Switzerland

We're thinking of taking a long weekend to Switzerland.  I hoping to hear from people who have been or have recommendations.

We don't even know where to begin.  Ideally a location where we can take a day trip into the alps or somewhere with beautiful scenery.

We'll likely be going the first weekend of October if that makes a difference.

I am open to any suggestions!   

I spent a summer in Switzerland and it was wonderful (expensive, but wonderful!).  

I stayed in Bern and took day trips from there.  

I went one day to Interlaken (great for outdoor adventure sports- I went paragliding and it was great!). From there, you can take a train/cable car to Grindewald which is pretty high up in the Alps and you can do a bit of hiking and have great views of the valley below.    Depends on the time of year- it was covered in snow when I went in June that year!

Another day I went to Gruyères (French part of Switzerland) and visited the Gruyères cheese factory and a nearby castle.  

On other trips to Switzerland, I've visited Zurich, Geneva, Lausanne and Basel and some smaller towns along the way and everything in Switzerland is great, but I definitely felt most at home in Bern (perhaps because I was there a lot longer but it's also really easy to walk the city centre and not get lost- the city centre is walled by the Aare River  ).

I'd love to visit Lugano and Locarno (Italian part of the country, just the Swiss side of Milan) but I've not been there yet.  

Switzerland is gorgeous. I stayed in Montreux (flew into Geneva and took train around the lake). But there are so many great places. If you do decide to travel at all by train (Swiss trains are nice) look into taking a Goldenpass line.

http://www.goldenpass.ch/?Language=EN

I'd love to visit Lugano and Locarno (Italian part of the country, just the Swiss side of Milan) but I've not been there yet. 

This is a great area and even the Lakes in North Italy (a bit cheaper than Switzerland but just as beautiful). I'm getting all lathered up thinking about it.

Geneva is one of my favourite cities ever. 

Vancouver-type geography with Montreal-type architecture. And clean. Most importantly, with chocolate! 

Well, you've definitely sold us on Switzerland.

We booked flights and will arrive early on a Friday and leave late on Sunday.  We are flying in and out of Zurich, which a bit of research led us to believe that it's a great hub to get to other parts of Switzerland.

Now we need to figure out if we should stay in Zurich and take a day trip or two, or if we'd be better off staying in an area within easy reach of Zurich.

Any recommendations?

I'm not sure of specific hotels or small cities to stay in, but both hotels and trains can be quite expensive in Switzerland.  If you plan on just going for a day trip, maybe stay in a smaller city (with cheaper hotels) that has good connections to the places you want to visit?

I'll send an email to my friend who worked on SBB/CFF/FFS (Swiss train company) and see if she has suggestions for weekend train passes.    Maybe there's a regional one if you're planning on staying around Zurich. 

I have to echo Interlaken. Beautiful place, lots to do. Could be a great day trip or overnight.

Oooo, thanks TravellingFrog!

I lived in Switzerland for 7.5 years. It is a beautiful, amazing place. But lots of rules.

On Sundays, everything is closed. The only shops you'll find open on Sundays are at train stations (except for a couple of small corner shops here and there).

Many shops will not take credit or debit cards with a Visa/Mastercard logo, be sure to have cash in hand (they use the Swiss Franc). Everything costs, very little is free, including museums.

In Zurich, there's a boat that you can use a bus ticket to board, and it takes you along the long end of the lake. It is beautiful, and a peaceful ride. If the weather is right, you'll see the Alps over the lake.

I lived in Basel most of my time there, and I'm a bit partial to it. A small, beautiful and really nice city. If you stay in a hotel in Basel, you'll get a free transport pass for the duration of your stay. You're also right on the borders of France and Germany, and a quick train ride will take you to Colmar France, one of the most beautiful towns I've been to.

For an amazing, although expensive and all-day trip, take the train up to Jungfraujoch. The highest train station in Europe, and you can go out and stand on the glacier and take in the amazing views. You go through Interlaken to get there, so you could start from Interlaken.

Luzern is another beautiful city, and the wooden bridge over the river is really gorgeous.

The most important thing to know if you'll be in the German speaking part is "Sprechen Sie Englisch?" (spreken zie eanglish) - you'll find the Swiss are much more open to speaking English with you if you ask first in German. Same with French - I can't spell it properly, but "Parles-vou Anglais, si vou plais?".

Enjoy the beautiful country I first adopted as my home after leaving America!

Wow, thanks evilshell!

Question for you (or others), I've heard the Switzerland pretty well shuts down on Sunday's, but it seems most tour operators have day trips out of the city on Sundays.  Is it okay to assume that we'll be able to see lots of the landscape that day?  And do restaurants close as well?

I will definitely have to look into all of your suggestions.

Evil, can you comment on the perceived expensiveness of Swiss trains? I was under the impression that train fares are actually higher in GB. On my trips I never felt gouged.

Wow, thanks evilshell!

Question for you (or others), I've heard the Switzerland pretty well shuts down on Sunday's, but it seems most tour operators have day trips out of the city on Sundays.  Is it okay to assume that we'll be able to see lots of the landscape that day?  And do restaurants close as well?

I will definitely have to look into all of your suggestions.

Restaurants do seem to be the one thing that's open on Sundays in Switzerland!

Where do you plan on travelling to once you're there?

Evil, can you comment on the perceived expensiveness of Swiss trains? I was under the impression that train fares are actually higher in GB. On my trips I never felt gouged.

I feel gouged every time I take a British train. Expensive, inferior, frequently dirty and rarely running on time! Swiss trains are value for money, in my eyes.

I also think that tourists can take advantage of day passes and the like, but I'm not at all sure about that.

Switzerland experts, I need some advice.  The trip is this weekend!  Yippee!

We were planning to book the tour from Zurich to take the train up to Jungraujoch.  However, the weather forecast is not in our favor.  Right now, it's forecast as an 80% chance of snow for each day we are there.  Would you still do it?  I ask because it's £300 for the two of us.  I am happy to pay that if it's worth it even in adverse conditions, but just wonder your thoughts.

Thanks in advance!