Hi Again dealmama,

I've been watching the progress of your trip with great delight! I think it's shaping up nicely.

Now I feel the gentle tug of Ingo as I fancy myself one of the "Montreux experts." So I'll chime in --

Ingo of course is right; you don't really have time to do both Chillon and the Lavaux since you're only going to be there one day and night. Chillon is about 3 km from the station in Montreux, and it's a pleasant walk and takes about an hour; better still is to walk one way and then take the ferry back. You can also take bus #1 from central Montreux to Chillon.

The vineyards of the Lavaux are above Vevey. You take the train to Vevey, then switch for a train to Chexbres. From Chexbres, you just head downhill to Rivaz or St Saphorin; it takes about 30 minutes to walk from Chexbres to St Saphorin. Here's a link directly to the map (yes, only in French or German): http://www.lavaux.com/navigation.asp?page=balades.asp

I will add that May might be a little early for the vineyards to look inviting. I was there in May 2004, and they looked dry and brown. They don't look glorious, I think, until late summer.

Here's a link to my review (with photos) of the Lavaux at Trip Advisor:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...reux_Vaud.html

And, just for fun, here's a link to my review of the lakeside walk in Montreux:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...reux_Vaud.html

Well, have fun!

s

I, too, have rented a car several times in Switzerland for the reasons cited above: those of mobility, convenience and timeliness.

Without a car, we would not have gone where we have gone and seen what we have seen.

Yes, the train system is top flight and it is well augmented by the Post Bus routes, but with a car you can go at your schedule and usually do it faster.

For example, on paper, it is possible to travel via train from Lauterbrunnen to the Gornergrat above Zermatt and back in one day. In reality, it is not very practical.

We drove it easily in one day and took our time staring at the awesome Monte Rosa and the incredibly spectacular Matterhorn.

If you stay close to the Berner Oberland, and travel only to Grindelwald, Wengen, Mürren, the Schilthorn, the Jungfraujoch, First, Grosse Scheidegg, and other places, I don't think a car is of much value.

But if you want to range far afield and get back to your base, a car is hard to beat for convenience.

By the way, I rent an apartment by the week in Lauterbrunnen directly from the owner. I have also rented in other places. All of the Swiss villages of any size have a tourist office that is happy to assist you.

I think your base of operations depends on what you want to see and where you want to go. I have a distinct preference for the mountains, and those are the areas with which I am the most familiar.

Hello friends

I'm trying to decide wether to stay in
Pontresina or in Poschiavo before
my Bernina Express trip. Not many hotels
are open in Pontresina in May/early June
(although a couple are open).

Which would be a better place to stay ?

Any recommendation would be helpful.

Thanks

Hi dealmama,

Poschiavo is tiny, tiny, tiny. I don't think there's a lot to do there except maybe walk to the lake or hike around Alp Gruem or sit in a cafe -- For what it's worth, I think Poschiavo is more picturesque.

Pontresina, on the other hand, is a thriving town close to the junction of two valleys (Bernina & Engadin). From Pontresina, it's very easy to explore St Moritz & the lakes, Silvaplana and Sils & those lakes, and you can even get to the Fex valley, Soglio, and Guarda. Pontresina also has just a jungle of walking and hiking trails.

But perhaps the best way to make this decision is to see some of both towns through pictures and see how they strike you. Here's a link to my photo album of the Engadin (,http://community.webshots.com/album/79095617dhIGaT)
with a few shots of Pontresina and some of Poschiavo. Maybe do an image search at webshots to see more photos.

Good luck!

s

Thank you swandav2000

It will definitely make my choice
easy.

Hello

Any recommendations for hotels in
Vevey/Montreaux would be helpful.
I didnt find any acco. for < 160 francs
per night.

Thanks

S~ Thanks for the memories!

Dealmamma, Check out www.hotelnegociants.ch It's a nice hotel in Vevey that might be in your price range.