MySwissAlps.com features ads, commercial and non-commercial Itinerary help for my 13 night Swiss trip
-
13 nt Itinerary- Lucerne (3nt) Wengen (6) and Monteux (4 nts)
Flight Arrive 12:45pm and Depart 12:55pm
Arrival July 24th into Zurich 12:45am- Customs 1:45- Pick up lunch 1:45-2:15; Train to Lucerne 2:30-4pm; Check into hotel 4-4:30pm. Walk town/ Lake Cruise?
Day 1 Mt. Titlus and explore Engleberg
Day 2 Explore Lucerne and Visit Rhine Falls
Day 3 Go to Wengen- Local Hikes
Day 4 Mt. Schill. And Waterfall Hikes
Day 5 Lake Thun (Boat Cruise/Caves/Castles)
Day 6 Lake Brienze or More Lake Thun Explore
Day 7 Local Wengen Area Explore
Day 8 Local Explore Wengen
Day 9 Depart to Montreux/Castle
Day 10 Trip to Geneva
Day 11 Trip to Bern
Day 12 Vineyard Walk in Montreux and Spa (Levay Les Baines)
Depart Day Train to Zurich Airport (12:55 Arrive 10:30 Train Departs 7:30; 7am Depart Hotel)
Budget is $8,111
Air 1700
Hotels= 2601 Wengen= 220 nt (includes B+D) x 6 and Lucerne/Montreux= $183 nt x 7 (B only)
Food= 1,960 (30+20= 50pp = 100x 7 and 30 + 40+20= 90pp= 180 day x 7)
Trains= 1,000 Mts Trains/Fees=200 (Skip Top of Europe) Tourism=650 (50×13)
-
Hi Autumnz,
Most everything seems to make sense I think – except just a couple points:
- I’m not sure about bothering with the RheinFalls – up to you but most people are underwhelmed. 🙂 Also it is a little bit of a trip from Lucerne. If you do like the idea of going check out nearby Stein Am Rhein as well – make it more of a day.
- For ideas on Wengen and area check out this thread with Kim’s trip report if you haven’t already!
If you need more specific on what to do etc at each town after having read through that town's info page here do let us know!
Yes, especially after a long flight jet lagged, not sure we’ll do Rhine Falls (plus we’ll see falls at Wengen Area). But I put it in just in case as an option. And, I have printed Kim’s report on Wengen and I cannot wait to find all sorts of things to do in the area!
Thank you so much!
I am booking non-refundable, so with your help I think I am good to book flight and hotel (and trip insurance) and start planning the details!
Hi Automnz,
Allow me to make a few comments and suggestions:
As a rule, I try not to dissuade people from from what they have in mind, unless I feel something is a colossal waste of time. The Rheinfall is unlike any waterfall you will find in the Berner Oberland and it is indeed nice to see, but I like Lucas’ suggestion of combining a trip to see the Rheinfall and Stein am Rhein in order to make a more complete day. Since these locations are in the north of Switzerland, why not visit them at the very start of your visit ? This will cut down on unnecessary back tracking and save time. After this you can get yourself over to Lucerne.
I see you are planning on plenty in the area centred by Interlaken, including boats rides on Lakes Brienz and Thoune, and visits up the Lauterbrunnen valley with stops in Wengen, and if you get great weather, you will not be disappointed. Everything is pretty close to everything else, so if you are going to be using a train pass, you will be able to get around quite quickly.
You will enjoy your stay in Romandie, and perhaps you will choose Montreux as a base for this time. I see that you go to Berne and then back to Montreux, and was thinking that perhaps you could tack on Berne as you head back to Zurich. Just a suggestion to save some travel time.Geneva is not high on my list of Swiss cities, but once again, many tourists do go there, so who am I to suggest you go elsewhere instead ? Getting in and out of there by train will definitely ease the pain; the road traffic can be murderous. While in the area of Lake Geneva (locally referred to as the Léman), you might consider hopping on a boat and going along the shore of the lake or even over to France. Yvoire is particularly nice to see. Try googling this place and you will see if you think you would like it. Keep in mind that travel on the boats on the Léman is totally covered by your train pass.
Your stay in Switzerland will include August 1, which is La Fête Nationale de la Suisse, the Swiss National Holiday. Whether you are in a small village or a city, there will be activities for you to witness, and at night everything from simple bonfires to amazing pyromusical fireworks displays. Once your itinerary is crystallized, you can check to see what will be going on near where you will be. Just for fun, I will attach a link to one of my favourite videos, a time-lapse taken from above the village of Ligerz (French name is Gléresse) showing boats zipping up the Lac de Bienne and the flash of fireworks in nearby Neuchâtel, all set to a soundtrack of the Swiss National Anthem (Hymn), youtu.be/KNcVJJ-9JEA
Great suggestions! Can I take train to nyon, walk around, boat to yvoire (this is in france- can we get out and walk around here), and then continue to city of geneva?
