alainr

We want to spend 5 days hiking in switzerland between June 10th and 25th and are looking for a base village. we are in our late fifties and good walkers.

We do need to have cable cars or gondolas for going DOWNHILL to save our knees!

Wengen/Murren is one of our favorite hiking places. we love the scenery, grassy meadows and cows and easy access to a variety of walks and no cars. We do not need nightlife or glitz. we don't want a busy commercial home base or extremely high altitude.

Any suggestions of where to stay? what towns?
we'd like a hotel or pension with half board.

wld Pontresina/Sils or Bettmeralp be good choices?

we were in Zermatt years ago and do not remember many hikes below the tree line. we did the main sights- Gornergrat, etc.

swandav2000

Hi alainr,

Bettmeralp and Riederalp are awfully tiny places, and they are purpose-built. As you stroll through town, you'll only see hotels and vacation apartments, some shops, and some restaurants. The places don't exist outside of the tourist industry. I got the feeling that it was like a cruise ship stationary on an Alp! But -- it is gorgeous, and there are lots of hikes around.

I think you'll find more to do and see at Pontresina/Sils. In addition to the excellent hiking, you can see some of the nearby villages (Soglio) and go off into the nearby valleys (Fex Valley, Bernina Valley).

Have fun as you plan!

s

Ingo

Pontresina or Sils, definitely. What swandav said.

Check www.engadinerhof.ch in Pontresina. Quite reasonable rates, half-board is a good option, loved my stay there (1 week). Check if you can stay a full week - they have excellent deals. Btw, all the rates include the free use of cable cars and public transportation (train/bus) in the Upper Engadine and Bregaglia valley. Saves tons of money.

I.

alainr

thank you both for your replies.
i think we will head to pontresina/engadine area.

is pontresina very built up? do you recommend staying there on another place in the area?
sils? or?

we wld prefer someplace w/easy access to hikes.

alainr

Ingo
i have been reading your travel reports on the engadine area.

do you recommend sils as the base vs pontresina? as i said, we don't need glitz or nightlight. we want quiet, beautiful scenary as we come from los angeles, we don't need lots of cars!

it is important to us that we don't need to hike down much but can take gondolas, etc.