Is Switzerland worth it?
 

Hi all,

I am from US. I will be in Germany on business and have 6 days for vacation that I can take in Germany or other countries in Europe.

As a first choice am looking at Switzerland - mostly because I love nature, lakes and mountains. However, I also like history and architecture so was interested in Italy, Austria, Czech Republic etc.

I live in Westchester county by the Hudson river and the area and surrounding areas have lot of beautiful nature and I have also traveled around USA.

My question is for someone who has seen US and Switzerland and other European countries, does Switzerland offers anything nature wise that having seen nature/scenery in USA is still worth going?

My plan in Switzerland is to stay in Lucerne, Murren, and Cully. I plan to take the Glacier express too.

Sorry for the loaded question - I am looking for some insights/views/opinions.

Lucerne is a very beautiful city. You should at least go there.

If you like to hike, Switzerland is like nothing you will experience in New York, or the US in general. Switzerland also has excellent public transportation, so you can easily get around, more so than many other places.

Everywhere is worth it though, so you just have to decide how you want to spend these 6 days, with the idea that there will always be opportunities to see more in the future.

I love Switzerland and it is "exotic" and different. Have you been elsewhere in Europe? I think I'd go to other places--Paris for example.

I live in Westchester county by the Hudson river and the area and surrounding areas have lot of beautiful nature and I have also traveled around USA.
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Yes, everyone confuses the Alps and White Plains.

What time of year will this be? Will you have to fly out of Germany? If so, it's better to stay relatively close.

There are some parts of the US that are remindful of Switzerland. We live in Seattle and hiking up in the Cascade Mountains through mountain meadows and lakes is like Switzerland. But there are no goats or cows, no cute small villages, no hiking huts. Sights are closer together in Switzerland and much easier to get to by public transportation. Look into a Swiss Pass for trains, buses, boats and some sites. (Private trains, like the one to Jungfraujoch, are only partially covered by the pass.)

Italy really requires more time. And Austria is better seen by car. Switzerland is expensive, but it's at the top of your list. Go for it!

I'm not a huge fan of Switzerland in general but would say that the countryside is definitely very different from the natural areas I visited in New York state, so would suggest that you give it a try.

After all, why not? It's possibly something different than you've experienced before and whilst not that different from experiences you could get in France, Germany or Italy, at the very least you'll have some interesting first-hand experiences.

The glacier express is worth a day of anyone's time I think.

You say you have six days, so you don't necessarily need to stick with a single location. You could spend half of it in Switzerland (more than enough in my opinion) and the other three days somewhere different, to get a flavour of both.

The Berner Oberland area is really beautiful. The Alps are nothing like you would see in New York.

I once met a man in Las Vegas who said that he didn't need to travel because he'd been to the Paris, Venetian etc. He said that the canal in the Venetian was just like the Grand Canal.

I once met a man in Las Vegas who said that he didn't need to travel because he'd been to the Paris, Venetian etc. He said that the canal in the Venetian was just like the Grand Canal.
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Same thing for EPCOT. There are people who think Mexico is next to Morocco just because it is there.

I cannot give you feedback on Switzerland as I have not been. I have been to Italy a couple of times and I would have to say it is my favorite place so far (historical value mostly). However, you could really only do one city justice there. Do Rome for 6 days if you go.

I have been the Czech Republic (Prague), and while I loved Prague, I would not go for 6 days unless you are planning on traveling around. Austria is beautiful having been there as well.

I especially like the area around Salzburg. I would actually say that I might recommend Austria over Switzerland because of cost. The area south of Salzburg near Berchtesgaden in Germany is gorgeous. There is lots of hiking and the same "mountains" for far less $$$. Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%B6nigssee

If you don't mind the higher cost in Switzerland (compared to the other Alpine countries, like Austria e.g.), then go for it. The mountain scenery is gorgeous.

Btw, the Swiss towns and (small) cities are among the best preserved in Europe - not destroyed in ages.

No it is not worth it.

Just stay home.

Thin

IMHO Austria offers better value for money, but also Switzerland has a lot of nice places.

It's no secret living in Austria costs ( much ) cheaper than in Switzerland.

I kind of agree with Pepper - Thin. But I do think your choice of places Lucerne, Murren, and Cully, very interesting as well. I have been to all and like all of them.

<does Switzerland offers anything nature wise that having seen nature/scenery in USA is still worth going?>

Well yes. I mean unless you are of the thought "seen one mountain seen 'em all." And I only know one very small part of Switzerland, Lac Leman outside Geneva. It is jaw-droppingly stunning with the lake, the Alps in the distance, etc.

My plan in Switzerland is to stay in Lucerne, Murren, and Cully. I plan to take the Glacier express too.>

Well dodging the original question about where to go just noting that if you do these places and things by trains consider some kind of Swiss Pass - probably a 3-day Swiss Flexipass which would cover the Glacier Express in full (not mandted seat reservation) and all other travels from German border and back.

For lots of great info on Swiss trains, passes and things like Half-Fare Card I always spotlight these IMO fantastic sources - http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id3.html; www.swisstravelsystem.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Why the Glacier Express? Because you've heard of what is Europe's most overhyped rail ride IME and not nearly the most scenic in Switzerland - the Bernina Express IME takes that by a lot. GE sounds romantic from the pictures but many find it an all day marathon with mainly so-so for Switzerland scenery.

Thank you all for sharing your insights.

Sorry for being vague and comparing Switzerland with Hudson river :)

This is my first trip to Europe and who knows if I will get to go another time or not :)

I guess I am really trying to avoid the feeling that I have or could have seen the same stuff in USA.

Money is not a problem. I will be going in early July.

I had consider doing brief tour of just the big cities such as Paris, Prague, Rome, etc but realized that it might not be feasible and I am better off sticking to one country and see most of it.

If I stick with Switzerland I plan to spend 2 days in Lucerne, 2 days in Murren and a day in Cully with 1 day for Glacier express.

I know I asked a very loaded and vague questions and perhaps trying to compare apples and oranges but your insights have been helpful.

As you now say that you don't know if you'll ever make it back to Europe or not, I'd suggest not going to Switzerland and going somewhere else instead.

I think there are so many other places that offer so much more. I'm trying to think of an equivalent and the closest I can come is it would be like recommending to someone who might only go the U.S. once, to go to Utah.

Where in Germany are you exactly going?