Hello! We are excited for our trip in May 2024 down the Rhine on an Amawaterways River cruise. We will end in Basel. We will have 5 more days in Switzerland. I would love some advice on 2 places to visit. We will fly out of Zurich. Lucerne is certainly a must do. Thanks in advance!!
Posted by
San Diego, California
5603 posts
Go directly to the Alps- the Berner Oberland, and stay in either Wengen or Murren. Then travel to Lucerne at the conclusion, and commute to Zurich airport from Lucerne. The logistics are easy and it's a 1+ hour train ride directly into Zurich the airport.
This comes up often here.
https://search.ricksteves.com/?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=After+Basel+cruise&button=
Enjoy your trip.
Posted by
OP
Utah
25 posts
Thanks so much! Great insight!
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
748 posts
Agree with Pat. We did a cruise that ended in Basel. It's a charming city for an overnight . We went from cruise ship to hotel and in morning took the train to our next destination. But you certainly can go directly to the mountains depending on trains
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
8050 posts
You really have lots of options, depending a bit where you might have stopped on the cruise. But Into Freiburg, Baden-Baden, and the Black Forest would be one. You could head into the Alsace, with Colmar and small towns down to Strasbourg, the Berner Oberland as was mentioned, or into Bavaria with Fussen and the castles and Munich. All would be within easy reach.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33818 posts
In addition to the above - a day or a day and a half in Basel can be a lot of fun.... add more time if you want to explore nearby Baselland, the southern Black Forest or nearby France. It is all good around there...