An excellent track record
NICK DALTON looks at getaways with lakes, mountains and trains
AS a place for a summer holiday, Switzerland works like clockwork. It offers a world of travel you can’t quite find anywhere else. The mighty mountains and chocolate box villages are truly spectacular yet just as breathtaking are the railways. Whether it’s the cog trains that click-clack up the peaks or the fast services for the airport, they are a way to get a different perspective from the very heart of the landscape.
The company with the track record of the very best summer holidays here is Lakes & Mountains with TUI – each and every one of their trips starts with a train ride from the airport. And each holiday comes with a half-fare travelcard, making getting about by train, bus, boat and cable car great value.
Here are six fantastic resorts…
GRINDELWALD
The train passes through lakeside Interlaken up to this cosmopolitan village beneath the north face of the Eiger. Another service reaches Kleine Scheidegg for walks and a neat restaurant spilling across the sunny platform.
Here the Jungfrau railway heads inside the mountain to the Jungfraujoch, Europe’s highest station, at 11,330ft with ice palace, exhibitions and snow to play in.
INTERLAKEN
A serene spot sitting between its two placid, azure lakes, with walks around the edge and up into the mountains.
Lake Brienz, with its waterfalls, features the traditional woodcarving village of Brienz, while Lake Thun is dotted with fairytale castles. Take the train to mountain resorts such as Grindelwald and Wengen, and up the Jungfraujoch.
WENGEN
A charming, car-free village high on the slopes between Interlaken and Grindelwald, with the Unescoprotected Jungfraujoch as a backdrop. The streets are the place of summer festivals and concerts.
Take the old-fashioned cogwheel railway (some are steam trains) up to Schynige Platte, a ridge with superb views and easy walking.
ZERMATT
Switzerland’s famed mountain town, with views over the Matterhorn, full of quaint buildings, grand hotels and smart restaurants, yet with easy access to walks.
Take a mountain lift or the cog railway that snakes up to Gornergrat at more than 10,000ft where you’ll find Europe’s highest hotel, an observatory and walks, from easy strolls to stirring hikes.
LUCERNE
A medieval city on the banks of Lake Lucerne, with narrow fjords all begging to be explored by steamer, or on the many easy paths.
Take a trip up Mount Pilatus, a gondola gets you to the world’s steepest cogwheel railway for a breathtaking journey. Walk down or simply take a 10-minute stroll to the 6,900ft summit.
MONTREUX
On Lake Geneva, surrounded by vineyards and snow-capped peaks,
this is Switzerland’s glitzy face. The lakeside riviera is a place to stroll, whether among the bars or farther along the water’s edge.
The train from Geneva passes through vineyards, there are short journeys to beautiful walking spots and the Belle Époque train takes you to the cheese-making town of Gruyère – then a chocolate factory.
INFORMATION: Lakes & Mountains with TUI (020 3636 1618/tui.co.uk) offers holidays from £692pp (two sharing) for seven nights, selfcatering, at Residence Apartments, Wengen, departing June 8, including flights from Liverpool.