Hiking Trip Plus Some Culture - 5-7 days where?
Mar 25th, 2016, 09:19 PM
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Hiking Trip Plus Some Culture - 5-7 days where?
Planning on taking a trip on Iceland Air in early September. I've been wanting to spend a few days in Iceland for a while, and Iceland Air's stopover deal seems like the perfect way to combine Iceland with a longer Europe trip. I'm looking for help to decide which mainland Europe destination to spend 5-7 nights near. We're an active couple in our late 20s looking for day hiking trips (not overnight camping/carrying our luggage) from 1-2 bases within reasonable driving distance from the airport. Also open to public transit. We're interested in any hikes that fit people can do in a day w/o equipment, and are especially interested in stellar views. Any nearby towns of cultural significance beyond the hiking would be an added bonus, but not necessary for this trip. Any suggestions which airport to fly into and where to go for our next trip??? Could also do an open jaw trip if it makes sense.
Available airports include:
Bergen (Norway)
Stavanger (Norway)
Trondheim (Norway)
Oslo (Norway)
Gothenburg (Sweden)
Stockholm (Sweden)
Helsinki (Finland)
Geneva (Switzerland)
Zurich (Switzerland)
Available airports include:
Bergen (Norway)
Stavanger (Norway)
Trondheim (Norway)
Oslo (Norway)
Gothenburg (Sweden)
Stockholm (Sweden)
Helsinki (Finland)
Geneva (Switzerland)
Zurich (Switzerland)
Mar 26th, 2016, 12:07 AM
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Hi k_traveler,
In Switzerland, I am most familiar with two areas and have some slight familiarity with a third --
I am most familiar with the area around Montreux/Vevey on Lake Geneva, which will be about 90 minutes by train from the Geneva airport. You'll have hikes (and bike rides) around the lake from various points as well as from village to village through the vineyards of the Lavaux (the vineyards should be splendid in Sep). There are also hikes in the hills/lower mountains above the lake, including from/around Sonloup, Les Avants, Caux, etc.
I'm also familiar with the area around Gstaad/Chateau d'Oex (about three hours by train from either Geneva or Zurich airports). This countryside is characterized by lower mountains and green rolling hills, and you can hike or bike from village to village along the river valleys, or you can hike in the mountains above Gstaad/Chateau d'Oex. You can walk/bike to Gruyeres to see the cheese demonstration and the preserved village on the hill, as well as seeing Broc-Fabrique for the tour of the chocolate factory. You can also walk/bike to St Stephan and to Lenk along the Simme River.
I am somewhat familiar with hiking in the Engadin Valley. I have biked from town to town along the Inn River (Zuoz-Bever-St Moritz), and I've hiked in the area around Scoul. The Upper Engadin (St. Moritz/Zuoz area) is characterized by a river valley framed by towering peaks and dotted with lakes, and it is pretty dramatic. The area around Scuol has high peaks, but a bit lower than the Upper Engadin. Travel from Zurich airport to Zuoz or to Scuol will take about 3h.
In all of Switzerland, it is super easy to hike without a car. Just catch a train or bus to the start point, then a train or bus from the end point to your home base. You can take bicycles on the trains with an additional fee of 5 chf, and you can rent bicycles from any medium-sized or larger train station.
Have fun as you plan!
s
In Switzerland, I am most familiar with two areas and have some slight familiarity with a third --
I am most familiar with the area around Montreux/Vevey on Lake Geneva, which will be about 90 minutes by train from the Geneva airport. You'll have hikes (and bike rides) around the lake from various points as well as from village to village through the vineyards of the Lavaux (the vineyards should be splendid in Sep). There are also hikes in the hills/lower mountains above the lake, including from/around Sonloup, Les Avants, Caux, etc.
