Jill

After visiting Lucerne, we want to spend another 6 days elsewhere. The Bernese Oberland area sounds so nice but not sure just what is done during the day if you're not hiking, mountain biking etc. Another area that is appealing is the Montreux/Vevey area or perhaps Berne. We do enjoy leisurely strolls, stopping for espresso at cafes, window shopping and enjoying the local flavors. Any towns or villages that you'd recommend? Jill (1st time to Switzerland)

Bob Brown

There are several gondola and other cable rides in the area that require nothing physically, except getting on and off. There is also the mountain train that goes up to a pass called Kleine Scheidegg, which is the station at which people headed for the Jungfraujoch change trains. <BR>The ride to the top of the Schilthorn is interesting and leads to some nice views over the whole area.

Rhonda

Jill, <BR> <BR>I don't know if you are travelling in winter or summer but either way there are lots of beautiful places to visit. Interlaken is beautiful. The views are gorgeous. The chateau in the town of Guyere is also worth a visit. You can also see how the cheese is made. I used to live not too far from Montreux and I would agree that it is a nice place. Another area taht is much different but also very nice is Lake Lugano. Each of these areas are completely different from each other but all well worth a visit. <BR> <BR>Rhonda

Alice

I second that on Interlaken. We had only one full day there (staying in Bern), but we wished we'd had three days at least. The town is beautiful with lots of interesting shops. The old casino hosts a folkoric dinner show which we went to sans the dinner (and seeing what they served for the price, we were glad we skipped it). There us also cable car ride worth taking and at the top is a wonderful restaurant and bar. This area offers boats and two lakes with all the sedentary pleasures you could want (we are also quite non-athletic). Have fun.

richard j vicek

Good evening, Jill You can spend a <BR>lot of time in the Berneroberland as <BR>Bob states really not doing any hiking <BR>and sport like activity merely riding <BR>the Gondolas, cable cars and mountain <BR>railways, funiculaire and then if you <BR>have a rainy day you can retreat down <BR>to Interlaken and ride the boats all <BR>over Briezersee and Thunnersee, and <BR>possibly go to Ballenberg, and up the <BR>Rothorn at Brienz. If you so wish there <BR>are casinos in Interlaken and Thun, Thun <BR>at one time gave tours thru it.... <BR>As far as Montreux-Vevey, there is a <BR>very good lake boat system on Geneva, <BR>in fact you can take a boat from Montreux to Geneva, making a number of <BR>stops and then return by boat if time <BR>permits or take the train back, giving <BR>you a little more time inGeneva, Vevey <BR>or etc. Berne is an interesting city <BR>but would not think for six days, a day <BR>or two should be sufficent...Zermatt <BR>might be considered, has a very good <BR>gondola/cable car network and some <BR>beautiful scenery...Richard of LaGrange Park, Il.. <BR>

Cheryl Z.

<BR>Jill, you sound like my kinda traveler! We've been to Switzerland several times, don't do any hiking etc. As mentioned above, so many cable cars and gondola rides for tremendous scenery. Try a leisurely lake cruise too. And we loved the Vevey area Rhonda mentions - Gruyere is often over-looked. Maybe you could divide your 6 days - I'd agree that 6 days is too much for Berne. Try Zermatt or St. Moritz. We loved the Interlaken area too. And Lugano is a good suggestions. All of Switzerland is ideal for what you want!

Ed

One of the great things about the Berner Oberland and the Jungfrau region in particular is that you don't have to be an athlete to enjoy the mountains. <BR> <BR>Many of the walks provide spectacular views and are about as difficult as walking through the mall. I think particularly of the walks from Mürren to Grütschalp and the stroll from the Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg. <BR>See www.twenj.com/swisswalk.htm <BR> <BR>There are mechanical lifts to the top (or almost the top) of so many mountains. The rides themselves are enjoyable and scenic and the views at the top are spectacular. Our favorites are the Schilthorn, Männlichen and Schynige Platte. <BR>See www.twenj.com/swmountaintrips.htm <BR> <BR>Lots of excursions in the area, for example, to <BR>Trümmelbach Falls <BR>Lake Brienz <BR>Giesbach Falls <BR>The Swiss Outdoor Museum at Ballenberg <BR>Lake Thun <BR> <BR>and nearby cities like <BR>Interlaken (with a casino) <BR>Thun <BR>Brienz <BR>Luzern <BR>Bern <BR> <BR>We spend two weeks at a time based in Mürren and never run out of things to do ... in fact we usually go home with planned items unchecked on our "to do" list ... even after many visits to the area. <BR> <BR>Go once, and like most folks you'll want to go back again ... soon! <BR>

