Switzerland
 

We are coming to Switzerland the first week of September and have an extra night to spare before heading out of Geneva to Paris. We are wondering if we should stay an extra night in Lucerne or in Montreux. Any thoughts? Thank you ahead of time!

Hi mmcgriff,

Our suggestions will be more helpful if you could give us some more information, such as --

Your complete itinerary, including how many days currently in Luzern and Montreux. Will you be visiting any other mountain destinations?

Who is travelling -- ages?

What are your interests -- walking, hiking, sight-seeing, wine tasting, gourmet dining?

Hope to hear more!

s

I'd stay in Lucerne. It's one of my favorites!

swandav2000/. We're are staying in Wengen for 3 days, currently Lucerne 2 days and Monteux 2 days. 2 adults. We love walking/hiking/ wine. However we wil also be staying in Beaune France so if we don't get much wine in the Montreux area we'll be okay!

Based on your current itinerary, I'd add the extra night to Lucerne.

But, then again, if you add another night to Montreux, you could go to Yvoire for the day.

marking for later comment

Hi again,

Well, I'd add that day to Montreux -- with 3 days for Wengen and 2 days for Luzern, that's 5 mountain days.

And if you like wine, having an extra day to wander the vineyards of the Lavaux (between Montreux and Lausanne) is a great idea. The Lavaux is at its best in the fall, too. You can take the train to Lutry and go on the signposted walk of its medieval buildings. After that, walk through the vineyards to Cully or Rivaz (2 or 3 hours), and go to the Vinorama in Rivaz, where you can taste wine from all over the region. End the day in Vevey, exploring the wonderful streets and nooks and crannies of its old town right next to the lake.

Then you still have two full days to explore Montreux and its promenade, Villeneuve, Chillon, Montreux's old town, and take the Chocolate Train if you want.

Have fun as you plan!

s

with 3 days for Wengen and 2 days for Luzern, that's 5 mountain days.>

No that is 3 mountain days - Lucerne being anything but in the mountains.

I'd add the extra day to Wengen as they are so so many varied things to do from that base - like do a lake boat ride on either lake bookending Interlaken or do the fantastic Schilthorn/Murren/Gimmelwald excursion, or go to the famous Ballenberg Open-Air museum or Brienz to take the vintage steam train up the mountain and perhaps do a gentle stroll back down as I did.

For lots of great info on Swiss trains and lake boats check out these fine sights - http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id3.html; www.swisstravelsystem.com and www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com. You are traveling around enough to warrant a Swiss Pass - an 8-consecutive-day pass would be great - covering all your travels indicated - including in full to remote Wengen and Murren, boats on either lakes and also on Lake Lucerne and in full up Mt Rigi from the lake and also free entry to 400+ Swiss museums - about a $25 value in the case of Ballenberg.

Luzern is a base from which one can very easily ascend the mountains.

May I ask, if one should base his stay in luzern or murren/wengen?

For Alpine wonderland scenery by all means in the Jungfrau Region - and there are other bases in the hills that are no so remote as Murren or Wengen - many like Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen - especially folks looking for a more lively atmosphere than somnolent Murren or Wengen though for folks who like solitude those can be great.

Luzern is a base from which one can very easily ascend the mountains>

a few mountains like at Engelberg and Mt Pilatus - but for the real Alpine wonderland where you can spend several days only places like Zermatt and the Jungfrua Region will fulfill that picture of Switzerland perhaps etched in your minds eyes - plus staying in the mountains is a key and Lucerne is in no way in the mountains even though some low Alps can be seen from it perhaps.

Two very different bases - Lucerne is great but for the Alpine aspect of Switzerland you have to IMO stay right up in the mountains not merely day trip in for a few hours.

Pal, the OP is doing both, not either/or. This was a question about where to stay in addition to Wengen & Luzern. So, I think the extra day should be spent in Montreux, which provides a greater contrast.

s

2 nights based in luzern covering Zurich/bern/luzern


3 nights based in either murren/wengen or grindelwald/Lautenbrunnen, covering the oberland area and the alpines.

