Where would you go and what would see and do on a moderate budget ($200 - $250 per day for food, lodging and transport). Looking for a good mix of cities, towns and countryside. Long walks and easy hikes preferred. Has to be in the summer.

I do this every-other year in July or august. Flying into Geneva, stay along the lake at Lausanne, Vevey, or Montreux. Trips to Gruyeres, Chillon, up Rochers de Naye, the Valais. Boat rides on Lac Leman. Tour Geneva proper (optional). Next time want to include a few days at Annecy for my mountain restort lake time.

Flying into Geneva, stay along the lake at Lausanne, Vevey, or Montreux.

Which is your favorite place to stay or is it hard to pick?

Hi Cato,

A good, standard itinerary is:

Berner Oberland (Wengen, Muerren, or Grindelwald)

Pays d'Enhaut/Saanenland (Gstaad, Saanen, or Chateau d'Oex)

Vaud (Vevey, Montreux)

Luzern (just about an hour from the Zurich airport, it's a good place for your last night or two).

If you want to add in an Italian flavor, add in the Ticino (Locarno, Ascona, Lugano).

If you want to add in an untouristed area, check out the Engadin, especially the towns of Zuoz, Guarda, Sils, & Silvaplana.

You can check out the train schedules & fares between these towns at www.rail.ch.

We can help you with specific walks & hotels after you've nailed down your itinerary. Almost all of Switzerland will give you cafes, nice walks, & countryside.

Have fun!

s

I wouldn't stay the whole two weeks on Lake Geneva. I'd take the train to Lago Maggiore (Locarno) after a few days. The Centovalli Train is very special. After a few days exploring Maggiore I'd head to the Engadine and explore those small towns. There are so many lovely hikes in each of those places and you'd get a nice variety of French, Italian and German Switzerland.

Swandav2000, thanks for the feedback. I may want to take some of those scenic train rides a teacher of mine used to rave about many years ago.

Well, I like Vevey best. Lausanne is larger, Montreux more international in feel, Vevey the most "Swiss" feelling of those three towns imo.

For Cato, certainly take the advise and get out and see other places. For myself (I have friends who live there) I can happily spend two weeks right on Lac Leman, with activities each day and night.

Thanks Catbert & suze, expect I'll move around a bit.

topping for when I have a bit more time to dream of such a dilemma. Affectionately, J.

Fly RT to Zurich.

5 nights Wengen
1 nights Lenzerheide
2 nights Sils-Maria
5 nights Guarda
1 night Zurich

Rail Zurich to Wengen to Interlaken Ost.
Car rental in Interlaken - return in Zurich.

Use hostels and B&Bs. Our hostels are very clean.