Want to make most of the beauty in 6 days in June

Hi,

I'm planning a 6 day honeymoon trip to switzerland in late June 2017. My husband and I are not much of adventurers but want to make the most of the scenic beauty and walk along some beautiful trails.

We would be not staying in Zurich for the same reason as it's a city. To start with, we have booked 2 Days each in Lucerne & Interlaken.We are still left with last 2 days to plan. Need some help as to where we can spend the rest of these 2 days.

Hi Kritikagupta -

Welcome to My Swiss Alps.

I was just answering a post about April in the Jungfrau region, but it has a lot of information about June. Late June is a lot better than early June there. In early and mid June there is still a lot of Winter left at high elevations near the Jungfrau south of Interlaken.

Take a look at this thread:

www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/looking-for-hiking-tips-around-wengen-in-april#eGWhlaDW9mqS6v8A AFcRTQ

Also, look here:

www.myswissalps.com/be rneseoberland

Interlaken by itself is not much of a tourist attraction, The beauty is in the surroundings. If I were spending 6 days in Switzerland in late June, I' spend 2-3 days in the Jungfrau region and 3-4 days around Luzern or on day trips from Luzern. I would not seek a 3rd location. That is a matter of personal choice, however. You may wish to travel and use the trains a lot, for example.

The weather near the Jungfrau is very changeable, and if you are there for only a short time, there may be only clouds up top where the views are. So, it is wise to keep an eye on the weather, and, in the extreme, come over from Luzern - a long days trip if you go up to the Jungfrau - if there is a really clear day.

Forecasts are reliable only ...at most for 48 hours in that region. 24 hours is usually reliable. But, the weather changes rapidly and unpredictably near the very high mountains.

Slowpoke

Thank you for your reply.

We are most interested to spend out rest 2 days in jungfrau region either Wengen or Murren.

However, we are getting some good properties to stay in Adelboden & Zermatt. Please can you suggest how difficult it will be to make day trips or roam around from Adelboden & Zermatt.

Also, we are flying back on 23rd night at 10 pm which gives us almost half a day with us to spend. Do you suggest we could do Rhine falls that day and come back straight to the airport? Is it worth spending that effort though.

Hi Kritikagupta!

Whenever I find a deal on accommodation on Switzerland I take it! haha. I think day trips from Adelboden to Wengen is reasonable but Slowpoke can maybe inform you more than I. I think there is no need to leave Zermatt if you are staying there for just 2 days as there is a lot to see and do!

The Rhine Falls are only about 45/50 minutes by train from Zurich. Its a lovely area to spend an afternoon if you want to see some nice waterfalls and have a lunch perhaps. If the falls aren't interesting enough I'm sure you would enjoy an afternoon in Zurich as well.If the day is nice a boat ride on the lake is always enjoyable and relaxing.

Cheers,
Lucas

Hi Lucas-

Welcome to My swiss Alps! ;-)

Long term members of this forum will know that I do not put the Rhine Falls high on my list of things to do see. Spring, extending to June gives the best water flows, and the falls are quite powerful. However, they are not very high.

I have seen a lot of waterfalls, and like very high thin ones (as in the Lauterbrunnen Valley) or big, high ones, such as the American and Canadian Falls in the USA and Canada. So, I have seen a lot of waterfalls, and have only visited the Rhine Falls once, briefly, and never gone back.

When in Switzerland, I like to do and see things that are uniquely Swiss...thus, the Jungfrau region, or the variety of things around Lake Lucerne.

Just my opinion, and certainly it is not universally shared.

In Zürich, the old towns on both sides of the river are enjoyable to stroll around.

Look here and scroll down to November 3 and November 10 postings:

www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/swiss-itinerary-for-december-2015

Also - here:

www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/need-help-in-my-planning#cq6cUaDW9mqS6 v8AAFcRTQ

Slowpoke

Hi Slowpoke and thank you for the welcome!

I agree with you on the Rheinfall...not super exciting. thanks for the extra info here.

Lucas

Hi Lucas,

Thank you for the reply. I'm getting a good deal at the Cambrian in Adelboden and hence my interest towards the same. However I do not want to compromise on the best views that in Slowpoke's opinion is best offered best by the jungfrau region.

