Planning a Trip to Switzerland: PART 2 (When to go? Where to stay? Must-dos )

When to go?

Vacations are usually decided by the convenience of all family members. If there are school going children, their holidays need to be considered.

However, as explained in the previous post, season and weather impact the quality of the holiday in Switzerland.

Be aware of the seasons and the scenery you can expect during a particular period. Day light hours are considerably reduced in autumn/winter and you need to factor that in when planning.

Hotels, restaurants etc are closed in lean season and even cable cars/gondolas to mountain tops are closed for maintenance. 

Frequency of boat trips etc are considerably reduced in winter. 

To check if cable cars etc will be operating in the Berner Oberland region, for example, use the regional pass website for that region:

http://www.regiopass-berneroberland.ch/home-en
In the above link, hover over the 1st tab, Tickets and you'll see the period of operation for all lines in that area --Note dates are written in day-month-year format.

Look for pictures of the same place in summer and winter, analyze the sight seeing options available for the particular season and make your choice.

Switzerland has a lot of micro climates; the weather/season has variations depending on the altitude of the place, ie the mountain areas versus the plains.

For example, April is spring on the plateau and around the lakes. It is still late winter anywhere over about 1500 m.

Seasons:

Winter - Mid November to April in the mountains, December to mid March on the plateau

Spring - May-June in the mountains. Mid March to early June on the plateau

Summer - July, August early September in the mountains June-late September on the plateau

Autumn - Mid September to mid November in the mountains. October and November on the plateau

It can and does rain at any time of the year.  

As a general rule, mid June to mid October (summer) is great for visiting the country.

Winter season in the mountains from mid-December to mid-April sees a huge rush of ski tourists.  In winter the mountain resorts are busy with the skiing crowd who book a week’s stay and it’s tough to get accommodations for just a few days.

Mid December to January first week is the most expensive and crowded time to holiday anywhere. Same way, the week of Easter sees a lot of crowds and is best avoided. (Check when Easter falls for the particular year when you are planning a trip around that period)

The time between summer and winter as outlined above is out of season. Basically mid April - mid June and mid October to mid December is off season.  Many hotels and transport installations (cable cars etc ) are closed during this period (maintenance works, safety checks etc.)

If you can only travel in the lean season, choose a base near a lake, e.g., Luzern or Montreux; check what activities are open/available. Spring around the lake areas in April is lovely though the mountain cables may close mid April for maintenance after the ski season. 

So to summarize, mid June-mid Oct is best for visiting through out Switzerland; July, August is peak tourist season all over Europe with heavy crowds. So late June, September may be the best to enjoy lesser crowd and all the sights Switzerland has to offer.  

Flowers in Gruyeres

Klein Matterhorn, Jungfraujoch, Titlis, Glacier 3000 and Diavolleza always have snow, the whole year round –you can hire sledges or do snow tubing for a nominal charge in these places.

Snow Tubing in Klein Matterhorn

In winter elevations above 1200-1500 m can have snow.

Winter visit:

If you choose to visit Switzerland in winter (December-February), be aware that winter is heavy tourist season in skiing resorts and you may not be able to get accommodation for a day or 2-- they are booked for a week by skiers.

Mid December to January 1^st week is the most expensive and crowded time.

As explained in previous post (http://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2016/03/how-to-plan-trip-to-europe-planning.html), your day light hours and time for sight seeing will be severely curtailed in winter. 

Don’t attempt skiing unless you are an expert. Swiss slopes have a high degree of difficulty and a beginner can hurt himself and others badly. It takes at least a week’s lessons to get a little hang of skiing and Switzerland is a very expensive place for skiing lessons and equipment rentals.

If you are looking for a little snow fun, Titlis, Jungfraujoch, Klein Matterhorn have snow sports like snow tubing, sledge etc which are well within the scope of the average visitor.     

You’ll need waterproof and insulated jackets, and waterproof shoes with good grip for mountain excursions. 

Some hiking paths, cable cars etc may be closed and you need to check for specifics before you commit to a plan. The official website of the sights have detailed info on closures for maintenance as well as due to lean season

Summer Visit:

Summer sees a heavy rush of general tourists. July, August are very crowded months. Mid June is likely to have less crowds.

May is transition time and snow may be melting in the mountain villages. Hotels, restaurants may be closed after Easter and will open for summer in June. Check for availability before drawing up plans and buying your flight tickets.

