]

Ok, at home and on my laptop so I have the facilities (and wit!) to formulate a proper answer.

Switzerland is a magnificent destination. Truly. It is safe, clean, easy to navigate (the Swiss are extraordinarily well-organized and prompt), and BEAUTIFUL. June is an excellent time to go, as the weather is lovely, there are few tourists (most areas are ski destinations), and for the right couple of weeks, the mountains are a CARPET of wildflowers. They were all in bloom when we were there last year and it was breathtaking. Unfortunately it doesn't translate well to film, but I will post a couple of photos for you.

We chose a hostel-type accommodation in Muerren for our stay - we were only there for 5 days (why in the world I said a couple of weeks before, I have no idea - I must have been thinking of our time in mainland Europe total, not the time in Switzerland). It was not long enough -- but it was expensive enough! Coming from the States, you'll have nasty sticker shock. The prices are on par to Australia, so it was much the same for us. I think we spent about $600 just on tickets for trains, gondolas, etc.

While we were there, we explored the area around Interlaken, which is (in my opinion) some of the most beautiful scenery in mainland Europe. We visited Jungfraujoch, the Schilthorn, Gimmelwald, Lauterbrunnen, that general area.

If you want to read specifics and see some photos, I blogged during our holiday last year. It might be a page or two back, as the Switzerland portion was towards the middle of the trip. http://geesquared.tumblr.com/

Thank you for the beautiful photos justginger! Wow! Stunning scenery! I have heard it's expensive but not much to be done. My sister would not stay in a hostel so it looks like hotels for us lol. I had read about Interlaken last year when we were researching the Golden Pass train. I had seen that Interlaken itself is a traffic hub but the surrounding area is supposed to be wnderful so it's nice to have this confirmed. I will read your bog when I have a bit more time.

 

[Cind11]

I have been there, but did not get to spend any time there. I passed through in about one day. Luckily I didn't simply change planes there, so I got the chance to see a small slice out of life in Zurich (Italian friends of my husband had been on a bicycle trip through the Dolomites and showed up there with their bicycles to meet us and go to dinner). Then we took a train through the (melting) Alps to Milano. The pictures justginger posted of the green fields looked like what I saw out the train window. Water was rushing down everywhere from the snow melting above; it was simply gorgeous.

Deb/AGBF

This sounds so cool! (Your description of the rushing water and the melting Alps.) I love mountains! I would take mountains any day over the beach!

 

[Cind11]

oh wow, those pictures are incredible JustGinger! Cind, I would love to see pictures when you return; I am going in 2016 to find where my great grandfather was born.

Skippy, I will be sure to post pics. How special to be able to see where your great grandfather was born!

 

[Harpertoo]

Hi,
I lived there for 2 years....came back just in time for my daughter to start US kindergarten last year.
I't's a small, incredibly beautiful and orderly country. And the trains are fantastic. Go everywhere! Culturally there are 3 main areas more/less: Swiss-German, Swiss-French, and Swiss-Italian. The Swiss German is the most powerful. But they all have their charms. And depending on how much you want to move around, you can see a lot!

There is a great english speakers x-pat forum that you might check out for more travel insights : englishforum.ch

My husband returns every other month. And I go back when I can.
Some people grouse about the prices, and the lack of London style night-life, but it is the cleanest, safest, and most scenic place I've been.

Prost & enjoy!
And if I can answer any specific questions, let me know.

 

[blackpolkadot]

DH and I went to Switzerland last June. It was incredible!

We stayed in Wengen and used Chalet Service to find a little apartment to stay in. It was super easy to use, so I would recommend that if you choose to stay in Wengen. We shopped at the local Coop for groceries so we could save some money, but we did eat out as there are plenty of places to spend your money! Ha! We spent most of our time here and did different things everyday- hiking around the Lauterbrunnen Valley in different towns (Kleine Schedeigg, Interlaken, Murren, Gimmelwald, etc), Jungfroujoch, paragliding... We also took a day trip to Bern (two hours by train). We just bought a Swiss Pass and definitely got our money's worth!

After a week in Wengen, we spent our last few days in Luzern. It was a completely different feel from the Alps, but I am glad we went. We did all the touristy things here and we hiked down Mount Rigi.

I'm not sure how much help I can be, but I did plan the whole trip myself. You will love it!

