Past Trip: Switzerland 2001

In August 2001, we spent 9 days visiting Zurich, Berne, Lauterbrunnen and Zermatt in Switzerland.

Saint Bernard

We had a great time, weather was mainly sunny, food was hearty and there were no language barriers, we had studied up on Menu.

Highlights:

• Scenery from the trains
• Fondue in Zermatt at Restaurant Whymper-stube
• Seeing the Matterhorn(I'm an armchair mountaineer)
• Tinkling cow bells in the mountain air
• Excellent train connections
• Rosti - fried shredded potatoes topped with anything
• First Swiss Army knife purchased in Switzerland 
• Chocolate
• Ovomaltine

Sights we saw:
Zurich (First and last day and night)

• Lakeside Promenade
• Crazy benches, one favorite had a Royal theme
• Lots of Sports cars
• Window shopping
• Painted Cows all over town

Bern "bear" (2 days)

Astronomical Clock in the Zytglogge Tower

Bern Munster (Heaven and Hell, you choose)

• 2 Hour bus tour - Rose Gardens, Bear Pits, Clock Tower and Cathedral.
• Gurtenbahn - funicular up to views of the Swiss Capital, viewing tower, play area, 10 minutes from center of Bern, we took Tram 9, very easy.

Bear Pits

• Thun - Day Trip from Bern, 20 minutes by train.
• Thun Castle

Thun Castle

View of Lake Thun from Thun Castle

Lauterbrunnen (3 days)
Very relaxed little village, a good central spot to stay when visiting the area.

The Train Station

Trummelbach Falls - The glaciers on top of the Mountain drain through the mountain, the falls are on the inside.

Staubbach Falls

• Staubbach falls (viewable from our Hotel)
• Trummelbach Falls - Short enjoyable walk (45 min.) from the Hotel, took the Postbus on the return trip.
• Schilthorn- Mountain with revolving restaurant on top. Access via a funicular to Grutshalp, a small train to Murren and then 2 cable cars. The Bond movie "On her Majesty's Secret Service" was filmed there. We watched hang gliders and just enjoyed the view. Later we had lunch in Murren with great views of the Alps.
• Schynige Platte and Alpine Garden, Plateau with great views and an Alpine Garden.
• Grindelwald - short visit, bought souvenirs and saw the Eiger a bit closer.
• Interlaken - short visit, not that exciting, lots of tourist souvenir shops.

The Eiger, Monch and the Jungfrau viewed from the Schilthorn

Cogwheel Train on the Schynige Platte Railway

Zermatt (2 days) 4 trains from Lauterbrunnen, less than 3 hours. The connections were like clockwork and the scenery was great, mountains, tunnels, little villages.

• Views of the Matterhorn
• Fondue at Whymper-Stube (Edward Whymper first climbed the Matterhorn)
• Swam at the hotel, beautiful indoor pool room
• Gornergrat - cog railway to top of mountain with great views.
• Short hike from Findelbach back to the hotel, on the way down from Gornergrat.
• Alpine Museum

The Iconic Matterhorn

10,132 feet

Our Hotels:
Zurich -
Pension St. Josef - First night
Helmhaus Hotel - last night
Berne - Hotel Bern Average large hotel
Lauterbrunnen - Hotel Staubbach Very nice small hotel
Zermat - Hotel Eden Very nice medium sized hotel, nice pool and spa services.
Almost every hotel was within the sound of church bells ringing, all night long.

August 13 - 23, 2001
Trip Expenses - 2 Adults, 2 Children:
$1 = 1.66 CHF
Costs
$3613 - Airfare (3A * $960 + 1C $733)
$  374 - Rail pass (2 Adults Swiss Saverpass 8 day, kids traveled free)
$1532 - Lodging (2598 CHF)
$1593 - Swiss Franc Withdrawls (2700 CHF)
$7115 - Total - minus some charges