Switzerland 10 Day Itinerary
Aug 22nd, 2003, 03:30 PM
#1
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Switzerland 10 Day Itinerary
My wife and I will be traveling to Switzerland for 10 days in mid-September. This will be our first visit and we would like to see as much of the country as possible.
So far, we are thinking about the following itinerary: Lugano (2 days); St. Moritz (1 day); Zermatt (1 day); Montreaux (2 days); Interlaken (2 days); Lucerne (2 days).
I realize this may seem like a marathon to some of the members of this board; however, we are a young couple and would rather experience a little bit of everything than leave anything out. We will get a Swiss Pass and do some of scenic train tours.
We generally prefer modern 4 to 5 star hotels. We were thinking about the following hotels: Grand Hotel Eden (Lugano); Kulm Hotel (St. Moritz); Mont Cervin (Zermatt); Le Montreaux Palace (Montreaux); Beau-Rivage (Interlaken); Palace Luzern (Lucerne).
We are not sure whether to stay in Montreaux or Lausanne; Interlaken or Grindelwald. Does anyone have any comments or suggestions about the above itinerary? Any other hotel advice would also be appreciated. Thanks.
So far, we are thinking about the following itinerary: Lugano (2 days); St. Moritz (1 day); Zermatt (1 day); Montreaux (2 days); Interlaken (2 days); Lucerne (2 days).
I realize this may seem like a marathon to some of the members of this board; however, we are a young couple and would rather experience a little bit of everything than leave anything out. We will get a Swiss Pass and do some of scenic train tours.
We generally prefer modern 4 to 5 star hotels. We were thinking about the following hotels: Grand Hotel Eden (Lugano); Kulm Hotel (St. Moritz); Mont Cervin (Zermatt); Le Montreaux Palace (Montreaux); Beau-Rivage (Interlaken); Palace Luzern (Lucerne).
We are not sure whether to stay in Montreaux or Lausanne; Interlaken or Grindelwald. Does anyone have any comments or suggestions about the above itinerary? Any other hotel advice would also be appreciated. Thanks.
Aug 22nd, 2003, 07:36 PM
#2
I suggest you stay in Grindelwald instead of Interlaken, unless you like bustling tourist cities. The really good stuff is at higher elevations.
Grindelwald is situated under the north face of the Eiger, and has incredible views right from the village. It's smaller than Interlaken, and much closer to the hiking trails, etc.
If you want to experience an even smaller Swiss village, you might consider staying in Murren or Gimmelwald. Murren has one or two 4/5 star hotels, but Gimmelwald is pretty rustic.
Grindelwald is situated under the north face of the Eiger, and has incredible views right from the village. It's smaller than Interlaken, and much closer to the hiking trails, etc.
If you want to experience an even smaller Swiss village, you might consider staying in Murren or Gimmelwald. Murren has one or two 4/5 star hotels, but Gimmelwald is pretty rustic.
Aug 22nd, 2003, 07:53 PM
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MarkP,
Funny -- we did the same trip as you, last September. All I can say is, it was great! Brings back some memories...
Hope you're taking the Bernina train from St. Moritz to Lugano -- it's gorgeous. And the Golden Pass train climbing out over Montreux and toward Lucerne is magnificent.
If you don't mind a little walking, try the Lake Lugano steamer over to Mercote and climb the stairs above the town and lake -- marvelous!
The Gornergratt cogway up next to the Matterhorn got its first snow on October 3rd last year -- breathtaking!
Hope I can return some day....
Funny -- we did the same trip as you, last September. All I can say is, it was great! Brings back some memories...
Hope you're taking the Bernina train from St. Moritz to Lugano -- it's gorgeous. And the Golden Pass train climbing out over Montreux and toward Lucerne is magnificent.
If you don't mind a little walking, try the Lake Lugano steamer over to Mercote and climb the stairs above the town and lake -- marvelous!
The Gornergratt cogway up next to the Matterhorn got its first snow on October 3rd last year -- breathtaking!
Hope I can return some day....
Aug 23rd, 2003, 02:10 AM
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Mark,
Your journey will not so much be a marathon as a succession of long (but pretty) train rides. The Glacier Express from St. Moritz to Zermatt takes all day for example. Personally, I would get antsy spending so much time on trains. If you want a more active vacation, base yourself in 1 (max 2) mountain areas and take hikes & day trips from there.
Also, being more of a mountain person, I would give Zermatt & St. Moritz 2 days and shorten my stays in Lugano & Montreux.
If you decide to stick with Interlaken vs. Grindelwald, I would definitely stay at the Victoria-Jungfrau over the Beau Rivage - no comparison. Also, for an intense alpine experience, the Riffelalp resort in Zermatt has an unbeatable setting (though you're not in town like the Cervin). Otherwise your hotel picks are good (don't know the Eden in Lugano though).
Hope this helps,
Andre
Your journey will not so much be a marathon as a succession of long (but pretty) train rides. The Glacier Express from St. Moritz to Zermatt takes all day for example. Personally, I would get antsy spending so much time on trains. If you want a more active vacation, base yourself in 1 (max 2) mountain areas and take hikes & day trips from there.
