Switzerland return visit, Aug 2-13. Two fairly spry 72-year-olds, carry-ons and one checked bag. Five years ago we went to St. Moritz and down to Lake Garda. This year six days in Montreux, four days Lauterbrunnen. I researched and reserved in February, with advice and suggestions from many here....a good move in many ways, got premium locations locked in very early. Then we forgot about it for six months.

We were offered the United Polaris upgrade on our flight out of Chicago, so we spent an additional $1500 for the lay-down seats, money well spent it minimized jet lag and better comfort. On arrival we went to SBB office in airport to buy passes. Two, eight day flex passes, first class...$1700. We vowed to make the best use of them. First class was worth the extra $$ on boats and most trains. Since we arrived early we went directly to Montreux as there was no reason to hang around Zurich.

A very enjoyable stay in Montreux, great weather and moderate crowds. Stayed at Grand Swisse Majestic, a Marriott property. A very adequate hotel, very good stay.. location alone sells it for us. Walk out of the train station, right square into the hotel lobby. And it sits right on the lake near the boat terminal, casino, food etc...about $300/night worth the convenience. We visited the Chaplin home (great), boat to Evian (cool to sail to France), noon lunch cruise (nice, kinda pricey), quick trip to Gruyere (late day, weirdly quiet, but nice for a late fondue we closed the place up), the local castle (was OK, interesting, but very castle-y, stone walls and all). Walked the waterfront, good food and pizza wherever you go. Food in general is very expensive there. Really expensive, Americans be warned. A family of four or more is gonna be hurting be aware and plan ahead. Just the way it is.

As a musician the Queen and Freddie Mercury exhibit in Montreux had a really profound impact on me. Unexpected. I thought little of them, I was into soul and R&B and did not like the overly produced operatic stuff. But...visiting there and especially doing a mix of a Queen tune in the control room on a board in the place they laid that down was just really a big deal...it moved me. Musicians must visit and do it. Also the site inspiring Smoke on the Water and Montreux Jazz Festival....a surprise showing of Bohemian Rhapsody on the flight home cemented my respect for the band and their tunes

On to Lauterbrunnen. It is here you see the impact of social media and mass marketing. Yes...because of my travel window we were there at peak season...but it sure was, peak season. Large crowds and group tours. You have to go to Jungfrau....everyone does. So you are jammed like cattle into cog trains as if in a subway car at rush hour in Tokyo where they stuff you in as the doors close. And when you arrive at the peak most are setting up selfies and pushing you out of their shot or shushing your voice. One fool took out a drone. The infrastructure is getting a little overwhelmed. The additional $400 to get from Murren to the peak is particularly irritating, especially since our pass was not valid. Many people travel with lots of luggage, and stuff. It is painful to see them lugging three or four huge, huge bags...plus carryons...plus in some cases a child...and sometimes all that and a mutt. Sitting hot and tired on train platforms.

We stayed at the Silberhorn, a great hotel, many Americans stay there as well. We ate there every night....great menu, great food, price was right. Our room had a view of the falls, about $300 a night. Very convenient and good quality hotel. Would definitely recommend.

Our last night was when the storm hit. We were coming back on the ferry after a lovely day in Brienz and clouds moved in. By 6:30 the storm hit and the lights were out for two hours. Imagine Lauterbrunnen suddenly in darkness...tourists in stores, cafes, hotels, on the trams, waiting at the station....two hours! The damage was much worse than we thought...our plan was to go to Zurich through Brienz and take a scenic route back, but our connections could not be made. Damage and floods really hit that area hard. We did not know it but we really just barely got out of there before mass chaos broke out because they were transferring and shifting routes through little Lauterbrunnen. Much inconvenience for many people.

We went directly from Lauterbrunnen to the airport for convenience, and the Radisson Blu was again, right there at the terminal. The reviews were mixed but I found it to be tacky and low rent. The only reason to stay here is to be able to walk over to the terminal the next morning. For many reasons, not good, but we just spent the night there and left at 6am.

We go a lot of places but Switzerland is one country that we return to, we really enjoy it. We will go back. It is getting to be a little, busy, and we are seeking areas with a little less pressure and herding. You have to know your meals will be expensive. Our travel connections were flawless and the SBB app is just super and a great asset. People were accommodating and helpful. I've finally talked my partner into no checked bags, that is where the return trip and customs and re-entry really gets screwed up. So...another great trip in the books! Thanks for the help and other courtesies you have extended! Hopefully a few tidbits here someone can benefit from our experiences.