There's not much mentioned about Adelboden in the forums and hence my doubts on whether it will be worth the stay. Also, I was reading about the transportation and there seems to be buses and cable cars. I'm not sure if that will be covered under Swiss Travel Pass or not? I do not want to add on much to the cost of travelling.

Your suggestions will help me plan my trip better.

Hi Kritikagupta -

I have not been to Adelboden. My unreliable impression is that it is primarily a ski resort. I have no information one way or another about scenery. Probably, in warm weather, there are also some nice hikes.

There is at least one nice, easy, high altitude trail:

www.myswissalps.com/hi king/engstligenalp

Altitude is about 1350 meters, so it is about the same as Wengen, at 1275. Likely, there fore to have similar snow/weather patterns.

There is an impressive waterfall:

www.myswitzerland.com/ en-us/engstligenalp-ob-adelboden.html

In general, it is a much less impressive and expansive region than the Jungfrau region. Less variety. No Jungfrau. No cograil train.

By the way, in general, all public transport that goes to population centers -towns, villages, cities, and usually in cities, is covered by the Swiss Travel Pass (check here for more ticket information). It can be a bus, a boat, a train, a cograil train , or a cableway, a tram. An exception- boats on Lake Zürich have just added a surcharge...maybe 10 CHF...

What is not covered or is only discounted, is travel on ski lifts, excursion lifts or funiculars, privately run trains ( Jungfraubahn) and other transport to scenic places or sightseeing trips without a component from town to town.

This concept works as follows in this example for the trip to Jungfraujoch from Lauterbrunnen. The part from Lauterbrunnento Wengenis covered by the pass. Lauterbrunnen is a town. Wengen is a town. From Wengen onward, the same train is now going to a sight-seeing location- Kleine Scheidegg or the Jungfrau. That part is not fully covered...some discount is offered.

Checkout the coverage details and validity under the link for Swiss Travel Pass:

www.myswissalps.com/sw isstravelpass

There is a reasonable chance that you are getting a good deal because it is slow (or low) season in Adelboden with no skiers, but not yet summer season for hiking. In Wengen, most hotels and restaurants open up in mid June..... but, they are not very busy until late June or, more so, July. I would not be surprised to find the same thing in Adelboden. I repeat, however...I've never been there.

Regarding "deals."

They are scarce in Switzerland, as Lucas notes. However, with the strong Swiss Frank, they're more common than they used to be, because Switzerland has become much more expensive for its European neighbors ( who use the Euro) to visit. The Swiss are losing business from Europeans. That could also contribute.

Finally - since you are going to Switzerland on a special occasion and for a rather short trip, which is more important to you - a good deal or the best experience?

I go to Switzerland a lot. I often stay in out-of-the way places to reduce costs, or enjoy Swiss countryside culture and inns, or walk in the surroundings which can be nice but not spectacular. I may scout out places to get a particular kind of photograph. See attached. I stay in places that are very Swiss, but not necessarily very spectacular. For example, I always stay some in the Emmental.

If I take a relative to Switzerland for the first time, we always go to Luzern and the lake, and to the Bernese Oberland, sleep in hotel with a view of the Jungfrau, and see the best sights that Switzerland has to offer. After that, we go into the countryside.

What are your priorities?

Slowpoke

Hi Kritigagupta,

Adelboden is certainly nice for a short stay and has great scenery. But indeed, it's not as popular as Wengen and other towns in the Jungfrau region, the main reason probably being that the infrastructure network isn't as dense. So there are less mountain tops to ski, hike and enjoy the views, although there are still good options for just two or three days. I wouldn't use it as a base town for Jungfrau region visits though. For example, a single trip Adelboden-Kleine Scheidegg takes about 3 hours. So if the Jungfrau has your main interest, you'd better pick a location there.

The Swiss Travel Pass validity can be checked here. Covered attractions are listed at that page, and you can download a pdf map showing each route in detail.

Thank you everyone. Your replies were very informative and helpful and Im certainly more aware than I was when I first joined this forum.