mokka4

Looking ahead to May 2014 already?! One can dream, right?
Wonderful VRBO in quaint town WITH RAIL/BUS connections!

Have been many times to Sw, including Bern/Murten, never to Solothurn/Altreu (storks).
Would re-visit Langnau Chuechlihus.
Anyone with personal reco's for this area? Must-sees?

NOT aiming for Neuchatel or Gruyeres as using public transport and too long (2-3 hours each way with multiple changes).

neckervd

Have you any specific question?

mokka4

YES, Has anyone been to Solothurn or Altreu?
Are they recommended?
Are there any other quaint towns in this vicinity which
are worthy of a visit?

neckervd

Altreu is not a town; just a few houses, a boat stop and a bus stop. But what are you interested in?
"worthy a visit" doesn't mean the same for everybody.
http://www.bielersee.ch/en/region-au...thurn.454.html

Region des Trois Lacs

Check also
http://www.dreiseenland.ch/en/leisur...s/cycling.html
http://www.neuchateltourisme.ch/en/l...s/cycling.html

This area a lot of sights, like
entirely walled medieval town of Murten
http://www.murtentourismus.ch/en/welcome.cfm?
Roman amphitheatre and Roman Museum of Avenches
http://www.avenches.ch/en/page.cfm/siteetmuseeromain
Roman Villa of Vallon
http://www.pro-vallon.ch/allemand/mo.../mosaiques.htm
biggest Romanesque church of Switzerland and Monastery of Payerne
Nature Park of Grande Caricaie
http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/dest...er-le-lac.html
http://www.bafu.admin.ch/dokumentati...x.html?lang=de
Medieval town and spa of Yverdon
http://www.yverdonlesbainsregion.ch/...ure_Patrimoine
Roman mosaics of Orbe
http://www.yverdonlesbainsregion.ch/en/orbe_region
Monastery of Romainmotier
http://www.yverdonlesbainsregion.ch/...nmotier_region
Castle and Menhirs of Grandson
http://www.yverdonlesbainsregion.ch/en/grandson_region
Menhirs and Dolmen of Onnens
http://www.onnens.ch/textes-1/dolmen...rthoud,38.html
medieval town of Neuchatel with castle, cathedral and many fine museums
http://www.neuchateltourisme.ch/en/decouvertes.html
Biel/Bienne with it's small but fine city center, good museums and a lot to see in the Lake Bienne area
http://www.biel-seeland.ch/en/discov...enne.1239.html
Medieval Bueren an der Aare with wooden brige over the Aar river
http://www.bueren.ch/de/inhalte/tour...anchor=1010025
Natural reserve of Altreu and it's storks
http://www.artenschutz.ch/AareAltreu.htm
Medieval town of Solothurn with baroque cathedral and many museums
http://www.solothurn-city.ch/topic2477.html
La Chaux-de-Fonds, capital of watchmaking
http://www.neuchateltourisme.ch/en/d...onds.1500.html

Gorges of Areuse, Seyon and Taubenloch

boats plying between Yverdon, Neuchatel, Murten, Biel/Bienne, Bueren and Solothurn
Cablecars Biel/Bienne - Macolin/Magglingen, Ligerz - Preles, St-Imier - Mont Soleil, Neuchatel - Chaumont
Many trains (the trains from Yverdon to Ste-Croix, from Neuchatel to La Chaux de Fonds and from Biel/Bienne to Tramelan bring you up to 1000 m of altitude).

Ingo

Yes, been to Solothurn a couple of times. Love it. Check out the nearby quaint villages (like Wiedlisbach) and the Jura mountains. Very different from the Alps and very beautiful.

mokka4

Thanks Ingo--thats what I was looking for--personal recommendations.

WeisserTee

I also like Solothurn very much, although I don't know the villages Ingo mentioned. Very pretty, some excellent restaurants, wine bars and cafes, pleasant to stroll around at any time of day. I'm also a fan of Thun. IMO, I'd pick Thun over Interlaken as a non-village BO base. Better restaurants, better vibe, easier connections to other areas.

It's too bad you'll miss the Art Supermarket in Solothurn, it's a good place to buy original artworks FAR below ArtBasel prices... http://www.solothurn-city.ch/en/even...hurn.5567.html

WeisserTee

In Solothurn, make sure you stop for a pastry at http://www.kaffeehalle.ch/ On snowy days (Solothurn is SO pretty around Christmas time), you have to battle your way in!

Shopping tip: A L'Erbolario store recently opened in Solothurn, just a few doors from the cafe. A great place to pick up excellent Italian soaps and skin products, all beautifully packaged. The only other dedicated L'Erbolario store that I know in Switzerland is all the way down in Lugano, so the Solothurn location is a welcome addition for us fans of the brand in northern Switzerland.

mokka4

MMMM...WeisserTee---Kaffeehalle it is!
Konditorei is my middle name ;-)).
The Solothurnertorte looks ausgezeichnet!

Thanks for the tips.
I certainly will have to look into the L'Erbolario line of products before I go. I can hardly wait a whole year...Who knows? Maybe if the new dog gets settled in by Fall I can do a quick solo jaunt this fall (found a great VRBO in Altstadt Bern which I wouldn't mind staying in). Dreams! Dreams!

WeisserTee

I was in Bern last week-end and saw that a fancy cupcake shop has opened near the Markthalle. They looked very tempting. Bern would be a fun place to stay -- and one of my favorite brockis is in Bern (I collect mid-century Swiss art/folk pottery). Maybe we can arrange a Swiss GTG when you come.

DAX

I'm heading to Bern for a conference this weekend so it would great to hear more about Bern as the last time I was there was 10 years ago. We've been to Solothurn multiple times just because it is a comfortable town to stop plus a friend who used to live there. Good ambiance, cafes & restaurants, it has a similar feeling as the Alsatian small villages.

mokka4

Cool! I am SO looking forward to my next trip!
Thanks for the L'Erbolario tip--their product line looks intriguing.

mokka4

Cool! I am SO looking forward to my next trip!
Thanks for the L'Erbolario tip--their product line looks intriguing.