Interlaken and Lucerne

You should do overnights in both places. In Interlaken I stay at this hotel: http://www.lotschberg.ch/pages/english/hotel-loetschberg.php It's recommended and patronized by Rick Steves.

Hi Tam. If you haven't already, I'd strongly suggest you read the Rick Steves Switzerland book. Great info that will help you plan and enjoy your trip.

The question is, when are you going and what do plan to see and do while in Switzerland?

stay in separate places for sure. if you have an option however re Interlaken I would stay in Lauterbrunnen Valley over Interlaken. the views and area is unsurpassed.

Lucerne is awesome if it weren't for all their smoke. Unfortunateyl, we were there in 2009 and the smoke was almost unbearable. The people smoke even indoors. They smoke while holding their babies and children. It was disgusting. The smoking really ruined our trip to Lucerne, Berne and Zurich. Lugano wasn't as bad. Elaine

Thank you so so much for all suggestions. This my first time travel to Switzerland and can't wait to be there. There are so many things to see and do.. hope I can do them all. I will change my reservation to stay at Lauterbrunnen Valley instead of Interlaken for sure. If you see 3 Thai girls walk around Bernese Oberland in May, that's me and my friends! Thank you all again. Tam

Lucerne for 2 days is good...a day siteseeing in town, and a day doing the Golden Round Trip which involves a ferry ride on Lake Lucerne, dropped off at Alpnachstad, cog railway to the top of Pilatus, and then a gondola ride back down into Lucerne...a great day in every way. As for interlaken, as mentioned, you may be better staying up in the Berner Oberland somewhere( eg Lauterbrunnen, Murren, Gimmelwald, Grindelwald,etc) or just use Interlaken as a base and take day trips to the Berner Oberland

I would stay in each. Lucerne merits a night (maybe 2, MAX, depending on how long your trip is) , and then move on to the Bernese Oberland. Lucerne IS pretty, but the Bernese Oberland will give you that Alpine experience Switzerland's known for. Interlaken is a great gate-way to all you want to see and do in the Bernese Oberland, but it IS a bit busy. As an native, I would suggest staying in neighboring Grindelwald (spectacularly beautiful and much prettier/quieter than Interlaken) OR, as Rick ALWAYS suggests, Gimmelwald. On my 2nd trip to the region, I stayed in Gimmelwald and absolutely loved it. Far more rustic and non-touristy, compared to it's neighbors Interlaken and Grindelwald. And it's still very easy to get to the cogwheel train that'll take you to the Jungfraujock (a must!), the top of Europe, as wel as to to Schilthorn/Piz Gloria (another must!) for breaktaking alpine views. From Gimmelwald, there are also endless hiking possibilities. Take a look at Rick's Switzerland guidebook----he waxes poetic about Gimmelwald (he does so on his PBS show, too). Although that's now become a bit of a double-edged sword; as much as it's more rustic and "real" (read, non-touristy) than Interlaken, it's now become much more popular than ever, due to Rick. But the good thing is that, while there, you'll meet other, fellow travelers, who share Rick's love of independent, "back-door" (Rick's term for undiscovred destinations) travel. You're off to 1 of the most spectacular regions in Europe. Enjoy!

Tam,
We stayed in Lauterbrunnen and loved the scenery and laid back atmosphere. The Hostel has great pizza too! One thing I would strongly recommend when you go to Interlaken is Paragliding. We did it and it was absolutely a life long memory. The view was spectacular and it was a fair price. Have a blast and enjoy Switzerland.