Visiting Switzerland
 

If you only had time to stay at one location in Switzerland for a few
days where would you choose to base yourself?
--
Gordon Thomson

Re: Visiting Switzerland
 

Gordon Thomson wrote:
If you only had time to stay at one location in Switzerland for a few
days where would you choose to base yourself?

Well, we more or less did this a number of years ago, a week in
Interlaken. You are between two large lakes with steamers, and there
are many railways, tram lines, cog railways, etc. that access the
nearby magnificent mountains. It is also a center for adventure sports
(I did paragliding). On a rainy day you can visit nearby Bern, with
its covered arcades and be dry while doing something.

George

Re: Visiting Switzerland
 

On 19 Apr 2005 23:14:32 -0700, gordon wrote:

    > If you only had time to stay at one location in Switzerland for a few
    > days where would you choose to base yourself?

With or without e vehicle. If I were on a motorbike I'd choose Andermatt
because it's quiet and the roads around are superb.

If I just had a car, probably somewhere like Altdorf. Central, scenic and
within reach of anywhere i felt like a day trip to.

Otherwise I'd probably go for Interlaken. That has a mix of the different
faces of Switzerland in a relatively close area and you can reach most of
them easily by public transport. Alternatively, if Interlaken is too busy
for you, try nearby Meiringen, with a commanding view of the waterfall
where Sherlock Holmes' arch-enemy Moriarty met his maker.
--
Tim C.

Re: Visiting Switzerland
 

"gordon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected] om...
    > If you only had time to stay at one location in Switzerland for a few
    > days where would you choose to base yourself?
I would choose Lucerne (Luzern). It's beautifully situated among the lakes
and mountains, itself a historic city with a beautifully preserved centre
and wooden bridge (rebuilt after arson in 1993). You can take boat trips,
ascend (with a cablecar) Rigi and Pilatus, and in fine weather make a train
excursion into the Bernese Oberland.

Alec

Re: Visiting Switzerland
 

Off course, it depends a bit what kind of activities you would like to
do.
The region of Luzern is beautiful cause of it's old city and
surroudings with lake and hills. For more glamour, the region east of
Geneva is great!
For making great hikes: go to Wallis and visit the big Glacier.

Re: Visiting Switzerland
 

"gordon" <[email protected]> skrev i meddelandet
news:[email protected] om...
    > If you only had time to stay at one location in Switzerland for a few
    > days where would you choose to base yourself?
    > --
    > Gordon Thomson
--------------------------------------
Lucerne is probably a good choice.
Real nice and interesting itself with a number of excursions in the
vicinity.

Re: Visiting Switzerland
 

I'd vote for the region in the alps above Interlaken called the Bernese
Oberland. Specifically I'd stay in Murren. Tons to see in the two
valleys. To me it is the most spectacular scenery in Switzerland. No
cars in Murren, you take a cable car up. It both sits on a ledge about
1000 feet up above the green floor of the valley. Waterfalls cascade
over the edge. Then towering above you are the three great peaks, the
Jungfrau, Monch, Eiger. All over 14,000 feet. You can do the James Bond
thing (from the movie "on her majesty's secret service") and take the
Shilthorn cable car. Also the hightest train station in the world is
the Jungfraujoch. Train goes there. Also an easy train to Interlaken
for lake trips. I'd use Murren as a base over Interlaken. I think it is
prettier to stay up in the Alps.


gordon wrote:
    > If you only had time to stay at one location in Switzerland for a few
    > days where would you choose to base yourself?
    > --
    > Gordon Thomson

Re: Visiting Switzerland
 

"gordon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected] om...
    > If you only had time to stay at one location in Switzerland for a few
    > days where would you choose to base yourself?
    > --
    > Gordon Thomson

When I did this last year I stayed in Lauterbrunnen in the
Bernese Oberland. Its less tacky and overdeveloped
than Interlaken or Grindelwald but still handy for
road trips and the Jungfraujoch and the scenery
is gorgeous.

Keith



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Re: Visiting Switzerland
 

"gordon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected] om...
    > If you only had time to stay at one location in Switzerland for a few
    > days where would you choose to base yourself?
    > --
    > Gordon Thomson

Hi Gordon,

If I had to choose, I believe I would have to pick the area between Lausanne
and Sion. I think the scenery in and around both cities is lovely. You
could do excursions to many areas within 2 or 3 hours from that general
area.
Among the places I like to visit:

Lausanne
http://www.lausanne.ch/view.asp?DomI...n=8&Language=E

Chateau de Chillon http://www.chillon.ch/en/index.html

The Grand-St-Bernard Pass (small winding mountain road, nice place to
picnic, fun visit with the dogs at the hospice, beautiful view into Italy)
http://switzerland.isyours.com/e/gui...stbernard.html


Gruyere and Broc
I thought the castle was great fun! You can tour a cheese factory (I guess
it's touristy, but the cheese is wonderful...if you're into cheese!) :-)
I haven't actually been to Broc, but Cailler chocolate is one of my
favorites, so I'd like to go sometime.

Sion
It's the capital of the canton of Valais. As you drive into Sion from
either direction, you see its 2 medieval castles on hilltops. You can drive
up into the Alps from there, we usually stay near Anzere.

You can have a marvelous fondue or raclette dinner at
the Chateau de Villa in Sierre. We go there everytime we're in the area.
It's a lovely castle setting and the food is excellent.

The Grande Dixence Dam (if you like that sort of thing--it's rather
impressive!) is also near and you can see the Pyramids of Euseigne
(interesting rock formations) on the way there.

Martigny has some Roman ruins.

The drive around Lake Leman (Lake Geneva) is simply gorgeous on most days
that I've been there.

The language spoken in these areas is French.

