Hotel/Things to do Recommendations for Switzerland/Lake Como
 

Hi! My husband and I will be traveling to Switzerland/Lake Como. We plan to be there for 8-9 days. Here's our tentative plan:

Fly into Zurich
Lucerne
Interlaken(Berner Oberland region)
Lake Como

Any recommendations on places to stay, things to see/do, or how long to spend in each place?

Appreciate it!

I'd go straight away from Zurich airport to Lucerne - about an hour or so by train.

Spend two days in Lucerne - one day for a trip around Lake Lucerne by boat and to Mt Pilatus or Mt Rigi.

Take scenic Brunig Pass train to Interlaken-Ost station and then go up to say Grindelwald or Wengen - two neat towns right up in the hills face to face with glacier-girdled peaks rising across luch meadows.

4 days here - there is so so much to do - take train to Jungfraujoch, and a world of ice and glaciers and snow - take a boat trip around either Lake Thun or Lake Brienz - another day go up to Murren and The Schilthorn - and lots lots more.

Day 7 - train to Lake Como - can take a dramatic mountain bus to Goschenen over this Grimsel Pass (hope I have the pass right but I've done it before) and then train to Como and boat to Bellagio or stay in Como or other lakeside town.

8. 9 Lake Como

Now for Switzerland a Swiss Pass could well be the best deal - includes not only trains but lake boats, postal buses like over the Grimsel pass and train nearly to Como - Swiss border to Como is onluy a few bucks - then Como to Milan or Milan Airport also very cheap and takes about an hour or so.

For lots of great info on Swiss trains and passes, etc and the Jungfrau Region - to me and many the absolute highlight of Switzerland! - check these informative sites: www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

Well that is one scenario that could fit into your 8-9 time frame.

Cheers!

I would stay in the mountains instead of Interlaken. Look at Grindelwald, Murren, Wengen or on the lake, Brienz.

Interlaken ain't a bad town in fact IME if you give it time and get off the beaten track between the two train stations it can be downright quaint - like in the rustic-feeling Matten area or the area of Interlaken that is one lake Brienz - it has Lucerne-like covered wooden bridges, a lovely riverside walk between the two lakes bookending it - thru mainly forests and lush graasy areas but yes like happyTtravler I say for a first-time visit nothing can be so spectacular as staying right up in dem hills.

Murren is a little too remote for my likes and Wengen too quiet for my likes but not for many - Grindelwald has a pulse at night as does Lauterbrunnen but Lauterbrunnen's views are great but since it is in a deep gorge obviously not so wide a range as the other three hill towns which have awesome - totally awesome front views of the majestic glacier-girlded Jungfrau Massif - the Monch, Eiger...

https://www.google.com/search?q=jung...w=1455&bih=977

What airport are you flying home from? Do you have to return to Zurich or can you fly out of Milan?

Hi laurenspring,

If you are travelling in the summertime (July/August), I would stay away from Interlaken, and also from Grindelwald. Because those towns allow vehicle traffic, they get all of the tour busses that visit the region. I've seen both towns overwhelmed with lines of tour busses and the streets clogged with clumps of the day-trippers. Both towns are just too small to absorb that many day-trippers comfortably.

So, if you're going in summer, I would recommend Lauterbrunnen (it allows vehicles, but it's so small that it's often overlooked by tour groups) or one of the car-free villages in the mountains, Wengen or Mürren. Actually, I personally don't like Lauterbrunnen, so my suggestion would be either Wengen or Mürren.

Have fun as you plan!

s

We have enjoyed Zurich but for only 1 or 2 nights. Very much enjoyed the lovely large church with the Chagal windows, and the old town. I have been to Lucerne 3 times and it is enjoyable for 1 or 2 nights. We took a boat to the foot of Mt. Rigi and took the tram up. beautiful views. Enjoyed walking around the old town and eating dinner on the lake.

But I would recommend spending at least 3 nights in the Berner Oberland region depending on what you like to do. we have stayed in Murren at the Hotel Crystal and it was a very quiet beautiful place but transportation into and out of Murren takes longer. Take the cable car up to the Shiilthorn for lovely views if the weather is clear. Views from our hotel room were lovely.

we also have stayed at the Hotel Bellvue in Wegen. Traditional style Swiss hotel with beautiful views as well. We took the cable car up to Mannlichin and did an easy hike along the ridge to the train station at??? jungfrau. We hiked down to Wegen and were rewarded with magnificent views of the mountains and glaciers but should have taken the train and saved my feet. With such short time I would skip Grindlewald and Interlaken is a big city.

Lake Como. We stayed at Varenna and took the boat to Bellagio. Wasn't a lot to do but we very much enjoyed the ambiance.

We took the cable car up to Mannlichin and did an easy hike along the ridge to the train station at??? jungfrau.>

Yes The Mannlichen to Kl Scheidegg hike or rather stroll is perhaps the very best for folks who want to experience Switzerland by foot but not feel like they're in for something too strenuous - this fairly flat gently descending walk is just a few miles and you can see over both the Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen valleys and get a great frontal view of the Jungfrau Massif ahead the whole way.

Take the aerial gondola up from Wengen, which can be reched by train from Interlaken/Lauterbrunnen - at Kl Scheidegg hop on the Jungfraujoch train.

Fabulous walk!

https://www.google.com/search?q=mann...w=1455&bih=977

Mannlichen to Kl Scheideg Ridge Walk Photos!