Switzerland
 

We are thinking of going to Switzerland in November for about 3 days. Would you recommend Zurich or Geneva? We are traveling with three people in their 50's and one person in their early 20's. We like to do a variety of different things, museums, old churches and food. . We are open to anything. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Neither.

Zurich is a business city and Geneva is dominated by a variety of UN agencies.

I would head for the mountains - either Lucerne or Interlaken - so you can see some of the outdoors (depending which trams and cable cars are not down for seasonal service).

Also charming towns with a variety of churchs, castles, lakes etc: Brienz, Thun, Gruyere, Bern, etc.

Zurich is more than a business city: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...th/4207010064/

There are more than 50 different museums in Zurich alone. With only three days and given the interests noted I think some sort of urban area might end up being better. Hard to fit everything in in such a short period but if I had to choose between Geneva and Zurich, I would pick Zurich. There is always the possibility of a long day trip to somewhere such as Lucerne.

The mountains in November can be a really dreary place in the oft foul weather and dark days - Lucerne would be a good place to include with Zurich - to me Zurich has much much more to offer than Geneva as a city though Geneva as a base from which to hop to Montreux, Vevey, Lausanne, Gruyers, etc can be nice for a short spell.

If going by train check out these IMO fantastic sites - www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.ricksteves.com; www.seat61.com and http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id3.html.

I have just been to Switzerland. pick somewhere else. I found that it was a dreary place in the cold & wet. also ridiculously expensive. Unless you ski it is meh.

We were in Adelboden the last week of November in 2012 and found it delightful, not dreary at all!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pug_gir...7633185238329/

But yes, very expensive!

I've been to all parts of Switzerland. Yes, food in particular can be very expensive; accommodations expense obviously depends on where you stay and at what star level. But "expensive" obviously depends, also, on what you feel you can afford.

Dreary? I have yet to find the country dreary but I realize that not everyone shares my values.

If the choice is between Zurich and Geneva and your interests are museums, old churches and food, I'd probably give the nod to Zurich, but I don't think you would lose with either. Enjoy!

Even in wet weather Switzerland is anything but 'meh' to me - but it can be dreary if up in the mountains - but otherwise it is just like the rest of Europe - wet cool weather makes it dreary no matter where you are.

If you like old churches, food, and museums, you would be better off going to Lisboa for three days in November.

Or even Lyon.

Thin

With the train system they have in Switzerland, You have easy access to anywhere.

Give some thought to Lucern, Bern & Interlaken.

If you are there in late November you can attend one of more of the Christmas markets.

ttt

In millie's defense, the weather over the past few days really has been blecch -- a different meaning to "50 shades of grey" ;-)

That said, overall, we love Switzerland and don't find it dreary at all.

In November, I would suggest OP and family base themselves in Bern, Lugano or Basel. Bern is a very handsome city that isn't as tourist oriented as Luzern, has beautiful arcaded streets to wander under in case the weather is awful, some good museums, lots of cafes, etc. It's easy to get to the mountains or to daytrip to places like Solothurn, Murten, even Luzern (take the longer, but much more scenic train through the Emmental).

Lugano is Switzerland with an Italian flair -- a scenic lakeside city, and like Bern, will still be lively in November. Lugano also has arcaded streets and a few interesting museums. If so motivated, you can easily daytrip to Milan.

Basel, where we live, doesn't have the mountain vistas that Bern, Luzern, and Lugano do (sadly). But it does have the Rhine, beautiful old churches, more than enough museums to keep anyone occupied for 3 days, an attractive old town. And between October 26 and November 10, it also has the Herbstmesse (autumn fair).

http://www.basel.com/en/event/basler-herbstmesse

November is simply not the time to visit the alpine resorts --most hotels and restaurants will be closed. The proprietors are either taking a holiday or sprucing up their properties for the start of the winter season.

I believe that hotel will be closed in November when the OP plans to be there.

many hotels in Alpine resorts close during November as nearly no one comes there and the proprietors take their own holdays - some cable cars are closed for maintenance - check things out before going to Alpine areas to see if the conveyance you want to take is running. Trains of course always run.

I must admit that I don't understand why so many people seem to dislike Zurich.

I'm someone who likes museums, old churches, and food (among other things), and I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Zurich. Dukey1 noted that it has MANY museums; I would add that it has some very impressive ones, including the Kunsthaus Zurich (art) and the Landesmuseum Zurich (history, including medieval art), both of which I found quite impressive and well worth at least 1/2 day each. The Fraumunster has stunning Chagall and Giacometti stained glass; the Grossmunster has some very special bronze relief doors; both have interesting cloisters. As for food, my dinner at the Zunfthaus zur Waag was among the best of my recent 30-day trip through Switzerland. My one regret about my time in Zurich is that I gave it ONLY 2 days -- there were other museums that I think I would have really enjoyed.

If you want to spend a day or so outside of Zurich, you have tons of options. In addition to those already mentioned, Winterthur -- just 1/2 hour or so from Zurich -- has 5 different small art museums, each with a few exquisite pieces. WELL worth a day IMHO.

Hope that helps!

Einselden and its famous manastery that is still a mecca for pilgrims is a great short trip out of Zurich, a city where I also have spent days and thoroughly enjoyed it - the Bahnhofstrasse is often called the world's swankiest street but do not judge the whole city on it - a neat old town and neat lakeside walks and hill-climbing trams that take you into forests...

On either lake - Lake Geneva or Lake Zurich you can take boat trips on the lakes - I've always found these to be lots of fun and relaxing. Get off at some town or place that seems interesting and board the next boat back.

Zürich is boring city for tourists.

It is expensive and there really isn't any spectacular site to visit.

It certainly is no foodie destination.

Zürich is good for a day of sightseeing if you on your way to the BO or other parts of the country.

Thin

<Zurich is a boring city for tourists> who are so blase and jaded and probably never got off Bahnhofstrasse - there are loads of nice things about Zurich is one would only take the time to ferret them out!

but yes if you just get out of the train station and look around you may call Zurich boring. Boring is in the mind of the beholder. To me Zurich is one of the nicest and most interesting Swiss cities - one with a cosmopolitan make up - walk along the lake on a nice weekend day and you'll see a panoply of various ethnic groups milling around.

Zurich is wonderful when I'm on business. It has everything I need a large metropolitan city to offer.

But on vacation, I pick Lucerne, Montreaux or (my personal favorite) Gstaad. Not really any old churches to find in Gstaad, but the food and apres ski are wonderful!

If I had to chose a limited number of stops in Switzerland I also would not chose Zurich - if landing I would go straight to Lucerne for the night or the night before take off but Zurich is still a nice nice city - just that there are nicer places for the average novice tourist to dwell in than it - you come to Switzerland not for big cities but for pastoral scenes and the Alps.

<i>but for pastoral scenes and the Alps.</i>

Which may turn out to be a big disappointment if the November weather is rainy.

And rains can set in any time of year - in summer it is not unusual to have days and days of rain in the Alps but granted November can be especially dreary.