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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I was in the region last summer. Both Bern and Lucerne are small cities and can be easily visited as half day trips plus lunch to cover all the main sights. Both are pretty places. But I wouldn't use them as bases when you have the spectacular Berner Oberland nearby.

If you are open to some hiking, I'd suggest staying in a place like Murren or splitting your time between Murren and another town on the other side of the valley. Lots of hotels and cottages. Do lovely walks up to a mountain hut for lunch and back down. The Piz Gloria is a fantastic mountain peak and much cheaper than doing the famous Jungjaufrau train. There's gorgeous waterfalls in the valley floor.

Regarding Swiss trains, yes, incredibly linked and organized but also very expensive. Since I was doing mostly walking, I got the half fare card and used it for trains and lifts and funiculars every now and then. If relying more on trains within the Berner Oberland there is a separate all inclusive pass that is worth checking out.

If I were planning a trip I might do one night in Bern after landing in Switzerland (assuming landing at Zurich, train to Bern), next afternoon proceed to Murren for four nights, then Murren to Lucerne for 1-2 nights including swimming in the lake, then end of trip.

I loved the Berner Oberland so much that I'm going back this August to do more walks and we're staying in Murren again for a few nights. 
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Is Murren more easily accessible to everthing compared to Grindelwald?  I was reading something about where the daylight hits in the Lauterbrunnen Valley and why some areas may be better than others to stay at but now don't remember wat I read.

And where in Murren did you stay at?

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The whole Berner Oberland is well connected if you are moving up and down the same valley. Grindelwald is a bigger town and has direct transportation links to it but while it will have more shops and restaurants it won't have the charm of a village hanging on to the sides of the mountain slopes, as Murren and Wengen do. Very different vibes. Would strongly recommend making the extra connections to Murren or Wengen. As a bonus hotels will be slightly cheaper. Downside is far fewer dining options but Murren has a few that are pretty good, including one delicious Chinese-Singaporean restaurant and the hotels tend to have their own dining room and you can get meals included with your room rates. We stayed in the Hotel Regina in Murren, a delightful old hotel that has very simple bedrooms but a wonderful dining room with great breakfasts and we also dined there one night and it was excellent too. Loved the belle epoque atmosphere.

The cable cars make it easy to go up and down from the valley floor to the villages and it's part of the fun. Walking is also easier than you might think. We took the cable car down to the valley and a short bus to visit a rather spectacular and fun waterfall, and also to take another long walk up to the far valley end before returning the same way. We also walked up to mountain huts for lunch and returned, and took the cable car further up to the Piz Gloria, which was spectacular. [/quote]

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