6 days in Switzerland - help me pick the 2 quaintest villages to visit

We spent 3 days in Murren in Sept. 2007. Easy access to trams and trains and much to see in the Berner Oberland. Lots of easy, medium, and difficult hikes in the area. Just make sure you hit the grocery before it closes at 6pm if you're traveling on a budget. :)

Ted, I don't know what quaint means to you. If you want to stay in one place with easy access to two very picturesque villages, I would recommend Lauterbrunnern which has easy access to both Wengen and Muerren. If you wish to stay in the two villages, I would say pick Wengen and Muerren. If by quaint you mean a few restic residences and no businesses to speak of, then Gimmelwald fits the bill.

Yes, based on my research, the Wengen area looks great. If we were to add on one other village in another not-too-difficult-to-access-via-public-transport area of Switzerland, what would folks recommend? (By quaint, I'm thinking, small, local, village life - cow bells, church bells, pastural setting, wildflowers, simple. :)

For hiking, I really liked staying in Pontresina. It's beautiful and every day you can take a different type of hike--mountain meadows, chairlift to higher elevations, there is even a trail to St. Moritz!

Ted,

For "traditional" and "quaint" you might also have a look at the Appenzell region, which has lots of the "cowbell culture". As I recall from Rick's TV show on that area, women weren't even allowed to vote until 1990!

Have a look at This Video for a look at the area.

Cheers!

Yes, Ted, Wengen is beautiful. It is accessible via funicular from Lauterbrunnen, the arrival town from Interlaken. Muerren is the similar village on the other opposing cliff above the Lauterbrunnen valley. It is accessible either via cable car from Lauterbrunnen and train (only a couple of miles) into Muerren or bus to cable car that goes to Gimmelwald and another cable to Muerren. Wengen and Muerren are similar. Gimmelwald kind of fits your description of quaint. It is a small collection of residences, but no real village.

Thanks to all for the input!

Hi Ted-we stayed in Interlaken but would go back to the area and stay in Murren. If you do go, don't miss the Trummelbach Falls in the Lauterbrunnen valley ( also a neat, quiet place), accessible down from Murren I think by cable car and a postal bus- very cute. The falls are quite spectacular as you go into the rock crevices where they cascade down, all very safe and fun.
Didn't Rick Steves show people bike riding all the way downhill from Murren ?
Also, make sure to try the 'sauser' available in September at cafes, restaurants- it is wine that has just started to ferment, 4-5 days, so it is a grape juice,not too sweet but with enough of a kick to make any town quaint-ha.

There are many beautiful, picturesque villages in Switzerland to visit. But on a short visit of 6 days, you want to minimize your traveltime and maximize your hiking, biking, and relaxing time.

I think the idea of two villages for 3 days each is a good one. Let's say you pick either Wengen or Mürren for one. Pontresina has been suggested for the second. But while the Engadine is lovely, you would spend 6 to 7 hours on the train getting there.

Instead, I suggest you take a look at Kandersteg, a small valley town 2 to 2.5 hours from Wengen by train. You can stay either right in town (try the Adler), or in a mountain lodge on the shore of a lovely lake: www.oeschinensee.ch which you reach by a small chairlift. With 3 nights at Kandersteg or at the lake, you could spend one intervening day hiking (there are several mountain huts in amazing locations that make excellent dayhike goals). Spend the other biking into the nearby Gasterntal, an undeveloped valley that looks a lot like Yosemite. You can rent bikes at the Kandersteg train station. We have walked into the Gasternal from kandersteg, so it's not far, but on a bike you could geet way up the valley. The car traffic is very restricted, so the bicyling is safe and very pleasant. google "Waldhaus" in Gasterntal for photos of a nice place to stop for lunch . . with the most amazing collection of cowbells (and great strudel).

From Kandersteg it is only 2.5 hours back to the Zürich airport on the train.

I like Wengen, and it's a great base for ski or hiking, bit I wouldn't call it "quaint" compared to other area towns. It's a resort town through and through. Murren is quainter, and Gimmelwald is the very definition of quaint, though so quaint it might not have enough services for you.

Hi Ted, My vote is Gimmelwald. It's a one lane village right below Murren.You can find it in R.S. book. We stayed with Ollie the school teacher in his apartment he rents out. Very clean and nice and the views..... Hope this helps!

All the best

Monte

We agonized between Wengen and Muerren, but in the end chose Muerren and I'd go back in a second! Our days were spent: 1)hiking all over and above the town; 2)Allmenhubel on the North Face Trail (saw LOTS of cows with cowbells!)back to Muerren; 3)up to the Schilthorn; 4)walked to Gimmelwald, down to the valley by cable car, walked to Trummelbach Falls (as amazing as another poster pointed out) and Lauterbrunnen, train to Wengen, cable car to Mannlichen, famous Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg walk (usually packed but a little late in the day and threatening rain, so we were the only ones on the trail!), then back to Wengen, Lauterbrunnen, and then up to Muerren. Lots to do from Muerren, along with the quaint factor going for it.
We stayed at the Chalet Fontana which is smack dab in the middle of the walking village in a room with a view of the Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau from our window.
Have a great time!