Switzerland Swiss alps
Sep 21st, 2011, 02:59 PM
#1
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Switzerland Swiss alps
We will be going to Switzerland for 3 days from Milan. As the time spent in Switzerland is short, please advise on the places to visit n stay. Where exactly is the Swiss alps n where should we stay and go to have the best sights? We will be departing from Zurich.
Sep 21st, 2011, 03:51 PM
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Um, the Swiss Alps are all over Switzerland, with valleys in between. The most typical is the Berner Oberland - staying in a small village part way up the mountains and doing local hikes as well as taking a railway to the top of the Jungfrau.
But part of this depends on:
1) when exactly will you be going - season varies a lot
2) what you want to do
If you want to do towns and museums, churches, lakes (and mountaintops) instead of actually hiking in the mountains - I would head for Lucerne which has a lot to see/do, great access to the lake, charming small villages and cable cars or railways to several mountain tops. Plus only about an hour from Zurich by train.
But part of this depends on:
1) when exactly will you be going - season varies a lot
2) what you want to do
If you want to do towns and museums, churches, lakes (and mountaintops) instead of actually hiking in the mountains - I would head for Lucerne which has a lot to see/do, great access to the lake, charming small villages and cable cars or railways to several mountain tops. Plus only about an hour from Zurich by train.
Sep 21st, 2011, 09:46 PM
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Hi Jopudding,
Yes, the Alps cover a good part of Switzerland. They are basically a wide belt that runs from Zermatt in the west all the way out to Austria on the east; in the north they start just south of Luzern and run to about Brig or Zermatt to the south.
Yes, the Oberland would be a nice bet coming from Milan and going to Zürich. If you are coming in the summer months or the winter months, staying in a mountain village (such as Wengen or Mürren) is an unforgettable experience. However, if you are coming in November or in May, you may want to stay at a lower altitude, maybe somewhere like Thun or Spiez or Bern.
You can begin your research at the central Swiss tourist site,
www.myswitzerland.com
Have fun!
s
Yes, the Alps cover a good part of Switzerland. They are basically a wide belt that runs from Zermatt in the west all the way out to Austria on the east; in the north they start just south of Luzern and run to about Brig or Zermatt to the south.
Yes, the Oberland would be a nice bet coming from Milan and going to Zürich. If you are coming in the summer months or the winter months, staying in a mountain village (such as Wengen or Mürren) is an unforgettable experience. However, if you are coming in November or in May, you may want to stay at a lower altitude, maybe somewhere like Thun or Spiez or Bern.
You can begin your research at the central Swiss tourist site,
www.myswitzerland.com
Have fun!
s
Sep 21st, 2011, 10:02 PM
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I posted a similar question last week, and received some great replies. See here - http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-in-may.cfm?16
Sep 22nd, 2011, 02:50 AM
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nytraveler, your comment "The most typical is the Berner Oberland" made me chuckle. That's what you mostly see in the ads and picture books, I agree (and it's absolutely beautiful), but the different regions of the Swiss Alps are indeed very different from each other - so each is typical for its own. Berner Oberland is just a small part of the Swiss Alps, the Valais alone is much larger, not to mention the very different regions around Lake Lucerne, the canton Graubünden or the Alps in the Italian speaking part of Switzerland.
Of course your're right, for a first visit the Berner Oberland is highly recommended.
I.
Of course your're right, for a first visit the Berner Oberland is highly recommended.
I.
Sep 22nd, 2011, 03:18 AM
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www.zermatt.ch my fav quintessential cute alpine town
Where the tip of what used to be Africa
Points up to the European sky
booking.com good lodging
matterhornhostel.com more budget...
Happy Travels,
Where the tip of what used to be Africa
Points up to the European sky
booking.com good lodging
matterhornhostel.com more budget...
Happy Travels,
Sep 22nd, 2011, 03:51 AM
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Sorry, darling, don't mean to sound like Vivian Pickles, but, "Really, Harold, can't you look at a Google map and try to figure out where the Swiss Alps are?"
Let's get a clue.
Your post is very vague. When are you planning on travelling to Switzerland????
Big difference in weather in the BO--July vs. December.
Are you hiking or skiing?
How are you getting around? Are you taking the train or are you renting a car??????
You can't take a car to places like Wengen, Murren, or Gimmelwald.
Let's give us Swiss experts some more info. so we can help you.
Pippy, 10 years posting in Fodorville, winner of a Foddie Award (2009)
Let's get a clue.
Your post is very vague. When are you planning on travelling to Switzerland????
Big difference in weather in the BO--July vs. December.
Are you hiking or skiing?
How are you getting around? Are you taking the train or are you renting a car??????
You can't take a car to places like Wengen, Murren, or Gimmelwald.
Let's give us Swiss experts some more info. so we can help you.
Pippy, 10 years posting in Fodorville, winner of a Foddie Award (2009)
Sep 22nd, 2011, 05:07 AM
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Will be traveling in end dec. We will be travelling by trains or buses. As we are a few girls with huge luggages, we wld need somewhere where the transportation is highly accessible. We would prefer to sightsee n wander around rather than doing real hiking. Wld like to try skiing if our schedule allows
Sep 22nd, 2011, 05:28 AM
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Hi Jopudding,
I would recommend you visit either Thun or Bern; there are one or two connections daily to each from Milan that require no changes. The trip from Milan to Thun will take 2h38 and to Bern it will be 2h58.
