Sight Recommendations

[Mari]

I love hearing about everyone's experiences on their trips - it's making me so excited! ;D

Ging - thanks for the advice about scheduling the trip - I really wanted to have a trip where if there was a place we loved, we could just stay as long as we wanted, like you did. My boyfriend and I are sitting down this weekend and try to come up at least a route that would make sense. BTW, I read your trip posts when I first found this board and I was so inspired by your trip!

Kim - yes, you are right! It's a "pilgrimage" to the Peter Zumthor spa. We have four or five friends who have gone and raved about their stays there, but I"m still on the fence about going. We'll definitely have to make reservations and it's not the cheapest place to stay, although for a spa it's quite reasonable. Are you an architecture fan?

Nitsansh - thank you SO much for the train tips! This is what I love about this board - how much people are willing to help. There's no way I would have know about the train lines you suggested to go to Italy - I had looked a little bit into it but just assumed that the only want to get to Italy was to go through Chur. I know it seems strange to go to such an out of the way place, but like I said before, it's somewhere my boyfriend really wants to go to and I can see going now versus making a whole separate trip just to go there in the future.

Thanks again - I really appreciate it!

[BARATIER]

I just wanted to add onto San Sebastian(Donostia):
You BF will love it. Donostia itself is the attracion on itself especiall the Parte Vieja for traditional arch. I was there last december and even the wheather was the nice for. I can only imagine how much nicer its going to be when you get there. Bilbao is a less-than 2 hour ride.

People said that Donostia is a expensive city, but to me, it was cheaper than Madrid or Barcelona. Then again maybe is expensive in comparison to the rest of España. I dunno.

Also, siding with Ginger, its a good thing not to have things set on stone because you will get to places that you will want to spend more time that you alloted and there are places that you can't wait to get out of there.

dats my 2 cents.

Bara

[nitsansh]

Mari said:

Nitsansh - thank you SO much for the train tips! This is what I love about this board - how much people are willing to help. There's no way I would have know about the train lines you suggested to go to Italy - I had looked a little bit into it but just assumed that the only want to get to Italy was to go through Chur. I know it seems strange to go to such an out of the way place, but like I said before, it's somewhere my boyfriend really wants to go to and I can see going now versus making a whole separate trip just to go there in the future.

Thanks again - I really appreciate it!

Don't get me wrong... it's a remote place by Swiss definition, but Switzerland is in the middle of Europe, so it's not too far... but as you said this is the only place you want to go in Switzerland, going there from any border will take at least 4 hours... but if the weather is fine, it would be a gorgious trip even if you don't stop anywhere except to change trains...
You probably thought there's no link between Disentis and Brig because the rail map that you got with your railpass shows those lines where the pass is valid, and this line of FOB is NOT covered by the pass, but it's there and you can travel if you pay for the ticket...the difference in time, though, is not great... the train is very slow, especially on the rack-and-pinion section, and you need to change trains 3 times between Ilanz and any point on St Gothard route.
I suggest that you contact the local tourist office at Vals and ask for list of accomodation... as there is no hostel in this place, your best option should be Zimmer, a room in private house... cheap rooms should cost 30-50 Francs per person per night (double room without bath/toilet).
If you only go there for a day, consider staying in a nearby hostel (Chur will probably be your best choice) and making a day trip. I should check timetable to see if that's possible...

[nitsansh]

There should be no problem... it takes about 1.20 hour to travel from Chur to Vals-post, connections every hour or two... first departure from Chur 6.50, last 22.10. Departures from Vals-post 6.10 to 19.20.