Hello everyone!
This is for Late December (a last minute trip!). For reference, this is a mother and teenager and we don't ski.
4 nights Vienna (first night get there late evening)
2 nights Salzburg
2 nights Lucerne (taking the direct train from Salzburg to Zurich then switching trains to use Swiss Rail Pass)
2 nights Lauterbrannen
1 night Zurich (before early departure next day)
My questions: 1) I wonder if i need an extra night in Salzburg (is the day trip to Hallstatt worth this?) 2) Should I base in Lauterbrannen or Wengen or Murren? I tried to do the latter two but not many hotel options. We did really want to wake up one day in an alpine village. Does Lauterbrannen count for that? I think it does, but making sure-had read it is very dark in winter too.
A note: our return flight is from Zurich so this is why Switzerland is on the last part of itinerary.
Things that were high on priority list to see or do we’re the following:
1) scenic train trip (Bernina is all sold out)
2) waking up in an alpine village
3) perhaps experiencing a car-free village
Of note, it is December so days are short.
Also of note, I do currently have hotel accommodations for all of the itinerary above already.
Does any of that change your opinion on my itinerary at all? Would love to hear if so! Thank you all so much for taking the time!