Eight days/Nine nights in Switzerland...suggestions for last four days?
Mar 19th, 2018, 02:43 PM
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Eight days/Nine nights in Switzerland...suggestions for last four days?
My fiancé and I are going to Switzerland from July 02-10 2018, arriving in Zurich. We've booked the first night in Luzern and the next four nights/five days in Murren to explore Berner Oberland. After that....where to go?
Perhaps a couple of nights by Lake Geneva (Lausanne) then to Fribourg/Bern for an overnight before taking the train to Zurich to fly home? We're not driving, strictly travelling by train and are thinking of buying an 8-day Swiss Travel Pass which will expire on the 9th so we'll have to pay to get to Zurich by 11am on the last day. Meaning we don't want be in Zermatt on Monday evening.
Any suggestions?
Perhaps a couple of nights by Lake Geneva (Lausanne) then to Fribourg/Bern for an overnight before taking the train to Zurich to fly home? We're not driving, strictly travelling by train and are thinking of buying an 8-day Swiss Travel Pass which will expire on the 9th so we'll have to pay to get to Zurich by 11am on the last day. Meaning we don't want be in Zermatt on Monday evening.
Any suggestions?
Mar 19th, 2018, 02:52 PM
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Yes Montreux/Vevey Lake Geneva would be great for 3-4 days (could do daytrip to Fribourg) and Bern the last night but Bern to Zurich trains are very cheap too but Zurich has its pluses - I'd arrive early and spend day there. You could take Golden Pass scenic train from Interlaken-Ost station (station you come down from mountains at) to Montreux- Swiss Passes fully cover it though seat reservations might be a good idea to insure spot in Observation Cars- few francs extra.
Boats on Lake Geneva are great - nice excursion to Evian-les-Bains and spiffy thermal resort (100% covered by Swiss Passes the boats are even to France). Gruyeres and Broc for the chocolate tour - Chateau Chillon -easy walk from Montreux and on and on. For lots on Swiss trains check www.sbb.ch; www.swisstravelsystem.com; BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com.
Boats on Lake Geneva are great - nice excursion to Evian-les-Bains and spiffy thermal resort (100% covered by Swiss Passes the boats are even to France). Gruyeres and Broc for the chocolate tour - Chateau Chillon -easy walk from Montreux and on and on. For lots on Swiss trains check www.sbb.ch; www.swisstravelsystem.com; BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com.
Mar 19th, 2018, 04:09 PM
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You have an incredible number of wonderful options! Have you consulted a good guidebook? The Michelin Green provides better coverage than many, IMO. And you might find some ideas in my trip report:
https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...thanks-983126/
https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...thanks-983126/
Mar 19th, 2018, 09:50 PM
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Hi tollers1,
Ordinarily I would also suggest Montreux or Vevey to round out your trip, but your dates coincide with the hugely popular and famous Montreux Jazz Fest (29 June - 14 July). If you can even find hotels at this late date, they will be expensive. The lakeside promenade, which is elbow-to-elbow in the summertime, will be even more crowded. Unless you like jazz and want to see some concerts, it would be really unpleasant.
You can, of course, stay in a town or village outside of Montreux and still enjoy a few days (taking one day to see Chillon and the flowered lakeside promenade, despite the crowding). You could investigate Vevey (lovely town, more residential than resort, has a very lovely and interesting old town with winding streets) or Lutry (village in the vineyards of the Corniche Lavaux) or other towns in the Lavaux. Your hosts in Montreux or Vevey will give you a Riviera Card, making the busses and trains free in the area around Villeneuve, Montreux, & Vevey. I'm not sure about the villages in the Lavaux.
You mention Lausanne, but I'm afraid I cannot comment on that. I just don't like cities, so though I've been through the city on the train, I've never gotten off to explore the city. A problem with Lausanne (for me, anyway, in addition to being a big city....) is that the main part of town is on a hill above the lake, about 1 mile away. The area around the lake is called Ouchy, and I believe (don't know this for sure) that hotels there are more expensive than hotels up in the city. The city and Ouchy are connected by a subway, but I personally would want to stay right on the lake.
If it were me, I think I'd just go to Fribourg and stay there, making day-trips out to Gstaad, Bulle, Gruyeres, Bern, Broc etc. Or maybe stay in Gruyeres and do those same day-trips.
Have fun as you plan!
s
Ordinarily I would also suggest Montreux or Vevey to round out your trip, but your dates coincide with the hugely popular and famous Montreux Jazz Fest (29 June - 14 July). If you can even find hotels at this late date, they will be expensive. The lakeside promenade, which is elbow-to-elbow in the summertime, will be even more crowded. Unless you like jazz and want to see some concerts, it would be really unpleasant.
You can, of course, stay in a town or village outside of Montreux and still enjoy a few days (taking one day to see Chillon and the flowered lakeside promenade, despite the crowding). You could investigate Vevey (lovely town, more residential than resort, has a very lovely and interesting old town with winding streets) or Lutry (village in the vineyards of the Corniche Lavaux) or other towns in the Lavaux. Your hosts in Montreux or Vevey will give you a Riviera Card, making the busses and trains free in the area around Villeneuve, Montreux, & Vevey. I'm not sure about the villages in the Lavaux.
You mention Lausanne, but I'm afraid I cannot comment on that. I just don't like cities, so though I've been through the city on the train, I've never gotten off to explore the city. A problem with Lausanne (for me, anyway, in addition to being a big city....) is that the main part of town is on a hill above the lake, about 1 mile away. The area around the lake is called Ouchy, and I believe (don't know this for sure) that hotels there are more expensive than hotels up in the city. The city and Ouchy are connected by a subway, but I personally would want to stay right on the lake.
If it were me, I think I'd just go to Fribourg and stay there, making day-trips out to Gstaad, Bulle, Gruyeres, Bern, Broc etc. Or maybe stay in Gruyeres and do those same day-trips.
Have fun as you plan!
s
Mar 20th, 2018, 05:28 AM
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Been to Lausanne several times and a nice very pleasant larger city - that said it simply lacks the romance of smaller lakes side towns like Vevey and Montreux - the International Olympic HQs are here and there is a nice museum. Ouchy yes by the lake is a swank area - I would prioritize Lausanne low on list for first-timers with just a few days in the ara.
