First visit: fine tuning my 10 night itinerary

At the outset, a big thanks to myswissalps for the collective information on just about everything needed to plan a trip!

Its 2 of us, husband and wife planning a first time Trip to Switzerland & Paris in September second week. We have about 9-10 days.

Our tentative plan is as below.

Day 1: Mumbai - Zurich - 1 night

Day 2: Lucerne : 4 nights in Lucerne - (to visit Mt Titlis, Mt Pilatus and Lake cruise )

Day 5: lucerne - Zermatt : 2 nights in Zermatt - (to visit Matterhorn )

Day 7 : Zermatt - Paris : 3 nights in Paris.

I was keen to visit the chocolate factory, and also ride in one of the panaromic trains, but I don't know how to fit that in. Also, in two minds about adding Geneva?

Would really appreciate suggestions and feedback on the travel plan. We still have to make the bookings, so any changes are welcome.

Thank you in advance,

swati.

Hi swati, thanks for joining us. Happy to hear MySwissAlps has been useful so far!

I think your itinerary is fine. You will be able to include a very scenic ride when heading from Lucerne to Zermatt: first, travel to Interlaken. This leg is part of the Golden Pass line. Then travel towards Zermatt using the regional Lötschberg trains that run via Kandersteg and Goppenstein. If you enter "Goppenstein" as a via-station in the timetable, it will show those options rather than the quicker but not scenic alternative using the tunnel between Frutigen and Brig.

Is it the Cailler chocolate factory you're interested in? If you don't mind a long travel day, it can be done. For example, a single ride Lucerne - Broc-Fabrique takes about 2h30. Alternatively, you could spend one day less in either Lucerne or Zermatt and plan an additional overnight stay in or near Montreux. That will allow for a shorter ride to Broc (about 1h40).

As for Geneva: it's certainly a nice city. You'd best take a look at this page and try to decide whether you think it's worth spending a night there, at the expense of either Zermatt or Lucerne.

Hi Swati- Glad you have found the forum to be helpful.

<<"Would really appreciate suggestions and feedback on the travel plan. We still have to make the bookings, so any changes are welcome.">>

September is a great month to visit Switzerland. My favorite. Best weather, on average.

You are the only person who can decide whether a particular place is worthwhile, because everyone has different standards.

This page will give you information about different cities and towns.

www.myswissalps.com/wh eretogo.

Do you have any special things you would like to see or do? Or avoid? It would help with suggestions.

Slowpoke

Thank you Annika.... We are interested in any "good" Chocolate factory, not necessarily the one at Broc! But I couldn't find any other one.

Thanks Slowpoke, I understand your point. In answer to your question, we are basically nature lovers ( that's why we are selecting Switzerland over the other European places:) ) would want to avoid man made stuff and crowded places as far as possible and include as much of natural beauty as we can in the short time we have.

Hi Swati-

What to see and where to go in a short trip to Switzerland is full of difficult decisions.

Certainly a train ride from Luzern to the chocolate factory at Broc, with some selection of the route, offers very scenic train rides

I have posted above in another post some images of the area near lake Lucene.

The remaining issue in my mind is whether Zermatt is the best high alpine area to chose. I recall that it is a favorite area for Annika, and I have not spent much time there, and not for many years. So, I do not have a good perspective on the area.

I have chosen to spend my high alpine time in the very large and accessible area near the Jungfrau. I like to walk in the area and absorb the views.

www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfrauregion

I have attached a few pictures of the area in this link:

www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/best-views-of-lauterbrunnen-valley

and-

www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/lucerneaccom modationitinerary

Scroll down that one to May 19th.

There s a lot to do:

www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/tips-about-wengen-and-the-jungfrau-region-by-kim

Depending on where you might choose to stay in the Jungfrau area, train access to Broc and Zermatt is easier than from Luzern. Interlaken has excellent rail connections and is close to Bern, where you can catch the train to Paris.

See attached screen grab.

However, Interlaken is not the most scenic town, and the experience is much more alpine at towns further in the valley, such as Wengen, Grindelwald, etc. Those all add travel time if you want to travel away from the region.

map.search.ch/?x=-22760m&y=-25296m&z=16

The short walk from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg is one of the best in Switzerland for views of the amazing landscape. It is famous.

www.myswissalps.com/hi king/maennlichen-kleinescheidegg

You might consider the area as an alternative to Zermatt.

Slowpoke

Hi Swati,

If nature and the outdoors are your main focus, I'd suggest you just skip Geneva. Lucerne and Zermatt would be great choices in that case. In my view, Zermatt isn't necessarily better or prettier than many other regions, such as the Jungfrau region mentioned above. Both are absolutely beautiful and I wouldn't say Zermatt is my favourite. You'd for sure love the Jungfrau region too. One thing to consider is that the surroundings of Zermatt, at the southern border of the country, are very different from the Lucerne area, so if you're looking for diversity this combination would be fine. And if you have a special interest in the Zermatt area, such as seeing the famous Matterhorn, I can for sure recommend it for a short stay.

You may be interested in the Aeschbach chocolate factory (ChocoWorld) near Lucerne.