jfenton

Hi There,

I'm a solo Canadian traveler, and am looking at exploring Switzerland. I've been all over Europe, but never to this beautiful country. I need help planning a 4-5 day itinerary.

How much time do I have? 4 (or 5) full days
When? End of July/August
Where? ANYWHERE in Switzerland.
Considerations? I'll be flying in on a Tuesday from Barcelona, and need to leave by Saturday to head to Napoli. I'm looking for easy-moderate hikes (no special equipment needed), as much nature (lakes/parks) as possible, and ease of getting around (when traveling alone, I'd prefer for it not to be too stressful to get around). If there's a nice town to stay in, with proximity to different hikes/parks etc. I would do that.

Any help/tips would be much appreciated!

nytraveler

Not sure of best flights from Barcelona - but I would definitely stay in one of the small towns on the the flanks of the Jungfrau in the Berner Oberland. Besides the cog railway up the Jungrau - 12K plus feet - there are numerous great hikes in the area - many of them not involving lots of equipment.

If you get days that are rainy or very cloudy you can just pop down to Interlaken and there get on one of the lake steamers (Lake Brienz or Thun) and take then to visit the small charming villages on their shore, check out the lovely scenery/waterfalls and visit the fascinating museum of swiss life in Ballenberg (near Brienz).

michele_d

I second staying in the BO. We have been twice and absolutely love the area. We stayed eight days on our first trip and took a different hike daily. We stayed in Lauterbrunnen. The train is super easy to catch to all the small towns/villages in the area. Between the train and gondolas you can get everywhere very easily. We stayed at Chalet Horner. It is a home that has been converted to small apts which we found to be very pleasant for our stay. There is a laundromat, market and restaurants all within walking distance. It is quite simply one of the most beautiful places we have ever been to.

kja

I'll also recommend the Bernese Oberland for your stated interests. I enjoyed my (solo) stay in Lauterbrunnen, but if you can afford a room with a decent view, Wengen might a good choice. Click on my screen name to see my trip report.

neckervd

As you will have 3 full days, you can go wherever you like in Switzerland.
You may have a look at
http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/home.html
The cheapest flights (easyjet and vueling)from BCN go to GVA, BSL, ZRH, MXP.
Choose the airport according to your destination.