September to mid October can be generally great with less crowd and ideal temperatures.

With current global warming, weather patterns are changing everywhere. Monitor current patterns. Pick your time of visit wisely.

Must-dos:

Only you and your family can decide what you’ll enjoy.

Mountain excursion:

In general, in Switzerland, have a mountain excursion to a glacier; enjoy being in the snow and viewing snow covered peaks all round. Klein Matterhorn, Jungfraujoch, Titlis, Glacier 3000 and Diavolleza have glaciers and snow all year round. You can add Aiguille du Midi at Chamonix (to see Mount Blanc) if you are stationed near Geneva in the Vevey/Montreux region. 

Pick on one mountain excursion depending on where you stay. Ride up to the mountain top in a cable car/ gondola /cog wheel train. Enjoy the snow sports available there.

If you are particular about Jungfraujoch stay in Jungfrau region.

From Luzern, Klein Titlis is your best bet.

For seeing Matterhorn, be in Zermatt

 If you are in Vevey for example, don't be fixated on going to the Jungfraujoch just because you have read about it in travel pamphlets. To get to the Jungfraujoch and back you will be spending 10 hrs 20 min on trains in ONE day from Geneva. Is this really worth it? Think about going to the Aiguille du Midi at Chamonix instead.

You can get to Chamonix in 90 mins by shared van transfer from the Geneva airport and from the Aiguille du Midi you have superb views of the highest mountain in Europe - Mt Blanc. If you are in Montreux, train though Martigny to Chamonix. When you go to the Jungfraujoch you spend the last 40 mins of the ride in a tunnel... For Aiguille du Midi you are on cable cars AND you can do the "Step into the Void" - walking out on a glass platform a couple of thousand meters above the valley floor.

Cable cars/gondolas/trains going to uninhabited places  are closed for maintenance in lean season. If you are visiting in November, check the relevant site to see if they are operating. 

Cable car ride

Nordwand (North Wall) of Eiger

Jumping for Joy...On the Jungfraujoch

For any mountain excursion: Wait till you see the weather on the day you plan to do it. If it is raining and there are low clouds - do not go. You will waste your time and money and have no views. Look at the official site for all information including live webcams, whether all cable cars are operating and other important info.

Lake Cruise:

Lake cruise is a great idea in Switzerland. Again, Pick on one depending on where you stay. If you are based in Luzern, a lake cruise all the way to Flüelen is scenic. Near Geneva, if you are based in Montreux/Vevey, take a cruise on Lac Leman (which you may know as Lake Geneva) to Chateau de Chillon. From Bernese Oberland area, the 2 lakes Brienzersee and Thunersee are lovely. You can combine Brienz cruise with Ballenberg museum. You can visit the chateaus when on a cruise on Thunersee.

Boat services are restricted during autumn, winter and spring. You will find timetables on the site devoted to the particular lake, eg, for Lake Lucerne at: lakelucerne.ch/en/timetable-fares/timetable/

Hikes:

A hike on a mountain path seeing wild flowers, snow covered peaks, babbling brooks and hearing the tinkle of grazing cows is recommended.

There are paths of all degrees of difficulty. You can pick one suitable to your family... see the small kid sauntering down the path in the pic above. This is the easy trail to the Gruyeres castle.

Depending on the season/weather, hiking paths may be closed. Check if the hiking paths are open if you are visiting in lean season.

Adventure Sports:

Plenty of adventure sports are available: Paragliding, Bungee jumping, canyoning, ziplining, snowtubing etc can be considered. 

Quite a few of these activities are weather dependent; if you book ahead you are locked into a particular slot and it may be get cancelled/postponed in case of unfavorable weather. You'll have to block a chunk of time reaching the particular place and waiting in line; probably half a day of your vacation time for one activity. In my personal opinion, it's better to hike/ trek on one's own and enjoy the scenery rather than wait in queues for a particular activity

Skiing is to be attempted ONLY if you are an experienced skier; it takes a full day to learn to fall without hurting yourself while skiing; it takes a week of lessons to be a little comfortable on skis; no point risking your life and hurting others on the slope if you are inexperienced!