I checked the CGN* website, but all they show now is their Winter schedule, when they have far fewer boats running. However, I did find this (see link which follows) which includes a map of all the routes on the lake and also interesting photos, including some taken in Yvoire. I might add that the route along the lake east from Lausanne is absolutely beautiful, and if you are going to be in the area for more than a day, your chances of getting a sunny day will increase. It’s not much fun out on the lake in a drizzle. (Same goes for Lakes Brienz and Thoune.) theswisswatchblog.com/ 2012/06/30/lake-geneva-nautical-adventures/
* By the way, CGN stands for la Compagnie Générale de Navigation. Here’s what you can see about the company on Wikipedia in English, but if you click to “Français” you will see more complete information: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Compagnie_Générale_de_ Navigation_sur_le_lac_ Léman
There’s a link for the CGN website so you can look up schedules on our Lake Geneva web page here.
Look under “more on other websites”
Grüetzi Peterli –
Ligerz, where my hosts speak German, most of the time.
The Röstigraben passes directly beneath the Gasthof Kreuz.
I certainly agree with the suggestion of Yvoire. Pictures are on my other computer, but it is well worth a visit. I recall that we took the boat from Nyon to Yvoire an back.
Slowpoke
Attachments:
Salut Slowpoke,
Your mention of the Röstigraben is timely, as in today’s RFJ there is a story about a somewhat controversial sign which is posted at the summit of the Welschgätterli, on the border between the cantons of Jura and Soleure. I attach an image of this sign, which shows a sun and blue sky over the Jura and nothing but bleakness on the Soleure side, labelled as “the rest of the world”.
I enjoyed your photos from the area around Gléresse (moi, je parle français) and I hope that they will inspire Autumnz to visit this area, perhaps on August 1 ! Here we are on the edge of the Jura but when the skies are clear, we have amazing views over to the Swiss Alps.I have some images from this area that I took last year, and if I can dig them up, I might post a few, once again to inspire Autumnz to come this way, perhaps on his return trip to Zurich.
Attachments:
Hello Autumnz and Slowpoke,
Well, I managed to find a few of the photos I took in October 2016 around Ligerz/Gléresse.
The first one is a panoramic view of Lac de Bienne (Bielersee) as seen from above the church up on the slopes surrounded by vinyards.
The second one is a view of part of the lake from the church itself.
The third one is looking down the very steep slopes to Ligerz/Gléresse from just beside the funicular track that links Ligerz to Prêles. In the background is the tip Île-St.-Pierre (St. Peterinsel) which extends about 4 kilometres into Lac de Bienne from the south-west.
The fourth one is an explanation of one the images in Slowpoke’s “Ligerz Various”. The odd little structure is a shooting stand (stand de tir en français). Shooting competitions have a long history in Switzerland. No shooting from here after 1889.
The last image was taken on the side of a building not far below from the “stand de tir”. Can anybody guess what is the purpose of all these boards ?
I also will attach a map (thanks to Google, of course) showing the area around Ligerz/Gléresse.
Hi Petrli –
<<“he last image was taken on the side of a building not far below from the
“stand de tir”. Can anybody guess what is the purpose of all these
boards ?”>>
Cats.
There is another one closer to the lake.
I’ll post it when I get home from myThanksgiving trip.
Also, one from Kaltacker
Slowpoke
Yes, the people on the top floor have a cat and this is the way the cat gets up to the window of their flat. No need to ring the doorbell and for folks to come downstairs to open the door. I suppose they taught the cat by putting it outside the window at the top and letting it figure out how to get down to the street. And the cat can enjoy a nice view of the Swiss Alps from the top of his ladder. See attached image.
Attachments:Those cat ladders seem to be a Swiss thing? I don’t recall seeing them elsewhere but I do see them here from time to time. Nice idea I have to say.
Hi Lucas and Slowpoke, and anybody else who reads this.
The following link will take you to a page entitled “The Bravery of Swiss Cats”. Some of the structures that have been set up for the cats are quite elaborate and ingenious. Hopefully the neighbours below don’t mind cats sometimes crossing in front of their windows ! http://www.newlyswissed.com/t he-bravery-of-swiss-cats-scariest-cat-ladders/
I love It!
I can’t see any other pics, but I love the cat ladders!
Hi Autumnz,
You can’t see any of the images that are attached ? Make sure you log in first.
Yes, I see it now!
Thank you!