Also, being more of a mountain person, I would give Zermatt & St. Moritz 2 days and shorten my stays in Lugano & Montreux.
If you decide to stick with Interlaken vs. Grindelwald, I would definitely stay at the Victoria-Jungfrau over the Beau Rivage - no comparison. Also, for an intense alpine experience, the Riffelalp resort in Zermatt has an unbeatable setting (though you're not in town like the Cervin). Otherwise your hotel picks are good (don't know the Eden in Lugano though).
Hope this helps,
Andre
Aug 23rd, 2003, 08:26 AM
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I would limit or skip Lugano (more like Italy than Switzerland)and Montreaux (more like France)and add days to St. Moritz and Jungfrau (Interlaken) area. Definitely agree, take the Bernini Express from St. Moritz -- we did it to Poschiavo -- walked around that pretty town and then caught the next Bernini Express back to St. Moritz. Worked out great.
Also remember to take advantage of the steamers and post buses (included in your swiss pass). From St. Moritz, take the post bus south to Corvasch -- take the trip to the top of the mountain, walk or ride down, then walk around the lakes. When you've had enough, just catch the next post bus back into St. Moritz. When visiting Lucern, we stayed in the village of Weggis and took the steamer into Lucern. We stay in Murren in the Jungfrau area, but check timing for last funicular up if you will be out late. Grindelwald would probably be better. If you stay in Interlaken, you will waste a lot of time every day just getting to the areas you really want to see.
The swiss pass has got to be the absolutely best travel bargain in Europe. You DO know, however, that you should pack light -- you do not want to be schlepping a lot of baggage. Have fun -- wish we were going back that soon...... Believe me, it won't be your LAST trip to Switzerland.
Also remember to take advantage of the steamers and post buses (included in your swiss pass). From St. Moritz, take the post bus south to Corvasch -- take the trip to the top of the mountain, walk or ride down, then walk around the lakes. When you've had enough, just catch the next post bus back into St. Moritz. When visiting Lucern, we stayed in the village of Weggis and took the steamer into Lucern. We stay in Murren in the Jungfrau area, but check timing for last funicular up if you will be out late. Grindelwald would probably be better. If you stay in Interlaken, you will waste a lot of time every day just getting to the areas you really want to see.
The swiss pass has got to be the absolutely best travel bargain in Europe. You DO know, however, that you should pack light -- you do not want to be schlepping a lot of baggage. Have fun -- wish we were going back that soon...... Believe me, it won't be your LAST trip to Switzerland.
Aug 23rd, 2003, 01:33 PM
#6
I would chose Montreux over Lausanne, having been to both places several times.
Montreux is smaller, you could see it in a day, and spend the next day in Vevey (keep same hotel, it's just the next town between Montreux and Lausanne). Lausanne is perfectly nice as well but a larger city so you don't get that intense dose of Swiss "charm" I feel in the other two.
For Montreux I like the old castle called Chateux de Chillon, a scenic tram that goes up the mountain (Rochere de Naye), you might like to have an expensive but incredible dinner at L'Hermitage on the lake. Fri AM is their farmers market day.
For Vevey Tues AM & Sat AM are the market days. If they happen to fit in your schedule, are a lot of fun to see and do. Flowers, produce, baked goods, cured meats, cheese, etc.
Walking along the quai (Lac Leman) in any of these 3 towns is great. Also boat tours in the lake and/or wine tours in the Lavaux region nearby are fun.
I am lucky to have friends who live there so don't have any hotel advice.
Montreux is smaller, you could see it in a day, and spend the next day in Vevey (keep same hotel, it's just the next town between Montreux and Lausanne). Lausanne is perfectly nice as well but a larger city so you don't get that intense dose of Swiss "charm" I feel in the other two.
For Montreux I like the old castle called Chateux de Chillon, a scenic tram that goes up the mountain (Rochere de Naye), you might like to have an expensive but incredible dinner at L'Hermitage on the lake. Fri AM is their farmers market day.
For Vevey Tues AM & Sat AM are the market days. If they happen to fit in your schedule, are a lot of fun to see and do. Flowers, produce, baked goods, cured meats, cheese, etc.
Walking along the quai (Lac Leman) in any of these 3 towns is great. Also boat tours in the lake and/or wine tours in the Lavaux region nearby are fun.
I am lucky to have friends who live there so don't have any hotel advice.
Aug 23rd, 2003, 03:43 PM
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Hi MarkP, While your itinerary makes me tired to even read it, you are absolutely right that it will give you a taste of the great variety within Switzerland. If you omit Lacs Leman and Lugano as someone suggested, you will have missed some very special parts of the country. Soooo my votes go to everything on your list, except just maybe you could decide between Moritz and Zermatt and stay two nights in whichever comes up heads? That really is a lot of train hours (and I'm a devoted Swiss Pass train rider). I do hope you'll get a chance to ride a lake boat or two. I hope you like sampling new foods because all the places on your list contrast culinarily (is that a word?) Have fun and keep notes, so you'll know where you want to come back to for a longer stay. (And believe me, you will.) J.
