a 542834 FM.qxd 1/27/04 10:11 AM Page i Switzerland With the Best Hiking & Ski Resorts 11th Edition by Darwin Porter & Danforth Prince Here’s what the critics say about Frommer’s: “Amazingly easy to use. Very portable, very complete.” —Booklist “Detailed, accurate, and easy-to-read information for all price ranges.” —Glamour Magazine “Hotel information is close to encyclopedic.” —Des Moines Sunday Register “Frommer’s Guides have a way of giving you a real feel for a place.” —Knight Ridder Newspapers a 542834 FM.qxd 1/27/04 10:11 AM Page ii About the Authors Veteran travel writers Darwin Porter and Danforth Prince have written numerous best-selling Frommer’s guides, notably to France, Italy, England, Germany, and Spain. Porter, who was bureau chief for the Miami Herald when he was 21 wrote the first-ever Frommer’s guide to Spain while still a student. Prince, who began writing with Porter in 1982, worked for the Paris bureau of the New York Times. 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Manufactured in the United States of America 54321 a 542834 FM.qxd 1/27/04 10:11 AM Page iii Contents List of Maps vii What’s New in Switzerland 1 1 The Best of Switzerland 4 1 The Best Travel Experiences . .4 9 The Best Festivals . .13 2 The Best Scenic Drives . .5 10 The Best Museums . .14 3 The Best Train Trips . .6 11 The Best Luxury Hotels . .15 4 The Best Walks . .7 12 The Most Charming 5 The Best Bike Trips . .8 Small Hotels . .16 6 The Best Small Towns 13 The Best Restaurants . .17 & Villages . .9 14 The Best Websites for 7 The Best Romantic Getaways . .10 Switzerland . .19 8 The Best Skiing . .10 2 Planning Your Trip to Switzerland 20 1 The Regions in Brief . .20 9 Planning Your Trip Online . .38 Did You Know? . .21 Frommers.com: The Complete 2 Visitor Information . .24 Travel Resource . .39 3 Entry Requirements 10 The 21st-Century Traveler . .40 & Customs . .24 Online Traveler’s Toolbox . .42 Destination Switzerland: 11 Getting There . .42 Red Alert Checklist . .25 12 Package Tours & Escorted 4 Money . .27 Tours . .47 The Swiss Franc . .27 13 Special-Interest Trips . .48 5 When to Go . .29 Hornussen, Schwingen & Switzerland Calendar of Waffenlaufen . .49 Events . .30 14 Getting Around . .54 6 Travel Insurance . .32 15 Tips on Accommodations . .59 7 Health & Safety . .33 16 Recommended Reading . .61 8 Specialized Travel Resources . .34 Fast Facts: Switzerland . .61 3 Zurich 66 1 Orientation . .66 Fast Facts: Zurich . .69 Neighborhoods in Brief . .68 3 Where to Stay . .71 2 Getting Around . .68 4 Where to Dine . .81 a 542834 FM.qxd 1/27/04 10:11 AM Page iv iv CONTENTS 5 Attractions . .94 Walking Tour 2: Zurich’s Suggested Itineraries . .95 Altstadt . .104 Frommer’s Favorite Zurich 6 Shopping . .108 Experiences . .101 7 Zurich After Dark . .112 Walking Tour 1: Zurich’s 8 Side Trips from Zurich . .115 Bahnhofstrasse . .102 4 Northeastern Switzerland 119 1 St. Gallen . .119 4 Stein-am-Rhein . .132 2 Appenzell . .125 5 Schaffhausen & 3 Lake Constance . .128 the Rheinfall . .135 5 Basel & the Jura 139 1 Basel . .139 4 Gruyères . .162 2 Solothurn . .156 5 Murten . .164 3 Fribourg . .158 6 Neuchâtel . .167 6 Bern 171 1 Orientation . .171 5 Attractions . .184 Neighborhoods in Brief . .172 Walking Tour: Bern’s 2 Getting Around . .173 Altstadt . .187 Fast Facts: Bern . .174 6 Outdoor Pursuits . .190 3 Where to Stay . .175 7 Shopping . .190 4 Where to Dine . .180 8 Bern After Dark . .192 7 The Bernese Oberland 194 1 Interlaken . .196 3 Wengen . .214 The Murder of Sherlock 4 Grindelwald . .218 Holmes . .209 5 Kandersteg . .226 2 Mürren . .209 6 Gstaad . .229 On the Trail of James Bond . .210 8 The Valais 238 1 Verbier . .239 3 Crans-Montana . .249 2 Sion . .247 4 Zermatt & the Matterhorn . .254 9 Lausanne & Lake Geneva 265 1 Lausanne . .265 A Dramatic Ascent To France by Lake Steamer . .269 to Les