Where to stay in Switzerland
Feb 19th, 2012, 08:19 AM
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Where to stay in Switzerland
Currently I'm torn between traveling to Switzerland or the South of France mainly b/c we'll be traveling in October and it won't be very snowy in Switzerland that time of year. Any thoughts on this??
But my main questions are thes...
In my reaearch I've found that we could go up to Jungfraujoch or Schilthorn or both. Would you suggest doing both or is one better than the other? I know the first mentioned can be quite pricey but well worth it. Also I've read about the Glacier Express and comments on this? Lastly Can anyone suggest the best central location to stay when wanting to do these trips? Zurich isn't too far but I've read it's not the best place to stay. I'm not sure.
Thanks,
~Mary
Read more: http://www.frommers.com/community/fo...#ixzz1mqhRqPAo
But my main questions are thes...
In my reaearch I've found that we could go up to Jungfraujoch or Schilthorn or both. Would you suggest doing both or is one better than the other? I know the first mentioned can be quite pricey but well worth it. Also I've read about the Glacier Express and comments on this? Lastly Can anyone suggest the best central location to stay when wanting to do these trips? Zurich isn't too far but I've read it's not the best place to stay. I'm not sure.
Thanks,
~Mary
Read more: http://www.frommers.com/community/fo...#ixzz1mqhRqPAo
Feb 19th, 2012, 08:57 AM
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the Jungfraujoch and Schilthorn are very very difference trips and experiences - try to do both - the Jungfraujoch offers many things once on top - walks to glaciers, vast ice caves, startling views south over the long Aletsch Galcier, the longest in the alps and down over Interlaken and Grindelwald, etc. It is also super crowded often.
Schilthorn involves taking the longest aerial cableway in the Alps - from Stechleberg to Gimmelwald to Murren to Schilthorn - the Murren to Schilthorn portion takes you up into the high Alps and above the snow level to the Piz Gloria revolving restaurant located on a spit of rock in the middle of nowhere - there is a small outdoor viewing platform and some ice caves but little else than out in the middle of nowhere views over a sea of ice and views for miles and miles around. The revolving restaurant is featured in the James Bond movie On Her Majesty's Service
part of the Schilthorn trip is going up from Lauterbrunnen via thrilling cablecar to Grutschalp, on top of the cliff overlooking Lauterbrunnen a few thousand feet below and then hopping a train that rolls along the cliff edge to Murren - awesome scenery from the train - from Murren hop the cable way to Schilthorn and return via Murren to Gimmelwald - a lost-in-time farming villages literally out in the middle of nowhere but with fantastic views of the Jungfrau Massif and high Alps - from Gimmelwald you take a thrilling cable way that seems to plunge right down to the Lauterbrunnen Valley at Stechlberg from where postal buses take you the few miles back to Lauterbrunnen (or walk on flat footpaths) - so the Schilthorn is part of a wonderful loop IMO that also lets you see Murren - a renown British watering hole long ago and now bright Alpine resort town sitting smack opposite the face of the Jungfraujoch and Gimmelwald as well. Thus a much more varied excursion than the Jungfraujoch train, which mainly goes thru tunnels to the summit - all well do both but If I had to chose I'd chose the Lauterbrunnen-Grutschalp-Murren-Schilthorn-Gimmelwald-Lauterbrunnen loop for a fantastic varied day out.
To me the Glacier Express is overhyped and not nearly the most scenic train in Swtizerland - the trains you take to Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, Wengen and Jungfraujoch are more scenic IMO than most of the GE - I would not go out of my way for the GE.
A great base for the Jungfrau/Schilthorn region would be Interlaken, Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen or Wengen IMO - many folks love small quiet car-less Wengen and it is well suited for day trips to either Schilthorn or Jungfraujoch.
Anyway scour these superb sources IMO for lots of great info on Swiss trains and transports and the Jungfrau region - www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.ricksteves.com and http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id3.html. And check out the Swiss Pass, valid on trains, lake boats and on all parts of the Interlaken-Lauterbrunnen-Murren-Gimmelwald loop (50% off Murren to Schilthorn) and to places like Wengen 100%.
Schilthorn involves taking the longest aerial cableway in the Alps - from Stechleberg to Gimmelwald to Murren to Schilthorn - the Murren to Schilthorn portion takes you up into the high Alps and above the snow level to the Piz Gloria revolving restaurant located on a spit of rock in the middle of nowhere - there is a small outdoor viewing platform and some ice caves but little else than out in the middle of nowhere views over a sea of ice and views for miles and miles around. The revolving restaurant is featured in the James Bond movie On Her Majesty's Service
part of the Schilthorn trip is going up from Lauterbrunnen via thrilling cablecar to Grutschalp, on top of the cliff overlooking Lauterbrunnen a few thousand feet below and then hopping a train that rolls along the cliff edge to Murren - awesome scenery from the train - from Murren hop the cable way to Schilthorn and return via Murren to Gimmelwald - a lost-in-time farming villages literally out in the middle of nowhere but with fantastic views of the Jungfrau Massif and high Alps - from Gimmelwald you take a thrilling cable way that seems to plunge right down to the Lauterbrunnen Valley at Stechlberg from where postal buses take you the few miles back to Lauterbrunnen (or walk on flat footpaths) - so the Schilthorn is part of a wonderful loop IMO that also lets you see Murren - a renown British watering hole long ago and now bright Alpine resort town sitting smack opposite the face of the Jungfraujoch and Gimmelwald as well. Thus a much more varied excursion than the Jungfraujoch train, which mainly goes thru tunnels to the summit - all well do both but If I had to chose I'd chose the Lauterbrunnen-Grutschalp-Murren-Schilthorn-Gimmelwald-Lauterbrunnen loop for a fantastic varied day out.
