Andermatt, Switzerland

If you are traveling via train and can handle a 2+ hour train ride, take a ride down to Andermatt for some incredible views of the central Swiss Alps and outstanding skiing. Using Snow N Rail it is just 70chf (using Halbtax), making this one of the best bargains from Zurich.

Upon arrival to the main station in Andermatt you can follow signs to the cable car or take a train to another portion of the mountain. There are four peaks at this mountain and unfortunately like many Swiss ski resorts you can't access all of them via piste. Plan on checking the train schedules between mountains to maximize your time on the slopes. For a link the the ski pistes click here.

Skiing down to Andermatt is a great catwalk offering stellar views of the town below. You'll come across cow pastures, kids sledging, and several tempting apres ski options on the descent. For the best skiing at Andermatt head to the 2 mountains farthest away from each other (ie not the wind turbine mountain).

Engelberg, Switzerland

For some good skiing and incredible views catch a train from Zurich to Engelberg-Titlis. Using Snow N Rail, you'll pay just under 80CFH (with halbtax) and can get there in just over 2 hours from Zurich.

Upon arriving in Engelberg you'll have a couple options to ski. You can walk to your left and follow signs for Brunni (the "sunny side" of Engelberg, but don't be fooled) which will take you up a mountain with very little terrain and snow only on the top half. If you follow signs for the bus or walk to your right outside the main station, you'll find Titlis which offers superior skiing and views to Brunni.

Prepare your 5chf when you turn in your Snow N Rail voucher (remember to get your deposit back at the ticket office or train station). You'll encounter every form of transportation at Titlis as it literally takes a train, funicular, escalator, elevator, stairs and rotating cable car to get you to the summit. While there may be some over-engineering involved, the views of the Alps are worth the chaos of getting atop the mountain. Get to the top early, as the catwalks get skiied off very quickly in the day making the top unenjoyable the latter parts of the day. Take some time to enjoy views from 10,000 feet and then go ski the rest of the mountain!

You'll find all kinds of skiing here and for a link to the the details on Titlis click here.

Lucern, Switzerland

GETTING THERE: about an hour via train from Zurich is the easiest way to go.  Check times and cost at the SBB site.

ATTRACTIONS:

• Chapel Bridge - 14th century covered bridge
• Water Tower - most photographed monument in Switzerland
• Jesuit Church - dates to 1666
• Markts/Platz - good people watching and food

SHOPPING:

• Bucherer AG - one of the better watch shops in Switzerland.  They claim they have discounts on high end watches based on the volume they move.  You'll see tourists come by here in the busload.  It is on the opposite side of the water from the train station - about a 5 minute walk.

Wengen, Switzerland

GETTING THERE: Although you can find better skiing throughout Switzerland, Wengen is one of the most picturesque Swiss mountain towns you can find. It will take you between 2.5 and 3 hours to get here from Zurich via train stopping through Bern, changing at Interlaken, then Lauterbrunnen. If you drive it will take less time, but you'll have to park at Lauterbrunnen. From the main train station in Wengen you can find a phone bank with direct lines to many Wengen hotels.

LODGING:

• Hotel Brunner - (+41 33 855 27 21) call upon arrival to the train station (look for lodging phone bank). Staff will come pick you and your luggage up. During the winter this hotel is right off a ski run, making it somewhat ski in/ski out. Outside of the hotel is an outdoor bar setup for apres ski, offering beautiful views of the Jungfrau Region.
  
• Wengen Best Western - good location in town.
• For other lodging options you can try Eiger, Victoria 0r Caprice.

ACTIVITIES:

• Hiking
• Skiing/Snowboarding - lessons are advertised by Privat Snowsports School.
  
• Snow Shoeing
• Sledging
• Curling

FOOD:

• If you are skiing, hiking or on the trains go up the mountain to Restaurant Bahnhof at Klein Scheidegg. On a sunny day you'll see great scenery and scenes as people enjoy the weather food and drink. Some recommendations - rosti, gulash, hot chocolate.
  
