maryebutton

We are planning to be in the Lauterbrunnen/Luzern area in early-mid June. The weather websites show 80 percent chance of rain most every day that time of year, yet I don't see this listed as a problem from most bloggers. If we are hoping to mainly hike, will it rain so much we should plan a different area of Switzerland? Also, is two days enough to see the highlights of Lauterbrunnen area?

mjknycmjk

There is a chance of rain every day, as you are in the mountains. I would not worry too much about it. I have found that some of the weather sites I use in the US are not too helpful when it comes to Europe. I tend to use wunderground.com for Europe info.

Also, I hope you are not saying you have 2 days total for Lauterbrunnen and Luzern. They really aren't right near each other, and you can spend multiple days in each location.

nytraveler

2 days in enough for Lauterbrunnen (a small village) - but you would need at least 2 or 3 more for Lucerne (a small city). And are you planning on ascending any of the mountains - that will be additional time.

Dukey1

If you are in the Lauterbrunnen area there is plenty to do if you are willing to go to Grindelwald, the Jungfrau, Murren, Wengen, etc., etc., not to mention the two lakes nearby and ESPECIALLY if you are spending a lot of time on foot as seem to be planning.

maryebutton

Thanks so much for the input. I am wondering about skipping an evening in Basel and heading straight to Lauterbrunnen and using the extra time to go to Luzern rather than Basel. If you could see Basel or Luzern for a day, which would you choose?

mokka4

Luzern, hands down.

PalenQ

like on the other thread Lucerne, hands down!

PalenQ

2 days in enough for Lauterbrunnen (a small village)>

Two hours is enough for Lauterbrunnen but Lauterbrunnen like any town in the area is a base from which to hop to a mind-boggling number of very varied day trips - but to see Lauterbrunnen itself takes only a few hours really - Trummelbach Falls being one site near town but really nothing else there but a pleasant watering hole.

You do not go to the Jungfrau Region to explore its towns but just use them as a base. Several great days - the more you can the better in this awesome area that will fulfill the romantic picture of Switzerland etched in your mind's eye perhaps - glacier-girdled peaks soaring above lush cow-dotted valleys, etc - images that will not be fulfilled in most Swiss cities such as Basel or Lucerne, pleasant as those places are.

Pepper_von_snoot

Lauterbrunnen is only a base town.

You could walk through in half an hour.

What you want to do is get out and explore Wengen, Grindelwald, Mannlichen-Kleine Scheidegg, Schynige Platte, Thun, Murren, Schilthorn, Jungfrau, Lake Brienz, etc.

Thun and Spiez are very much similar to Luzern, so I would skip Luzern and spend all my time in the BO.


Thin

PalenQ

Thun and Spiez similar to Lucerne - NO way - Lucerne is so so unique and offers a whole lot more IMO than Spiez or Thun, nice as they are. Lucerne is exceptional - spend at least a day there IMO and do a lake boat tour on Lake Lucerne if you do not do one on Lake Thun or Lake Brienz, the two lakes bookending Interlaken.

Pepper_von_snoot

You've never been to either Thun or Spiez so how would you know?

Thin

PalenQ

I been to Spiexz - just a tiny town with a famous castle and Thun many many times - you make outlandish accusations without any basis!

And ask anyone on this board if they would say Thun or Spiez are just as nice as Lucerne.

PalenQ

For folks wanting to do a sweet easy walk not high up in the hills - say when the weather up there may be too cool you can take a boat or train from Interlaken to Spiez, visit the castle there - there is nothing else to see there but the castle - the town is tiny (pop 12,000) and then do a swell ridge walk over to Thun - I did this walk twice now - just gorgeous overlooking Lake Thun from high above.

Now Thun is a city like Lucerne - not a small town like Spiez - but besides some nice old wooden bridges there is nothing of special interest there - nice town but a few hours at most for the average traveler.

I have also take the Lake Thun boats to Oberhofen - a nice lakeside town with its own neat castle hovering over the lake and then I walked to Thun from there, along the lake and then along the canal that leads to Thun.

Another reason Thun ain't no Lucerne is that the city proper is not on the lake but just off it - the town center is not on the lake - Lucerne is smack on Lake Lucerne, making it infinitely more scenic IMO than Thun.

maryebutton

thank you all so much. Now I need to figure out rail passes; whether to do half pass, swiss pass, the one for jungfrau area. Am starting in Basel, then to Lauterbrunnen for a few days, then up to Lucerne and on to Zurich. May have to ask that on a different board!

Pepper_von_snoot

You should post on trip advisor.

A great source of info. on the BO will come from Kim San Jose.

No need to post here anymore if you don't want to.


Thin

PalenQ

Am starting in Basel, then to Lauterbrunnen for a few days, then up to Lucerne and on to Zurich>

you need to say more than that - if only taking those three train trips you simply buy regular tickets - the Jungfraubahn Pass is pricey and I think for 6 days so you may not be able to realize its value in just 3 days there.

A Swiss Pass or half-Fare Card could save money but only IF you are doing more travels.

Based on your statement - just three train trips buy regular tickets - if you plan travels around the Jungfrau Region or boat trips on Lake Lucerne or Lake Zurich, etc if may change what one would recommend.

PalenQ

Now I need to figure out rail passes; whether to do half pass, swiss pass, the one for jungfrau area. Am starting in Basel, then to Lauterbrunnen for a few days, then up to Lucerne and on to Zurich. May have to ask that on a different board>

well if you do not give any more details than you do - about what others transports you are going to take once in the Lauterbrunnen area even the Einsteins on Trip Advisor will be unable to answer that question - if you do even the dolts here will be able to give you a good idea.