I’m planning our family’s July 2020 vacation to Northern Italy and Switzerland and would appreciate some advice. We’re a party of 10, ranging in age from 12 to 76. Last year we all did Florence, Rome, and Almalfi Coast and we had a great time and are looking forward to another adventure! We’ll start this trip with 3 days near Ancona, Italy visiting relatives, then on to Venice for 4 nights. We’d then like to head to Switzerland and I’m thinking it might be a good idea to spend the remainder of the trip (6 nights) in Lucerne. My thought is that it’s easier, especially with a large group, to have one home base and explore from there rather than to always be on the move, checking in and out of hotels. I also like that from Lucerne there’s plenty of options for shopping, cafes, restaurants, and exploring cities in addition to getting up into the mountains, cruising the lake, etc. As beautiful as some of the smaller villages in the Bernese Oberland look, I worry that my MIL and FIL who enjoy exploring new towns and cities (as well as having some physical limitations) may feel there isn’t enough options for them. And I found the key to success with our trip last summer is choosing places with plenty of options so everyone can do what they like...and the whole group doesn’t always need to travel as a pack. So please let me know...would you choose a different base? Is 6 nights in Lucerne too much? Or would you break the 6 nights up between 2 locations? Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Posted by
Maryland
863 posts
The Bernese Oberland is a bit over 2 hours from Lucerne. Berne is 1 hour 20 minutes and Zurich is less than an hour. There is the lake, the mountains with gondolas and the history in the core of the Swiss Confederation. With ten people, the range of activities is an outstanding characteristic. The cost will be astronomical. But it is anywhere is Switzerland.
You have two weeks available and it sounds like the second week will be in Switzerland. Moving 10 people will consume an entire day so changing cities during that time will put a significant crimp in your visit. You noted the issue was so successfully avoided last year that you will be back in 2020..
You don't mention how you will travel but it is about 6-7 hours by train from Venice to Lucerne. The routes seem to go through Milan and then north through Lugano through the new Gotthard tunnel and on to Lucerne. You could stop for the night in Lugano, and then do the Gotthard Panorama Express across the pass (though the old corkscrew tunnels) and down the lake on a lake steamer for a more fun travel day unless you simply want to go there and get it done. You can do the scenic Panorama express from Lucerne going south to Bellinzona/Lugano and catch the quick train through the new tunnel back within one long day too.
Have great time!
Posted by
Washington DC
27104 posts
I haven't been to Switzerland recently, nor have I spent much time in its more mountainous areas, but my concern with a base in Lucerne is that mountain weather is very changeable. The usual advice is to get up, check the webcams showing conditions at the top of the mountain you hope to visit that day, and make a decision. Lucerne is far enough away from the Lauterbrunnen area that I'm afraid the weather could change before you get to the top. Those transportation expenses are very, very high if all you can ultimately see is clouds.
Lucerne's advantages may outweigh this concern, however.
Posted by
Columbus, OH, USA
117 posts
I’m doing similar in early May, with a group slightly larger group of family with similar age span (although my kids will be 3 and 5). We are spending 18 days in Switzerland and Italy (8 in Switzerland and 9 in Italy). 75% of my group has grandparents who were born in the Bern-Thun General area, and a large part of our visit is a first time visit to Europe (my husband and I have been to Europe several times, including to this area, but everyone else is a first-timer.) , an interest in seeing the area of their roots, and some “look! That’s grandma’s house!” Sort of stuff.
Anyway, what I’ve decided to do, after charting out what we would be doing, is spend our arrival night in Luzern, and then spend 4 nights in Thun....and then off to Lugano for 2 nights on our way to Italy. I figure that a first night in a new, beautiful place, the luggage and check out logistics will be fine, then we’ll be off to a more permanent base for 4 nights. I agree with you on a base in general, especially with various people and ages. What I liked about Thun is that there are ferries, trains, buses, bars, shops, restaurants, etc., and pretty scenery. in short, it’ll keep everyone busy and it’s easy enough to point a few guys who don’t want to visit the castle to a bar or a different train. We considered staying in Bern, but ultimately decided that Thun was a better base for us. Given our early May time frame, and then general things that we wanted to do, Thun shaved 30-40mins train time off each way, each day, and is a pleasant, calm place with good connections to where we need to go.
My husband and I stayed at Holiday Inn Bern Westside a few years ago - and honestly, that’s where we were going to stay in Bern. It was a good place for us to stay, and we thought the people in our party would be comfortable with it. It’s convenient to the main train station (like 10 mins) and train/tram stops right in front of hotel. It’s attached to a shopping mall with restaurants, a movie theater and a water park as well. Their reception desk is great to deal with too - very responsive over email and very helpful. We just ultimately decided Thun was a better base for our logistical needs.
I’d love any suggestions on traveling to Florence, Rome and Amalfi Coast with a group 😂 that’s exactly what I’m planning next. It feels more daunting than Switzerland for some reason, despite having previously been to Rome and AC!