• Coop right near train station for cheap eats or week long shopping
• For fondue/raclette try the hotel restaurant at Residence Bernherhof Hotels - (+41 33 855 27 21). From the main train station follow signs for the cable car. The restaurant is on your left past the cable car.
  

As for skiing if you are taking the train go with the Snow N Rail (92 CHF with a halbtax card). Expect to pay a 5chf deposit for the lift card deposit (you can turn in after at the ticket office or at the train station). Take the cable car to the backside of the mountain. You'll get great views of the Jungfrau and Eiger peaks on the way up the cable car. By skiing all the way down from the top of the cable car you can ski to the village of Grindewald. Your ski pass will work at Grindewald, but it will require at least one bus transfer.

If you keep working towards the Jungfrau you'll find some better skiing in Wengen. The far side of the mountain is host to the Wengen World Cup Race every January. Work your way towards the tee-pee for some good eats/relaxing with outstanding views. At the train station you'll find picnic bench seating and a packed outdoor cafe overlooking the Jungfrau. After your stop, take the train up the mountain for a new part of the mountain (towards the Jungfrau - your ski pass will work). On a powder day Wengen is as good as any spot in Switzerland simply because of the views. If the snow isn't so good, enjoy the scenery!

Tel Aviv, Israel

ORIENTATION:

• Most likely you'll fly into Ben Gurion airport. A taxi cost (taxi controller if any problems 03-9752383) about 110 shekels to the Hotel David. There is no need to tip taxis in Israel. Tel Aviv was a very walkable city, but taxis are readily available. Rates go up at night, when in doubt just ask them to run the meter. A fare from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem will run around 220 shekels during the day and 270-300 at night. Make sure to arrive to the airport 2 hours before your departure as you'll have several security lines/screenings to go through before you get to your gate.
  

LODGING:

• David Intercontinental - great location right on the coast. Jaffa is about a 15 minute walk to the south and the other hotels/main part of downtown Tel Aviv are about 15-20 minutes to the north. The rooms were excellent and offer great views of the Mediterranean Sea. The 3rd floor lobby has excellent seating areas for both drinks and food. The restaurant offers a large buffet breakfast. There are several other options for dining there including a sushi bar. There is a gym and spa on the 2nd floor.
  

FOOD:

• Raphael - relatively new restaurant with good seafood offerings. Make sure to call ahead for reservations.
  
• Sakura - Sushi - 79 King George St. 03-6212900 or in Jerusaleum - 31 Jaffa St. 02-6235464
  

ATTRACTIONS:

• Old Jaffa - fishing village with thousands of years of history. Art galleries, jewelery and great people watching here. Medieval city with roots from Turks, Caananites, Muslims and Jews.
  
• Jerusalem - about an hour from Tel Aviv. The city is packed with historical sights, but an absolute must is the Old City. A cab will cost you about 200-300 shekels
• Neve Tzedek - first Jewish settlement outside of Jaffa
• Nachlat Benjamin - pedestrian walkway with markets on Tuesday and Fridays
• Carmel Market - outdoor bazaar
• Sheinkin Street - boutiques, cafes
• Rothschild Blvd - one of the first streets in Tel Aviv.
  

Lake Como, Italy

HOTELS:

• Palace Hotel - you'll find a great location here and ask for a lake view. You can hear a little traffic from the main road, but the view was worth it even in the winter. This is about a 5-10 minute taxi ride from the main station.