June is the perfect time to go, too. The wildflowers are AMAZING! I would post a picture, but every time I try, it eats my post

 

[Cind11]

We went last March for a ski trip and stayed in Wengen (nearby village to Muerren, where Justginer was) and Zermatt. We would go back and do the same trip in warm weather to go hiking, enjoy the scenery, etc. We felt Switzerland had such a good vibe with friendly people and it was easy to navigate (the trains run like clockwork). Both Wengen and Zermatt are carless villages which only added to the charm. And Zermatt is home to the Matterhorn, an impressive iconic mountain. We intended to go to Lucerne but ran out of time, but it sounds like it would be a great small city to add to an itinerary. My understanding of Zurich is that it is very small and not particularly worthwhile to spend time in but Geneva would be better if looking for a city. We’ll actually be flying into Zurich next month while en route to Austria but decided it wouldn’t be worth it to stay over.

Joolz, I love the idea of carless villages. I think seeing the Matterhorn would be impressive. I have read Lucerne is a great city and that Lake Lucerne is beautiful. Hmm, interesting about Geneva vs. Zurich. My sister mentioned going to Zurich but I am not really sure I want to go there.

 

[Cind11]

Also went to Muerren/Gimmelwald and it was heaven on earth!!! Highly recommend it!

Thanks AprilBaby. I am taking note of everything people tell me so I can discuss with my sis.

 

[Cind11]

YES! We loved Switzerland! I should just ditto JustGinger's post because our experience was so similar. The Berner Oberland region was our favorite. But don't stay in Interlaken, go UP and stay in Murren or Wengen or such.

We loved it so much, in fact, that we just named our first born son Brienz (nn Enzo). We took a boat ride on Lake Brienz during our trip and decided then and there that if we ever have a son that's what we'll name him, and we did.

ETA: We aren't much for cities when traveling, but Luzern is definitely worth a visit. A dreamy little city, that one.

Haven, that is so neat about your sons's name. I had read last year that Interlaken isn't much to look at. Another vote for Luzern.

 

[Cind11]

Hi,
I lived there for 2 years....came back just in time for my daughter to start US kindergarten last year.
I't's a small, incredibly beautiful and orderly country. And the trains are fantastic. Go everywhere! Culturally there are 3 main areas more/less: Swiss-German, Swiss-French, and Swiss-Italian. The Swiss German is the most powerful. But they all have their charms. And depending on how much you want to move around, you can see a lot!

There is a great english speakers x-pat forum that you might check out for more travel insights : englishforum.ch

My husband returns every other month. And I go back when I can.
Some people grouse about the prices, and the lack of London style night-life, but it is the cleanest, safest, and most scenic place I've been.

Prost & enjoy!
And if I can answer any specific questions, let me know.

Hapertoo, Thanks for the forum suggestion. I don't care about the nightlife. Usually after a full day of being out and about, I am tired and not up for any "carousing" haha. Thanks for the offer of help. Must have been a great place to live.

 

[Cind11]

DH and I went to Switzerland last June. It was incredible!

We stayed in Wengen and used Chalet Service to find a little apartment to stay in. It was super easy to use, so I would recommend that if you choose to stay in Wengen. We shopped at the local Coop for groceries so we could save some money, but we did eat out as there are plenty of places to spend your money! Ha! We spent most of our time here and did different things everyday- hiking around the Lauterbrunnen Valley in different towns (Kleine Schedeigg, Interlaken, Murren, Gimmelwald, etc), Jungfroujoch, paragliding... We also took a day trip to Bern (two hours by train). We just bought a Swiss Pass and definitely got our money's worth!

After a week in Wengen, we spent our last few days in Luzern. It was a completely different feel from the Alps, but I am glad we went. We did all the touristy things here and we hiked down Mount Rigi.

I'm not sure how much help I can be, but I did plan the whole trip myself. You will love it!

June is the perfect time to go, too. The wildflowers are AMAZING! I would post a picture, but every time I try, it eats my post

blackpolkadot, thank you for your suggestions. I am liking the idea of staying in one of the mountain towns I think. You know, I got a new DSLR in the fall and have been trying to post pics of my cats on PS and I seem to be having all kinds of problems. I never had problems with my point and shoot so I don't know my photos have too big file sizes or what. But it also "eats" the posts I try with pictures.