Thanks for posting.

The reviews were mixed but I found it to be tacky and low rent.

Interesting. It's been a few years since we stayed there, but it was quite nice at the time. I remember the wine angels.

These days we stay a bus ride away from the airport in Kloten. Less expensive and quite convenient.

Thanks for the report, Wildiowa.

But Lauterbrunnen in high season:
why did you do this to yourselves?

There are so many nicer, cheaper and never crowded places in Switzerland!

My friends...yes, I looked at the schedule back in January and there was a window there and I took it, never anticipating the crowds...wow! My kind host at the Silberhorn explained that social media fuels the increase in travelers. It used to be you got info from brochures, pamphlets, printed material and travel agents. Now a single post on how enjoyable some location might be or a review is seen by hundreds...thousands...millions....leveraged across the world. If there is one "lesson" to be taken from my experience....yes, take time to determine peak season and book accordingly. Again, thanks for the tips and assistance.

Once again, there are many places in Switzerland where peak season means that you cross people every 15 min instead of every 2 hrs on spectacular hiking trails like those below.

Val d'Anniviers

Val d'Anniviers

Saastal

Moosfluh, close to gondola station (therefore all these people)

neckervd - Shhh......

Why?

Being there during the storm must have been frightening. I'm glad you were able to get out quickly. We've been to Lauterbrunnen, although more than 20 years ago. I know that area is much busier now, so I can imagine the chaos of getting out.

We've stayed at the Hyatt Place on the Circle at ZRH a couple of times in the past two years and have had no complaints. It's fairly new and a five-minute walk to the terminal.

Nice photos, neckervd. We're always taking notes of new ideas for hiking vacations. We spent a few days hiking in the Saastal two years ago (late August) and wish we had booked more time there. It was relatively uncrowded - although that was still kind of coming out of the pandemic period.

I've been to Lusanne, saw jazz festival there! Enjoyed it! When I went to the Jungfrau, didn't experience crowds and there was an ice museum and skiing at the top, but this was years back. Things must've changed now.. That hotel you stayed in with the view of the Waterfall sounds nice (I've also been to Zurich, Lusanne, Lucerne). Lucerne was really nice.

neckervd - have you ever heard the term keep/hold ones cards close to their chest/vest?

I'm perfectly happy to let the hordes of one hit wonders and first time visitors head to the BO and Lucerne. All the better for the rest of us

Mel: yes that's what I guessed. But frankly: there is no danger at all.
In the decades I tried to help people in various travel blocs I learned that for most American and Asian tourists

Switzerland consists only of Zurich, Lucerne, Interlaken, Grindelwald, Wengen, Muerren, Gimmelwald, Zermatt, Montrerux-Chillon and that places like Altdorf, Ruetli, Scuol, Geneva are considered as not (typically) Swiss.

The only other places that seem to exist in the Alps are Salzburg, Hallstatt, Innsbruck, Fuessen, Ortisei, Varenna, Bellagio, Chamonix and Annecy.

Spain means Barcelona, Barcelona, Barcelona, San Sebastian, Sevilla (with "a day trip to Morocco), Granada and Madrid

Greece means Santorini, Santorini, Mykonos, Naxos, Nauplia and Athens

Italy means the holy trinity Rome-Florence-Venice, plus 5Terre, Lake Como, Amalfi Coast,Tuscany and "Piedmont".

etc. etc.

neckervd - oh I get it. Perhaps it's because many Americans only get two weeks of vacation per year, so they try to hit all the places they've heard about and seen photos of, then they move on to the next hot spot. I lived in Perth, Australia for seven years and was always amazed at the Singaporeans who came over just to photograph themselves in front of a particular boat shack, eat a particular pastry and then move on, completely overlooking the best bits of a massive state absolutely packed with beautiful areas, incredible wine and food, etc. I blame it on social media, inexperience, lack of time, lack of imagination and no inclination to dig deep.

I've been that tourist who visited the 'hot spots'. They were a stepping stone, an introduction if you will, and each time I was drawn in to delve deeper into a particular area, state or country. Then each subsequent visit led to even more possibilites, more nooks and crannies to explore. Not everyone is fortunate enough to do that.

But one has to start somewhere.

Sorry for the hijack Wildiowa.