rach 1 Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 I'm starting to think about plans for summer now and one idea is to take in a bit of either Switzerland or Austria for a 4 days or so in the middle of my stay in England. Why those two? Well, I just fancy it that's why. I'm still in the process of finding out more and which might be the most fun, but thought I'd ask the experts on here who might help along with ideas. So - anyone with experience of Switzerland and/or Austria. Any good? Any where is good? Thank you very muchly Link to post Share on other sites
Markie 0 Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 Les Portes du Soleil. Was just there in February. Incredible terrain. Largest group of linked ski resorts in the world which you can ski with just one pass. It's on the border of Switzerland and France so you'll be skiing between the two countries every day. Only one problem though....four days is not gonna be enuff. Link to post Share on other sites
rach 1 Posted April 7, 2005 Author Share Posted April 7, 2005 Thanks Markie but sorry, I should have made this clearer..... this will purely be for sightseeing, not snow-related fun. Link to post Share on other sites
Markie 0 Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 Oh, in that case, I have no insights to offer since I have no idea of what Europe when it's not covered in snow. Link to post Share on other sites
I'm Sexy 0 Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 Switzerland is one place I really want go to. It looks so beautiful. Link to post Share on other sites
gamera 0 Posted April 8, 2005 Share Posted April 8, 2005 I visited Zematt and Interlaken in Switzerland and Vienna in Austria. A lot people adviced me to visit Lauterbrunnen in Switzerland but I could not make it. They say it's located on a hilly place from where you can see entire valley. Try web search for Lauterbrunnen ( exactly u-umlaut for LauterbrUnnen if i remember right ). Good luck Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted April 8, 2005 Share Posted April 8, 2005 I went camping in Lauterbrunnen with my family when I was a teenager. It rained a lot and the sun went off the valley at about 4 o'clock. It was very cold. The river rose and flooded the campsite. Everything was expensive. The 'Sound of Music' meadows were very pretty it must be said, but they were also full of very aggressive horseflies. I tried to spend as much of my time there under a hot shower in the bath house. We then went to Interlaken where we swam in the lake. The lake had floating turds in it, and I watched a fat man die of a heart attack/drowning. I was glad to get back home to see my girlfriend Mandy who was very welcoming. Teenagers eh. I wasn't very keen on that 'spectacular glacial valley' thing, although I thought I would be. I've been through Austria by train and thought it looked very pleasant. If I were you, I'd go to Berchtesgaden where they've just built a new hotel on the site of Hitler's old villa. Lotsa history up there... Nice spot too by all accounts. Link to post Share on other sites
rach 1 Posted April 8, 2005 Author Share Posted April 8, 2005 Well thats not the best account of the place is it. Any more? Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted April 8, 2005 Share Posted April 8, 2005 Honest account not good enough eh? OK. Lauterbrunnen? Oh, it's a wonderful place! It's a spectacular glacial valley with the most amazing waterfalls. You must go there if you get the chance! There you go. But, back to the honest account - I wasn't very impressed with Swiss cheese and Swiss chocolate either. But each to her own. Link to post Share on other sites
rach 1 Posted April 8, 2005 Author Share Posted April 8, 2005 Honest account is fine, thanks! It's good to hear the bad as well as the good. Link to post Share on other sites
mfurmane 0 Posted April 8, 2005 Share Posted April 8, 2005 I was in Interlaken about 5 years ago. It is a beautiful place centering around extreme recreation these days. Canyoning, rafting, etc. A friend and I jumped a static line into a gorge about 100 meters deep. It was probably the scariest thing I have ever done in my life. We also went paragliding!! This city offers everything you think Switzerland is supposed to offer plus some. AND.... although technically illegal to "consume," grass is sold in coffee shops!! Never been to Austria...but have heard it has some really beautiful castles and that sort of thing...Vienna particularly. So ask yourself....do you want natural beauty with excitement and partying or do you want a history lesson. Either option should fare thee well. Link to post Share on other sites
spook 0 Posted April 8, 2005 Share Posted April 8, 2005 personally, when i go on holiday i like to eat great food - if you go to switzerland you have to have raclette - sit down with a bunch of mates and spend hours goring on cheese and meats. fab-u-lous Link to post Share on other sites
Hokkaidough 4 Posted April 8, 2005 Share Posted April 8, 2005 Get lucky with the weather and Switzerland is a wonderful place. Beautiful country. And of course you can go to Blofelds baddy place Piz Gloria at the top of Schilthorn. Link to post Share on other sites
