9 days in Swiss

I would allocate 2 weeks for Switzerland if I were you. Seriously, both of you are flying so far for just 9 days; not good, it'll take you a day or 2 just to get over the jet lag.

so your opinion is 9 days definitely not enough :-(

How about Austria?

Dont worry about the jet lag, I am pretty good in dealing with it. just not sure where to go for 9 days .. ( you probably wonder why only these days, due to the natural of our work, she needs to be at work early month till mid month, and i need to be at work at end of the month and start of the month.....this makes our travel plan a bit hard...hehe )

I'd stick to just Switzerland, and I'd skip the cities. Swiss cities are a bit like Australian ones - they're nice, but the real story is out in the countryside.

Personally I would not travel so far for 9 days, and such a short time will not be enough for any country, but if you have no other options I guess Switzerland is a good choice because it is so small.

What exactly would you like to see/do in Switzerland? Will you travel by train or rent a car? The public transport system is excellent, but a car will give you more flexibility and might be cheaper.

Thanks both of you!

I just want to see the countryside like Fwoggie mentioned, maybe a bit of camping/hiking? I am not a fan of big cities, small towns are more authentic i would think ... yes, i would like to rent a car and drive a bit to see more ...

well my question is 9 day is short but should be enough for swiss??

How do you measure "enough"? I thing any guide book or local tourist office could eaisly give you plans for 3-4 weeks full of interesting experiences in Switzerland

I know ppl that are happy to arrive to the capital in the morning - strolling in town for a few hours seeing a single must-see (Eiffel tower at a distance is OK) and taking an evening plane to the next destination - others (and we are talking 100.000s) will return to a small country like Switzerland, Denmark, Austria for 2-3 weeks holiday every year for a lifetime!

What is "enough" in your opnion for Australia - or for New Zealand

Well, longer stays are always better but in 9 days you should be able to get a good impression of the country, especially if you do not mind a lot of driving.

Bear in mind that Swiss cities are more like towns, and do not feel big at all. It would be a shame to ignore Zurich if you're flying there. One day should be enough to see the highlights.

If the weather is good, you could drive all the way south to Ticino, the Italian speaking part of Switzerland. If you skip the tunnels and go over the passes, you will see some stunning scenery. There are different routes with interesting stops along the way. Spend 2-3 full days down south to enjoy the mediteranean atmosphere (yes this is also Switzerland), and then drive to the Bernese Oberland for some more typical Swissness. Green hills, cows, cute houses, snowcapped mountains. Its quite touristy but beautiful, and there are also enough bad-weather activities.

If you want to take a more relaxed approach, or if the weather in the south is bad, I suggest you just to to the Bernese Oberland. The reason I am including Ticino in my itinerary, is because it is really gorgeous and different. Although it's a long drive, I think it is worth it, especially if you make some stops. Allow 1 full day to drive there & back.

Have a look at http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/home.html and the endless links you will find there.

Bjoern
That is a good question, how do i measure "enough". I know 9 days is never enough for any countries, no matter how small it is. But given the natural of the job, and i am located in Australia ( it is far from everywhere i feel.. :( ) as long as i get to see the major sight seeing in Swiss, and i think i need to study travel guide now, so I know exactly how to allocate my limited 9 days ...

I dont think Denmark is small, I would also like to visit it, but i know 9 day is definitely way too short, and end of Sep is no good for it, as i will miss the mid summer festival ... this has to be my destination in next June, and by then i might take a few weeks off since possibly i will resign by then.. :)