To me the Glacier Express is overhyped and not nearly the most scenic train in Swtizerland - the trains you take to Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, Wengen and Jungfraujoch are more scenic IMO than most of the GE - I would not go out of my way for the GE.
A great base for the Jungfrau/Schilthorn region would be Interlaken, Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen or Wengen IMO - many folks love small quiet car-less Wengen and it is well suited for day trips to either Schilthorn or Jungfraujoch.
Anyway scour these superb sources IMO for lots of great info on Swiss trains and transports and the Jungfrau region - www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.ricksteves.com and http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id3.html. And check out the Swiss Pass, valid on trains, lake boats and on all parts of the Interlaken-Lauterbrunnen-Murren-Gimmelwald loop (50% off Murren to Schilthorn) and to places like Wengen 100%.
Feb 19th, 2012, 04:20 PM
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We stayed in Wengen at the Swiss Guest House and just loved it. So easy to tour around by cable car, gondola, train. We visited Jungfrau, Murren, Gimmelwald, and hiked several trails in the area. The Swiss Pass is excellent!!
Feb 19th, 2012, 05:05 PM
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Switzerland has a plethora of things to see and do without snow - and if yo want winter sports you really need to wait until Christmas or later - although the mountaintops have snow (or glaciers) all year round.
If you want skking, of course wait until midwinter.
If you want to see a lot of other things in Switzerland: museums, cute towns, castles, dramatic waterfalls, beautiful lakes - and of course mountaintops - Oct is a perfectly good time of year.
If you want skking, of course wait until midwinter.
If you want to see a lot of other things in Switzerland: museums, cute towns, castles, dramatic waterfalls, beautiful lakes - and of course mountaintops - Oct is a perfectly good time of year.
Feb 20th, 2012, 06:31 AM
#6
I'll chime in here.
You don't say how long you will be in the Bernese Oberland.
The thing about both the Jungfrau and the Schilthorn is that going up to see them is VERY dependent on the weather.
There is no use going up to either if you can't see anything from the top.
Most people who go to the BO stay for a few days and wait for the best possible weather to go up to the Jungfrau and the Schilthorn.
If you get dizzy easily or have trouble with motion sickness I DO NOT recommend you go up to the Schilthorn.
The cable car up ascends too quickly and many suffer altitude sickness. Add in the revolving restaurant, Piz Gloria, and you are asking for trouble. If you do go up, take a Bonine tablet before you ascend.
The trip up to the Jungfrau is different because the train ascends slowly and your body has time to adjust to the change in altitude.
If you are going to the BO, then stay in the BO--in Lauterbrunnen, Murren, Wengen, Grindelwald, or Interlaken. Don't stay in Bern or Luzern or Zurich and think you are going to day trip it in.
These cities are too far away. You want to stay close so you can judge the weather.
One more thing, October is the "off season" in the BO. Many hotels and other venues will be closed.
Tschuss,
Pepper
You don't say how long you will be in the Bernese Oberland.
The thing about both the Jungfrau and the Schilthorn is that going up to see them is VERY dependent on the weather.
There is no use going up to either if you can't see anything from the top.
Most people who go to the BO stay for a few days and wait for the best possible weather to go up to the Jungfrau and the Schilthorn.
If you get dizzy easily or have trouble with motion sickness I DO NOT recommend you go up to the Schilthorn.
The cable car up ascends too quickly and many suffer altitude sickness. Add in the revolving restaurant, Piz Gloria, and you are asking for trouble. If you do go up, take a Bonine tablet before you ascend.
The trip up to the Jungfrau is different because the train ascends slowly and your body has time to adjust to the change in altitude.
If you are going to the BO, then stay in the BO--in Lauterbrunnen, Murren, Wengen, Grindelwald, or Interlaken. Don't stay in Bern or Luzern or Zurich and think you are going to day trip it in.
These cities are too far away. You want to stay close so you can judge the weather.
One more thing, October is the "off season" in the BO. Many hotels and other venues will be closed.
Tschuss,
Pepper
Feb 20th, 2012, 06:54 PM
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I think I've figured out that we can enjoy the beauty of Switzerland with it being winter in that we can rise to the top of these places where there is snow and enjoy the scenery this way. However with the good advice that I'm receiving here I'm realizing it's possible to wait a few days for the right weather to be able to do this. Our problem is that we don't really have time to waste and want to see all we can during our days and get good rest at night. If we do decide to do this neither of us has suffered from dizziness or sea sickness and both enjoy trill rides/roller coasters and don't have a problem with heights, well so far we don't ;-)
The fact that it's off season is a bit worrisome; seemingly it could be a bit boring and slow and not much to do and we certainly don't want to do that for 2 days. We have a lot to think about.....If we go to the South of France there's not really a lot to do there either. But in a day we could drive the coast and enjoy the sights and the lovely weather.
The British Isles are a possibility but I feel like everything (the landscape etc) are similar from Ireland to Scotland and from Wales to England and again we'd like to change it up a bit. Oh what to do what to do. This all so exciting and exhausting at the same time.
Thank you to all of you for your comments and advice I really appreciate it. If anyone has anything more to add I am open for suggestions.
The fact that it's off season is a bit worrisome; seemingly it could be a bit boring and slow and not much to do and we certainly don't want to do that for 2 days. We have a lot to think about.....If we go to the South of France there's not really a lot to do there either. But in a day we could drive the coast and enjoy the sights and the lovely weather.
The British Isles are a possibility but I feel like everything (the landscape etc) are similar from Ireland to Scotland and from Wales to England and again we'd like to change it up a bit. Oh what to do what to do. This all so exciting and exhausting at the same time.
Thank you to all of you for your comments and advice I really appreciate it. If anyone has anything more to add I am open for suggestions.
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