2 nights based in Zermatt.

Im a singaporean planning for my honeymoon and theres practically nothing to see in my concrete jungle country. I'll like a mix of quiet swiss life blending with lively atmosphere on the other, similar to what PalenQ mentioned.

My mind was fixed on murren until I saw your reply. Personally I do not know where to stay. Seems like a theres many good options to choose from. :)

Am currently doing some research on Montreux like what swandav2000 mentioned too. :)

Pal, the OP is doing both, not either/or. This was a question about where to stay in addition to Wengen & Luzern. So, I think the extra day should be spent in Montreux, which provides a greater contrast.>

OK thanks for putting me straight but in that case with only 3 days in Wengen and already 2 in Lucerne and Montreux then I would definitely say Wengen as there is so so much more varied things to do in the Jungfrau Region than in either of the other two where for the average traveler two days is enough (though each is a pleasant base from which to hop to nearby places, just places not as awesome IMO as in the Jungfrau Region - say doing the fantastic Schilthorn excursion that also incorporates Murren and Gimmelwald in it.

I would not downplay wines from Switzerland. They are not as known as the wines from France because hardly none of the Swiss wines are exported. If you find one you like, it is unlikely to be available once you are outside Switzerland.

Agree with greg on Swiss wines - they are a good value and taste good to me - they have not marketed them much probably because of the daunting advantage German, French and Italian wines already have in the area. But yes do not downplay Swiss wines especially those from the Rhone valley like around Sion and Visp.

If adding extra day to Montreux then consider taking the Chocolate Train or regular trains up to Gruyeres - the walled medieval looking city of your dreams where you can also tour a cheese factory and then onto Broc-Factory train station where you can do a Willy Wonkaesque visit to the Nestle Chocolate factory - Chocolate Train departs from Montreux.

In September, Chocolate train only runs Mon/Thurs/Fri; but we have decided it is not good use of full day in Montreux -- 8am-6pm. Plus, the reservation for same will cost you PLENTY (50chf) even though it is 'covered' with the Swiss Pass. Suppose you could try & get on without resv. We'd rather explore areas mentioned above, plus have a full day in Lausanne. And, you're going to love Beaune and the Hospice and all the Burgundian cuisine and wines!

We are set w/nights as follows: 2-Lucerne, 3-Interlaken, 2-Zermatt, 2-Montreux, 1-Geneva for early departure.

My vote goes to Montreux (or Vevey or Lausanne).

<<I would definitely say Wengen as there is so so much more varied things to do in the Jungfrau Region>>

Clearly, Pal, we differ on this -- and also we need to keep in mind that "awesome" is in the eyes of the beholder. I haven't been back to the Jungfrau region since January 2007, but I've been going to Montreux for two weeks every year.

Things to do from Montreux:
visit the old town of Montreux
walk in the hills above Montreux through the villages of Veytaux and Territet
walk in the hills above Montreux, including the Haute Route de la Riviera, the Chemin Panormanic, and the Chemin des Narcisses
visit the old town of Vevey, including the toy museum and the alimentation museum
visit the wine caves in Lutry, Chexbres, St. Saphorin, and Cullly
walk through the vineyards of the Lavaux
take the Panoramic Express through the Lavaux
visit the signposted medieval buildings of Lutry
visit Neuchatel and the Latenium museum
visit Murten on Lake Murten
visit the towns and villages of the Saanenland: Gstaad & Saanen
visit the towns and villages of the Pays d'Enhaut: Chateau d'Oex and Rougemong
bike ride, walk, or hike in the Saanenland and Pays d'Enhaut
visit the chocolate factory in Broc
visit Gruyeres and its castle and cheese-making demonstration
visit Morges and its lakeside park, maybe walk to Lausanne along the lake
visit Villeneuve and the Scex cave
visit Yvoire in France
visit Bettmeralp and Riederalp and Brig

etc

s

those are all great things and places but IMO for the average first-time tourist to Switzerland will not fulfill the dreamy picture etched in many folks minds - of glaciers and high Alps - it is too bad all the things swandav lists are often overlooked by tourists to Switzerland because as Europe goes they are wonderful places - lovely Murten on its own lovely lake - but I think the following in the Jungfrau Region would fulfill more of what folks are dreaming of:

