 Poster: A snowHead
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Me and my mum have a tradition of spending New Year together... We live in separate countries and I would like to get mum out of her comfort zone and meet her abroad. For atmosphere I want to be somewhere 'wintery' and as a result of destinations/airlines we can both get to - it looks like Zurich is the one.
Its just going to be a 4 day break - but reality only 2 days on New Years Eve and Day as the days either side will be travelling - I am not going to be snowboarding but spending time with mum so not asking questions about snow reliability or the quality of the pistes! Instead my questions are: nice place to go for a non-skier but has the atmosphere - ie. great views, can get lifts as a pedestrian to the top/good walking routes/can maybe hire snowshoes/or other activities?
I am assuming that in Switzerland I could get away with not driving - which would be a nice luxury for me - so would want to get somewhere by train from airport and not need a car once there...
Am assuming that ski resorts/restaurants etc are fully open New Years eve and day?
Am thinking Jungfrau - but open to other suggestions. Would prefer not to have too long transfer times as we would be arriving at Zurich about 5 in evening...
thanks if anyone can assist...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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mountain mad,
Never been but what about Interlaken. Can get up to the Jungfrau but have a lake view to stay by and non resort prices.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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ski resorts/restaurants etc are fully open New Years eve and day
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yes, but places will be very full - so no time to lose in finding somewhere which will let you book just a short break
I've only been to Interlaken in summer but didn't like it much - absolutely full of tourists, just a town - got out as soon as I'd found a cash machine.  It's a trek up into the mountains. Much better to be up in the mountains in the first place - where you'd have more chance of sunshine, too. But Wengen and the like will be very busy and expensive. There must be a vast number of places in Switzerland which would be lovely to stay in, but which are not ski resorts (or not big ones, anyway). I'm sure someone with better knowledge of Switzerland would have some good ideas.
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mountain mad, Hmm not sure, Interlaken is ok but not a great location. If you can find some accomodation in Wengen for NYE/NY Day you will be very lucky, Wengen NYE usually has fireworks and things going on, hotels tend to do special dinners
For getting arround Switzerland public transport is fantastic, trains, boats and post coaches all interconnect
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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In Grimentz, New Year week is the busiest week of the season & most apartments are only let on a 2 week basis. So, you might find it difficult to get accommodation for a short period.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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How about Lucerne ? The train up to Engelberg doesn't take too long. Plenty of pedestrians go up to the top of Titlis.
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Definitely open to suggestions of other quieter places...
Flights are not booked yet unless I have a clearer plan of town/resort to head for and I know I can get some accomodation.
Realise that anywhere is going to be busy at New Year - hence starting to do a bit of research and see if I can come up with an idea...
Thanks for suggestions so far...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Wengen would be good if you can get in (that proviso applies to most places). It is traffic free and you can go up the Manlichen cable car as well as, of course, the cog railway beyond the top of the skiing up through the Eiger (look out through a window from the middle of the notorious North Face and up to a glacier at the top.
Zermatt similarly is a beautiful place and has the Matterhorn to look at and both cable cars and cog railway to go up the mountain.
Kitzbuhel in Austria has painted houses, a mediaeval centre and church and a couple of cable cars to go up. It is also not far from Salzburg.
Innsbruck is a spectacular place to land at with small resorts all around, and if you didn't mind a train journey and you could go out to various places from there (including St Anton with the very exciting tiny top cable car up the Valluga).
And yes, Engleberg also has a Baroque monastery as well as walks and cable car up above the glacier.
I would have suggested the Dolomites in Italy as possibly the most spectacular scenery to drive through, but it is a bit awkward to get to unless you hire a car.
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Wed 30-09-09 17:10; edited 1 time in total
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Ok - have had a quick google on the basis of some ideas popped up on here.
Lucerne looks good but am gonna now do some searches here to get info on Engelberg as we'd be quite happy up in the mountains!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Gruyer is indeed very nice but not so great to get to without transport, actually not so great even with transport as only locals are allowed to drive up to the town.
I'm not sure what Lucern would be like over New Year, but it's a pretty town on the lake
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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mountain mad, In the Jungfrau region you could try Wilderswil instead of Interlaken. Wilderswil is a pretty village compared to the more urban Interlaken, and is also a bit closer to the mountains. I've stayed there in Summer at the Hotel Alpenblick,the food is very good (owner Richard Stockli has a Michelin star). The hotel website appears to be only in German, but it seems they do a New Year (Silvester) package for 7 days half board including New Year's eve gala menu for 840CHF, see this
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D G Orf, ah...good points
anyway - loads of great places to visit
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You know it makes sense.
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Thanks... Have taken a quick look at trains and time to Wengen ranges from 3 to 4 hours - which if we land at 5, say 30mins to find each other - means we wouldn't be getting to a hotel till gone 9.30ish - which might be a bit draining for my old mum!
Lucerne is just over an hour away - then maybe another hour if we decide to stay in Engelberg.
Thinking this through it will be an easier trip for mum if I stay within the 2hrs from Zurich transfer so am going to discount Jungfrau now...
Loving all the ideas and pointers - this is really helpful and thanks for the posts so far...
Please keep them coming - ideas closer to Zurich
p.s. we are limited to Zurich as thats a better option for mum flying in from Warsaw...
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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double post.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Thu 1-10-09 17:23; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Have a look at Kandersteg. Small village in Bernese Oberland, just over 2 hours from Zurich. Quiet village, very pretty. Gondola up to frozen lake with some good winter walking. Also cable car at other end of village to more walking. Lots of scope for show shoeing, also big on cross country. Sleigh rides around village. Have a look at Hotel Bernerhof - central location, great views, good food.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Engelberg from Zurich airport you usually need to change trains in Zurich central and again in Lucern. Usually 2hr 25min, but can be less. (Lucern to Engelberg is 1 hour exactly)
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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my son did a new year's night in Zurich. Having spent a summer working on a Swiss farm - and being complained about for flushing the loo after 10 pm in an apartment building - he was pleasantly surprise at the great party atmosphere (and impressed at the very tidy way the swiss stacked the empty champers bottles up neatly, instead of chucking them around).
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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San Moritz? Klosters? Arosa? All about 1 hour 30 from Zurich, and all have cute, quaint towns, gondola access and nice views? Arosa has a fab spa too, if your mum is into that (or you for that matter).
I don't know anything about it, but Zug is meant to be a good place to see, and everyone I know who has been has enjoyed it. Might be worth a though.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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San Moritz? Klosters? Arosa? All about 1 hour 30 from Zurich, and all have cute, quaint towns, gondola access and nice views? Arosa has a fab spa too, if your mum is into that (or you for that matter).
I don't know anything about it, but Zug is meant to be a good place to see, and everyone I know who has been has enjoyed it. Might be worth a though.
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FAQ
), gondola lift from center of town.
