We will be staying near Spiez for a week in May. Our plan is to see the Jungfraujoch one day, and <BR> Schilthorn on another. We also want to see Trummelbach falls, and any other sites that would fit in, and eat.<BR><BR>From what I have been able to find out, both mountaintop trips pass very near the falls.<BR><BR>Can anyone with experience in this area suggest how best to arrange these two days? I know this is a very touristy area, and we are looking forward to the trains and cable cars, but we also want to get as much local feeling and food as possible.<BR><BR>We will be using the Swiss pass.

Would suggest you spend:<BR><BR>One day: getting to the Jungfraujoch (via Lauterbrunnen-Wengen-Kleine Scheidegg), then, on the way down, forget the train at Kleine Scheidegg and walk down to Wengen, an incredibly scenic jaunt. Stay overnight in Wengen (Hotel Caprice, for instance, is nice);<BR><BR>Other day: travel down to the valley to see the Trummelbach Falls, then head up to Murren and stay there overnight after you see the Schilthorn. <BR><BR>It doesn't make much sense to travel 2x from Spiez; plus, Wengen and Murren are car-free villages and are great.<BR><BR>Can also recommend Adelboden (if you like waterfalls, there's the Engstligensalp Falls nearby), and Saanenmoser or Schoenried, the latter two which are in the Simmental. Meiringen is near some very scenic spots, like Hasliberg and Axalp (above Brienz), however the village has burned twice in the prior century and so the chalet-feel has largely gone.<BR><BR>For food? It's excellent everywhere. Absolutely try the Hobelkaese (mountain cheese), which is very thinly sliced. And generally, there are all sorts of variations of nutcakes (Nuss-torte), made with hazelnuts or almonds, that are exceptional.

Speiz is a very lovely lakeside resort. As far as I am concerned it is quite a distance from Lauterbrunnen. First you take the train to Interlaken, change trains, and take the train to Lauterbrunnen. You will have to look on the Swiss Rail site to check out times and distances.<BR><BR>So, with that said, bernois is correct to say that a better plan would be to spend at least a couple of days in the Berner Oberland area if that is what you want to see rather than trying to day trip in.<BR><BR>He is also correct in suggesting Wengen or one of the smaller towns over Interlaken which is very touristy.

Perhaps I should reveal more of our plans. Since I don't like hauling luggage, of which we will have, no doubt, too much, we plan to stay in Boltigen (home of my distant ancestors) and go everywhere on trains and busses. We will be there a week, and plan to go to Bern two days, to Hilterfingen and Oberhofen one day, and the trips to Jungfraujoch and Schilthorn, on separate days. Looking on the map, I find that Saanemoser is just up the mountain from Boltigen, so I think we will add a day there, and now we are also looking at Adelboden and Meiringen.<BR><BR>I like the idea of walking from Klein Scheidegg to Wengen. We have never hiked; are the routes clearly marked? I think we will also lunch at Klein Scheidegg; which of the restaurants there is least touristy.<BR><BR>I guess I am oversensitive to tourist traps. We had visited the Grand Canyon 35 years ago; we recently went back with our kids, and the change was shocking. Fortunately, the north side, if you can get there, is not yet spoiled.

Hello William,<BR><BR>did you read my last reply to the thread you started before about Boltigen? Be sure to get a lot of local feeling there, it is not nearly as touristy as Grindelwald etc.<BR><BR>Quite a lot planned for only one week, don’t you think? It is quite a distance to Lake Thun (Oberhofen/Hilterfingen), the Jungfrau area and even Bern and Meiringen. <BR><BR>May in general is not a good time for hiking above 1500 m altitude – Kleine Scheidegg is above 2000 m. The hiking paths will probably be covered by snow and closed.<BR><BR>My advice:<BR><BR>One day Bern<BR>One day boat trip on Lake Thun with a visit of the castles Oberhofen/Hilterfingen, maybe still a short visit of Thun with its castle.<BR>One day excursion to Jungfraujoch: up via Wengen, down via Grindelwald.<BR>One day excursion to Schilthorn: up via Lauterbrunnen, funicular to Gr&uuml;tschalp, tram to M&uuml;rren walk through the village to the cable car station, up to Schilthorn, lunch in the revolving restaurant, down to Stechelberg, walk (or bus) to Tr&uuml;mmelbach waterfalls, walk (or bus) to Lauterbrunnen (look at the Staubbach waterfall at the beginning of Lauterbrunnen).<BR>One day excursion to Montreux, walk along the lake promenade, bus or boat to castle Chillon (must see).<BR>One day walking/hiking along the Simmental valley, soak up rural culture and beautiful Chalet architecture.<BR><BR>Your Swiss Pass offers you free travel with all public transportation for these excursion, except the routes Wengen - Kleine Scheidegg – Jungfraujoch – Kleine Scheidegg – Grindelwald and the cable car M&uuml;rren – Schilthorn and back (25 % reduction for both).<BR><BR>Have a great time!<BR><BR>Ingo<BR>

Yes, I have your earlier and very informative message.<BR><BR>I had done most of my planning with books and the Swiss Railway web site; I found we could get to the castles at Oberhofen and Hilterfingen via postal busses, but a boat ride sounds more interesting.<BR><BR>Now I will go read about Montreaux<BR><BR>Our full trip will be a week in Florence, a week in Switzerland, and a week in Venice. I am fast realizing that we will not be able to see all we want on this trip, so we may have to make another. When I read about all that is available in the Uffizi and Accademia, for example, I cannot understand how people can see them both on the same day.<BR><BR>Thanks to all for the advice I have gotten here.<BR>