Loved staying in the Valley - summer four years ago!! Spent a lot of time riding all manner of trains and cable cars up and down mountains which we enjoyed, but to me there is something so majestic about the mountains when viewed from the valley! Not the leats bit clostrophobic!

Hi Melissa5,
I too am scared(more like terrified) of heights but was determined not to miss the beautiful villages when we stayed at Chalet Horner in Lauterbrunnen last September. I was very nervous while riding the trams to the higher villages but I just focused on the floor of the tram and the ride went by quickly. The reward is well worth the short term terror!

We absolutely loved the week we stayed in Lauterbrunnen. The shadows do make their way down to the floor of the valley earlier but it is still beautiful, the waterfalls, the churchbells ringing, watching the train climb the hill to Wengen every few minutes, the hangligers gliding their way down to the valley...so many memories I can't wait to return.

The Trummelbach falls are fantastic. If you are claustraphobic please be aware that you ride a tram up inside the mountain and then walk down viewing the falls as you go. They are tremendous. I hope you get to go.

Have fun
Michele

<b>LLindaC:</b> Thanks to your good sense, I now have that train timetable web-site bookmarked on my toolbar! Woo-hoo! Using that tool, I can "find" Kandersteg in relation to the major trainstops in Switzerland! I think there is hope for me now...

Because our June/July trip is coming up so soon, I must book this week. No more day-dreaming and mind-changing.

My husband and I agree on spending a week in the Berner Oberland. But other than that, everything sounds good!

Lucky you...you've explored some beautiful off the beaten track spots in Switzerland! Which towns would you suggest as bases for jumping off and doing day-trips? We want a maximum of 4 hotel changes on this trip. I am considering using these towns as bases, but I'm open to suggestions for bases:

Fly into <b>Zurich</b>, & get right on the train to 1st base:

1st base: Bern or Luzern (3 or 4 nights)
(with day-trips from this base city)

2nd base: Lauterbrunnnen or Murren or Wengen (1 week)
(with day-trips from this base city)

3rd base: where?? Interlaken??
(with day-trips from this base town.)

4th base: Montreux?? or where??
(with day-trips from this base town)

Fly home from Geneva or Zurich to LAX (or San Diego).

I'm frustrated that I didn't start booking hotels today! There are edelweiss blooming in my head, scenic trains running around in my bloodstream, and fresh Alpine air in my lungs.

I can see why tourists often go to the same crowded places. At this point my husband says if I don't start making reservations there won't be any choices left!

Thanks for everyone's interesting advice and patience.

We spent a week in Lauterbrunnen in April. The only time it felt 'shadowy' to me was in the early morning before the sun crested the cliffs, a minor bother as it was difficult to get good photos early in the day.

<2nd base: Lauterbrunnnen or Murren or Wengen (1 week)
(with day-trips from this base city)>

These aren't cities, but small villages...which is a good thing...

Personally, I'd skip the time in Interlaken. Interlaken and Lauterbrunnen/Murren/Wengen are close to one another, and it's really easy to get from one to the next, so staying in Interlaken is a bit redundant, IMO unless you plan to spend a lot of time visiting the lakes, etc.