The links below give a list of all activities on Titlis and in the Jungfrau region; you can google for similar links in the region of your choice: 

www.titlis.ch/en/activities/summer-activities

jungfrauregion.ch/en/Holidays/SUMMER

Walks:

A walk through quiet mountain villages, historic town centers or a lake promenade is great.

Take a look at the official site of the place you stay and you’ll get all the options available to you… www.luzern.com/en or www.vevey.com/en etc

Where to stay?

There are several regions you can base yourself in. The map below can guide you

MAP 3

International flight from India can land either in Zurich (region 3 in map 3) or Geneva (region 8 in map 3).  If you are taking a train from Paris you’ll come in via Basel (region 3 in map 3) or Geneva as there are direct trains to both from Paris

If you want to cover Rhine falls, Rhine Falls is just an hour plus by train from Zurich airport- if you have time on hand for a half-day trip you could keep your bags at the station, visit the Falls, return and then proceed.

Luzern as base:

Chapel Bridge, Luzern

Many Indians fly into Zurich. They choose Luzern in area 4 as their 1^st base. As already said, there is a train station in Zurich airport and it’s a 1 hour journey to Luzern.

Or you can fly into Paris from India spend 4 days there and take the fast TGV train from Paris-Gare de Lyon to Luzern via Basel.  

For the TGV tickets Paris to Switzerland  use www.trainline.eu
 Tickets go on sale 90 days prior to travel.

Also check out www.seat61.com  for good train travel information 

Luzern makes a great base for sightseeing in central Switzerland. If you find accommodation expensive, perhaps stay in  Kastanienbaum or Meggen (both on the same side of the lake as Luzern), or Weggis or Vitznau (on the other side of the lake),  and take the lake boat over to Luzern.

If you are going to be only in Luzern consider getting a Tell Pass. That is a regional train/bus/boat pass that also covers mountain railways and cable cars. www.tellpass.ch

Lake Luzern cruises

There are many different boat trips available at the 38 km long Lake Lucerne. There are round trips from Lucerne to Meggen that take less than an hour, and there are single trips from Lucerne to Flüelen that take close to 3 hours. Whatever you choose, a boat trip is a great way to enjoy the beautiful region at a slow pace.

A lake cruise all the way to Flüelen is well recommended. Around Flüelen the mountains come right down to the lake and the scenery is spectacular.

Luzern: Official site: www.luzern.com/en 

A well traveled person ranks mountains in the area in the order of their preference (first to last) as follows: Rigi, Stanserhorn,  Brienzer Rothorn, Titlis, Klewenalp/Stockhuette,  Pilatus.

Rigi, Pilatus and Titlis:

Rigi: Official site: www.rigi.ch/en 

Rigi was called by the Victorians "Queen of Mountains" and for good reason. It is a large mountain and you can go up it from several different places. Part of the way up on the cable car from Weggis there is Rigi Kaltbad which is a mineral spring with quite amazing architecture. Probably worth experiencing - take your swim suit or hire one there. From there you can go on to Rigi Kulm - the summit. You have a 360° view over several lakes, cities etc with the alps as a backdrop if the weather is clear.

Here is a great option: From Luzern, take a lake cruise over to Weggis and the cable car to Rigi Kaltbad (Kaltbad means cold bath; but it's basically a hot mineral bath). Then train on up to the top (Rigi Kulm) from there. Train back to Vitznau and then boat on to Flüelen. The lake down there is stunning. Just like a fjord. Of course, check boat, train timings. Easy to execute in summer; in winter, boat schedule can be curtailed.

Pilatus: Official site: www.pilatus.ch/en 

Pilatus is a low mountain - around 2000 m only - and aside from in winter does not have snow at the top. Mt Rigi has better views than Pilatus.

You can use the gondolas and cable car from Kriens (near Lucerne) for a visit of Mt. Pilatus. 

Pilatus is closer to Luzern (get there by bus or train or by lake boat. I would advise going by bus or train and taking the boat on the way back). The cog railway to the top is the steepest in the world. Great views from the top as well.

Titlis: Official site: www.titlis.ch/en 

Highest of the three. Titlis is over 3000 m and has a glacier at the top which means permanent snow and ice up there. So there are snow sports - even for those who don't ski - at Titlis. You are guaranteed snow year round. It also stars in Bollywood films.

You need to go to Engelberg to go up to Titlis. The last stage of the cable cars to the top is the "Rotair" which revolves as it ascends.

