HI Everyone,
We are planning on flying to Zurich from Nice, France on June 10th and then head to lake como to milan, Italy by 15th or 16th June. We want to go on the Bernina express for sure, may be Lucerin and Interlaken. We won't mind skipping Lucerin or Interlaken or both if I get recommendations for other places. Additionally, can you also suggest if its better to travel by car or take trains to get from one place to another in Switzerland? Thanks in advance.
It looks like you have 5 or 6 nights to spend in Switzerland.
Forget Interlaken. Head to either Murren or Wengen after arriving in Zurich. Both towns are spectacular car-free villages high in the alps. They are a short train ride south of Interlaken. Interlaken has a nice distant view of the alps, but Murren and Wengen are actually in the alps. There is much mountain scenery and hiking to do in that area, so I'd stay there 3 nights. If you decide to leave Switzerland on the 16th, then you could add a day here.
Then I'd spend another 2 nights in Luzern (also spelled Lucerne, but never Lucerin). From there you can make your way south to take the Bernia Express.
Trains are usually the best way to travel around Switzerland, but look to get a rail pass to save money. The Half-Fare Card is usually the best option but the Swiss Travel Pass is also worth considering.
Edited to fix my math.
Thank you Fast Eddie. Couple of questions:
1. Would you recommend a day in Zurich. We might go to Rhine Falls as we have heard its closer to the Zurich airport and is beautiful. Any other places around Zurich that you would suggest?
2. What places do you suggest during our stay in Murren or Wengen? Hotels to stay?
3. Would you recommend Jungfraujoch, Bern or any other places?
4. What places do you suggest during our stay in Lucerne? Hotels to stay?
- Would you recommend a day in Zurich. We might go to Rhine Falls as we have heard its closer to the Zurich airport and is beautiful. Any other places around Zurich that you would suggest?
Zurich is a pleasant city but with such limited time, I think a typical visitor to Switzerland finds more of what they want in Luzern than in Zurich. Still, if you would like to visit Zurich it is only about an hour away from Luzern by rail.
- What places do you suggest during our stay in Murren or Wengen? Hotels to stay?
- Would you recommend Jungfraujoch, Bern or any other places?
The most popular mountain peaks in the region are Jungfraujoch and Schilthorn. They are great to do on a clear day. The region has endless hiking trails offering spectacular views. There are trails of all difficulty levels. Murren and Wengen are good starting points for many of them. Bicycling is also a great activity in the area.
Visiting Bern is a feasible day-trip from Murren or Wengen and it is a good option on a rainy day. It's about 1.5 hours away by rail.
I don't have specific hotel recommendations for Murren or Wengen; others will be able to share their recommendations. I stay in Gimmelwald, next to Murren, in pretty rustic accomodations which is not appealing to most people.
- What places do you suggest during our stay in Lucerne? Hotels to stay?
Lucerne has three mountain peak excusions nearby which are easy day-trips: Rigi, Pilatus, and Titlis. But Lucerne itself is a delight to explore on foot, especially the "old town" area. It also has a modern art museum featuring Picasso and Klee, a transportation museum, and neat fortress built into a nearby mountain for World War 2 which has now been decommissioned and offers tours on the weekend. You can also take pleasant lake cruises to other small towns lining the lake.
In Lucerne I have stayed at Hotel des Alpes and The B&B and highly recommend both.
Thank you FastEddie
