Switzerland suggestions April 2013

What do you want to do in Switzerland? I assume the Alps, which are magnificent at anytime of year. But there are two factors to consider. One, early spring can be very cloudy and wet. If you stay in one place for a few days, you will probably get some nice views of the mountains, but will also likely have long periods where the Alps are hidden behind fog and cloud cover. Two, April is the transition period between the winter ski and summer hiking seasons. Many of the businesses that cater to these seasonal activities (ie, restaurants, hotels, etc) in some of the resort towns close. There may still be some skiing at high elevations, but usually conditions are not yet suitable for any interesting hiking. BTW, do you mean "Grindelwald" or "Gimmelwald"? I've never been to the former (but am staying there over the Christmas holiday), but I found the latter... well, boring as a place to visit just to see it. If the Alps are your main goal, where are you going in Italy? There may be a destination between the Mittelrhein and Italy that better fits your needs at that time of year than the Berner Oberland.

Luzern is nice, has access to mountains - although you need to check timetables during the dead months between seasons, and is good for reaching Milano via the Gotthard Pass. As Tom says, there's a Gimmelwald, there's a Grindelwald, but there's no Grimmelwald. April is a difficult time of the year in that part of the world. What is it that you had hoped to see?

Thank you Tom and Nigel! I meant Gimmelwald. We would use Gimmelwald as a jump off point to sight see, light hikes. But as you said it appears lots of businesses are closed and there could be snow, clouds. We would have stayed for 2-3 days. So, I guess our goal was/is to see the Alps and the nice scenery. Any other suggestions for a taste of Switzerland (not the cities)? We can come back another better time to see Gimmelwald and the top of the Alps. We live in the U.S. and are retired. We are headed on the train to Cinque Terre from Switzerland and then off to Venice.

Nancy, It may be possible to visit the Berner Oberland in mid-April, but of course there are never any guarantees regarding the weather. You can get some idea what to expect by having a look at THIS statistical data. It was somewhat overcast and gloomy a couple of days when I was there in September, so rain can happen anytime. If you have clothing for "layering", you should be able to handle the cooler temperatures. Where were you planning to stay in Gimmelwald? You might consider Lauterbrunnen or Mürren instead, as it's more likely you may find a Hotel open at that time of year. You can certainly check with accommodations in that area to find out when they'll be open. It will be somewhat of a "full" travel day from the Berner Oberland to the Cinque Terre (I travelled that route in the reverse direction in September). Depending on which train you choose, you should be able to arrive in time for dinner and enjoy a fine hot meal in the C.T., overlooking the azure waters of Mar Ligure. Which C.T. town are you planning to stay in? Happy travels!

Hi Ken: Now I am rethinking about Gimmelwald and the alps. Maybe we will just train through Switzerland or maybe "play it by ear" in the area regarding going into the alps. But yes, probably a larger town would have more open places. I have read that Wengen is nice too. And nice to know regarding the train to C.T. - I haven't decided which town there to stay in yet. Suggestion? We'll stay a couple days. Thanks!

Thanks everyone! Will be thinking over our options. Nancy

Wow Chris those panarama shots take you right there! Sitting here in Ann Arbor MI thinking I'm in the Alps :) Nancy