Luzern or Murten?

Posted by Joanna (San Francisco, CA) on 09/07/08 11:15 AM

I know, they're very different. I'm flying into Zurich September 23rd, then probably heading to Gimmelwald on the 25th before heading to Geneva on the 28th to stay with a friend. So I have two nights to spend somewhere on the way between Zurich and the Berner Oberland (via train). RS suggests Luzern as his second priority after the Berner Oberland, but he also describes Murten as a fascinating medieval city that's a "joy" to eat in.

I love wandering around interestingly laid-out cities and eating local food. I want to see as many different types of Swiss cities as I can on this trip. I also don't want to overwhelm myself spending more time traveling than I'll have to actually see a place. I'm also looking more at hostels and other low-budget sleeping places.

Will anyone make a case for one or the other? Thanks.

Posted by David

Westland, Michigan, USA

09/07/08 11:25 PM

9 posts

I don't know if this will be much help to you since I've visited only one of the two cities.

I just got home about 2 weeks ago and spent about a week in the Bernese Oberland and did an overnight in Luzern. It's a beautiful Medieval type city on a beautiful lake.

If you're not interested in taking a boat tour or taking the train up to Mt. Pilatus, you can easily see the old city in a day. Since I was in the Oberland region before Luzern, I thought that Mt. Pilatus couldn't really compare with the Mönch, Eiger and Jungfrau and so skipped it.

The TI office will give you a map of a walking tour of the "old city" including a walk on the city walls, the Kapelle Bridge and, of course, the famous Lion Monument.

I stayed at the Waldstaetter Hof hotel right across the street from the train station. Not as cheap as a hostel but a classic building with newly rennovated rooms. I got a decent rate through Agoda.com.

Sorry, I've got no info on Murten.

Posted by Audrey

Keizer, Oregon, USA

09/08/08 06:40 AM

588 posts

I was in Murten on a RS tour. I was disappointed. It is quaint but not much to do. We were gone most of the day and only there in the evenings at the hotel which does have good food (wonderful breakfast) but not much else open. Murten was dropped from the RS tours in 2008 and not in the 2009 tour book. One of the tours was shortened so Murten was in my opinion the obvious choice to drop. Have fun. Switzerland is wonderful especially Gimmelwald and the BO area.

Posted by Joanna OP

San Francisco, CA

09/09/08 07:21 PM

6 posts

Thanks for the responses. I think I'll head to Luzern. =) I'll probably stay at Backpacker's Lucerne, unless anyone has another suggestion for an amazing inn at a comparable price.