Jill

Thanks for so many wonderful responses. Now, I'm getting excited and just need to chose a city or two to stay in. One question: using the cable cars etc. that run up and down the mountains and the excursions mentioned (mostly by Ed)..are these covered if we buy a Swiss Pass for a couple of weeks? I guess I'm unclear if the Swiss Pass is good only in certain regions or is it good through out the entire country? Thanks

Ed

The Swiss Pass is good throughout the country. Significant exceptions: the last leg (more or less) of mountain top trips, where one normally gets a discount as a benefit of the pass. <BR> <BR>The pass covers most trains (except mountaintop like the trip from Wengen or Grindelwald to the Jungfraujoch and the Gornergrat trip), most boats, Postal Bus scheduled routes and bus lines in 30 municipalities. Most cables give a discount, typically 25% though often more and sometimes less. <BR> <BR>Details on this and other passes at <BR>www.twenj.com/swpasses.htm

Bob Brown

I agree 1000% with Ed that the walk along the path between Grutschalp and Mürren is a highly recommended endeavor. <BR>I suggest walking from Grutschalp toward Mürren because your neck will not be as sore. I say that facetiously, but if you walk toward Mürren, the Jungfrau and the other peaks will be in front of you. Otherwise, you will keep turning your head around to have one more look at that incredibly beautiful view. <BR>There is a restaurant along the way, too, where you can have something to eat and/or drink. <BR> <BR>A nice days outing could be accomplished by taking the cable car down to Stechelberg. <BR>From there you can take the bus to Trummelbach Falls. After visiting the falls, you can continue by bus into Lauterbrunnen. Staubach Falls are visible to your left as you ride along the valley. If you get off at the church, the falls are a very short distance away. From Lauterbrunnen you can ride the furnicular up to Grutschalp and stroll back to Mürren. <BR> <BR>If you time your walk from Grutschalp for late afternoon, the sun will be fully on the Jungfrau. <BR>As the light fades, the snowy slopes of the mountain begin to glow in various shades of delicate colors depending on the cloud cover. <BR>If you have a full moon that rises on a clear night just before the last rays of the sun have died away, the mountain takes on an ethereal glow that borders on the supernatural. <BR>I remember standing on the street one evening in Lauterbrunnen just staring at it. Almost magically I seemed to be drawn toward in that direction. <BR>As I walked, Staubach Falls were cascading to the valley floor on my right. I stopped, rooted to the spot, until after the last golden rays of the sun had faded and the mountains were painted a luminous silver. <BR>It was a sight I will never forget. <BR>

Beth

You definitely do not need to be athletic to enjoy the Bernese Oberland. My husband and I enjoyed easy strolls, a boat ride on Lake Brienz, a visit to Thun, and just sitting on the patio of the Hotel Eiger and staring at the mountains. In fact, our time there was incredibly relaxing and peaceful. There are tons of things you can do there that are adventurous, but just as many that aren't. Six days there sounds wonderful!

Ed

Bob's absolutely right as to the "stiff-neck" result one may get walking from Mürren to Grütschalp. The preferred direction would be the other way, to Mürren. <BR> <BR>On the other hand Jill's request had to do with recommendations for non-atletes, and it's downhill from Mürren to Grütschalp, uphill the other way, of course. Not a stiff uphill by any means, but uphill. The theoretical altitude gain is only 42 meters (~140 feet), though with the ups and downs along the route it's probably double that. <BR> <BR>The restaurant is midway on the route and is at Winteregg. One can catch the train there to shorten the walk if desired.