Diablerets . .272 a 542834 FM.qxd 1/27/04 10:11 AM Page v CONTENTS v 2 Morges . .279 5 Montreux . .288 3 Nyon . .282 Montreux Jazz Festival . .290 4 Vevey . .283 10 Geneva 295 1 Orientation . .295 Did You Know . .329 Neighborhoods in Brief . .297 Frommer’s Favorite Geneva 2 Getting Around . .297 Experiences . .331 Fast Facts: Geneva . .298 Walking Tour: Geneva’s Quays & Old Town . .332 3 Where to Stay . .301 6 The Active Vacation Planner . .337 4 Where to Dine . .311 7 Shopping . .338 Cheese, Cheese & More Cheese . .319 The Land of Time . .342 5 Attractions . .325 8 Geneva After Dark . .343 Suggested Itineraries . .325 9 Easy Excursions from Geneva . .346 11 Lucerne & Central Switzerland 348 1 Lucerne . .348 5 Brunnen . .377 Walking Tour: Lucerne . .350 The Legend of William Tell . .378 2 Bürgenstock . .372 6 Altdorf . .379 3 Weggis . .373 7 Amsteg . .380 4 Vitznau . .375 8 Andermatt . .381 12 The Grisons 384 1 Chur . .385 4 Davos . .401 2 Arosa . .390 Kirchner: The Tormented 3 Klosters . .396 Genius . .402 13 The Engadine 411 1 S-Chanf & Zuoz . .413 The Glacier Express . .419 2 Samedan & Celerina . .415 4 Pontresina . .432 3 St. Moritz . .418 5 Silvaplana . .436 14 Lugano, Locarno & the Ticino 439 1 Bellinzona . .440 4 Lugano . .455 2 Locarno . .443 5 Morcote . .464 3 Ascona . .449 a 542834 FM.qxd 1/27/04 10:11 AM Page vi vi CONTENTS 15 Liechtenstein 467 1 About Liechtenstein . .467 3 The Unterland . .474 Fast Facts: Liechtenstein . .469 4 The Oberland . .476 2 Vaduz . .470 Appendix: History 101 480 Dateline . .481 Index 484 General Index . .484 Accommodations Index . .494 a 542834 FM.qxd 1/27/04 10:11 AM Page vii List of Maps Switzerland & Liechtenstein 22 The Bernese Oberland 195 Where to Stay in Zurich 72 The Valais 241 Where to Dine in Zurich 82 Lausanne & Lake Geneva 267 Zurich Attractions 96 Where to Stay in Geneva 302 Walking Tour 1: Zurich’s Where to Dine in Geneva 312 Bahnhofstrasse 103 Geneva Attractions 326 Walking Tour 2: Zurich’s Altstadt Walking Tour: Geneva’s Quays & 105 Old Town 333 Northeastern Switzerland 121 Walking Tour: Lucerne 351 Basel Attractions 143 The Grisons 387 Where to Stay in Basel 147 The Engadine 413 Where to Stay in Bern 177 Lugano, Locarno & the Ticino 441 Walking Tour: Bern’s Altstadt 189 Liechtenstein 469 a 542834 FM.qxd 1/27/04 10:11 AM Page viii An Invitation to the Reader In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful places—hotels, restaurants, shops, and more. We’re sure you’ll find others. Please tell us about them, so we can share the information with your fellow travelers in upcoming editions. If you were disappointed with a recommendation, we’d love to know that, too. Please write to: Frommer’s Switzerland, 11th Edition Wiley Publishing, Inc. • 111 River St. • Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774 An Additional Note Please be advised that travel information is subject to change at any time—and this is especially true of prices. We therefore suggest that you write or call ahead for confirma- tion when making your travel plans. The authors, editors, and publisher cannot be held responsible for the experiences of readers while traveling. Your safety is important to us, however, so we encourage you to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Keep a close eye on cameras, purses, and wallets, all favorite targets of thieves and pickpockets. Other Great Guides for Your Trip: Frommer’s Europe Frommer’s Road Atlas Europe a 542834 FM.qxd 1/27/04 10:11 AM Page ix Frommer’s Star Ratings, Icons & Abbreviations Every hotel, restaurant, and attraction listing in this guide has been ranked for quality, value, service, amenities, and special features using a star-rating system. In country, state, and regional guides, we also rate towns and regions to help you narrow down your choices and budget your time accordingly.