Hiking & culture holiday in July: Bernese Oberland, Engadine, Lucerne?
Alisha is planning her family's first visit from the US to Switzerland this July, spending about 10 days with her husband and twin 15-year-old daughters. They love nature and hiking but want a mix of activities for their daughters, and she's unsure whether to focus on the Bernese Oberland or the Engadin area, while also hoping to include Lucerne.
- Stay in two locations: Lucerne and the Engadine, to combine nature and Swiss culture.
- Lucerne offers shopping, restaurants, and boat trips, making it fun for teenagers.
- Consider day trips from Lucerne to the Bernese Oberland for a varied experience.
- The Engadine is quieter and great for hiking, making it a better fit for a peaceful stay.
- Choose accommodations in lesser-known villages like Bever or Zuoz for a more relaxed atmosphere.
AI-generated summary-
Hello. I’m planning our family’s first visit from the US to Switzerland this July. It will be me, my hubs, and twin 15 year old daughters. We plan on spending 10 or so days. We love nature and hiking and tend to like to be in less touristy areas when possible but without sacrificing “must-sees” and having some activities for our teenage daughters. If it were just my husband and me, we’d hike every day of the trip but that would not make for a successful trip with our daughters who enjoy a few days of hiking when we travel. I initially was intending to spend more of our trip in the Bernese Oberland area then pick a 2nd region for a few days (maybe Lucerne). But in reading more about the Engadin area, I don’t know if we should stay there instead of BO or in addition to or skip it this trip.
I don’t want our trip focused solely on nature – we would like to see some traditional Swiss towns and culture so I feel like we either need to stay a few days in the Lucerne area and take day trips from there or see Lucerne from BO and take day trips from there (I’d like to spend one day exploring Bern and would love to squeeze in Appenzell but not a must).
I’m spinning my wheels and would love some help. Thank you!!
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Hi alisha_stephens, welcome to MySwissAlps!
Lovely that you’ll be exploring Switzerland next summer. Yes, there are several splendid regions to choose from. Based on what you’ve told me, I’d suggest staying in two locations: Lucerne and the Engadine.
Lucerne
- Lucerne will give your 15-year-olds great variety. It has a wonderful old town center, with plenty of shopping options, restaurants, terraces, boat trips and other activities on the lake. Natural beauty is around the corner as well.
- From Lucerne, you could also make a day trip to the Bernese Oberland/Jungfrau Region so that you don’t have to entirely miss out on that area. You could travel via Brienz (northern section of the GoldenPass line) on your way to Interlaken, and then travel back via Thun, Bern, and Trubschachen in the Emmen Valley for a varied day trip.
- Please find all details and activity suggestions at https://www.myswissalps.com/town/lucerne/
The Engadine- The Engadine is one of Switzerland’s best regions for nature, gorgeous villages, scenic train rides, and hiking.
- The train line over the Bernina Pass the tourist resort of St. Moritz can be pretty busy, but other than that, it’s usually much quieter than the Bernese Oberland in summer. That’s why I think it’s a better match for your preferences than staying in the Bernese Oberland, which is hugely popular in July. If you pick accommodation in a village like Bever, Samedan, Celerina, or La Punt-Chamues-ch, or Zuoz, I think you’ll appreciate the peace and quiet.
- Details and recommendations are available at https://www.myswissalps.com/region/engadine/.
Does this help you choose?
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