[alkizz]

Originally Posted by Antonmb

I lived in the Zürich area as a child and have been back many times (my dad was Swiss and I still have lots of family there). Just a few thoughts:

The city of Lucerne is beautiful, as is the Lake of Lucerne. In the city, see the monument to the pope’s guards and enjoy any of a number of excellent riverside cafes and restaurants. Take the boat (river boats are part of the transport system) up the lake to the village of Vitznau and in Vitznau take the Rigibahn cog railway up the top of the Rigi. Mark Twain hiked this mountain and wrote a quite amusing travelogue about it. The food at the restaurant at Rigikulm is excellent, you can have a very nice lunch, hike down to Rigi Fïrst, along the Felsenweg (wonderful views of the lake and surrounding mountains) over to Rigi Kaltbad and catch the railway back down.

The Appenzell district is another beautiful area to visit. In the St Moritz area, if you want the old-school posh Swiss hotel experience, try the Suvretta House - expensive, but so is everything in St Moritz. St Moritz and the Upper Engadin valley are incredibly beautiful, but so is the Lower Engadin and not quite as well known.

If you like to hike or walk, the opportunities are endless, and can be as challenging or easy as you like. Most walking is on well groomed paths, with good signage telling you how far to the next village - and unlike hiking in the States, you’re never more than a half hour from some little mountain inn or restaurant with great beer and sausages.