I really could go on with the things I like, but it's very
subjective--perhaps this and the other ideas offered will help you make your
decision. Let me know if you want more details--I'm full of them! :-)

Best wishes for a wonderful trip.

Sophie

Re: Visiting Switzerland
 

On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 15:24:29 +0100, "Keith W"
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >"gordon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    >news:[email protected]. com...
    >> If you only had time to stay at one location in Switzerland for a few
    >> days where would you choose to base yourself?
    >> --
    >> Gordon Thomson
    >When I did this last year I stayed in Lauterbrunnen in the
    >Bernese Oberland. Its less tacky and overdeveloped
    >than Interlaken or Grindelwald but still handy for
    >road trips and the Jungfraujoch and the scenery
    >is gorgeous.
    >Keith

It sounds good. Could you give some idea of when the snow
starts to clear in that area? I'll be arriving in
Switzerland around the last couple of weeks of May. Is that
too early?


Cheers, Alan, Australia

Re: Visiting Switzerland
 

I also recommend Interlocken and the Jungfraujoch, though the cograil
has got to be the most expensive train ticket for the shortest distance
in Europe! Just the trip to the rail head in Kleine Schiedeg (sp) is
amazingly beautiful... but as I heard tell the trip to the top view and
station complex is as spotty as the weather... I lucked out and it was
perfect the day I happened to be there; others waited up to Three Weeks
for a suitable day...

Tim K

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected] oups.com...
    > I'd vote for the region in the alps above Interlaken called the
Bernese
    > Oberland. Specifically I'd stay in Murren. Tons to see in the two
    > valleys. To me it is the most spectacular scenery in Switzerland. No
    > cars in Murren, you take a cable car up. It both sits on a ledge about
    > 1000 feet up above the green floor of the valley. Waterfalls cascade
    > over the edge. Then towering above you are the three great peaks, the
    > Jungfrau, Monch, Eiger. All over 14,000 feet. You can do the James
Bond
    > thing (from the movie "on her majesty's secret service") and take the
    > Shilthorn cable car. Also the hightest train station in the world is
    > the Jungfraujoch. Train goes there. Also an easy train to Interlaken
    > for lake trips. I'd use Murren as a base over Interlaken. I think it
is
    > prettier to stay up in the Alps.
    > gordon wrote:
    > > If you only had time to stay at one location in Switzerland for a
few
    > > days where would you choose to base yourself?
    > > --
    > > Gordon Thomson

Re: Visiting Switzerland
 

Might be; several cable lifts and trails I planned to use were still
'snowed in' last year mid May...

Tim K

"Alan S" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 15:24:29 +0100, "Keith W"
    > <[email protected]> wrote:
    > >
    > >"gordon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > >news:[email protected]. com...
    > >> If you only had time to stay at one location in Switzerland for a
few
    > >> days where would you choose to base yourself?
    > >> --
    > >> Gordon Thomson
    > >
    > >When I did this last year I stayed in Lauterbrunnen in the
    > >Bernese Oberland. Its less tacky and overdeveloped
    > >than Interlaken or Grindelwald but still handy for
    > >road trips and the Jungfraujoch and the scenery
    > >is gorgeous.
    > >
    > >Keith
    > >
    > It sounds good. Could you give some idea of when the snow
    > starts to clear in that area? I'll be arriving in
    > Switzerland around the last couple of weeks of May. Is that
    > too early?
    > Cheers, Alan, Australia

Re: Visiting Switzerland
 

"Sophie T" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
    > Hi Gordon,
    >
    > If I had to choose, I believe I would have to pick the area between Lausanne
    > and Sion. I think the scenery in and around both cities is lovely. You
    > could do excursions to many areas within 2 or 3 hours from that general
    > area.

I'm actually even more undecided than ever now that I've heard of so
many fine places to visit. From what some of you have said and from my
own researches I think for a first brief visit I will probably stay in
Luzern but take a day trip on the train to Interlaken and on another
day sample a paddle steamer trip from Luzern.
Thanks to everyone who replied.
--
Gordon

Re: Visiting Switzerland
 

On 21 Apr 2005 16:53:31 -0700, [email protected] (gordon) wrote:

    >"Sophie T" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
    >> Hi Gordon,
    >>
    >> If I had to choose, I believe I would have to pick the area between Lausanne
    >> and Sion. I think the scenery in and around both cities is lovely. You
    >> could do excursions to many areas within 2 or 3 hours from that general
    >> area.
    >I'm actually even more undecided than ever now that I've heard of so
    >many fine places to visit. From what some of you have said and from my
    >own researches I think for a first brief visit I will probably stay in
    >Luzern but take a day trip on the train to Interlaken and on another
    >day sample a paddle steamer trip from Luzern.

A good choice. Lucerne is nicely central and is well connected to
everywhere.
--
---
DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
---
--

Re: Visiting Switzerland
 

Is the station higher than Gornergrat station?
--
wf.

[email protected] wrote:
    >
    > I'd vote for the region in the alps above Interlaken called the Bernese
    > Oberland. Specifically I'd stay in Murren. Tons to see in the two
    > valleys. To me it is the most spectacular scenery in Switzerland. No
    > cars in Murren, you take a cable car up. It both sits on a ledge about
    > 1000 feet up above the green floor of the valley. Waterfalls cascade
    > over the edge. Then towering above you are the three great peaks, the
    > Jungfrau, Monch, Eiger. All over 14,000 feet. You can do the James Bond
    > thing (from the movie "on her majesty's secret service") and take the
    > Shilthorn cable car. Also the hightest train station in the world is
    > the Jungfraujoch. Train goes there. Also an easy train to Interlaken
    > for lake trips. I'd use Murren as a base over Interlaken. I think it is
    > prettier to stay up in the Alps.