I am starting to plan our August-September trip to Switzerland and Italy. This is what we are thinking so far:

- Fly to Zurich, maybe a night or two there, or maybe straight to first mountian town. Pickup car on arrival, or if staying in Zurich, when leaving Zurich.
- One week in central Switzerland, near Lake Lucerne.
- One week in the Valais - the French part. Or maybe a second week in central Switzerland. Or one week in the Berner Oberland.
- Then to Italy. One week in Liguria.
- One week in Tuscany or Umbria.
- One week in Lazio.
- Fly home from Rome.

We have not spent time in central Switzerland before. We go to Switzerland for the walking and hiking and I have been reading that this is a good hiking area. I am looking at Altdorf and Engelberg - both recommended in hiking books.

Altdorf: http://www.altdorf.ch/
Web site is German only. The hiking sounds good here, but the town is very near the autobahn (may be busy and noisy).

Engelberg: http://www.engelberg.ch/en/default.htm
Great web site in English with lists of vacation rental apartments plus the Acrobat version of their vacation rental listings booklet. Looks like it will be easy to book. Also they have their hiking map online and there are lots of trails and mountain rides.

I am no longer considering Murren (which I mentioned before) because I don't think there is the type of hiking that I want there. I finally remembered that we were in Murren years ago - so I remember what the town is like.

Any thoughts or comments? Anyone been to Engelberg or have a better recommendation for a base in that area?

There is one really lame thing on the wonderful Engelberg web site - the restaurant list is in popup windows with really small text that you cannot adjust and you can't print the lists. (I know, everyone is a web site critic )

Ciao--my first time logging in. I love this website and would like anyone's advice on a good place to stay in Pisa.
My family is planning a trip to Italy in mid September. We have booked rooms at Cia Peo near Sestri Levante and also a villa in Tuscany. The last 3 nights were not booked, so found a place in Florence, Hotel Marios, for 2 of them. Since we leave from Pisa the following morning early, we wanted to spend the last night there. Any suggestions?

Ellen- I'm moving your question to the Italy forum. Look for it there, titled "Pisa Hotel Suggestions?"

Once again - has anyone been to Engelburg in Switzerland at the end of a long valley off Lake Lucerne?

Not been there, but Saas Fee in the Valais was a dream in July/August. No cars, very beautiful, peaceful. Wonderful walking, both around the valleys and up in the snow.

http://www.saas-fee.ch/new-e.htm

We spent a day in Saas Fee a few years ago, but have never based ourselves there. We always stay in Zermatt, the next valley over. It is good to hear that hiking is good in Saas Fee. Thanks!

Pauline,
I am an American living in Lucerne. It is a beautiful, little city and worth a visit. We go to Engelberg quite frequently as it is only a 35 minute drive. We do skiing lessons there etc. For a summer destination, we really prefer the Interlaken area. I think one week in Engelberg is a bit long. Restaurants are mediocre, hiking is beautiful but there isn't much charm to the village IMHO. Other suggestions are Grindelwald and the Montreux area (though not Central Switzerland). Grindelwald has superb hiking, "glacier walking", waterfalls etc. For hking closer to Luzern, try this website http://www.gruxa.ch/hiking2.htm

Rigi, Pilatus and Melchseefrutt are all good.

Enjoy!
Jan

Jan, thanks for your reply and the link. That is a great web site - I will read thru it in detail for info. Is it a personal web site? I can't easily find info on the site about whose it is.

We have done many trips to Switzerland and have spent a week or two in the following areas:
Grindelwald
Kandersteg
Zermatt
Crans-Montana
Davos

I was reading about the hiking in Central Switzerland and looking at Engelberg or Altdorf. We are going to spend 2 nights in Lucerne when we arrive, then spend 2 - 2 1/2 weeks in Switzerland before we go down to Italy. I just received a good review of a vacation rental in Grindelwald, so I was already thinking one week Engelberg, one week Grindelwald. Even though we have previously spent a total of four weeks in Grindelwald - but the hiking is the best we have ever done in Switzerland. We are not hardy hikers - we just like to do nice long mountains walks, using mountain rides to do most of the climbing, and to find nice places to stop for a simple lunch when hiking.

If we really want to spend a week somewhere other than Grindelwald, but in the same area, would you recommend Altdorf over Engelberg? Or Meiringen? Or some other place to base ourselves? We really like to be in a small town and just walk to the chair lifts or mountain trains to do our hikes - don't like to start each day with a long drive to a hiking area. And we are both vegetarians so do not end up eating out much in Switzerland (except for lunch on the trails) - so don't need a town with good restaurants.

Pauline,
I have been so negligent about checking this site. My only excuse is that we were on Holiday in Portugal! I saw that you have some questions and also saw that you have already booked! Your trip plan so far sounds wonderful! The website I reference is not a personal one. I just thought that it had some interesting suggestions!

Enjoy Luzern and Central Switzerland!
Jan

We have booked 1 week in Engelberg and are still deciding about the second week. I have been thinking Meiringen (this would be new for us - but it is really close to Engelberg) but have also been thinking just go back to Grindelwald (because we love the hikes there).

I am going to cancel our first two nights in Lucerne because my friend Nancy who recommended the hotel, just stayed there and said it was noisy and you could smell the kitchen smells in the room (she could smell Fondue all night long).

I am updating the Switzerland section on the web now with a better list of all the mountain towns that are good bases for hiking. And some more vacation rental agencies.