Lucerne, Switzerland plus what???
 

We will be in Lucerne in early November for a meeting (3 days/nights) but have an additional 4 nights to work with?? Looking for advice on where folks would spend those extra days. Considering Western France, Germany, Austria or Northern Italy. Also open to spending days in another Swiss city. Traveling with DH (51), me (41) and DD (15).

You can take the Cisalpino train to Venice via Milan. Total journey is 6 hour.

We actually had our one week trip in November when we stayed with family just south of Lucerne and then took the Cisalpino train to Venice with our daughter & son. Venice was the perfect combination after Lucern as both are very comfortable and intimate places for a family to explore.

We've been to Venice a couple of times before but in November we really had Venice to ourselves without the wall to wall crowd. Hotel prices in Venice were also lower in November, in fact we were upgraded to 2 suites with multiple rooms at the hotel's courtesy. We wouldn't have been able to stroll the streets in Austria, Germany or France as comfortably since the weather north of the Alps tend to be considerably colder.

It seems a shame to be in one wonderful area and feel the need to travel long distances to see something different when there is limited time.
Luzern is ideally suited for access to the magnificent Western Alps with many famous peaks (Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn for example). You could consider Zermatt as a high mountain base, only a few hours drive from Lucern, but what a magnificent drive!
Staying in the region, you could take a round trip to include Zermatt, Chamonix (France) for the stunning cable car ride to the Aiguille du'Midi for views of Mont Blanc and glaciers, through the tunnel to Italy and the Val d'Aosta, and perhaps returning to Switzerland via the Great St Bernard Pass (in part the St Bernard tunnel in November I imagine).
I am biased by my love for the Alps, but I hope you get some time to see them in all their glory. I have some pages on the Alps here:
http://www.stayinpiedmont.com/pages/...an%20Alps.html

I like Dax's idea:

I would go with 3 nights in Lucerne and the rest in Venice.

I agree with Schuler.

Do take a boat journey around the lake (I like the Wilhelm Tell Express boat ride) if the weather is nice. There are other nice day excursions from Luzern for gorgeous scenery.

November the weather can be cool and gray so a stop in Venice would be nice. I think early November is a bit of an off time for Zermatt or even my other favorite mountain stops in Switzerland such as Wengen. But, if the weather is sunny, Wengen would be nice trip too. (I much prefer this area to Zermatt except the Matterhorn is worth seeing of course.)

My DDs are 14 and 17 and they seem to enjoy little cities like Venice or Luzern to mountain scenery.

Enjoy!

gruezi

I agree with Phil. With the limited time that you have, there are so many other beautiful places to see in Switzerland. What a great itinerary!

Venice is beautiful in spring and summer, yes, with higher prices and more tourists but I've read in many a post that it can be very rainy in November, to the point of flooding-in a city that is surrounded by canals and water.

Do some more homework, if you try to fit in too much, you won't enjoy anything.

I agree with Phil, too. Why waste so much time and money travelling - you'll lose a whole day - when there is more than enough to see and do in the nearest surroundings.
I'd even stay in Luzern the whole time and use it as a base for day trips.

I'd stay in Switzerland myself.

Or adding Venice is a fine idea, if for some reason you don't want to see more of Switzerland(?)

With these two options at hand (Venice and stay-in-Switzerland), I'd wait until the last minute and choose based on the weather forecast.

Having fair weather is so important to the enjoyment of the Alps that, if that's not in the forecast, head for Venice. And have lodging possibilities ready for either Plan A or Plan B.

Lugano might be a good second base. Different climate and culture, and lovely in a more Italian way.

My thoughts are with Schuler. The train ride is an adventure. Venice is a treat - even in the rain. You'll likely get good rates for accommodations at either location. I would travel to Venice.

I like Tuck's idea. Should be no problem getting Cis tix and if the weathers good stay in der Schweiz and if not head to Venezia...

good plan!

gruezi

We often travel to Europe during Thanksgiving week and have found that's it's better to stay south of the Alps if we want to enjoy strolling the outdoor. The grey swiss mountains just don't look so inviting in November.

Venice may flood in the early morning in November, but the water subsides by 9-10 am. Our hotel provided cheap yellow rain boots if they want to walk in the early morning, but we prefer to just sleep and have breakfast in the hotel till 9/10 am. Alternatively, you can consider Languedoc or Provence for November.

Plenty to do in beautiful Switzerland for those few days. AND how about wonderful, atmospheric Salzburg. We were there in Nov. one time and it was great...(then we took the train to Vienna and on to Budapest)...
Salzburg is such fun in Winter! I would return in a heartbeat!

Venice nice also...IF you really want to see Venice, and change trains in Milan (oh me).

Bernese Oberland, Interlaken, Zurich.....smaller towns also! I think you'll have fun.,, as will your teenager daughter.

What are the things that appeal to you of the various places you mention... France, Germany, Austria, Italy? Maybe your family can take a vote?

I have a personal love for the Lac Leman area of Switzerland around Lausanne, Vevey, Montreux. Were I in your shoes, that's probably where I'd head.