Hi, We're spending a week in Wengen in the Alps in OB, central Switzerland. After leaving Wengen, we have about 3 or 4 days to spend before flying back home from Zurich airport. We don't have our flights yet, so there is some flexibility here on the timing.

I have never been to this part of Switzerland so I'm really not sure what to expect. I have had fun along Lake Geneva although did not fall in love with Geneva itself. And I enjoyed Grueyere and the wine region. But these areas are in the wrong direction, and we are looking for something new. We would prefer to travel by train but a car might be ok.

I'm looking for suggestions of where to stay, both in terms of the village or even specific hotel. I was thinking of heading to Lucerne for a night or two, then taking the boat across the lake before heading back to Zurich, where maybe we'd spend a night before flying home? Our only real requirement is it has to be generally in the direction of Zurich - Eastward from Wengen I suppose.

We are mid-30s from Manhattan. Looking for culture, not nightlife. Charm over glitz. We are comfortable in very rural and very urban settings, if that makes a difference.

Things that would interest us:
1) wine regions
2) cheese making regions
3) outdoor activities (although we're spending a week in the Alps)
4) castles or other beautiful architecture
5) small villages or big cities are ok
6) the traditional Heidi experience?

Is Zurich worth it?

typo - should say "BO" aka Berner Oberland not OB

We stayed in the BO for most of our time in Switzerland. On our way by train to Zurich, we stopped in Lucerne for a few hours and took a boat ride. We really wished we had planned for a couple of days there instead. That would be my suggestion to you. The train goes through Lucerne to Zurich so it is no trouble.

Luzern would be my pick---and only 1:20 by train to the Zurich airport.

You are certainly going to get the outdoor, Heidi and small village experience in the BO. Be sure to take a walk through tiny Gimmelwald as you go to Murren. We stayed there and it was wonderful.

I recommend going up to the Schiltorn. It's much cheaper than the Jungfraujoch and not socked in as much. The view of the Monk, Eiger and Jungfrau from there is unrivaled. Their James Bond Breakfast in a revolving restaurant was very good. If you buy a combo ticket--lift ticket and breakfast--you get a discount. Yes, even with a Swiss Card, you will have to pay a little for the Schiltorn lift.

If you decide to go up to the Jungfraujoch, be sure to check the monitor in the ticket office. You will pay a lot of money to see nothing if it is socked in, which is often. It's still worth a train ride or hike to Klein Schedegg (where you get on the Jungfraujoch train).

We didn't spend any time in Zurich except to sleep by the airport so I can help you there.

Thanks. I'm looking at a few places in Lucerne. Wondering if three nights will be too many there, or if we should do two nights and then one night (our last night in the country) in a different town before having to head back to the US. Obviously this will be our last chance to be in Switzerland for a long time!

IMHO Zurich is definitely not worth it unless you are there for business. Other than that it is expensive and dreary.

And as far as I am aware Zurich and Geneva are really the only cities of any size in Switz - so not major metro area unless you head to Germany.

If it were me I would probably do Lucerne - but having spent a week on the BO - tha tmight be enough.

Are you wedded to going home from Zutich. I might go to the black forest or Alsace and then fly home from Frankfurt in order to see something differnt.

Hi ABCDEFG,

Yes, I also would say to head to Luzern. And of course, you are not limited to spending your 3/4 days within the city --

I would recommend that you spend at least one day trippping along the lake system and visiting the lakeside villages all up & down them. You could visit Weggis, Vitznau, and Brunnen, and you could rent a bike and cycle along the lake for a way. Or you could go to the Rütli Meadow, the place where the first Swiss Confederation was formed in 1291.

If you haven't had enough of Alpine towns, you could spend a day at Engelberg and ascend Titlis.

You could spend a day in the sososo cute and wonderful town of Zug on Lake Zug -- wander its old town and hop in & out of its shops and cafes. You could even do this enroute to Zürich since it would be on the way.

More information at:

www.lakelucerne.ch
http://www.zug-tourismus.ch/en/welcome.cfm

Have fun as you plan!

s

Another vote for Luzern, and if you spend 3 nights there that will be 2 full days, with a little time on arrival afternoon. This means you'll be able to wander the city (there is quite a bit to see, here's another thread for ideas: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...l-433878-2.cfm )as well as do a few day trips and a lake cruise.

If you're interested in cheese opportunities, then you could also take the 1hr train journey from Luzern to Engelberg and visit the Monastery there which has a small cheese making area and an attached cafe where you can sample Raclette (yum!) other cheesey delights!

I like Luzern, but Bern is also an option. A pleasant city to wander about with easy day trip options to Morat (Murten) or to Luzern (take the scenic train via Entlebuch).

Also, to put you in the mood for your Swiss wanderings, check out the HD videoclips of Switzerland from above: http://swissview.com/films/

We aren't wedded to Zurich, although it's likely we will be flying out of that airport. (or potentially Bern or even Geneva)

We have 11 days total and 7 of them will be in a rented chalet in Wengen.

So if flying out of Zurich, we could swing by Lucerne a few days although I do worry it may be too much time in that one general region. We will be doing day trips from Wengen for sure. My only real reason for wanting to stay in Zurich is because it is close to the airport plus a change of scenery.

You could consider visiting Bern. It is a lovely town.
Something different would be the Rhine falls, Schaffhausen, and Stein-Am-Rhein.
Also if you have 3 or 4 days I would consider Zermatt (I know, it is not in the right direction but it is reasonably quick to get there) and I think it is spectacular.
I completely agree with your assessment of Geneva. It was lovely in the 60s but by becoming such an international city, it has lost most of its identity. Many locals mourn that fact.