First time Switzerland: Engelberg or Lucerne?

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    10 June 2017 at 15:41:19 #812207

    I am travelling to Switzerland for the first time with my wife and will be spending 7 days in total in this country. I intend to explore the city and cover good sightseeing throughout the journey to Switzerland.

    I have planned my trip in the following way:

    Day 1- 3 Starting from France to Switzerland through rail on 23rd June 2017 (arrive at Engelberg) and spending next two days there – visiting Jungfraujoch and Mt Titlis in next two days.

    Day 4-7 – Moving to Zurich and visit the following in remaining 3 days –

    Lake Zurich

    Rhine Falls

    Lucerne – One full day

    Mount Paletas

    My colleague who travelled previously to Switzerland advised me to stay in Lucerne instead of Engelberg and advised me to spend my time there.

    Can you please guide me whether my itinerary is sufficient and need to make modification.

    Lastly, I have a flight departing from Zurich, hence has come to Zurich.

    Please guide me.

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    Arno
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    10 June 2017 at 18:53:43 #864870

    Welcome to MySwissAlps Harshilpatel!

    I agree with your colleague: staying in Lucerne would be much more efficient, and it is a wonderful town as well. From there you can easily visit the town itself, Mount Titlis and Mount Pilatus (did you mean this one?). Even a day trip to Zurich and the Rhine Falls would be possible but you can also base yourself in Zurich for two days to cover that. Jungfraujoch is a very long day trip from Lucerne (10 hours or so), but it can be done. From Engelberg it would hardly be feasible.

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    10 June 2017 at 19:36:46 #864871

    Hi Many thanks for the prompt response. Help me out with the following things :

    1. How likely would be weather in last week of June since I am travellling at that time. Which clothes shall I bring.

    2. Which is the best place to stay Lucerne Or Engleberg. I intend to cover Jungfraujoch and Mt Titlis from Engleberg if at all I decide to stay there. If Lucerne is better then can I cover both the place from there as well?

    3. Which is the best place to stay Lucerne Or Zurich

    4. Is Swiss Travel pass purchased online and taken a print of it would be sufficient since it would be more convenient for me?

    5. The places mentioned in previous post is sufficient or shall I cover the other place as well.

    Lake Zurich
    Rhine Falls
    Lucerne – One full day
    Mount Pilatus

    6. We are vegetarians. So any difficulty in getting veg food. I heard from my colleagues that finding veg food is a very difficult thing. How much cost it would be to have veg dinner.

    Thanks

    Regards

    Harshil Patel

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    11 June 2017 at 9:57:39 #864872

    Hi Harshil,

    1. It is summer in the lower elevations (Zurich, Luzern etc) so I would pack accordingly – it should be warm but of course rainy and chilly weather is possible. The higher elevations (mountain tops over 2000 meters) won’t get too much over maybe 15 degrees and can get as low as 0.
    2. As noted by Arno, Luzern is the better option for you and your planned trips.
    3. Best for what? What is the prettier town? If you want to see Zurich and maybe the RheinFall Zurich is more convenient, but it can still be down from Luzern.
    4. Yes, buying the Swiss Travel Pass online and printing it at home is much more convenient (the pass is the same as if you bought it at a rail station here in Switzerland
    5. Personal preference here – I would skip Zurich and RheinFall and focus on Luzern and the nearby areas.
    6. It isn’t too hard to eat vegetarian food. While there is a lot of meat served in Switzerland, you can find vegetarian restaurants in larger cities and there is often a salad or other dishes like Rösti (hash browns) that are meat-free.

    Lucas

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    11 June 2017 at 14:25:10 #864873

    I am not an expert and am in Switzerland right now following much of the advice that was on this website.

    We are in Lucerne right now and took the train to Engleberg today to go up Mt Titlis. In my mind there is no question- stay in Lucerne. It is an amazingly beautiful city with so much to do and see. Completely charming. Engleberg was a town, cute but no comparison. And very easy to get to from Lucerne. We are staying at Hotel des Balance. A bit pricey but a perfect location in the center of Old Lucerne overlooking the river and a number of historical sights. We went to Riggi yesterday as there was some sort of event going on at Pilatus and they said it would be quite crowded. Riggi exceeded our expectations. Took the boat to the train going up the mountain,then walked down for a few miles and then picked up the cable car to Weggis . Then the boat from Weggis back to Lucerne. A perfect day!

    Enjoy your trip.

    Slowpoke
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    12 June 2017 at 3:48:12 #864874

    Hi Harshil-:

    <<“2. Which is the best place to stay Lucerne Or Engleberg. I intend to cover Jungfraujoch and Mt Titlis from Engleberg if at all I decide to stay there. If Lucerne is better then can I cover both the place from there as well?”>>

    As Arno wrote:

    <<“Jungfraujoch is a very long day trip from Lucerne (10 hours or so), but it can be done. From Engelberg it would hardly be feasible.”>>

    Slowpoke

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    12 June 2017 at 13:45:02 #864875

    All of Switzerland is beautiful, and it’s hard to go wrong…But if you can, get to Zermatt..stay in a Julen Hotel & visit the Matterhorn, best & most beautiful place in our trip.