I love the cute local villages from the pictures. Although we are thinking of basing in vevey for 3 nts to visit the vineyards, day trip to Geneva with lake cruise to voiyare, and a trip to levay las baines thermal, is there another recommendation to feel in a quaint local area instead of a tourist city, or do the areas of montreux and vevey also feel very “local Switzerland”?
Hello again Autumnz,
If you are looking for a nice off the beaten track place to visit, you would enjoy the area on the west shore of lac de Bienne (Bielersee), including, of course, Ligerz (in French, Gléresse). Here is a short video I made a couple of years ago from right beside the funiculaire (Vinifuni) track between Prêles above and Ligerz below. The noise you hear until the very end is the moving cable. On a clear day, the views from here towards the Swiss Alps are remarkable. youtu.be/pDml2iRSTKk
You might also find this interesting: http://www.bienne-seeland.ch/fr/transpor ts/rail/funiculaire-gleresse-preles.230.html
Hi Peterli –
I agree that the “Dreiseenland” (country of the 3 lakes) is a nice place to visit. I’d include wandering through Schafis, Twann/Douane, and le Landeron. Public transport along the shore is merely OK. Certainly a walk from the church above Ligerz through the vineyards and down to Klein Twann or Twann, then along the main street is pleasant and easy, although quite hot in the Summer sun. The grapes like all that sun. Trains and lake boats, are available but basically transport is once per hour. Some other towns around the lakes are also charming. Le Landeron is a bit of a walk from the station. La Neuveville has some pleasant attributes, as well. I liked a short visit to Estavayer le Lac, on the other shore.
Murten/Morat deserves serious consideration. Although it is not a small village, and has a lot of tourists, it is still not very large, and it is nice to walk on the old town walls.it has nice atmosphere. Plenty of restaurants.
I’d add that a really pretty wine town – Motier – is across the lake (in this case, the lake is the Murtensee). Public transport to Motier is somewhat limited; some bus service and the lake boats. The vineyards rise on the hillside above the town, and the main street has the shops of the local wine merchants. Mr. Simonet makes some very good wines. I stay frequently in Sugiez, at the Hotel del’Ours. Sugiez itself has little to see. But, the hotel has wonderful hosts, a very good kitchen, and a cellar full of very good wines. Many local wines. There is a lake boat landing there, essentially at the hotel.
The whole area is a bit of a train ride from Lac LeMan (French name) or Lac Geneve, Swiss name. Probably, sine the Forum’s official language is English, I should call it Lake Geneva. And, although public transport is certainly available, and enjoyable to ride through that part of the country, it is useful to have a car if you wish to see very many of the towns. Without a car, Murten/Morat and perhaps Motier become more appealing. Or, as you note, the western lake shore of the Bieler See near Ligerz. (Lake Biel.)
I’m away from my travel resources at this time, but wonder if something perhaps closer to their base, in the hills above the northeastern shores of the lake, might be worth considering. Villars… Nice train ride up the valley. Great views of the Dents du Midi.
Or, Mons Rotundus, which is the ancient Latin name for Romont, ;-). Quite a pretty village. .
Although I am perhaps incompletely informed, I find Geneva, even the nice old town around St. Peters, to be more like France than Switzerland….except for the plenitude of banks on almost every corner. 😉
Slowpoke
Hi Slowpoke, and anybody else interested in this thread,
You mentioned Le Landeron in your previous post, and I would like to add that an interesting time of year to visit is the last full weekend of September (the same weekend as La Fête des Vendanges in nearby Neuchâtel) when Le Landeron hosts La Fête de la Brocante, the largest open-air antique show in all of Switzerland. The dates for 2018 are Friday, September 28 to Sunday, September 30. http://www.neuchateltourisme. ch/en/events/main-events/flea-market-festival-le-landeron.1794.html The following link (in French only) shows other activities that occur in Le Landeron during the year. http://www.avvl.ch/ I have been going to this fête for the last seven years running and I never tire of it.
Also, on this same weekend, up above Le Landeron (NE) and La Neuveville (BE) in the commune of Lignières (NE), since 1970 they celebrate La Fête de la Désalpe, when they bring the cows down from the higher elevations (La Métairie de l’Isle) to Lignières. It is the only one in the canton of Neuchâtel. I will upload a couple of videos that I made this September, as that will be the easiest way to give you the flavour of what goes on. Here is a link to their website (French only). http://www.fetedeladesalpe.ch /page5.php I note that next year it will be on Saturday, September 22, one week earlier than the other two fêtes I have mentioned. On a clear day, the views from the slopes above Lignières over to the Swiss Alps are magnificent.
By the way, I sometimes will include a link that is not in English, because I figure that anybody with an open mind will still learn from poking around the various pages. The language of a photograph or a map or a video is universal in a certain sense.
- The thread ‘Itinerary help for my 13 night Swiss trip’ is closed to new replies.