I'm also familiar with the area around Gstaad/Chateau d'Oex (about three hours by train from either Geneva or Zurich airports). This countryside is characterized by lower mountains and green rolling hills, and you can hike or bike from village to village along the river valleys, or you can hike in the mountains above Gstaad/Chateau d'Oex. You can walk/bike to Gruyeres to see the cheese demonstration and the preserved village on the hill, as well as seeing Broc-Fabrique for the tour of the chocolate factory. You can also walk/bike to St Stephan and to Lenk along the Simme River.
I am somewhat familiar with hiking in the Engadin Valley. I have biked from town to town along the Inn River (Zuoz-Bever-St Moritz), and I've hiked in the area around Scoul. The Upper Engadin (St. Moritz/Zuoz area) is characterized by a river valley framed by towering peaks and dotted with lakes, and it is pretty dramatic. The area around Scuol has high peaks, but a bit lower than the Upper Engadin. Travel from Zurich airport to Zuoz or to Scuol will take about 3h.
In all of Switzerland, it is super easy to hike without a car. Just catch a train or bus to the start point, then a train or bus from the end point to your home base. You can take bicycles on the trains with an additional fee of 5 chf, and you can rent bicycles from any medium-sized or larger train station.
Have fun as you plan!
s
Mar 26th, 2016, 04:32 AM
#3
what do you mean by culture, football, fishing, personal lives, opera, ballet, painting, sculpture, food, family, spas each of these has a special meaning in some of the countries mentioned and would mean "culture" is some of them?
Switzerland is very well placed for good hikes with great train/bus support and if for a say a first timer a great choice.
Some of the hikes over the fjells in Norway are worth the effort such as Hardanger, but public transport is less good.
You've not mentioned Denmark which might interest you as the have the highest number of bike paths in the world and while hiking is done (and the place is dead flat) using bikes might be a better way to go. If this idea appeals follow my name back to summer 2015 to see what I did.
Switzerland is very well placed for good hikes with great train/bus support and if for a say a first timer a great choice.
Some of the hikes over the fjells in Norway are worth the effort such as Hardanger, but public transport is less good.
You've not mentioned Denmark which might interest you as the have the highest number of bike paths in the world and while hiking is done (and the place is dead flat) using bikes might be a better way to go. If this idea appeals follow my name back to summer 2015 to see what I did.
Mar 26th, 2016, 07:38 AM
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Swandav2000: Thanks for the detailed description of hiking options in Switzerland. Those sound lovely, I will have to look into them more!
Bilboburgler: Perhaps "culture" was a poor word choice. I guess I meant cute/interesting towns to explore, possibly museums, churches, or other historic sites. Your Denmark suggestion sounds great for a future trip - we do love biking - but I think for this trip we're looking for some of the dramatic scenery only mountains, canyons, and/or fjords can provide! The Switzerland hikes or Hardanger region are more what I had in mind.
Bilboburgler: Perhaps "culture" was a poor word choice. I guess I meant cute/interesting towns to explore, possibly museums, churches, or other historic sites. Your Denmark suggestion sounds great for a future trip - we do love biking - but I think for this trip we're looking for some of the dramatic scenery only mountains, canyons, and/or fjords can provide! The Switzerland hikes or Hardanger region are more what I had in mind.
Mar 26th, 2016, 07:58 AM
#5
"Perhaps "culture" was a poor word choice", no I think it is a great choice of words, trouble is it means so many different things to so many people.
Norway, being basically empty of people is limited, the dragon churches of Norway are interesting but really are duller, darker and under decorated than you can believe. Oslo has some culture for you to visit and Bergen a bit, however, otherwise it is just fjords and fjells as far as you can see. Because there is so little to see you need a car to get to see it all. However the days are very long in the summer so you could hike say 5pm to midnight in the daylight.
Switzerland has more museums but, having no history of colonisation has a more limited set of museums than many european nations, however you will find railway museums in most towns that normally show how the grinding poverty of the 1850s was slowly lifted by the arrival of the train which helped stitch the nation together, meanwhile some pretty clever industrialists then developed technologies which provided cash flow until banking could really take a hold in the late 1930s.
