How we did it: Luzern
Luzern, Switzerland Switzerland is not known for its affordability yet we somehow managed the best deal of the vacation here. We origi...
Luzern, Switzerland |
We originally planned to stay in Basel, but discovered there wasn’t enough to hold our interest for three days so we decided on Luzern. Basel still offered the cheapest flights out of the country so we would still make our way there later.
Anyway, Trenitalia again offered €9.90 deals from Milan to Luzern so I snagged it. The train was operated by Trenitalia in Italy and SBB in Switzerland so you can purchase through either company. I recommend checking both because they both offer different discounts. SBB never came close to a €9.90 deal, but if you’re booking very close to departure you may find SBB has a better promotion.
Luzern had the most expensive hotel prices of any city we visited. I tried to find somewhere that offered free breakfast since everything seems to cost a lot of money. I used a coupon to bring the price down at the ibis Styles.
Most cities in Switzerland offer free public transportation within the city if you stay at a hotel. Luzern was no exception, but I found the region’s tourist board went even further with a special winter deal. Most places sell a City Pass that allows you access to attractions. In Luzern it’s called a “Tell Pass,” named after folk hero William Tell. During the winter months the board offers a free two-day Tell Pass to visitors who get a voucher from their hotel. It’s worth 110 CHF each, more than what we paid for the hotel.
With the pass we were able to use an expanded network of buses, ferries and railways as well as explore the Alps with cable cars. It was an incredible experience. I wrote the tourism board to thank them for their generosity . It truly allowed us to fulfill everything we wanted to do in Switzerland.
I would be remiss if I also didn’t mention the chocolate. You can buy chocolate at almost any vendor and there are several companies that offer “gourmet chocolate.” The reality is almost any chocolate is going to be good. We ended up in Vitznau with a few minutes on our hands waiting for the cogwheel railway so we did some exploring. I found a Volg supermarket selling its brand of milk chocolate for 1.86 CHF...a bargain compared the the "gourmet" places in Luzern. Tara bought some of the name-brand bars for her friends, but I decided to do some comparison research. It was amazing and I prefer dark chocolate over milk chocolate. My only regret is not buying more, but I suppose it’s an excuse to go back!