The Jungfraujoch train - highest train station in Europe and where there is a sea of ice - glaciers to walk to - ice grottos to explore

The Schilthorn - another remote icy outpost - and to get there you can see Murren - awesomely perched on a cliff edge with fantastic views of the glacier-girdled Jungfrau Massif - Gimmelwald is on this route - a remote farming hamlet out in the middle of nowhere - thrilling aerial cable ways permeate this excursion - one up to Grutschalp and then what I heard was the longest aerial cable way in the Alps - to the Schilthorn and Piz Gloria, the revolving restaurant made famous in James Bond's On Her Majesty's Service which was in part filmed here when the restaurant was under construction

Boat trips on either lake that bookend Interlaken

Lake Thun - get off at Oberhofen for the castle of your dreams and a neat old lakeside resort town - visit Thun, a really pretty city bisected by a roaring river - and Spiez - right by the boat dock is the veritable castle of your dreams hovering high above the lake

Lake Brienz - boat from Interlaken to Brienz, stopping at famous Geissbach Falls to take the antique funicular up to the famous Geissbach Hotel - from Brienz you can either take an old steam train up the Brienzer Rothorn summit (nice walk back down with the lake shimmering far below) - or take an iconic postal bus to the famous Ballenberg Open-Air Museum, set in a meadow lovingly overlooking the lake - old farm buildings and workshops have been moved here to showcase Traditional Swiss life.

Other possible day trips from an Interlaken area base:

Berne - vastly underated city - nice in the foul weather days that are all too common - as Bern has covered walways - check out the Bear Pit or perhaps do a kayak or tubing down the roaring river under the Bear Pits

Lucerne is an easy day trip - take the scenic Brunig Pass train to it from Interlaken (part of the fabled Golden Pass route).

Also: Meiringen - a neat old town on Lake Brienz where meringue got its birth - visit the Sherlock Holmes museum in a tiny chapel in the town center. Just outside of town is the famous Reichenbach Falls, a long cascade of roaring water - visit the middle balcony (an old funicular takes you up there if not wanting to hoof it up) - this is where Sherlock Holmes tangled with arch-enemy Prof Moriarity - to the supposed but nor sure evil doctor's death.

Or from Meiringen take the old tram-like train to the Glacier Gorge - a deep gorge that you walk thru on catwalks.

Or from any base do the popular Three Passes bus tour that take you corksrewing up and over three famous Alpine passes - in a circular loop - an awesome experience.

Or from Grindelwald take the postal bus to Grosse Sheidegg and then down a lush valley to Meiringen.

Or go to Shynige Plate on that famous mountain railway and see the fmaous Alpine Garden (and Teddy Bear land for a little tourist Schlock.

The truly bucolic gorgeous Kandersteg Valley is another easy day trip.

And don't forget Trummelbach Falls, a water cascade that is said to be the sole drain of the Jungfrau Massif's northern face that is inside a cliff - catwalks lead you thru it.

And hiking of all types is available - the famous Ridge Walk from the Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg - one of the most famous walks in Switzerland - a ridge walk that lets you see both the Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald valleys at the same time - the Mannlichen itself is known as one of the premier view points in Switzerland - not only of the Jungfrau Massif but also over Interlaken, nestled between the two lakes bookending it far below.

Or you can do an easy hike to a glacier from Grindelwald - and all kinds of hikes - no place in Switzerland offers such a panoplu of great hikes - some easy some hard - something for everyone.