As my Swiss BIL says, please don't visit Switzerland just send your wallet for a holiday
Despite these comments which are meant with a tongue in cheek, you will find some very interesting churches in out of the way bits of Switzerland and amazing railway routes (720 degree spirals inside mountains etc) but very little worth time in the big cities.
There are a bunch of links at the bottom of this page which might help
http://www.mybikeguide.co.uk/Swiss_Bike.php
Norway, being basically empty of people is limited, the dragon churches of Norway are interesting but really are duller, darker and under decorated than you can believe. Oslo has some culture for you to visit and Bergen a bit, however, otherwise it is just fjords and fjells as far as you can see. Because there is so little to see you need a car to get to see it all. However the days are very long in the summer so you could hike say 5pm to midnight in the daylight.
Switzerland has more museums but, having no history of colonisation has a more limited set of museums than many european nations, however you will find railway museums in most towns that normally show how the grinding poverty of the 1850s was slowly lifted by the arrival of the train which helped stitch the nation together, meanwhile some pretty clever industrialists then developed technologies which provided cash flow until banking could really take a hold in the late 1930s.
As my Swiss BIL says, please don't visit Switzerland just send your wallet for a holiday
Despite these comments which are meant with a tongue in cheek, you will find some very interesting churches in out of the way bits of Switzerland and amazing railway routes (720 degree spirals inside mountains etc) but very little worth time in the big cities. There are a bunch of links at the bottom of this page which might help
http://www.mybikeguide.co.uk/Swiss_Bike.php
Mar 26th, 2016, 11:17 PM
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Hi again,
I really think you ought to settle on your hiking destination first, then folks can add in comments about what other interesting and/or historic things are nearby. I would just not be happy about spending 10 or 15 minutes typing up some of my favorite things to do in Montreux, in Gstaad, or in the Engadin -- and then discover that you decided to hike in another spot. I'm sure that wherever you decide to hike, you'll have no trouble finding other great things to do!
I do want to add that if you choose to hike in/near Gstaad in early September, you may run into the Menuhin Music Festival there (14 July - 3 Sep). That can be either good (great music in some incredible venues) or bad (hotels at a premium, concerts may be sold out).
http://www.gstaadmenuhinfestival.ch/site/en/
Have fun!
s
I really think you ought to settle on your hiking destination first, then folks can add in comments about what other interesting and/or historic things are nearby. I would just not be happy about spending 10 or 15 minutes typing up some of my favorite things to do in Montreux, in Gstaad, or in the Engadin -- and then discover that you decided to hike in another spot. I'm sure that wherever you decide to hike, you'll have no trouble finding other great things to do!
I do want to add that if you choose to hike in/near Gstaad in early September, you may run into the Menuhin Music Festival there (14 July - 3 Sep). That can be either good (great music in some incredible venues) or bad (hotels at a premium, concerts may be sold out).
http://www.gstaadmenuhinfestival.ch/site/en/
Have fun!
s
Mar 30th, 2016, 09:00 AM
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Chamonix is a great base for day hikes. Fly into Geneva and take a shuttle (about 30 Euros) into Chamonix. Once there ask at your hotel for tourist card that allows free bus and train transportation throughout the valley. Alternatively, take the train from Geneva to Martigny and then the local train to Chamonix. Slightly longer and slightly more expensive, but los more entertaining. 20+ trips here and going back for 5 days in July. Another great base is Wengen (or Murren). Lots of good day hikes, especially the Eiger Northface trail. Going back there for the 15th or so time before we go to Chamonix. Take the train from Geneva. Zermatt isn't a great base for hikes too, although more expensive than the other two. Easy train ride from Geneva. After Chamonix, going to Engadine valley for a week. Haven't hiked there, but it looks and sounds interesting. Staying in Pontesina and Sils Maria. Longer train ride from Geneva (6-8 hours). Great museum in Martigny. Foundation Gianadda.
