Switzerland 8 day itinerary in May
 

Our trip will begin in Basel and end in Zurich. We would like to use public transportation/trains rather than renting a car. We will not be hiking. We would prefer one or two home base points rather than changing lodging every night. This is our first time in Switzerland. We will be in Switzerland the first week of May for eight days.. I understand that this is shoulder season and some things will be closed. Please advise on an appropriate itinerary for this time of year. I am reading and learning but would appreciate your experienced advice on what many of you consider your favorites or the best things to see and do. When we travel we like to stay in a bed and breakfast rather than hotels. Tips or suggestions would be very helpful.

Plan on at least days in the Berner Oberland---the best of the Alps.

Bern to Monreux -Lake Geneva for one base

Take Golden Pass scenic train to Interlaken-head to hills like Grindelwald or Wengen to base until going to Zurich.

For traveling between more than one base and from Bern and to Zurich check out the 8-consecutive-day Swiss Pass -covering trains and lake boats and buses and giving 50% off most gondolas and trains to mountain tops.

www.swisstravelsystem,com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com for great info on Swiss trains.

Montreux offers nice easy day trips -like the Chocolate Train which takes you from Montreux to Gruyeres -a perfectly walled medieval town -visit a cheese factory there - and then the train rolls onto Broc-Factory station for a Willie Wankaesque tour of the Callier Chocolate Factory - tastings included:

http://www.goldenpass.ch/en/goldenpass/offer/view?id=15

The Chateau Chillon is a few mile stroll along the lake or a short bus or boat ride from Montreux:

https://www.google.com/search?q=chat...w=1745&bih=864

And boat tours around the lake - even over to Frande at Evian-les-Bains a spiffy spa town known for Evian water and its fancy casino.

That should say "3" days.

You might find some ideas in my trip report:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...any-thanks.cfm

You may have a look at
http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/home.html
http://www.swisstravelsystem.ch/en/
http://fahrplan.sbb.ch/bin/query.exe/en

I understand that this is shoulder season and some things will be closed.>

Some key gondolas may be closed for maintenance during this slack season but most others things will not- and this only applies to Alpine resort areas.

Weather can be iffy then- could day trip on foul days from Jungfrau to Bern or Lucerne.

Can you elaborate a bit on what - to you - are the "best things to see and do"?

Switzerland offers much more than the well-known scenery.

Do you have an interest in the arts? In architecture old and new? In classical music? In the history of the country's entanglements and efforts at disentanglement from the powers of the region? The history of the country's involvement in the reformation - Zwingly, Calvin etc.?

People with hugely disparate interests go to Switzerland to pursue those interests - what are YOUR particular interest? Maybe we can be of assistance if you elaborate.

OP says not into hiking

well that certainly does not rule out 3-4 days in an Alpine resort extraordinaire like the Jungfrau Region around Interlaken where you virtually need not lift a foot to reach glaciers and remote mountain villages -and there are many short easy walks to take -if you are thinking of hiking as strenuous requiring special footwear, etc.

Plus there are boat trips on either of the two lakes book-ending Interlaken - a day out on either is sublime.

And on foul weather days yes day trip to wonderful cities like Bern or Lucerne.

But don't rule out Alpine resorts because you're not into 'hiking'- a panoply of aerial cable ways and tiny mountain trains go off in all directions.

http://www.myswissalps.com/forum/top...ikes-in-wengen

this lists walks where they say hiking boots are not needed - be a shame not to get out into the lovely countryside on an easy walk-like the popular Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg Ridge Walk:

https://www.google.com/search?q=mann...HXwBCQwQsAQIMg

I understand that this is a draft of a timetable. It is a work in progress that will only come together with your help. I wish that we had two weeks or a month, but we will enjoy as much of Switzerland as we can manage. I appreciate you taking the time to consider sharing with me.

Night 1 -Arrive Basel overnight (A day in Basel or train to Bern area and skip Basel) If we skip Basel that is an extra night in one of the below listed.
Night 2 Train to village around Bern - Vivey??
Night 3
Night 4
Night 5 (Day trip to Luzerne)
Night 6 Train to Gimmerwald (night 1)
Night 7 (night 2)
Night 8 (night 3)
Night 9 Train to Zurich (one night) Day in Zurich
Flight out

I know we need at least the 2 1/2 days in the Bernese Overland. I am not sure about the days on the front side. We could stay in Vivey, see Montreux, Gruyeres, etc. OR The option would be go straight to Luzern and day trip from there. Then taking the train and staying in Gimmerwald or Murren. We will be there literally the last of April and the first of May. The time of year could be a factor in choosing Luzern or Vivey???? Thank you for your advice, experience and help with this planning.

