Switzerland Iten. for 7 days

Simran: It's fine to tentatively schedule going up the Jungfrau for day 3. But going up to 11,000 feet is highly dependent on the weather, which in that particular place is highly variable and difficult to predict; and for that reason, what most travelers do in the Lauterbrunnen Valley is remain flexible and adjust their schedule to take advantage of a good weather day to go up high. Example: The weather there is usually best, for getting views, in the morning; so, if the morning of day 2 is looking like a good weather day when you get up, you probably want to adjust your schedule and go up the Jungfrau then, rather than sticking to your itinerary.

Kent

I am sorry, I forgot to mention these are just things we are going to do for the 7 days - but not necessarily in this order - we will remain flexible and make run time decisions once we are there. :)

Yes, that's the way to do it.I'll let others comment about your day trips (I assume they're day trips) from Lauterbrunnen to Lucerne and Bern.

Yes

They are day trips only. It just makes it easier to make one place our base and then take day trips from there.

Kent is very correct about being flexible with your plans to go up to the Jungfraujoch. The weather can vary. There used to be a TV monitor in the Lauterbrunnen train station that lets you see the top before travel up there. It takes 2hrs to get up there and 2hrs to come back down. You might want to get up there early if the weather looks good.

As for getting to Lucerne, you might consider the Golden Pass scenic train from Interlaken to Lucerne. You could go onto Bern from there.

Last year I hiked from Muerren all the way down to the Trummelbach Falls. It was easy and scenic. A very relaxing hike. The hike from Muerren to Allmenhubel(sp?) above Muerren is nice though you take the funicular up and hike down but its really scenic and not at all difficult. It can be done at a very leisurely pace.

Simran, If you have a Regional train pass (I highly recommend considering the length of time you will be there) you should take advantage and head over to Grindlewald and up to First on one of your days. The last time we went there were about 100 paragliders hanging around the top flying back and forth. The view is amazing, and you can ride a scooter on the way down among the cows. It's quite an experience! My personal favorite hike is the 2 hour hike from Almendhubel to Gimmelwald. 2nd favorite is from Mannlichen (sp?) to Klein Scheidigg. I definately recommend reading Rick's recommendations for hikes in the area. You should also be sure to stop by Trummelbach falls which is quite amazing.

Simran, I like that you're giving yourselves several days to see the BO area. Too many people just like to "drop in" for a day or two. But what they can see/do is very limited. Once you get there you will find it is even more spectacular than you had imagined. Are you sure you will get from Milan to Lauterbrunnen by noon? I do not know how long the trip is from Milan to Interlaken, but assume you will have to leave quite early to catch a train from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen and reach that destination by noon. As for hikes in the BO area--a couple people have mentioned going up to Allmendhubel by funicular from Murren. One beautiful trail from there is the Mountain View Trail to Grutschalp--open views of the mountains virtually all the way and not too difficult. In good weather it's a splendid hike. Another possibility would be to take the cable car up to Schilthorn, then as Rick Steves advises, to hike down from Birg. It's steep in places and a long descent. But it offers awesome views and takes you through alps (high-country pastures) past cows with cowbells--a true Swiss Alps experience. As a bonus, you go past a couple mountain houses (Berghauses) where you can get a drink or eat a local delicacy--like cheese made from the cows you walked by. The car-less village of Murren is worth a visit. Good eateries there. On the Wengen/Kleine Scheidegg side of the valley the hike from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg is very easy (gradual downhill in that direction) with up-close-and-personal views of the mountains. The trail from Kleine Scheidegg past the base of the Eiger is also an awesome trail that takes you right up on the foot of that famous mountain. Take it to Alpiglen and catch the train back tp to Kleine Scheidegg/Wengen.

As for Interlaken, it's mostly an entry into the BO with lots of restaurants and shops. Better to spend a full day in Lucerne from which you can easily go to Bern.

I am en expat who has lived in Switzerland for the past 6 years and I am now planning a trip for when my parents come to visit. I have to say that it is a pity to skip Zurich. I find it one of the most beautiful cities in the world, especially on a clear day when the mountains are visible across from Lake Zurich. Luzern is also quite beautiful, though there is hardly a town in Switzerland that isn't picturesque. If you travel to the east, St Gallen is quite beautiful and for less ambitious hikers, there are more green cascading mountains (Saentis will still have snow, though) with happy cows in Appenzell. I have done most of my hiking in this region. It's not as touristy as the Berner Oberland, but just as beautiful in a different way. I have been on the Glacier Express which was fabulous, and have read about the William Tell express which goes from Luzern to Locarno including lunch and a steamboat ride. There is a lot of information at www.myswitzerland.com Trains are expensive here, so I would get a pass of some sort. Train passes are usually not included for gondolas, but a discount applies (and the gondolas can be very expensive). From Lauterbrunnen, I have taken the gondola to Murren, which is a nice sleepy village, there are so many in Switzerland, I can't imagine that Gimmelwald is something different than most of what one finds in the mountains! However, there is not much to see in Interlaken, and I didn't find Lugano very interesting. I would recommend a fast trip across the border to Como or Ascona instead. Keep in mind that everywhere in Switzerland, especially in the summer and in the mountains, the weather is very unpredictable, and there can always be a week or 2 in summer where it feels more like fall...I hope you enjoy Switzerland as much as I do!