There will be 5 of us, one who is 84, but a trooper. We will be starting in Zurich in Mid June and then train to Lucerne where we are looking to stay in the sleepy town of Weggis on the banks of the lake just below Mt. Rigi. Has anyone been there and would you recommend using it as a home base for 4 nights. We want to be out of the big city and do day trips from there ( Rigi, Titlist out of Engleberg, and possibly Pilatus. We may not even venture into Lucerne as we have been before and don't really care about shopping. We are looking for the beauty of Switzerland, easy hikes (know any?), Good food, and enjoying nature and the local culture. Any recommendations of where to stay, hotels, hikes, restaurants, train rides are greatly appreciated. Any one stayed at Oeschinensee out of Kandersteg?
From there we are considering training to Zermatt for two to three days but I must admit I question this choice as I have read mixed reports. I would like to include the Bernini express but it is pretty out of the way and you end up in Tirano and then a long buss ride to Lugano....sounds like a very long day. We have been to Varenna before and love it and it is close to Tirano but then we've been there before. Do people always go back to the same place?vAny ideas of where to go from Tirano besides Lugano or Lucarno?
Finally we will end our 2 week trip in Murren, another place we've been several times. Can't get enough of this place and want to save it till last as the pinnacle of the trip. Anything after Murren is a let down. I'd love to hear from you about quaint villages, hikes, itinerary, must do and see places. We have also considered lake Lusanne and stay in Veyvey and enjoy the vineyards and chillion castle but am concerned that it is a crowded and busy city filled with cars and tourists. We are really looking for mountains, rivers, lakes, meadows, cows, and those areas that are smaller and more picturesque. We love gondolas and cog trains. We will fly home out of Zurich. Thanks so much