Advice for 10 days in Switzerland in late May

  • Removed user
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    72625 posts
    17 October 2018 at 21:00:18 #818727

    Hello, my wife and I are travelling in Europe for 3 months in 2019 and will have 10 to 12 days in May at the end of our holiday in Switzerland. We are travelling from Como and seeking advice on whether to have an itinerary that sees 2 or 3 days in each of Zurich, Lucerne, Interlaken and Basel before we have a few days in Germany before flying out of Frankfurt back to Australia. Or should we base ourselves at Lucerne and Basel (or other suggestions) and do day trips to other areas. We will have luggage and be utilising trains and will probably be getting sick of luggage and changing hotel rooms by then.

    We have just turned 60, are active, with our holiday focused on culture, scenery and food/wine. Any advice or recommendations on other cities we should visit would be appreciated.

    Regards David & Angela

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    Removed user
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    72625 posts
    18 October 2018 at 10:49:51 #898076

    Hi David & Angela and welcome to MySwissAlps!

    The Ticino region (http://www.myswissalps.com/ti cino) would be a good option for food/wine but you may have had your fill in Italy and looking for a more big mountain experience.

    I’d look at splitting your time between Lucerne (http://www.myswissalps.com/lu cerne) and a village in the Jungfrau region (http://www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfrauregion) like Wengen perhaps (wengen).

    Though Zermatt is a fairly iconic Swiss town, with the ever-present Matterhorn and is worth a visit, could be a day trip but a long one: http://www.myswissalps.com/ze rmatt

    Also South-Western Switzerland, around Montreux could be a good option as well: http://www.myswissalps.com/mo ntreux (vineyards are popular here).

    I agree that 2 or 3 base towns is best to limit changing hotels over 10 days if possible. Use the Swiss railways timetable to plan out your travel between towns and mountains.

    For ideas on what to do around Switzerland, look here: http://www.myswissalps.com/ac tivities

    To look through other popular Swiss towns, to see what might interest you as well, look here: http://www.myswissalps.com/wh eretogo/towns

    Are you traveling by train in Europe? Will you have a Eurail Pass of some sort (http://www.myswissalps.com/mu lticountrypasses) or perhaps you want to look at a Swiss rail pass while here? http://www.myswissalps.com/sw issrailpasses

    Removed user
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    19 October 2018 at 0:24:58 #898077

    Thanks Lucas

    My wife wants to see Zurich so think we will start with a few days there.

    1 If we travel and stay in the Wengen area as you suggest, could we visit Lucerne as a day trip or multiple day trips from Zurich, that would save changing accommodation.

    2I have read in other posts that there is a scenic train to Wengen or Interlaken that travels via Meiringen, is this correct as it does not come up on the train planning site I have used.

    3The Montreux area looks interesting so will definitely investigate that option, we did look at Lausanne but hotels seem very expensive.

    Regards

    David & Angela

    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    19 October 2018 at 1:35:41 #898078

    Hello D&A,

    You might want to consider staying in Luzern and doing a day (or half-day) trip to Zurich.

    The Luzern-Interlaken Express is the “scenic” train you are referring to. It is just a regular train but it forms one leg of the Golden Pass Line (http://www.myswissalps.com/go ldenpass). The most scenic part of the Golden Pass Line is from Zweisimmen to Montreux.

    Use the SBB Timetable (http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable) to plan your travel (it’s the Bible). If you are not familiar with using the timetable it will pay to first read the instructions on that page.

    Removed user
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    72625 posts
    19 October 2018 at 6:44:48 #898079

    Hi David,

    You could do day trips between any of those towns. Uses the timetable from Rockoyster’s post to see travel times and see if it works for you personally. Some people don’t think twice about a 2 hour train ride to explore another town – others won’t want to do that.

    Zurich is great for museums, art galleries, shopping, fine dining and other “big city” activities so your wife will enjoy it if that is her interest. http://www.myswissalps.com/zu rich/activities

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