We just got back from a week in Switzerland, split between Interlaken and Montreux (with brief visits to Zurich and Geneva).
The weather wasn't entirely cooperative, but it was still lots of fun!
Suggestions for others visiting Switzerland:
- Be prepared to walk a lot - even though the public transportation system is good, you will want to walk and the country is rather mountainous (we wished we'd spent some time on the treadmill and StairMaster beforehand).
- Get a Swiss Travel Pass - not only does it work on the trains, buses, trams and most boats, but it's also a museum pass! It saved us a bit of money and a lot of hassle.
- Food and lodging are expensive, but there are some relatively good values to be found with a bit of research. For mid-priced hotels (at least by Swiss standards), we liked the Hotel Alphorn in Interlaken and the Hotel Splendid in Montreux, though we might try staying in Lausanne on our next visit to Lake Geneva.
- Eat roesti and raclette, as well as fondue. Don't miss the chance to try the (rarely exported) Swiss wines like chasselas and plant robert; the Lavaux Vinorama is a particularly good choice for informative tastings, but drinking at the vineyard terraces is wonderfully pleasant.
- While Swiss chocolate is justifiably famous, don't miss out on the pastries. In particular, make sure to visit Spruengli for Luxemburgerli (especially if raspberry is in season), and the raspberry macaron at Zurcher is also very tasty.
- If visiting central Switzerland, a walk through the Lauterbrunnen valley and a visit to Truemmelbach Falls are an absolute must. If visiting southern Switzerland, it's worth taking a day trip to Maison Cailler and the town of Gruyeres.
- For history buffs, Swiss castles are great (we enjoyed Chillon, Gruyeres and Thun), as is the archaeological museum in Geneva. For watch lovers, the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva is a must (but give yourselves a couple hours at least; we only had an hour and could have stayed much longer).
