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Our tentative itinerary - comments appreciated

Our tentative itinerary - comments appreciated

Old Dec 2nd, 2000, 11:20 PM
  #1  
Andrea
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Our tentative itinerary - comments appreciated

We are planning to spend 9 full days in Switzerland from Christmas to New Year's. I'd like some tips if anyone has some advice. I've read the Fodor's print guide cover to cover, and most of the old posts on this board.

We love cities, and want to begin our trip in Zurich and end up in Geneva (I lived in Geneva a few years ago, but always went to France for trips and thus never saw the rest of Switzerland). At any rate, we like picturesque cities/towns with interesting old towns, museums, antiques, local crafts, and great restaurants. I hope I won't make any enemies by saying this, but we're really not interested in a mountain day trip unless it's to a beautiful small city/village (but we are interested in those!).

Here is our tentative itinerary:

Zurich, Winterthur, Stein am Rhein, Basel, Bern, Neuchatel, Murten, Fribourg, Gruyeres, Montreux, Vevy, St. Saphorin, and Lausanne.

It's hard for me to judge how long it will take to get from one city to another, since some cities are only 20 miles apart. Depending on how long it takes to get from one to another, it's just like going from one side of town here to another, so we could conceivably see several of the villages close to one another in one day.

Any tips?
 
Old Dec 3rd, 2000, 12:03 AM
  #2  
Tony
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Your itinerary seems to suit your personal tastes, and you are to a degree, off the beaten track, which is no bad thing.
Driving off the the freeways is generally slower than you will be used to, but you are not going far, so who cares.
Some roads in Switzerland may be closed by snow, but probably not on your route.
However it may pay to check in hotels and information offices just to be sure.
Have you considered the comfort of the Swiss trains? A Swiss rail pass may be beneficial, except for the hassle of luggage, unless you are travelling light.
Sounds like it will be fun.
 
Old Dec 3rd, 2000, 06:24 AM
  #3  
Patrick
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Tony assumed you were driving; I assumed you were taking the trains. Which had you planned? We did easy day trips from Zurich to Stein am Rhine, Basel, and Bern all by train. You can even go from Zurich to Basel in the morning and in the afternoon go on to Friboug, returning to Zurich in the evening. My suggestion would be to just break your trip into two stays, one in Zurich and one in Montreaux, eliminating the luggage hassle and checking in and out of hotels, and either driving or having to take taxis to your hotels in each city. I would get a Swiss pass and do the rest as day trips. The only town we keep eliminating is Gruyeres because it is really time consuming to get to by train/bus. Next trip we will finally drive in Switzerland so we can do some of those smaller places, but for four trips now in Switzerland averaging three weeks each we have always used the trains and been very happy with them.
 
Old Dec 3rd, 2000, 07:29 AM
  #4  
s
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Andrea,
I think Tony & Patrick offer great advice re: trains and home-base. I also suggest you pick only two places to stay and do day-trips to your other destinations; Zurich & Montreux (or Vevey even) would be perfect choices. To get an idea of distances, check out www.rail.ch for rail timetables & fares, or check out www.inforoute.ch for driving info.

I would also suggest that you add Lutry to your list (www.lutry.ch), a small village that has a nice posted-walk to their medieval buildings. I have lots & lots of information on the Lavaux area, feel free to e-mail me to pick my meagre brain.

s
 
Old Dec 3rd, 2000, 07:39 AM
  #5  
s
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Andrea,
Sorry, forget the route-planning website: www.euroshell.com/INT/EN/index/asp, then click on "Route Planner" to get distances/times between your destinations.

s
 

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