Only YOU can decide whether you want to visit Basel or not, whether you prefer the eastern end of Lake Geneva or Lucerne, etc.

Vivey is not a village around Bern; it is near Montreux.

Perhaps you mean Gimmelwald?

I would think Murren would be exceptionally quiet at that time of year, and if the weather is bad, you would need to spend a bit of time getting out of the Bernese Oberland. I could be wrong.

Frankly, I think you might want to go back to the drawing board.... JMO.

Hi milestogoneedadvice,

Please be advised that the name of the town you're thinking of (I think!) is Vevey, not Vivey. And as kja notes, it is not "around" Bern but several hours south of Bern. It lies on Lake Geneva. It is in the French-speaking part of the country, so it will give you quite a nice contrast with the rest of your trip, in the German-speaking Alps.

Yes, from Vevey or Montreux, you can see the Chillon castle and walk the flowered lakeside promenade, see the vineyards of the Lavaux (though they will be pretty bare at that time of the year), and visit Gruyeres and Gstaad.

It is too far to day-trip from Vevey to Luzern.

I agree that Gimmelwald (if that is what you meant) and Mürren would be too remote for a visit in April/May. Those villages are awfully small, and in the shoulder season, many things are closed (hotels, restaurants, etc). You might want to think about staying in Grindelwald, Wengen, or even Lautberbrunnen, all larger or more touristed towns.

Have fun as you plan!

s

(Oops, yes: V<u>e</u>vey.)

In May, Lake Geneva (Vevey-Montreux), the Swiss midlands and Southern Switzerland will be in full flowers. At about 2000 metres, the snow will begin to melt, sooner at sunny places like Verbier, Crans-Montana and Southern Switzerland, later in more shady areas like Muerren-Schilthorn

Lake Geneva area may also be warmer and drier than higher elevations and places in eastern Switzerland.

Night 6 Train to Gimmerwald (night 1)
Night 7 (night 2)
Night 8 (night 3)

Yes that should be IMO Grindelwald not Gimmelwald- trains scoot to Grindelwald in about 20 minutes from Interlaken-Ost - Gimmelwald - a tiny hamlet takes much longer to reach -train to Lauterbrunnen -postal bus to Stechlberg -gondolas up to Gimmelwald.

Too isolated for day trips IMO but Grindelwald or Wengen are not and also much more going on in those places than Gimmelwald (worth a quick look however if doing Schilthorn/Murren excursion.

Thank you for sticking with me and advising. Normally this trip would have been planned down to the smallest detail by now. But as it sometimes happens, life became pretty overwhelming and time for planning did not exist. Healthy family again, but behind here. Any help you offer is so appreciated.

Best advice from KJA - back to the drawing board
I do understand that I have to decide between the Lake Geneva area or Luzern as a base for several nights. I was hoping for strong opinions or experiences about them that would help me. I am reading and researching, but sometimes a response will send me in a better direction of research as in the points made about Lake Geneva area in Spring and — too many days and Gimmelwald (worth a quick look however if doing Schilthorn/Murren excursion.)—

We do want to do the Schiltohorn/Murren excursion. Would it make sense to train from Lake Geneva to Lauterbrunnen. Maybe base in Lauterbrunnen.

I feel like we are jumping around too much, trying to see more of course. Is it as frenetic as I think it is? Or is it simpler than it looks.

Draft:
Day 1: Arrive in Basel train to Lake Geneva area
Day 2: Lake Geneva area
Day 3: Lake Geneva area
Day 4: Train to Lauterbrunnen area
Day 5: Day trip Schilthorn/Murren excursion
Day 6: Lauterbrunnen area
Day 7: Train to Luzern
Day 8: Luzern area(cable car to Mount Titlis, weather permitting)
Day 9: Train to Zurich for morning flight

Thank you for your patience. Each response helps me get a better overview.

IMO, this plan is do-able ... if the weather cooperates. Only you can decide if all the moving around -- and time lost to transportation, getting to your lodging, checking in/out, packing/unpacking, etc. -- works for your travel preferences and leaves you enough time to see what you want in each of these locations.