Love2TravlCC

Hi all! I appreciate all your help in my previous posts! As I stated before, my husband and I will be traveling to Switzerland Aug 1st-7th. We were able to get a fantastic deal on flights to and from Zurich. We will be staying in Weggis and Lucerne. I believe we have 3 nights in Weggis and 2 in Lucerne. My husband and I are returning after our amazing honeymoon last summer where we fell in love with Lucerne, Wengen, Ennetburgen, Grindelwald, Brienz, and Lauterbrunnen. We had a little over two weeks for our first trip and were able to see quite a bit. We have done quite a bit around Lucerne, however we did not get to stroll the streets as much as we wanted to the first time around. We also are choosing to spend time in Weggis as we did not get a chance to visit the town/village and thought it would be nice to enjoy a bit of quiet time there.

We are still struggling with deciding on day trips. We did LOVE to travel by train. And we are looking to take one or two day trips. We were thinking about Bern, Thun, and/or maybe Engelberg? What do you recommend? We would love to see a castle or two, enjoy a stroll, see more sights, and shop.

Are there any vineyards close by? Should we consider any other day trips? Are there any train trips we should look into?

Thanks in advance!!

PalenQ

We would love to see a castle or two, enjoy a stroll, see more sights, and shop.>

Spiez has the castle of your dreams -perched high above Lake Thun-nice boat ride from Interlaken - for info on trains and where to go check www.sbb.ch - Swiss railways official site; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Mt Rigi, high above Weggis - cable car to summit or trains from Vitznau - celebrated view point and Alphorns always blowing away - Swiss version of bagpipes.

Love2TravlCC

Thanks so much PALENQ! Will do some research on Spiez as well!

My husband and I visited Mt Rigi on our first visit. It was wonderful! Would always go again for that view!

PalenQ

Spiez itself is small but beautifully spils down to the lake above which the castle majestically hovers.

Have you done Mt Titlis from Engelberg or Mt Pilatus near Lucerne?

Thanks for the thanks!

Love2TravlCC

Spiez looks beautiful! With the vineyards in the area, do they offer wine tasting?

We actually did not have the opportunity to do either Mt Titlis or Pilatus.

We would like to visit Bern as the old town looks lovely. Can we take a half day for one trip and half day for another? Or do these places deserve more time? Because we have seen so much of Lucerne itself, we do not feel bad about taking even 2 days to visit other areas by train or boat.

mokka4

Both Pilatus and Titlis are great in slightly different ways. Titlis goes up in stages. You can get off at Truebsee, a mountain lake, for a level, circular walk. The snow-capped mountains reflect in the lake (it is actually one of my meditation scenes-gorgeous). Then you can go back to the train/gondola, and finish ascending over the bluish glacier.
Pilatus is well-infrastructured, with a choice of ?3 further short climbs to different summits. 360 degree views. Take either the silver roundtrip circuit or the gold, ascending and depending on different pathways.
I would devote 2/3 day to either for transit needs.
But I loved Bern as well, using an apt there as a base for a week.
Walk down to the bears and up to the Rosengarten for stunning views over river Sat.

mokka4

River Aar!
Also Einstein cafe, Clock Tower tour. Good brewery near bears!

Adelaidean

You have included Thun, so guess you know Thun has a castle, I haven't been there yet ( going in September), but views of it from below and from it of the town and lake look impressive.

PalenQ

On Lake Thun a short distance from Thun is Oberhofen - a lovely lakeside town with another neat castle - bus or boat there.

Love2TravlCC

Thank you for your input! So in thinking about our number of days we have....what would be the best itinerary in your opinion?

We arrive to Weggis on Aug 2nd in the morning. Because of the jet lag, by the time we get to the hotel and check in, I think its better if we stay around that area for the rest of the day/evening.

Aug 3: We will be in Weggis............day trip somewhere??

Aug 4: We will be in Weggis............day trip somewhere??

Aug 5: Head to Hotel Montana Lucerne (not sure what time check in is so either we will enjoy Lucerne or plan a half day somewhere and have the hotel hold our luggage)

Aug: 6 Lucerne (being our last full day, we plan to spend the day in Lucerne strolling the streets and enjoying the views, relaxing, and packing to head home OR if we feel up to it for a half day trip somewhere)

Would love some help with an itinerary picking from the following places: If we did a few of them together, what is the best way to visit them?

Bern
Thun
Oberhofen
Spiez
Titlus OR Pilatus

mokka4

Of your list, personally, I would place Thun at the bottom (just MY opinion). It is a small city on a lake, with some nice squares and a few cobblestone streets.
Spiez + Oberhofen OR
Thun + Oberhofen would be easily visited in a day.
My faves would be Titlis and Bern.

Love2TravlCC

Thanks Mokka! I was leaning more towards Spiez and Oberhofen together anyways. My husband would love to see some castles this trip, however I would also love to visit bern and Titlis. Would it be too much trying to fit bern, titlis and Spiez/Oberhofen in with the time we have?? We are not the type to try to "fit it all in" so if it doesnt work for this trip to see it all, we wont. And if they dont all fit, how do we choose where to?

Love2TravlCC

I feel like I am leaning more towards Spiez & Oberhofen and Bern as our two day trips. Can you do Titlus as a half day? Or do you really need to put a full day into that? On our honeymoon we did a lot of Mountain visits. We did not get to enjoy any of the castles so that is why I think we will do that one day.

mokka4

Travel from Weggis to the Titlisbahn Talstation (valley floor start of ascent) is 2 hours!
Add to that the actual ascent, IF you get off at Truebsee and walk, top time and return, and you are at 6 hours or so....

Luzern to Engelberg Titlisbahn is 1 hr 6 mins, just saying....

mokka4

My mistake, Luzern to Engelberg Titlisbahn us ONLY 54 minutes!
Google Titlis.ch/en to research more about area hikes and glacier activities.
The Titlis seilbahn Rotair even has some video on YouTube! It is different from other mountain excursions IMHO. You can then better decide between Bern and Titlis!

PalenQ

The Titlis seilbahn Rotair even has some video on YouTube! It is different from other mountain excursions IMHO>

Yes the famous rotating aerial gondola to near the summit. It would be hard to do in a half-day - Titlis that is. Rigi could well be from Weggis especially.

mokka4

But, the OP said they hiked Rigi last year, and didnt wish to repeat....

PalenQ

thanks - missed that! but they did say:

Would always go again for that view!>

Not sure they hiked but it is a nice hike down -little long but can hop on the train en route to Vitznau- not sure about hike from Weggis -think may be too steep.

Mark Twain in his book A Tramp Abroad famously opines about his walk up to Rigi to take in the sunset -they walked all night I guess. He particularly deplored the Alphorn blowing as did I (but kind of cool too!)

They could go up for sunset too -just a cable ride from Weggis. But with so many other options...but always possible on short notice from Weggis.

Love2TravlCC

What is the best way to get from Luzern train station to see Spiez and Oberhofen?

mokka4

Ok, SBB has an app, in English which is super easy. Just enter starting point and endpoint (Fahrplan = travel plan), and the date + approximate time you wish to travel. A list of possibilities comes up with duration of travel and prices.
To Spiez, you change in Bern (ironic).
To Oberhofen, you change in Thun (more irony) for either a bus or boat. That may affect your final choices!