 

[Cind11]

I have always wanted to go to Gorges de l’Areuse, Switzerland

Sarahbear that is seriously gorgeous!

 

[AGBF]

I have been there, but did not get to spend any time there. I passed through in about one day. Luckily I didn't simply change planes there, so I got the chance to see a small slice out of life in Zurich (Italian friends of my husband had been on a bicycle trip through the Dolomites and showed up there with their bicycles to meet us and go to dinner). Then we took a train through the (melting) Alps to Milano. The pictures justginger posted of the green fields looked like what I saw out the train window. Water was rushing down everywhere from the snow melting above; it was simply gorgeous.

This sounds so cool! (Your description of the rushing water and the melting Alps.) I love mountains! I would take mountains any day over the beach!

Here is a visual of the Zurich to Milan train trip. I think it is so beautiful that everyone should watch it, and yet it isn't a tenth as lovely as the real thing, which is so full of rushing water that it is hard to comprehend!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1yy-DSH5b8


Deb

 

[webdiva]

Definitely skip the big cities - bleh, grey, boring!

Love the italian-swiss south! So pretty! Check out Lugano!

 

[Lula]

Definitely skip the big cities - bleh, grey, boring!

Love the italian-swiss south! So pretty! Check out Lugano!

Me, too! I've been to Switzerland and Northern Italy many times. Even though my family was originally from the northern (German) part of Switzerland, my favorite part of the country is the Italian part, especially Lago Maggiore -- a less expensive Lake Como! You can rent apartments and houses in the small towns and countryside along the lake or in the mountains.

Here's a link to the lake's website with lots of photos and information. You can get to Locarno in about 3 hours by train from Zurich. The north part of the lake is in Switzerland; the southern part is in Italy.
http://www.illagomaggiore.com/en_US/home

Lake Lugano and Lugano the city are just to the east of Locarno, and I've heard Lugano is a very nice city.
The Interlaken area is definitely worth a visit.
The Swiss train tours (e.g., Glacier Express; Palm Express) are expensive, but well worth the cost if you have a limited amount of time and it's your first trip to Switzerland.
Lucerne is a beautiful city and a very pleasant place to stay, if you want to spend time in a small, Swiss city. Bern is also a very nice city. I liked Basel -- it's grittier, but has a great selection of restaurants and museums. Though, in my opinion, the Swiss countryside and the small towns are why most people come to Switzerland, so you might want to focus on seeing as much of the countryside as possible, and only visit the cities if the weather is bad. It's been my experience that the summer weather in Switzerland is either gloriously clear or socked in with fog and rain -- find a cafe and a bookstore in Lucerne in the latter case and wait out the bad weather. When the clouds clear, you will be rewarded with an incredible view of the lake and the mountains!
I've been to Zurich many times because it's a convenient place to begin a trip (a busy, efficient airport with good connections to other cities in Europe) but I've never been much a fan of the city. It can be difficult to navigate on foot and it is vey expensive.

Do you speak Italian or French or German? Most Swiss speak at least some English, but in small towns it's helpful to know a few words in the "local" language, depending on what part of the country you're in.

ETA: This is a great website with information about travel to the various parts of Switzerland:
http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/home.html

 

[lliang_chi]

We went to Switz in October. If I were you, I'd stick to the countrysides/villages. We did the Italian and the German parts of Switzerland. Pontresina/St. Moritz (side trip to Tirano), and Lauterbrunnen and Lucerne. Our favorite parts was in the Alps. If you have time, do some hiking and you'll be able to get some gorgeous pictures.

Haven, I love how you came up with your son's name. We went to the Axalp air show so we stopped in Brienz to catch the shuttle up the mountain.

DH describes it as a theme park where everyone's polite, everything's efficient and on time and that's why it costs so much. LOL. YOu're going to love it.

Here are some pics, straight out of the camera

 

[Cind11]

I have been there, but did not get to spend any time there. I passed through in about one day. Luckily I didn't simply change planes there, so I got the chance to see a small slice out of life in Zurich (Italian friends of my husband had been on a bicycle trip through the Dolomites and showed up there with their bicycles to meet us and go to dinner). Then we took a train through the (melting) Alps to Milano. The pictures justginger posted of the green fields looked like what I saw out the train window. Water was rushing down everywhere from the snow melting above; it was simply gorgeous.

