My SIL and her husband have "earned" a free trip to Luzern this August from his employer. They have never vacationed together before, and it's the first trip to Europe for either. I offered to help them plan their trip, although I've never been to Switzerland (I have connections, you know ).

My question is, if they'd like to get a taste of another culture (Italian or French, in particular), ho far would they have to go? I see that they can get to Locarno via train in about 2.5 hours, but is Locarno "Italian" enough to make it worthwhile as a daytrip? They will not be renting a car and will be staying in the same hotel for the whole week.

Are there other options close to Luzern that would give them a good idea of what a vast assortment of experiences Europe has to offer? Bern for the city experience?

Can't speak for Locarno as I only spent a few minutes there, but I can say that Lugano felt more Italian than Swiss, and Gandria (near Lugano) was an excellent example of a classic fishing village with a lot of charm.

They might also like the open-air museum in Ballenberg near Brienz. If I remember right, Brienz was about 2 hours' train ride from Luzern, and Ballenberg was about 20 minutes by bus. The museum did an excellent job of illustrating the various cultures found in Switzerland. I saw almost all of it in about 4 hours, but 6 hours would be better. I also rushed and didn't have enough time to see everything as thoroughly as I would have liked.

A little farther up into the Alps are Gimmelwald and Murren. While I didn't make it to Murren, I can say Gimmelwald showed a great example of a small Swiss village that mostly still lives in the past. And there are some beautiful hikes there.

Thank you tsrapp. I'll pass the information along.

What about Basel, being so close to two international borders?

Hi, Jocelyn. I second Lugano/Gandria for the taste of Italian Switzerland. For French, I'd try to go all the way to Lac Leman (Lausanne, Lutry, Vevey, Montreux). I second the suggestion of Ballenberg outdoor museum. J.

We've visited Locarno three times and love the Italian feel of the area. Between Locarno, Ascona and Brissagio, your relatives will get an authentic Italian culture experience in a beautiful area. If they like faster paced, bigger cities, they might like Lugano better. If smaller, easy-to-navigate places are their thing, I'd go with Locarno.

Thanks, you all. Any more info?