The Best Romantic Getctixs

Mürren: It's so isolated that you can only get here by cog railway or cable car. Set on a rocky, high-altitude ledge hundreds of feet above the Lauterbrunnen Valley, Mürren has a handful of chalet-style hotels, excellent ski and hiking trails, and sweeping views over the mountains of the Bernese Oberland. It's as picture-perfect a Swiss village as you'll find.

Gstaad: Lying at the junction of four alpine valleys midway between the Bernese Oberland and the Vaud Alps, Gstaad is a winter capital of the European glitterati. You can't get any more stylish, and the skiing is good too. Regardless of their price range, all the hotels seem to have cozy bedrooms, blazing fireplaces, and enough schnapps to set the mood.

Verbier: It lies at the bottom of an enormous alpine bowl ringed with spectacular ski slopes. Although many British travelers appreciate Verbier's charms, the language and atmosphere of the resort are unpretentious and very, very French. You can have a lot of fun in Verbier, and if you didn't happen to import your own romance, you're likely to find one here.

Bürgenstock: The only road leading here is so treacherous that almost everyone opts to travel by cog railway or cable car. The town, set on a densely forested limestone ridge high above Lake Lucerne, shelters some of the most luxurious hotels in Switzerland. Reserve part of every day here for climbs along the well-maintained hiking paths, at least one of which skirts the edge of a very steep and panoramic cliff.

Arosa: One of the highest (2,000m/6,000 ft.) ski resorts in Switzerland, Arosa is less expensive and less forbiddingly elegant than its nearest competitor, St. Moritz. Although the skiing here is excellent, you might consider a romantic getctix in midsummer, when a network of hiking trails leads to lush forests and small lakes. When you tire of these, cable cars can carry you and your companion to alpine heights and sublime vistas.

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