frannyo 2 Posted April 9, 2005 Share Posted April 9, 2005 So that's where that was filmed. Great location. Link to post Share on other sites
wendy-cake 0 Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 If you have good weather in Switzerland I'm sure you'll love it. Make sure you get a Swiss Pass for use on the trains as it will save you a bundle. And oh yes, make sure you have a fairly big bundle anyway.... the place is expensive!! Amazing scenery though. Link to post Share on other sites
eskimo 0 Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 How long have you got? Some of the train journeys in Swiss are pretty good - Glacier Express, takes a whole day. Other than that, places I'd try and get to are Zermatt and the Jungfrau regions. Don't forget your camera and like other people have said - MONEY. Even those rail passes often don't include everything and some of those cable cars are crazy 高い！ Link to post Share on other sites
sweets87 0 Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 if u want to party swiss is the way to go Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 Sind Beteiligte in Österreich verboten? Ich denke nicht so... C'mon let's lighten up on Austria a bit shall we? It wasn't exactly a party but I had fun drinking cans of beer at 7 in the morning and hanging out the train window going through the Austrian mountains. Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted April 12, 2005 Share Posted April 12, 2005 Switzerland is on my list of want to go places, always fancied it but never got round to giving it a good go. I will have to save my pennies. Link to post Share on other sites
damian 0 Posted April 12, 2005 Share Posted April 12, 2005 Rach, You should also keep in mind that Vienna used to be a big grand empire city of some old Ostrich or Otter thingy. It stopped being an empire some time ago yet the grandness of the city remains and is, I am told, extremely impressive. Most other 'empire' cities continued to develop and turned into modern day dumps, like London. On the other hand, Vienna was kind of frozen in time. It still looks like it did when it was in it's imperial prime. I have not been to Austria, but I do hear that it is ever bit as attractive as Swiss countryside, cheaper and minus the surprisingly rather odd Swiss people (who seem to create a more conformist society than the Japanese). As for party (at least in ski resort settings), Austrian atmosphere is I am told constantly far more wild than in Swiss resorts. Austria is renowned as the fun place to go. With a city like Geneva, Switzerland can never claim to be a fun place. I have been to Switzerland a few times and certainly like it. I also have an open mind that Austria may well be the better bet. ps - the guys that I work with are currently chatting about doing an afterwork session at a friggin computer golf simulator. They have decided to go next Tuesday. Losers. Link to post Share on other sites
marnix 0 Posted April 12, 2005 Share Posted April 12, 2005 I think 34G is right. Don't think the nature and weather of Austria and switzerland differ much. Both can be very pleasant and very wet and cold in summer. Vienna is a beautiful city. Better than anything I have seen in Switzerland. Plus the people in Austria are a bit more open and friendly. If I had to make the choice I would go for Austria. But if you want to go into the mountains then switzerland will be easier accessed from England. Just fly Easyjet to Geneva. 3 years ago I did a 3 day hike around the Dents du Midi (just east of Champery, part of Les Ports du Soleil) . The weather was great and the views were excellent only the costs of staying in the huts were outrageous. We combined the trip with a 1 day visit to the Montreux Jazz fest. That's always a big party! Link to post Share on other sites
big-will 7 Posted April 12, 2005 Share Posted April 12, 2005 I heard that Zurich is the place in Switzerland, quite the party place in recent years. Link to post Share on other sites
xxx 2 Posted April 12, 2005 Share Posted April 12, 2005 One thing I have heard - and it maybe completely incorrect - is that the Swiss ain't too friendly. Anyone care to comment? Link to post Share on other sites
rach 1 Posted April 13, 2005 Author Share Posted April 13, 2005 Thanks for all that folks. I think it's going to be Switzerland, I just fancy checking it out and have been reading up on some of the places to go. Looks like it might be a few days in the Intelaken/Jungfraujoch region, then check out Zermatt, check out a pretty train journey or two... If anyone has any more info, please post! Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 In those Swiss pictures that Hokkaidough posted, there are actually an amazing 7 different parties going on, in broad daylight, although they are impossible to see because of the terrain. That concrete shed in the bottom picture is also a popular party location, although on the day the picture was taken, no party was being held there (although evidence could be found of previous parties, principally raclette platters). Who you goin' with rach, anybody spesh? I expect you'll have more fun than I did anyway, especially if you're not camping. Link to post Share on other sites
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