This sounds so cool! (Your description of the rushing water and the melting Alps.) I love mountains! I would take mountains any day over the beach!

Here is a visual of the Zurich to Milan train trip. I think it is so beautiful that everyone should watch it, and yet it isn't a tenth as lovely as the real thing, which is so full of rushing water that it is hard to comprehend!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1yy-DSH5b8


Deb

The scenery in that video is lovely. I had to laugh though at the guy they showed on the train who looked like he was sleeping through it all. That waterfall was quite something!

 

[Cind11]

Definitely skip the big cities - bleh, grey, boring!

Love the italian-swiss south! So pretty! Check out Lugano!

I frequently agree with you. I think of the countryside when I picture Switzerland.

 

[Cind11]

Definitely skip the big cities - bleh, grey, boring!

Love the italian-swiss south! So pretty! Check out Lugano!

Me, too! I've been to Switzerland and Northern Italy many times. Even though my family was originally from the northern (German) part of Switzerland, my favorite part of the country is the Italian part, especially Lago Maggiore -- a less expensive Lake Como! You can rent apartments and houses in the small towns and countryside along the lake or in the mountains.

Here's a link to the lake's website with lots of photos and information. You can get to Locarno in about 3 hours by train from Zurich. The north part of the lake is in Switzerland; the southern part is in Italy.
http://www.illagomaggiore.com/en_US/home

Lake Lugano and Lugano the city are just to the east of Locarno, and I've heard Lugano is a very nice city.
The Interlaken area is definitely worth a visit.
The Swiss train tours (e.g., Glacier Express; Palm Express) are expensive, but well worth the cost if you have a limited amount of time and it's your first trip to Switzerland.
Lucerne is a beautiful city and a very pleasant place to stay, if you want to spend time in a small, Swiss city. Bern is also a very nice city. I liked Basel -- it's grittier, but has a great selection of restaurants and museums. Though, in my opinion, the Swiss countryside and the small towns are why most people come to Switzerland, so you might want to focus on seeing as much of the countryside as possible, and only visit the cities if the weather is bad. It's been my experience that the summer weather in Switzerland is either gloriously clear or socked in with fog and rain -- find a cafe and a bookstore in Lucerne in the latter case and wait out the bad weather. When the clouds clear, you will be rewarded with an incredible view of the lake and the mountains!
I've been to Zurich many times because it's a convenient place to begin a trip (a busy, efficient airport with good connections to other cities in Europe) but I've never been much a fan of the city. It can be difficult to navigate on foot and it is vey expensive.

Do you speak Italian or French or German? Most Swiss speak at least some English, but in small towns it's helpful to know a few words in the "local" language, depending on what part of the country you're in.

ETA: This is a great website with information about travel to the various parts of Switzerland:
http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/home.html

Lula, lots of great info in your post. I am interested in Lucerne and my sister in Bern. Particularly though the mountain towns around Interlaken hold a lot of appeal for me. I want to read about Lugano too. (someone on TripAdvisor mentioned it to me) Unfortunately, I speak no Italian, French or German. I took Spanish in high school and that was many years ago! Thanks for all these suggestions!

 

[Cind11]

We went to Switz in October. If I were you, I'd stick to the countrysides/villages. We did the Italian and the German parts of Switzerland. Pontresina/St. Moritz (side trip to Tirano), and Lauterbrunnen and Lucerne. Our favorite parts was in the Alps. If you have time, do some hiking and you'll be able to get some gorgeous pictures.

Haven, I love how you came up with your son's name. We went to the Axalp air show so we stopped in Brienz to catch the shuttle up the mountain.

DH describes it as a theme park where everyone's polite, everything's efficient and on time and that's why it costs so much. LOL. YOu're going to love it.

Here are some pics, straight out of the camera

lliang_chi, I am much more interested in the countryside than any of the cities. Thank you for your suggestions and the lovely photos. What lake is in your last photo? The color of the water is so pretty!

 

[Cind11]

I shared this in a photo book thread a while back:

Mixbook travel book from Summer 2011 to Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland:
http://www.mixbook.com/photo-books/travel/belgium-germany-and-switzerland-2011-7700314

Haven, just saw this. Thanks. I am on an iPad so I can't look at it but I will when I get on my desktop computer.