We will be in Venice this week and want to travel through the Alps towards Austria then on to Switzerland. We would like to find lovely little quiet towns to stay 4-5 nights each and do day trips or hikes on public transport. We are looking for 3-4 places along the way to fly out of Zurich late October. Any suggestions welcome. Thank you.
Posted by
Bay Area, California
1841 posts
It depends on what kind of towns you want to see. Do you want more Disney like towns (almost all tourists, such as Cortina) or do you want to interact with locals? By hikes, how strenuous can they be?
Posted by
9491 posts
Lucerne is my favorite Swiss city. Also, the Interlakken area has several small cities and towns that are perfect.
As for Austria, Innsbruck is a great city, but love the area around Salzburg (but that is more out of your way).
Posted by
OP
13 posts
Thank you for replies. We like the quaint, quiet beauty, connecting with locals and just taking in the beauty. Walking and a bit of light hiking, enjoying the local cuisine and culture.
I’ll appreciate any other specific recommendations you may have.
Posted by
Bay Area, California
1841 posts
Toblach is a good base for exploring Tre Cime and Lago di Braies. It's touristy, but not totally Disney-like. Then, for Val Gardena, there is no better base than Ortisei, esp. that you are using public transit. I don't know if you have much time in Austria, except in Innsbruck which is a great base for Tirol and a quaint city. It offers convenient transit linkage with Switzerland. Lucerne is not to be missed. Don't skip the Lake Lucerne boat trip.
Posted by
OP
13 posts
Thank you very much. This will help guide our travels through Austria and Switzerland.