Switzerland - Italian Alps

I disagree. There is more to Switzerland than just the Jungfrau region. Bern is culturally rich and very appealing. Zurich has great museums. The Swiss Italian region is also very charming. I particularly enjoy Ascona and Locarno and some of the remote valleys above (Maggia, Verzasca). There are fascinating medieval villages in those valleys like lovely Lavertezzo with typical stone chalets (rusticos). Consider Bellinzona and its three castles also.

On the train route St Moritz, Pontresina (here for lodging)and Lugano (very quiet on Lake)are (also a short bus ride to Lake Como) gd bets. But consider Appenzell and Lake Constance (Germany)area (Lindau) which are a very short train ride from Zurich airport since you speak of 1-2 days.

Janet, While Zürich and Bern have a few interesting sights, I'd suggest allocating more time for Lucerne (the Museum of Transport there is incredible). At this time of year, a cruise on the lake may not be as enjoyable, but you could consider a trip up Mt. Pilatus. Two places that you could consider in the Italian speaking Canton of Ticino are Locarno and Lugano (you'll hear lots of German spoken there as well). Both are beautiful cities, both are located on a lake and both have a Casino. Which one to choose will depend to some extent on your interests. If you decide to visit Locarno, you could travel via the scenic Cento Valli Railway, which runs from Domodossola. Check Their Website for more info. In Locarno you could have a look at the impressive Il Santuario della Madonna del Sasso Franciscan Church which is just above town. Another activity to consider is the Cable Car to Cardada which provides fantastic views of the lake and city. Some of the shopping choices in both cities tend to be on the "posh" side, with stores like the Bucherer Jewelry chain. If you're looking for a $10K Rolex Watch, you'll have no trouble finding one. It will likely be a bit "chilly" to sit on the outdoor patios, but there are lots of good restaurants in each city (check the Guidebook for suggestions). It will likely be "quiet" in all of the cities you're visiting, and I'm not sure whether lake cruises will be a good choice at this time of year. Of course, Zürich and Bern are more active at any time of the year. Happy travels!

Take a train down to Lugano, Switzerland. It's in the Lake Como area of Northern Italy, and the mountain scenery is incredible. See Rick's Graffiti Wall for names of some accommodations in that area.

Just returned from Switzerland. Thanks for all your suggestions. We did enjoy an afternoon walking around in Bern, and was very glad that the bears are finally in a natural habitat, instead of those horrible pits! Lucerne is exquisite and really warrants a few days visit. We visited the fascinating Swiss Transport Museum. We also enjoyed an active day hiking in Sattel Mountain (near Zug). We took a cable car (that rotates) up Sattel Mountain, and then walked across a "skywalk" (which is really a suspended bridge) and walked around the long way..Without any snow cover, I was surprised how green the mountains are in late Nov! On the last day, we walked around the old town in Zurich and saw the Gaughin exhibit at the Kunsthaus Zurich; was also delighted to see an extensive (largest collection in the world) exhibit of Giacometti's artwork. Will wait until warmer months to visit the Swiss-Italian Alps.

Hi Janet, it is so nice to hear someone report favorably on "other" areas in Switzerland. To hear some people talk, you would think the Jungfrau region is the only place worth visiting. There is so much more to Switzerland! When you are ready for Ticino, go in spring or fall and visit some of the small villages in the lakes region (outside Locarno or Lugano). There are some good suggestions above. Haven't been yet myself, but I have been compiling a list. Gandria, Morcote, Ascona, Val Verzasca and more.

I echo the suggestions on visiting Lugano and Locarno. I spent an extended weekend in those areas 10 years ago and it was so memorable. I'd love to go back given the opportunity.

I'm sure the winter scenery is spectacular in Cardada at the moment. It's located high above Locarno, with incredible views of the city, lake and surrounding mountains. In the warmer months, it's a great hiking destination with alpine vistas and of course the same views. THIS webcam provides a sample. Cheers!

A few years ago my husband and I stayed in Lucerne. Then we took the William Tel Express (river/train) to Lugano. We stayed at the Hotel Dante Center. When you get off the train in Lugano, it is a tiny station. You get on a very short funiculr and ride it. When you stop, the hotel is directly to the right, where you get off the funicular. We then took day tours over to Milan, Lake Como and Lake Maggiorre. We loved using Lugano as our hotel stop. When we left Lugano, we then boarded the Bernina Express in Lugano. We first were on a bus, which did a long tour around Lake Maggiore. Then we boarded the Bernina Express train through the Alps. It was beautiful. We eventually made our way back to Zurich for four nights. Switzerland is beautiful. The town of Lugano is very small. There are tiny shops along the winding pedistrian walkways. We hve been to Switzerland thre times and loved it. The only problem is the people smoke so much in Zurich, Berne and Lucerne. They even smoke while holding their children. The train stations smell terrible.

Will visit Switzerland in June for a family visit and will have several days to travel and explore. Thanks Elaine for the recommendation on the Will Tell Express to Lugano...Think I will try that. Have been researching the Swiss rail options...Cannot find any senior discount for the Swiss Flexi Pass or Transfer (to/from airport) pass. Anyone know if Swiss Rail offers any discount to seniors? There is no information on the Swiss Rail website. The art museums offer senior discounts for 64+...but surprisingly can't find any travel discount.

No senior discounts on rail tickets or passes meant for visitors. SBB does offer an annual pass (designed for residents) that has a reduced price for seniors. The regular price for the GA annual pass for adults is 3550 CHF; the price for seniors is 2650 CHF. You can also get one for your dog for 760 CHF. The interesting thing about the senior pass is that wemen are eligible at age 64; men at age 65.

I agree with some of the other posts. We took the William Tell Express out of Lucerne and ended in Lugano. We then spent five nights in Lugano. We loved our hotel. It was the Hotel Dante Center. It is at the bottom of the funicular. You take the funicular, as soon as you exit the train in Lugano. We took day trips to Milan, Lake Maggiore and Lake Como. Then when we left Lugano, we took the Bernina Express. It was also beautiful. It included a long bus ride around Lake Maggiorre. We changed trains also. Then we ended at the end of the Bernina and got off in Zurich.