RESTAURANTS:

• La Darsena - Ristorante Pizzeria. Via Lungo Lano Trieste 54 - This restaurant is right on the water and offers a realatively reasonably priced menu. Food was great and service was solid.
• Angolo del Silenzio - also recommended by the Palace Hotel

San Gimignano, Italy

GETTING THERE:

• This is best seen (as is Tuscany) by renting a car. You can walk around town, but to get here it will be quicker for you to drive.
• From Florence you have 2 options through public transportation. Both will require you to go through Poggibonsi. From Florence Santa Maria Novella train station, take a train to Poggibonsi, then buy a bus ticket to San Gimignano (Puerta San Giovanni - about 20 mins). You'll be dropped off near the main gate. You can also walk across the street to the bus station in Florence and take a bus to Poggibonsi (50 mins) and transfer at that station to San Gimignano. Use http://www.trenitalia.it/ or http://www.sitabus.it/wps/portal for schedules. Remember to stamp your ticket on the bus or train or risk a fine.
• Local Taxi numbers recommended by Poggiacolle: Rento Bisogni 347-5850827 or 339-6556338 or Dino Ulivieri 348-2937912 or 335-7015467

LODGING:

• Agriturismo Poggiacolle - very reasonable farm that we stayed at for 3 days. They make red/white wine here and olives. About a 20 minute (2km) walk into town. What this farm lacks in amentities, they seem to make up for with service and charm. Contact Stefano who is the owner. Great views of San Gimignano and Tuscany.

FOOD/CAFES:

• Bar La Cisterna - great overlook of the well and main square. About 5-6 Euro for a couple drinks!
• Local Recs from Poggiacolle: Chiribiri (off V San Giovanni), Osteria Del Caruere (off Cisterna), La Stella (V. San Matteo), Beppone (V. Romite)
• Le Terrazze - in La Cisterna Hotel, article recommends steak w/ rucola and local red.

ATTRACTIONS:

• Torre Grossa – the only tower you can climb. These towers are very famous and offer a great view of Tuscany.
• Museo Civico and Collegiata - did not see, but both were recommended.

Siena, Italy

GETTING HERE:

• If you are exploring Tuscany, do yourself the favor and rent a car.
• Public transport - take a train from Florence to Siena. The station is a 20 minute walk at the bottom of the hill from the gates of town. You can also take the SITA bus from the train station or hop in a taxi (Radio Taxi 0 0577 49222).

HOTELS:

• Garden Hotel: while on the outskirts of town, the views can make up for it. The views even in the winter were pretty, but during Spring through Fall the grounds of this facility are likely great. The furniture throughout the hotel could use some upgrading. The back deck looks great on a warm sunny day. Great views of Siena's skyline from here. About a 20 minute walk into the gates of town.
• Borgo Grondaie: we booked this after researching Tuscany and Siena. If you are looking for a country resort this is not it. You'll have to walk through a Coop supermarket loading doc to get anywhere. It also sits less then a km from the train line, which some apartments overlook. Their website was misleading. If you have a car and are looking for a base in Tuscany to check out other towns/day trips this may not be a bad spot (its cheap). If you are looking for a true Tuscan country experience look elsewhere.
• Hotel Jolly - located within town and probably the largest hotel. 5 minute walk from Piazza del Campo
• Alma Domus – V. Camporegio, 37, Ph 0577. 44. 177 Allegedely great views of the Duomo and the rooms were very clean. Run by a group of nuns and there is an 11:30pm curfew. They also don’t take Visa/MC - close to the bus stop and easy to get to the rest of town.

RESTAURANTS:

• Al Marsili – address Via del Castoro 3, Ph: 0577. 47. 154 - order wild boar and a Chianti called Caramaggio
• Osteria le Logge – address Via del Porrione 33, Ph: 0577. 48. 013 recommended as “Sienna’s prettiest restaurant”.
• Il Salotto - Via Camollia - great cheap spot for local food.

ATTRACTIONS:

• Piazza del Campo - camp out at a cafe and have some over priced wine or coffee. Some of the best people watching in Italy.
• Baptistry/Duomo - if you have the time, go early and buy the combo ticket $10Euros. You can see the Crypt and Opera exhibit next door. All are worth it. Make sure to go in the library room off of the Duomo.
• Il Palio - famous horse race held in July and August. Race takes place in the Piazza del Campo

SHOPPING

• Artigianato Babel di Silvana Doganieri - cool local crafts - Via Dei Fusari
• There are some outlets in the region - Pratesi Shoe outlet - don't know much about it, but there are good deals outside of Florence.