Rick Steves’ Switzerland (Paperback)
May 7, 2009 by Destination Guide
Filed under Travel Switzerland Guides
Product Description
Who but Rick Steves can tell travelers the best way to visit Zürich, Gimmelwald, the Berner Oberland, Interlaken, Bern, Murten, Lake Geneva, and French Switzerland? With Rick Steves’ Switzerland, travelers can experience everything Switzerland has to offer—economically and hassle-free. Completely revised and updated, this guide includes: opinionated coverage of both famous and lesser-known sights, friendly places to eat and sleep, suggested day plans, walking tours and trip itineraries, and clear instructions for smooth travel anywhere by car, train, or foot. America’s #1 authority on travel to Europe, Rick’s time-tested recommendations for safe and enjoyable travel in Europe have been used by millions of Americans in search of their own unique European travel experience.
About the Author
Rick Steves is on a mission: to help make European travel accessible and meaningful for Americans. Rick has spent 100 days every year since 1973 exploring Europe. He’s researched and written 24 travel guidebooks and hosts the public television series Rick Steves’ Europe, now in its seventh season. He also organizes and leads tours of Europe and offers an information-packed website (www.ricksteves.com). Rick lives in Edmonds, WA, just north of Seattle, with his family.
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I like Rick Steves’s approach to travel, and much of this book is helpful. BUT: He purposely, and dismissively, leaves out the entire city of Geneva, calling it “boring.” Well, when you’re basing your trip in Geneva, that’s not really news you can use. I think Steves’s success has gone to his head — this level of opinionated advice is useless at best, irresponsible at worst. If you want a comprehensive guide to Switzerland, try Fodor’s.
The book does not mention the city of Solothurn just 20 miles north of Bern. This city is packed with sights on a small space: Monolithic late baroque/early classical cathedral built by Vatican architect Gaetano Pisoni, very ornate early baroque Jesuit church, baroque Vauban type city fortification, medieval city gates, clock tower older than in Bern, colorfull renaissance fountains, Europe’s second biggest collection of medieval armours and an interesting art museum with paintings from Hodler (Wilhelm Tell), Cuno Amiet and Frank Buchser who portrayed famous Americans such as John August Sutter (art museum Solothurn), General Lee, General Sherman, President Andrew Johnson (art museum Bern and Basel). Close to the city at the end of a gorge is a very authentic hermitage (Einsidelei). In fall the chairlift up to the Weissenstein offers stunning views of the Alps.
The book otherwise gives a fair picture of Switzerland omitting some other places of interest (that I admit require more special interest) such as Le Locle and La Chaux-de-Fonds with their watch museums, the monastery cities of Einsiedeln and Sankt Gallen. North of Zurich are a couple sights too, Kyburg castle, Chartreuse of Ittingen, the Rhine fall (biggest water fall in Europe and very impressive because you can walk up to it as close as to a Yosemite waterfall). In the children zoo in Rapperswil you can pet and feed rhinos, giraffes and ride elephants. Close to Basel is another roman city ‘Augusta Raurica’ that demonstrates roman live north of the Alps. Hidden in the village of Seewen south of Basel is the Automatic Music Instrument Museum. Self playing Grand Pianos and entire Orchestrons from the 19th century play music recorded 100 years ago. I do not totally share the authors preference of the Berner Oberland over Zermatt or the Wallis / Valais in general. Hiking beneath the Matterhorn or hiking up to the Hoernli hut (2 hrs from Schwarzsee station)from where the Matterhorn climb starts is as impressive or even more exciting than hiking beneath the Eiger north face in the Berner Oberland. Also keep in mind that if you hike anywhere in the Wallis and especially in places like Zermatt or Saas Fee you are surrounded by a multitude of peaks reaching over 4000m, whereas in the Berner Oberland you are often on prealpine terrain facing the Alps only to the south and looking at prealpine lower mountains to the north. The south Alps frequently have better weather too. For kids the Briger Bad (hot spring river pool near Brig) is fun (closed in winter), other hot spring pools are in Leukerbad.
In bigger cities in Switzerland stay in chain hotels close to downtown shopping areas, if you have money and like it old choose Romantik hotels.
I bought this book because I am planning a trip to Geneva–but Geneva is completely omitted from the book! It is not even listed in the index. Buying this book was a waste of time and money for me.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Would recommend to everyone who goes to Europe.
Awesome!!!
Used it all the time, not only that, everywhere we went we saw people with this in their hands.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not recently updated
I travel exclusively with Rick Steve’s books and they have never let me down. However, the more famous Rick becomes the more aged his books seem to get.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Actionable tips that made our trip much more enjoyable
We just finished a train trip through Switzerland and we found Rick’s book indispensible. The info he provided was very detailed and actionable.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rick Steves Switzerland
Typically great Rick Steves. Everything you need to know to be your own travel agent and tour guide.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Planning to travel
Rick Steves’ book has given us a lot of valuable, practical information about what to expect when we visit Switzerland.
3.0 out of 5 stars
Its a okay starter book…I bought Rick Steve bcoz of the hype… apparently, this is a starter book, gives the basics.
1.0 out of 5 stars
Worst book by Rick Steves
I’m a Rick Steves fan. In our yearly vacations to Europe, his books were always the most accurate, detailed and useful.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic
This is the most interesting guide book as is all of Rick Steve’s books. A friend planned their trip to Switzerland using this book and their trip was everything they hoped for.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another great Rick Steves book!!
Rick Steves continues to provide great travel books. The Switzerland 2007 book, like all his other books, tell you everything you need to know to help you plan a trip to…
3.0 out of 5 stars
A good general book on Switzerland
As usual, Rick Steves provides solid suggestions for restaurants, hotels, and sights, and much of his information is dependable.