So..........if we are trying to go someplace in early August to escape the heat and humidity of Virginia, without wall to wall people - any suggestions?

REALLY want to go back to Switzerland, northern Italy or Austria, Bavaria a possibility, even Norway. We don't want spas and beaches and cities, wonderful mountain areas, easy walks, hikes, good food, all are in my dreams.

The downfall of the euro is attractive, but not the only consideration.

Hi wrenwood,

Have you been to the Engadin Valley in the eastern part of Switzerland yet? Its altitude is pretty high, so it'll be cool-ish.

Though it may be crowded, the crowds will most probably be serious hikers speaking German rather than gawkers off a tourist bus -- if that makes a difference. I spent a week in the town of Zuoz and there wasn't a single souvenir shop in town; and all the other travellers were dressed for serious high-altitude walking and consulting detailed maps.

Lots of folks think the Engadin has the best cuisine in the country, and of course the walks in the mountain areas are gorgeous.

Good luck with your search!

s

Lower Engadine - Zuoz, Zernez, Scuol - are never "wall to wall". Not even in winter which is the main season (skiing!). And in summer, Swiss National Park is great.

Anotehr suggestion - only a little bit less spectacular - would be the pre-Alps around Einsiedeln. Lots of hiking opportunities, small villages still dependent on farming (resp. on tax transfers from the rest of the country) and hardly on tourism, good food, inexpensive and simple. If you want to rent a room in a 500 year old farmhouse for a few days and get milk fresh from the cow for your morning coffee, that's the place.

Here my pictures from Lower (and Upper) Engadine
http://public.fotki.com/chemallex/en...eptember-2007/

Hi Wren - How about the Dolomites?

We loved the town of Reuti in the Swiss Hasliberg region; we stayed in a chalet through Untours. (www.untours.com) Definitely less crowded than the cities or "resort" villages!

Have you thought of somewhere like Bulgaria?

http://www.myworldwebcams.com/bulgar...ko_webcam.html

There is quite a bit to do including a visit to Pirin National park.

Enjoy your holiday wherever you decide to go.

Hi all, thanks for getting my brain in gear.

I have been thinking of going back to Waldhaus, Soglio, or Fex Valley (haven't been there). We have stayed in Guarda and like the Engadine.

Dolomites are a possibility, with the fall of the Euro, would be less expensive than Switzerland. Have even toyed with the idea of renting an apartment there.

We have also thought about flying into Munich, renting a car and staying somewhere outside Munich the first night (maybe Mittenwald?) to get over jet-lag, then driving to Hochgurgl and taking the mountain pass road towards the Dolomites. We drove that road once before and I about peed my pants (I was driving) but ww would still like to see it again.

Norway would probably have to be something combined with Norway in a Nutshell. I don't know much about Norway, and I don't have time to do much research right now, but we would love to go. I already have quite a bit bookmarked on the Dolomites and Switzerland. And we have thought of Bulgaria, but that will have to wait unless someone knows of a great "un-tour-like tour" that would do everything for us, as I know nothing about Bulgaria except that there are some beautiful areas.

Kandersteg? I guess there's nice hiking/walking in that area, such as around Lake Oeschinensee?

Anyone know anything about the town of Leysin? There's a nice rental available there, I'm just unsure of what we would do in the area, know nothing about it.

Just another plug for Norway. We took our first family trip to Scandinavia in August some 9 years ago and it was wonderful! I had no idea that Norway would be so interesting historically - we were mainly looking for not hot, not too crowded - but the castles, medieval history, viking history - that was all of great interest to us and our kids. We particularly loved Oslo - stayed away from the city center in the embassy district. There were so many great museums there, left our car and did Norway in a Nutshell and spent the night in Bergen. It was all so beautiful!

Hi again,

Leysin is a small town in the Alps just inland from Lake Geneva. There is a huge, multi-building English-language boarding school there; when I was in school in Montreux, friends were there. It's the Leysin American School (LAS).

You get there by train to Aigle (great wine-growing area with a wine museum in the big castle) then a small rail up the mountain. The town itself lies on a few plateaus, and the train stops at about three of them I think (Leysin Feyday and Leysin Village, etc). There is a revolving restaurant called Le Kuklos; more info at www.teleleysin.ch.

But it is a pretty remote place. On one side, you'd have to come down the mountain to Aigle to get anywhere; on the other side, you can ascend to Le Sepay and Col les Mosses or to Les Diablerets and the glacier there (and continuing to Gsteig and Gstaad).

There is a big classical music fest in Gstaad in August, and you may bump into some day-trippers in the mountains.

Of course, you can get lots of information at

www.leysin.ch

Have fun!

s

Leysin is not exactly cool-ish in August, I am afraid. Definitely the Engadin. Or somewhere else in Grisons.

Seriously, Austria (although not my favourite) also has some nice mountains and won't be wall-to-wall people either. Stubai valley is quite nice. Or, if not the Lower Engadin, then what about Nauders which sits right in the triangle Austria-Switzerland-Italy?

I'd say Norway or even Sweden - which is stunningly beautiful and not at all crowded.

I love Lugano, Switzerland. Right on the lake, beautiful scenery and wonderful food.

I also did Lugano and Lake Como in August; the weather was great.

I've been hearing a lot about the Danish Riveria, not so far from Copenhagen. I have no idea what the crowds are like in August, but definitely sounds interesting and beautiful.

DH and I did a driving tour of the Alps (Berner Oberland & Dolomites, with a dip down to Lake Como) in early August 2007 and we never encountered wall-to-wall crowds.

I am a big fan of Kandersteg - I have stayed there 3 times - as an alternative to the more popular Berner Oberland spots like Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald. You can still get over to see the Jungfrau, etc. as a day trip from Kandersteg, but Kandersteg is off the beaten track and not nearly as popular with tourists. Oeschinensee is hands down one of the most beautiful places I've been in Europe!

I'd also highly recommend the Dolomites - the hiking options are endless and the scenery is spectacular. You would be better off there if you enjoyed extreme driving, however!

I'm getting jealous just thinking about it all...

Another "vote" for the Dolomites, but...
I REALLY like the idea of heading to the Oetztal (we stayed in Soelden) and driving the Timmelsjoch Pass into Italy. From here I'd suggest looking into the Val Venosta/Vinschgau area of the South Tyrol. Charming villages (Silandro is well worth a visit!), plenty of castles, including mountaineer Reinhold Messner's Juval castle and our favorite, Churburg castle, plus Italy's smallest medieval walled town (Glurns/Glorenza). If the Timmelsjoch Pass nearly made you "pee your pants", maybe try the nearby Stelvio Pass and see what happens! On a seroius note, I found the Val Venosta/Vinschgau to be a terrific area we'd love to get to see again plus it seems to be overlooked by most tourists.

Paul

For something different, check out the Azores. Tourists are still pretty much a novelty on most of the Islands. The Islands are beautiful and the August weather is pleasant. There is not much else to do there other than terrific hiking opportunities and enjoying the natural beauty. I have never had a bad meal there and have had some memorable ones. Prices tend to be low year round. I am partial to Pico Island in the central group. It is still wild and unspoiled with some of the most unusual plant life you have ever seen.

Have you thought about the Baltic countries? Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia? Beautiful countryside, at least in Lithuania where I have been.

Norway is great, but it is insanely expensive. It is not on the euro. So keep that in mind.