Hello, everyone. I will be in Switzerland for three days in mid-March and am still trying to decide on the best way to spend my limited time. I just posted another thread about choosing between Mt. Titlis, Pilatus and Rigi as a daytrip from Luzern.

I'll be spending at least two nights in Luzern, the last two before I fly home from Zurich. I was considering overnighting in Innsbruck as kind of a mid-way point from Venice and circling up and around to Stein-am-Rhein on a long route to Luzern. It just sounds like a really charming place to visit with the beautiful frescoed and medieval buildings. Right now I'm considering skipping the overnight in Innsbruck and heading straight to Luzern from Venice, if for nothing else than to be able to drop off all belongings at the hotel and to move around a little easier.

Is Stein-am-Rhein still worth a visit from Luzern or are the villages along Lake Luzern just as charming? Thanks so much for any opinions on the matter.

Sandi

Hi Idnas71,

Well I haven't been to Stein-am-Rhein, but I can tell you that Luzern has an absolutely charming old town with many frescoed, medieval buildings. The villages around Lake Luzern are quaint and are set amid lovely scenery, but the houses are more along the lines of "farm" than frescoed.

Maybe someone else will see this and be able to comment --

s

Hi again,

Just to help you decide -- here's a link to my photo of Weggis, one of the villages of Lake Luzern:

http://community.webshots.com/photo/...78551014RjmDRR

Hope it helps.

s

Hi I' and S': I think your decision depends upon how much you're interested in the painted buildings. There simply is no other collection of them as spectacular as Stein-am-Rhein. Period. Now, if you're looking for charm and spectacular vistas, follow S' advice. Hope this helps. An image search of towns in the running might help you make your choice. J.

Having been to Stein and to all the villages ringing Lake Lucerne, I would opt for staying around the lake rather than going all the way to Stein. Granted that Stein is unique and lovely, you make up for it in the abundance of villages and scenery around Lucerne, as well as the convenience of being closer. Good luck.

Good morning. Thanks so much for the helpful replies. I just can't get Stein-am-Rhein off the brain, mostly because of my Frommers guidebook that speaks so endearingly about it. But it truly might be just too far out of the way and my time could be better spent concentrating on the Luzern area. It seemed to make more sense when I was leaning towards overnighting in Innsbruck, but that choice is in much question right now.

I will look at your photos, Swandav. Thanks for sharing!

Swandav,

I just viewed your homepage albums from Weggis and Engedin. Loved the views from your biking trip... and the obligatory cow photo. I'd like to get one of those myself. Anyway... I'm going to do some backtracking and see if you might have posted a trip report on here that goes with those photos. Have a good weekend!

Hi Idnas71,

Well, be careful what you ask for ...!! I really get wordy on these.

The threads are quite old and may be hard to find, so here they are:

Fodorites in the Engadin June 2003
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34428708


Montreux & Weggis in Nov 2002
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34386019

Hope this helps!

s

I've been to Stein am Rhein, and it is nice, the buildings pretty but after also reading Frommers guidebook, I was prepared to like it a little better than I did.

Not sure if it's worth going out of your way for or not. It's no Rothenberg am Tauber, that's for sure. It was nice for 1 day, but that's it...