We have been to the Swiss Alps before-Lauterbrunnen, Murren, Jungfrau, etc.-and loved it! We are trying to decide between going back to Italy (Cinque Terre and Venice - maybe Tuscany) and to the French Alps and Southern France OR going to Norway & Sweden. I love knock out scenery and quaint villages. Any recommendations between these two itineraries?
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17433 posts
Norway is beautiful---peaks and glaciers like Switzerland, but the valleys are filled with water and called fjords! However, it is not quite as "user-friendly" in terms of tourist infrastructure (although the Norwegian people are themselves very friendly), and it is VERY expensive. I suggest you check some prices for food, rental car, and lodging before making up your mind.
As for the French Alps---we spent a week in Chamonix and loved it (just as much as Switzerland, where we usually go).
Posted by
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
2777 posts
Stockholm is an extremely beautiful city set on 11 islands. The old town is on its own island (Gamla Stan) and is the equal of any quaint village I have seen. I adore Stockholm. However, I have not been anywhere else in Sweden.
The fjords in Norway most defintely rate as knock out scenery. The villages that I saw were quite rural and very pretty, but not as quaint as others I've seen. (I love cobbled streets, quirky buildings, that sort of thing.) Bergen is a very pretty and interesting town set on the water. I loved it. Olso is also set on the water, but didn't really wow me.
I have not been to any of the other areas on your post, so I cannot compare, but from what I have read and seen online, they would give Norway and Sweden a run for their money.
I don't thinkg there's a bad answer here.