chicagoahc

"My husband and I are planning 8 to 10 days in Switzerland this August. We will fly in and out of Zurich and are open to either all train transport or renting a car. We will want to spend time in Zurich, Lucerne, Berner Oberland, and/or Geneva or anywhere else you feel we shouldn't miss. Should we add on a couple of days in Austria? Husband is a Swiss watch junkie and I'm all about the dining/shopping/culture of smaller towns. We will want to hike, bike, etc. but have no interest in Interlaken. We accept that there will be 6 million backpackers in the country in August but would like to make the most of our experience.

If you would be so kind, please make some recommendations on how we can make the best use of our time. Thank you so."

bob_brown

I recommend a car for as much as you want to move around, but parking in Zürich and Geneva is a problem. You will pay to park most places, although some hotels have a place for you to put your car.

If you want to go to the Berner Oberland and don't want to go to Interlaken, I am not sure how you get to the best part of it. I have gone to Switzerland several times during the summer, and we usually rent an apartment in Lauterbrunnen.

That part of the country I can discuss.
Zermatt is also a great place for steep mountains and spectacular views of Monte Rosa and the Matterhorn. Also, Saas Fee is a spectacular place. The mountains around that particular valley are tremendous, particularly the Dom which rises to almost 15,000 feet and towers over the valley by about 10,000 feet.

You could add some of Austria, but if you go to towns like Pontresina, I think you will have all you can do in 8 days of touring.

suze

For Geneva region, I much prefer the towns of Lausanne, Vevey, and Montreux instead. They are ~1 hour by train from Geneva along the lake.

With >10 days I would stick with Switzerland only.

I often vacation there in August and have not noticed an overwhelming presence of backpackers -LOL.

swandav2000

Hi chicagoahc,

Well, unfortunately, your desire to spend time hiking, biking, shopping, and dining doesn't narrow down your choices of destinations in Switzerland! Really, just about anyplace will offer more than you could dream of --

Ok, but here are some specific thoughts.

If you like small towns, you should look into Spiez or Thun in the Oberland, Vevey or Montreux near Geneva, and Luzern as you already noted. I would also like to suggest that you consider adding time in the Engadin valley, particularly the towns of Pontresina or Scoul. Also, the city of Basel is well worth noting for shopping and museums. Now, of course, you don't have time to do all of this -- but if you do a text search here for these towns, you can get an idea of what's available and then narrow down your list.

There is a valley called "Watch Valley" (www.watchvalley.ch) that's named for the industry of making watches -- There's a watch museum in Le Locle and also one in La-Chaux-de-Fonds. This area is between Geneva and Basel, around the town of Neuchatel.

For hiking & biking outside of the BO, I recommend the Lake Geneva area (though it'll be sweltering in Aug). Here are some reviews (with pictures) that I posted at another site:

Vineyards of the Lavaux
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...reux_Vaud.html

Promenade Fleuri
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...reux_Vaud.html

Morges
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...rges_Vaud.html

Gruyeres
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR..._Fribourg.html

Saanen
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...wiss_Alps.html

Gstaad
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...wiss_Alps.html

Finally, I must add that I've only driven twice in 14 visits to Switzerland in the past 10 years, and considered driving a mistake for even those two times. Parking is a big hassle (especially in August), major roads are jammed (especially in August) roads in small towns are jammed (especially in August), and gas is very expensive. I really enjoy the trains, and I enjoy having picnics of great Swiss cheeses, fresh bread, chocolate, creamy yogurt, and wine -- while watching the scenery slip by.

If you can narrow down your destinations, we can help with more ideas for hiking, etc.

s

chicagoahc

Thank you all so much for your input. This will get me off to a great start with my research. I will post again later with more intelligent and informed questions. I so appreciate your time and input.