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July 3 to July 9 in Switzerland

We (my wife, 2 boys 10 and 12 years old, and myself) are finally visiting Switzerland next week and the family is excited! July 9 is travel day to Italy. This post only focuses on the Switzerland leg.

Priminarily our itinerary is:

July 3 — Zurich → Lucerne

🏨 Lucerne (Night 1)

  • Arrive Zurich Airport
  • Train to Lucerne (~1 hr 15 min)
  • Old Town
  • Chapel Bridge
  • Lakefront walk

July 4 — Mount Rigi

🏨 Lucerne (Night 2)

  • Boat + cogwheel train to Mount Rigi
  • Optional swim in Lake Lucerne

July 5 — Lucerne → Lake Brienz → Wengen

🏨 Wengen (Night 1)

Transit

  • Lucerne → Interlaken Ost (~1 hr 50 min)
  • Boat to Giessbach Falls (~1 hr)
  • Giessbach Falls → Wengen (~1 hr 30 min)

Activities

  • Lake Brienz
  • Historic funicular
  • Walk behind waterfall

July 6 — Schilthorn Day

🏨 Wengen (Night 2)

Visit:

  • Gimmelwald
  • Mürren
  • Birg
  • Schilthorn

July 7 — Grindelwald First

🏨 Wengen (Night 3)

  • Grindelwald First
  • Cliff Walk
  • Bachalpsee
  • Optional zipline, carts, trottibikes

July 8 — Männlichen

🏨 Wengen (Night 4)

  • Männlichen
  • Royal Walk
  • Easy hiking
  • Relax in Wengen

July 9 — Wengen → Bergamo

🏨 Bergamo (Night 1)

Transit

  • Wengen → Interlaken Ost (~25 min)
  • Interlaken Ost → Lucerne (~1 hr 50 min)
  • Lucerne → Arth-Goldau (~30 min)

Booked Train

EC19

  • Arth-Goldau 12:18
  • Milano Centrale 14:50
  • Duration: 2 hr 32 min

Then:

  • Milano Centrale → Bergamo (~50 min)

My questions are this:
1. Is it doable to go to Giessbach Falls en route to Wengen from Lucerne? If so should we get off the train in Brienz or Interlaken? What are pros and cons of each? Are the falls worth a stop with everything else we are packing in?

  1. With us traveling in July what is the best timing and avenues to secure luggage storage if we stop in Brienz?

  2. What is the best app to monitor weather on the day?

  3. On the outbound to Italy I only pre booked the EC from Arth-Goldau to Milano Centrale. Is it ok to buy all the other trains as we go. I am going to buy the Swiss half fare card.

    1. Anything I should consider changing?
Posted by
1022 posts

My only thought is about the last day - you will be travelling for 6.5 hours, plus connecting time.
When you get to Bergamo you will have more travelling time if you are staying in the upper town.
Where are you going after Bergamo?

Posted by
7 posts

Yes, we took this into account and booked two nights in Bergamo. This gives us a full day in Bergamo without it feeling rushed and also the flexibility for us to rest the night we get there if we feel tired.

I was going to post the Italy leg separately but since the question was asked I can post the Italy leg here including the July 9 travel day.

July 9 — Wengen → Bergamo

🏨 Bergamo (Night 1)

Transit

  • Wengen → Interlaken Ost (~25 min)
  • Interlaken Ost → Lucerne (~1 hr 50 min)
  • Lucerne → Arth-Goldau (~30 min)

Booked Train

EC19

  • Arth-Goldau 12:18
  • Milano Centrale 14:50
  • Duration: 2 hr 32 min

Then:

  • Milano Centrale → Bergamo (~50 min)

Evening:

  • Città Alta

July 10 — Bergamo

🏨 Bergamo (Night 2)

  • Città Alta
  • Piazza Vecchia
  • Funicular
  • Relaxed day

July 11 — Bergamo → Sirmione → Bardolino

🏨 Bardolino (Night 1)

Transit

  • Bergamo → Sirmione (~1 hr 30 min)
  • Sirmione → Bardolino (~45 min)

Activities

  • Scaliger Castle
  • Old Town
  • Gelato
  • Lakeside lunch

July 12 — Lake Garda Relaxation

🏨 Bardolino (Night 2)

  • Swimming
  • Ferry rides
  • Relaxation
  • Explore Bardolino

July 13 — Flexible Lake Garda Day

🏨 Bardolino (Night 3)

Choose based on weather:

Option A

Lazise
(~15 min)

Option B

Malcesine
(~1 hr)

Option C

Riva del Garda
(~1 hr 30 min)

Option D

Another swimming/relaxation day

July 14 — Lake Garda → Venice

🏨 Venice (Night 1)

Morning

  • Final swim
  • Relaxing breakfast
  • Lunch by the lake

Transit

  • Bardolino → Peschiera del Garda railway station (~25 min)

Booked Train

Frecciarossa 9731

  • Peschiera 14:44
  • Venezia Santa Lucia railway station 16:10
  • Duration: 1 hr 26 min

Evening:

  • Grand Canal stroll
  • Dinner near San Marco

July 15 — Venice Highlights

🏨 Venice (Night 2)

  • St. Mark’s Basilica
  • Doge’s Palace
  • Rialto Bridge
  • Gelato and wandering

July 16 — Murano & Burano

🏨 Venice (Night 3)

Transit

  • Venice → Murano (~20 min)
  • Murano → Burano (~30 min)
  • Burano → Venice (~45 min)

July 17 — Fly Home

Transit

  • Venice → Airport (~30–45 min)
Posted by
12309 posts

July 5 looks awkward to me. Long way rather out-of-your-way to see a waterfall. It is beautiful, but you have so many other beautiful places you could see with your time.

If you decide to do it, store your luggage in Interlaken and return there via boat to retrieve it. It is about 2 hours from Hotel Geissbach to Wengen, BTW.

Alternative ideas:

  • get to Wengen as early as possible and do your July 8 activities
  • settle in Wengen and go down to Lauterbrunnen for the afternoon, walk to Staubbach Falls or even walk the whole valley to Stechelberg.
  • Another Lauterbrunnen based idea, Consider riding up to Grütschalp and walking to Mürren, an easy walk with terrific views. Return by taking the cableway down to Stechelberg, bus to Lauterbrunnen and train to Wengen
  • Check your luggage in Interlaken and go up to Harder Kulm before proceeding to Wengen, also on a historic funicular

You might benefit from the Berner Oberland Regional Pass along with the HFC.