And last but not least, Interlaken itself - one of the loveliest cities in Switzerland if you get off the yes tacky tourist-shop lined main drag to see a really dream town with Lucerne-like covered wooden bridge and a roaring river you can walk along for a few miles and think you're out in the boondocks.

Interlaken offers a classy historic casino with night entertainment and the William Tell Theatre for live plays about Tell and other Swiss-related plays.

So I do disagree with swandav on the Montreux area for the average tourist having more lures than the Jungfrau Region - what the average tourist is expecting and this is not to say that all the places swandav mentions are not great places they just are not as awesome as those in the Berner Oberland IMO.

No, Pal, again you are mis-reading my post.

I never said the Montreux region has "more lures" than the Jungfrau region for the average first-time visitor.

My post is only in response to your wrong (imo) statement that there are more varied things to do in the Jungfrau area. The items you list are not all that varied!

I continue to say that, after 5 days in mountains or areas nearby mountains, Montreux provides more variety and contrast and deserves one more day.

Obviously, that is not the same thing as saying that Montreux has more to offer the first-time visitor than does Jungfrau.

s

they are not staying 5 days in the mountains - just 3 days in Wengen - remote Wengen so it will take half a day to get there from where ever they are coming from - so 2.5 days in what is the most attractive place in Switzerland - the high Alps - to me 3 days in Montreux is more than enough for the average traveler but an extra day in the high Alps offers so so much more.

But each to their own.

I vote for PalenQ! But can you tell me the duration and stamina required for the "Ridge Walk from Mannlichen to Klein Scheidegg" -- we are active but in late 60s.

If you can walk two miles then you can do the ridge walk - or ridge stroll as I prefer to call it - I've seen baby carriages on it - the easiest high altitude walk you can find! You should have no problem.

Mannlichen - Kleine Scheidegg is one of the EASIEST middle to high altitude ( high enough so scenic as well) walk you can do in the area. Every (beginner) hiker do it. In seasons, so many hikers do it ( individually and also like many Japanese hiking groups ), some call it a "hiking boulevard" or something like that ( meaning so popular, so easy ).

I vote for PalenQ! But can you tell me the duration and stamina required for the "Ridge Walk from Mannlichen to Klein Scheidegg" -- we are active but in late 60s>

I am too an active 60s guy - and I found the walk from Kl Scheidegg to Wengen an easy enough but more strenuous walk - you can do them both - take the gondola up to Mannlichen - stroll to Kl Scheidegg and hoof it down to Wengen - takes but a few hours and the trail is a two-track trail suitable for 4-wheel vehicles, mountain bikes, etc - great views over the Lauterbrunnen Valley - in Wengen take the train to Luagterbrunnen and on back to where you started.

In the Berner Oberland area pick up a copy of Jungfrau Magazine - in any hotel lobby rack - at train stations, tourist offices, etc and you'll find a huge relief map with trails coded in three colors - from easy to moderate to rugged - I always use this as a guide to the type of hiking experience I want to have - the older I get the more yellow colored or green or whatever and the less red-colored trails I take.

I vote for PalenQ! But can you tell me the duration and stamina required for the "Ridge Walk from Mannlichen to Klein Scheidegg" -- we are active but in late 60s>

I am too an active 60s guy - and I found the walk from Kl Scheidegg to Wengen an easy enough but more strenuous walk - you can do them both - take the gondola up to Mannlichen - stroll to Kl Scheidegg and hoof it down to Wengen - takes but a few hours and the trail is a two-track trail suitable for 4-wheel vehicles, mountain bikes, etc - great views over the Lauterbrunnen Valley - in Wengen take the train to Luagterbrunnen and on back to where you started.

In the Berner Oberland area pick up a copy of Jungfrau Magazine - in any hotel lobby rack - at train stations, tourist offices, etc and you'll find a huge relief map with trails coded in three colors - from easy to moderate to rugged - I always use this as a guide to the type of hiking experience I want to have - the older I get the more yellow colored or green or whatever and the less red-colored trails I take.