For Pilatus and Titlis: planning any mountain excursion in advance before one knows for sure what the weather will be on the day is a big risk. So have a plan B.

If you hit a rainy period - these can last for a few weeks sometimes - you need other options. From Luzern these can include: 

Verkehrshaus der Schweiz (Swiss Transport Museum)

A day trip to Bern. The historic center there has 6 km of arcaded streets, so you stay dry. Lots of lovely little boutiques as well, and the Federal Parliament and the Bear Park (for kids!)

A day at the Open Air museum at Ballenberg - www.ballenberg.ch

A visit to the glass factory at Hergiswil - www.glasi.ch
 

In Luzern the following are recommended:

Museggmauer (Town Walls): Official site: www.museggmauer.ch

In the north side of Luzerne's old town there is an old wall (built between 1350 and 1408), with nine towers in different styles. The part built in1386 is still intact, and you can climb four of the towers - Schirmer, Zyt, Wacht, and Männli - for stunning views across the city, lake, and surrounding landscape. The oldest of Lucerne's clocks, built in 1535, is in the Zyt tower and chimes hourly, exactly one minute before all the other city clocks. Inside the tower, you can see its mechanism at work.

Löwendenkmal (Lion Monument)

North of Löwenplatz is the Lion Monument, a huge figure of a dying lion carved in rock ledge. Designed in 1820, the monument commemorates the death of 26 officers and more than 700 troops of the Swiss Guards, mercenary soldiers who were killed while protecting King Louis XVI during the attack on the Tuileries in the French Revolution in 1792.

There is another war memorial in Löwenplatz, the immense Bourbaki Panorama. The 11,000-square-meter circular painting of1879 depicts the retreat of the French Eastern Army into Switzerland in 1871 during the Franco-Prussian War. As you stand in the middle, figures and actual objects, such as a rail truck, turn it into a three-dimensional scene.

Gletschergarten (Glacier Garden) 

https://www.gletschergarten.ch/natur-und-poesie-mitten-in-der-stadt/

The adjoining park is a good place for a picnic.

Bernese Oberland:

Region 6 in Map 3, Bernese Oberland, or the Jungfrau region is a huge personal favorite to enjoy the beauties of Switzerland.

The options here are very scenic and numerous. Wilderswil, Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Murren, Grindlewald are all great places to stay here and good alternatives to Interlaken. Indians find the apartments at Ringgenberg convenient... it's on a lake with scenic mountain views and just 5 minute bus ride away from Interlaken from where all scenic trips are possible

MAP 4: BO (Bernese Oberland) region

The map above shows many scenic peaks in the region. http://jungfrauregion.ch/ is the official site that has all the info. My trip report which is a separate blog covers this region extensively, so I’m keeping it short here

Breathe in the scent of the Alpine flowers, feel the refreshing spray from the waterfalls on your skin in summer, rejoice as the mountain peaks emerge from the sea of mist in autumn and listen to the crunch of snow under your feet in winter – the region at the foot of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau is an invitation to enjoy the mountains with all your senses… says the official site!

http://jungfrauregion.ch/en/Holidays/VILLAGES

gives you info on all the villages in this region and the activities you can undertake from here.

A lake cruise on either lake Thun or Brienz is a lot of fun. On Thun you can get the boat from the Interlaken West station, take it to Oberhofen, visit the castle there and then go on to Thun itself and visit the imposing castle. 

Montreux-Vevey Riviera Region:

Region 8 in map 3 is another personal favorite for us. You can fly into Geneva and take the train to Vevey or Montreux and enjoy this region.

On the shores of Lake Geneva, the thirteen kilometer long quays of Montreux offer not only exotic flowers and palm trees but also a sumptuous view of the Alps

The highlights are the Chillon castle on the lake, the vineyards of Lavaux region, cheese factory at Gruyeres, Maisson Cailler chocolate  factory visit with unlimited chocolate tasting,

Stretching out over 830 hectares, Lavaux is one of the largest vineyards in Switzerland. Numerous charming and picturesque wine-growers’ villages are tightly nestled around their wine cellars and fountains.

An extraordinary fortified medieval castle, on Lake Geneva surrounded by mountains! The Chillon Castle is the most visited historic monument in the country. Built in the 12th century on a rocky island, it offered both natural protection and a strategic position, from which traffic between the north and south of Europe could be controlled. The powerful Dukes of Savoy lived there from the 13th to the 16th century.