Thun is a lovely little town on a big lake; it has a castle in town and nearby down on the lake. From Thun you can get to the mountain villages (Wengen & Mürren) in about 1h30 and to the Jungfraujoch in about 3h. For skiing, you would go to one of the villages (Wengen, Mürren, or Grindelwald) to buy your ski pass, rent skis, etc.
From Thun, you can easily see Spiez, Zweisimmen, and Gstaad also.
More information at
www.thunersee.ch
Bern is a larger city, the capital of the country. It has a lot of history, and it sits on a river.
At that time of year, Zermatt hotels generally require a 7-night stay, and getting to Zermatt from Milan will take 3h45.
You can get all the train schedules and fares at
www.rail.ch
Have fun!
s
I would recommend you visit either Thun or Bern; there are one or two connections daily to each from Milan that require no changes. The trip from Milan to Thun will take 2h38 and to Bern it will be 2h58.
Thun is a lovely little town on a big lake; it has a castle in town and nearby down on the lake. From Thun you can get to the mountain villages (Wengen & Mürren) in about 1h30 and to the Jungfraujoch in about 3h. For skiing, you would go to one of the villages (Wengen, Mürren, or Grindelwald) to buy your ski pass, rent skis, etc.
From Thun, you can easily see Spiez, Zweisimmen, and Gstaad also.
More information at
www.thunersee.ch
Bern is a larger city, the capital of the country. It has a lot of history, and it sits on a river.
At that time of year, Zermatt hotels generally require a 7-night stay, and getting to Zermatt from Milan will take 3h45.
You can get all the train schedules and fares at
www.rail.ch
Have fun!
s
Sep 22nd, 2011, 10:36 AM
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End of Dec? That changes a lot. What swandav said - you won't find (decent) accommodation for just 3 nights in a ski resort/mountain town. It's peak season there.
I second the recommendation of Bern and Thun. Lucerne would be another good idea.
I second the recommendation of Bern and Thun. Lucerne would be another good idea.
Sep 22nd, 2011, 10:51 AM
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the dreamy Swiss Alpine picture etched in your mind's eye will most likely - certainly - IMO be fulfilled in the Interlaken area - the so-called Jungfrau Region or Berner Oberland - majestic ice-girdled peaks, glaciers, tiny mountain-climbing trains, thrilling aerial cableways, easy hikes, hard hikes...
Sep 23rd, 2011, 10:57 AM
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the Interlaken area is also only a few hours by train from Zurich airport. Engelberg would be another Alpine Valhalla close to Zurich (it in quite near Lucerne, which would make a great base city as well - not only see one of Europe's most gorgeous cities but take the tiny train up to Engelberg and then mountain conveyances up to fabled Mt Titlis - the ice-gridled peak of your dreams. There are also lake boats plying fjord-like Lake Lucerne and practically in Lucerne itself one of Switzerland's most famous peaks - Mt Pilatus, which you can ascend by an impossible steep toylike train and descend a different way via a thrilling aerial cableway down to suburbna Lucerne with trolley buses back to Lucerne itself.
Sep 24th, 2011, 01:47 PM
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End of Dec? That changes a lot. What swandav said - you won't find (decent) accommodation for just 3 nights in a ski resort/mountain town. It's peak season there.>
Allmakes Lucerne a better base perhaps as you can easily day trip from it to the Jungfrau Region and even if just for a day in that Valhalla it would be worth it - could also day trip to nearby Engleberg and up Mt Pilatus.
Allmakes Lucerne a better base perhaps as you can easily day trip from it to the Jungfrau Region and even if just for a day in that Valhalla it would be worth it - could also day trip to nearby Engleberg and up Mt Pilatus.
Sep 24th, 2011, 09:02 PM
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Hi again,
I'm afraid that I have to disagree with one comment from PalenQ.
I don't think it's a great idea to day-trip from Luzern to the Jungfrau region. That train trip is five hours in each direction, so 10 hours on a train in a single day. If you opt to go to Luzern, just see the mountains that are local -- Rigi, Pilatus, Titlis, etc. That would be better than spending another 10 hours on a train in a day.
Thun is called the "untouristed Luzern" because it has so much of what Luzern does -- mountains, lakes, history, town living. Plus, in your case, it brings the Jungfrau within reach.
Good luck as you plan!
s
I'm afraid that I have to disagree with one comment from PalenQ.
I don't think it's a great idea to day-trip from Luzern to the Jungfrau region. That train trip is five hours in each direction, so 10 hours on a train in a single day. If you opt to go to Luzern, just see the mountains that are local -- Rigi, Pilatus, Titlis, etc. That would be better than spending another 10 hours on a train in a day.
Thun is called the "untouristed Luzern" because it has so much of what Luzern does -- mountains, lakes, history, town living. Plus, in your case, it brings the Jungfrau within reach.
Good luck as you plan!
s
Sep 26th, 2011, 08:51 AM
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No the train trip to Interlaken from Lucerne is about two hours and from Interlaken in 20 minutes you can be in Grindelwald, right in the epicenter of the Jungfrau Region.
Now perhaps swandav was thinking of going all the way to the Junfraujoch - but Grindelwald will amaze anyone as it is right at the foot of towering ice-girdled peaks, glaciers, etc.
Yes the Jungfrau Region is about 2.5 hours each way from Lucerne. And the train ride itself is exquisite.
Now perhaps swandav was thinking of going all the way to the Junfraujoch - but Grindelwald will amaze anyone as it is right at the foot of towering ice-girdled peaks, glaciers, etc.
Yes the Jungfrau Region is about 2.5 hours each way from Lucerne. And the train ride itself is exquisite.
