Zurich in winter

I am traveling to Zurich mid-December for a conference but would have a couple of days to shoot if opportunities allow. I prefer shooing

cityscapes and landscapes. Currently am not planning on renting a car but certainly could if there are worthwhile opportunities fairly close

by. Any suggestions on where to go, what to see, and what to expect in terms of weather, light, etc. woul be most appreciated!

 

Thanks,

Brad

<p>Go to the Lucerne area - it's not that far (nothing in Switzerland is really far), and take the little train up to the Rigi. Lucerne is very worthwhile a visit - it's a beautiful town with painted houses, and the Vierwaldstädter lake nearby lends itself to exploration. Take one of the boats going across the lake - that's nice also in winter, and depending on the weather, you may end up with a mystic atmosphere, if there's a bit of slight fog. A drive around the lake isn't too bad, either. There are some cozy little villages on the shores.</p>

<p>Weather is likely cold with first snow, so be prepared and pack your down jacket and a warm cap.</p>

<p>Zurich itself is also very nice in winter, with all that Christmassy decoration. Give it a try around the blue hour. If you're lucky, the winter circus is installed on the banks of the Limmat, close to city centre - that's a nice motif in the evening, too.</p>

<p>sorry --- duplicate post</p>

<p>Luzern (coming from the German-speaking bit) is nice. If you do go there and are interested in mechanical things the transport museum (Verkehrshaus) is also worthwhile. For a mountain trip from Luzern the Golden Pass train to Interlaken is impressive. And if you get to Interlaken take the BOB (Berner Oberland Bahnen) rack railway up into the Jungfrau region. The whole of this area is breathtaking but it will depend a lot on how the weather is. If it is rainy or misty you probably won't see a thing. And of course it will be a lot colder up at altitude.</p>

<p>A few more thoughts...if it were me I would get ideas together to suit whatever weather you are dealt. For bad weather, rain, fog, snow etc maybe stick to cities. I would go along with Luzern but also maybe Bern if you like older towns. In Bern there are good vantage points over the old town and the River Aare and the architecture includes medieval and baroque.</p>

<p>If it is good sunny clear weather I would head for the hills. The Jungfrau area and Lauterbrunnen valley would be my personal favourite but there are many other places. For the Jungfrau area take the train to Interlaken Ost then onward on the rack railwys as in my previous post. You can get to near the summit of the Jungfrau by train if you want.</p>

<p>Switzerland is geared up for tourism. For example the Golden Pass Panoramic tourist trains have special windows which are easily lowered for taking photos, though in the winter you might have to brave a few scowls from older Swiss. The train is easily the best way to get about as Swiss trains are models of what a train service should be. Few people pay the full price for tickets as there are a million different and bewildering special deals to be made.</p>

<p>So get your ideas together to be suit all weathers, check your winter schedules, and have a great trip.</p>

<p>Thanks to all for the wonderful suggestions. Unfortunately a combination of the meeting length and the weather did not afford me any real travel or photographic opportunities - I wandered around Zurich for one morning only.</p>

<p>But, I will file these comments in my "future travels" bucket! <br>

Again, thanks to all,<br>

Brad</p>