Chocolate tasting at Maison Cailler Factory 

Nestlé provides an insight into the very foundations of the company at its birthplace in Vevey. It all started with Henri Nestlé in 1866

Chocolate and Cheese: Departing from Montreux and passing through Gruyères and Broc, you can discover the region of the famous Gruyères cheese and delicious Swiss milk chocolate.

Rochers-de-Naye: A 55-minute cog railway journey takes you from the palm trees of Montreux to the summit of the Rochers-deNaye, at an altitude of 2,042m. This rocky balcony offers a spectacular view of Lake Geneva, the Alps and the Jura! “La Rambertia”: a colourful alpine garden, containing over 1,000 alpine flowers and plants. Summer only with Alpine paradise gardens and marmot paradise

 ENGADIN:

Region 1 in Map 3 is an excellent option in Switzerland. There are some absolutely stunning villages in the Engadin. St Moritz is the largest town in the area and is famous. Pontresina, Silvaplana, Sils Maria and Sils Baselgia as well as Bever are just as lovely.

http://www.engadin.stmoritz.ch/sommer/en/activities/engadin-lifestyle/history/the-story-of/

lists all the 13 options in the Engadin valley.

In summer many of the hotels in the Upper Engadin offer a free Engadin card to their guests who stay two nights or more and it is well worth choosing one of these hotels. The Engadin card gives you FREE transport all over the Upper Engadin be it on train or postbus. And the card covers as far as Alp Grum on the Bernina line and in some cases - depends on the hotel - down into the Val Bregagia and up to Soglio. It also includes cable cars.

See http://www.engadin.stmoritz.ch/sommer/en/bergbahnen-inclusive/

 this is a great special.

The Bernina massif vis-à-vis the Diavolezza towers above the scenery with eight peaks ranging up to about the four thousand metre mark: a veritable feast for the eyes. It’ll be your glacier experience in this part of the country and you can frolic in the snow! 

If you are staying in this region, you can go on to Venice by train easily.

The trains in the Engadin run via St Moritz to Tirano in Italy. This latter is the Bernina Line, which is world famous and a definite must do.

St Moritz to Venice - you have a few options:

1) Bernina Express train leaving around 0915 to Tirano with connection to Bernina Express bus to Lugano. Lugano is 1 hour by train from Milano Centrale station. This would be a long day however...

2) Bernina Express or normal Bernina line train to Tirano. then local Italian train to Milano and on to Venice. Some connections are also possible via Monza.

3) "Palm Express" bus from St Moritz to Lugano and on to Milano Centrale by train.

The Lower Engadine, which is far from the large tourist destinations, remains a peaceful valley in contrast to the exclusive Upper Engadine. Scuol, Samnaun and Zernez are possible bases

I have included 4 separate regions as bases above. Valais (region 9 in Map 3) can be an option too with a base in Martigny. Zermatt can be a great base if you are a hiker. If the weather becomes inclement, it’s tough to take a day trip out of Zermatt, so you can keep your fingers crossed for good weather when you stay in Zermatt

A choice of one or 2 of the regions above depending on the number of days you have will let you enjoy a true flavor of this lovely country. 

Choosing your accommodation:

Switzerland is an expensive country.

 If you are on a tight budget the youth hostels are a good option. 

Hostels are not just places for youth but families and older adults too. They are usually located in very scenic and well connected places.

There are 52 in Switzerland. look at the locations from the link below and book a private room if needed for relatively low prices:

http://www.youthhostel.ch/en/hostels

These hostels have a communal kitchen you can use for rustling up a meal after buying provisions from the nearby COOP or Migros supermarket.

Check out the facilities in your chosen place... if the bathrooms are shared etc, analyse your needs before you book.

Membership can give further discounts; you may consider getting an e-membership for HI (Hostels International) from your country. Membership fee varies depending on the country of your origin. Indian passport holders can get e-membership for an individual adult at the handsome sum of USD 1 1/2; YES, this is not a typo; for 2 adults, the membership for 1 year is USD 3 currently and it gives 10% discount for all hostels world over for a year!!

  

The next post covers travel passes, money, safety, clothes and food tips:

http://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2016/04/switzerland-part-3-passes-food-safety.html