    Slowpoke
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    12 June 2017 at 15:03:13 #864876

    Hi Peterzier-

    <<“But if you can, get to Zermatt.”>>

    Thanks for your comment. Zermatt is indeed a beautiful area:

    http://www.myswissalps.com/ze rmatt

    I’m not an expert on Zermatt, but I thought that you could not visit the Matterhorn, unless you were a mountain climber. Am I mistaken?

    <<“best & most beautiful place in our trip.”>>

    Also, to put your comment in perspective, where else did you visit on your trip, so we can understand what you are comparing Zermatt to.

    Thanks,

    Slowpoke

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    12 June 2017 at 16:03:20 #864877

    correct you can’t climb the Matterhorn. Go to Klein Matterhorn or Gornergrat cog train to view. But you could take a 20 min. helicopter ride to it, & up it…you will never forget it.

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    14 June 2017 at 3:01:20 #864878

    Lake Neauchatel, Glacier Ex., St. Moritz, Innsbruck, Salzburg& Garmish Bavaria, Zugspeitz. Didn’t go to Interlaken to view that part of the Alps. But they say the Matterhorn is the most viewed mountain in the Alps.

    Slowpoke
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    14 June 2017 at 11:50:19 #864879

    H Peterzier –

    <<“Lake Neauchatel, Glacier Ex., St. Moritz, Innsbruck, Salzburg& Garmish Bavaria, Zugspeitz. Didn’t go to Interlaken to view that part of the Alps. But they say the Matterhorn is the most viewed mountain in the Alps.”>>

    Quite a trip. I’ve not see the Zugspitz nor been to Garmisch, so I can’t judge those. Certainly, the Matterhorn and Zermatt would be the most impressive of that list within Switzerland, for me as well.

    However, in my opinion, the Jungfrau region (not Interlaken) offers a comparable experience, over a much larger area, with more opportunities for varied viewpoints and hikes. So, you might consider a look on your next trip, and see what you think.

    As for most viewed, I offer another thought.

    The Matterhorn can be seen from many directions, and many angles. Mostly from the less populated regions of Switzerland, Italy and France. However, the Jungfrau massif can be seen from Bern, the Lake Neuchatel region, Stanserhorn, the Emmental….. That means a lot of people get to look at the Eiger, the Mönch, and the Jungfrau ( and more) every clear day from all over Switzerland.

    Of course, it is not “up close”, but to be precise – the millions of people within those regions outnumber those who get to see the Matterhorn from Zermatt, or Fiesch, or the Gemmi Pass or other high viewpoints.

    To illustrate my point, I’ve attached views of the Alps from the Dreiseenland ( Three Lakes Region), and the Emmental.

    Just kidding about the number of viewers, but when you return to Switzerland, you’ll have a lot more ways besides Zermatt to see more beautiful mountains. 😉

    Slowpoke

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    15 June 2017 at 19:54:17 #864880

    Beautiful pictures nice camera!

    Slowpoke
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    15 June 2017 at 21:48:24 #864881

    <<“Beautiful pictures nice camera!”>>

    Thanks. They were taken over several years and involved at least 3 cameras. Two of the panoramas were taken with film.

    Slowpoke

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    16 June 2017 at 2:46:06 #864882

    So Slowpoke, I have a question for you that involves a place close to you, and hope you have some experance and feed back on. I saw a short piece on TV about it, and trying to convince my wife to take this trip after an Alaskan Cruise.. (New Caledonia!!) The South Pacific looks way more intoxing than the Caribbean. Any advise? Peter

    Slowpoke
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    16 June 2017 at 9:36:51 #864883

    <<“I have a question for you that involves a place close to you,”>>

    <<“(New Caledonia!!)”>>

    H Peterzier –

    In which canton is New Caledonia?

    Joking aside, the Forum deals with Switzerland.

    Slowpoke

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    17 June 2017 at 0:27:07 #864884

    I may be mistaken, but I thought you were from down under! The forum may be about switzerlsnd…but insight and info is always welcome.

    Slowpoke
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    17 June 2017 at 2:26:36 #864885

    <<“but I thought you were from down under! “>>

    Why?

    Slowpoke

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    17 June 2017 at 3:00:51 #864886

    Information about New Caledonia Island, off of Australia! If you are from Australia? & you have been there.

    Slowpoke
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    17 June 2017 at 3:22:59 #864887

    <<“Information about New Caledonia Island, off of Australia!”>>

    Not from me. Perhaps there are other Slowpokes?

    Slowpoke ( the authentic one)

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    17 June 2017 at 18:17:04 #864888

    ok, sorry. Guttentag!

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