Hi, everyone, My mom's friend will be visiting Switzerland this summer. She has asked me for help with finding a travel agency and/or tour guide, because I live in Bern. She will be arriving in Basel and would like to see the Berner Oberland and Lucerne and possibly some other places if time permits. I am planning to put together some recommendations for her, and I can show her around Bern, but because I live here I don't know anything about travel agencies or tour guides. Does anyone have an agency or guide in Basel, Lucerne, or the BO they could recommend? Thank you in advance!
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
Basel Tourismus (official board organisation) does a number of guided walking tours through the city. In German and English.
See here: https://www.basel.com/en/Guided-Tours
From what I have seen walking past the groups, they sound good.
There are a number of self-guided walking tours. They are signposted, there is a brochure listing them available from Basel Tourismus.
See here: https://www.basel.com/en/oldtownwalks
There is a hop-on hop-off bus. I do not recommend it. Even more so than in Bern, it cannot get into the city centre. It goes round the outside where there is little to see, dipping in as far as it can go, and then turning round and going out again. And it only runs once per hour. I guess it is aimed at the cruise visitors, who expect a Ho-ho tour and think that is the best option.
The only way through the city centre is by tram. And the best bits are only accessible on foot, either side of the tram route, the "Gasse" (the lanes), Münsterplatz, walking along the Rhine, the ferries.
I really like the Gasse, a maze of narrow streets with buildings dating from 1400. Easy to lose yourself, turn round and think "WTF century am I in".
Google streetview 360° example: https://goo.gl/maps/JYH92ob3NKqthfaP6
Another example: https://goo.gl/maps/i3XtkExHdgzvNZhs5
The Rhine, view to Münster: https://goo.gl/maps/kWSyBRiPPdfMAiqR7
Posted by
Knoxville, TN, USA
7209 posts
But if by Berner Oberland you mean Lauterbrunnen, Murren, Wengen then all you really need to do is get on the train and go there.
Posted by
Lynnwood, Washington
8880 posts
I would suggest she look into the Rick Steves Best of Switzerland Tour. I took this last summer and it was great. Quality guides throughout and she won’t need to worry about trying to set up a lot of logistics. The tour ends in Bern, so that gives her time to visit with you there. Another plus is a great group of people to travel with.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32351 posts
Mari,
It would help to have a bit more information on what her expectations are for the trip to Switzerland? Does she envision being picked up in Basel by a guide, driven to the areas she wants to see and given a tour of each place? It would also help to have some idea whether she's comfortable travelling on her own or whether she prefers an organized tour? The reference to "travel agencies" and "tour guides" would seem to indicate that she might prefer an organized tour.
As the others have mentioned, visiting the Berner Oberland and Lucerne is easily done on her own, but of course good planning will be a big help. The RS Switzerland guidebook is a wealth of information so she might check her local Library to see if they have a copy.
You might suggest to your Mom's friend that she join this forum and tell us exactly what she wants. I'm sure the group here can provide lots of good suggestions to help her plan the trip.
Posted by
OP
Bern, Switzerland
86 posts
Thank you for the suggestions, everyone! I have already recommend that my mom's friend, her husband, and the other couple traveling with them look through Rick Steves and Lonely Planet and think about what kind of trip they'd like to do. I don't know them personally, so I don't know their comfort level with doing things on their own, although I agree that it is very easy to head to Lauterbrunnen on one's own and use it as a base and enjoy hikes and views! Thanks again.