Zurich - or an alternative - for Feb half term

[Bombybomby]

Hello M'netters! So, discussion came up at home today about hols for next year (yes, we have been at home since schools broke up 😂)
This would be four of us, with DS (10) and DD (5).
This year we went to Efteing and really enjoyed a relatively low key, fun break which also helped to break up the winter.
A suggestion for this year has been Zurich. Relevant considerations are

• DH would like to go snow boarding but we can't afford (and I don't want) to go on a full half term skiing holiday. Here, we could take a couple of days on the slops (probably 2) but also do other things.
• We prefer not to fly and you can get Eurostar and then a connecting train.
• DS is football mad and we would go to the FIFA museum
• All four of us are chocolate made so it's just common sense 😆
• It seems like there'd be lots of fun, outdoor activities we would enjoy e.g. sledging, ice skating.

The main limitation is that hotels/accommodation are so expensive. It feels like what we would pay for the holiday might he a bit disproportionate for what it is, IYSWIM. Does anyone have any recommendations for accommodation, or suggestions for alternative holidays that might tick many of our boxes?

Just check that you aren't trying to go in Fastnacht (carnival) week. Is so accommodation will be scarce and expensive.

How about a family room in a youth hostel? https://book.meininger-hotels.com/reservations/hotel

Innsbruck would be lovely and you can get to the ski resorts from there. DH and a friend did that for a week last season.

Or Munich for the football. Garmisch-Partenkirchen ski resort is 1.5 hours by train from Munich.

Between us, we have done both by train.

If you do go to Zurich, be aware that food is extremely expensive. For example a hotel breakfast is around £25 per person. For an evening meal a simple puzza is around £20. It all adds up veey quickly there!

Have you been to Barcelona? There's lots to see and do. That would be my suggestion.

I’ve been to Zurich for work. It’s eye wateringly expensive. I remember the cheapest thing in the menus being a salad that cost over £40. I did go to the FIFA museum and thought it was rubbish. The lake was stunning but the ice cream I bought was the most expensive I’ve ever had… and this was about 6 years ago.

Austria would be better or if DH wants winter sports what about a smaller cheaper French resort. They are also available in the train…. You could get to Briancon (Serre Chevalier) by train. Or Puy St Vincent (Argentière), Les Orres (Embrun) all by Eurostar and a connection. There is a direct overnight train which is surprisingly cheap. Including couchettes.

How about Birmingham?! It would tick many of your boxes:
Snowboarding at Tamworth SnowDome
No flying
Chocolate at Cadbury world
Other fun things at Drayton Manor, Legoland Discovery, Sealife, ThinkTank

The Lindt factory in Zurich was staggeringly disappointing… and I’m a huge chocolate fan.

Birmingham in February sounds depressing. I’ve been then to watch the ballet. Can’t picture it as a winter holiday place.

We've just been to Zurich - family of 4, DC age 10 and 7. We stayed in this youth hostel https://www.youthhostel.ch/de/jugendherbergen-fuer-schulen#Anker It was great. Not especially cheap - I think we paid just over £400 for 2 nights, but that was in a private ensuite room and included breakfast. When I weighed it up vs other hotels it still seemed much better value. The whole place was spotlessly clean, and although the room isn't very spacious the communal areas are huge and included table football, ping pong etc. It was actually great for DC who made friends with other British kids. We also ate dinner there one night - this was ~£65 for salad, main and small dessert for the four of us. There is also an Italian close by, or you could buy something from the supermarket to heat up as they have fridges and a microwave there. It was about 20min walk from the FIFA museum. DS is a big football fan and enjoyed the museum. We also went on the Lindt tour but this was disappointing. The lake is very pretty and the old town was nice too.

For lunches we bought prepared sandwich/salad from the supermarket for ~£6-8 each.

You won’t find snow based activities in Zurich itself, but need to travel out to even a low resort to do so, a good hour or two away. Accommodation won’t be cheap but possibly less expensive outside the city. Flumserberg is popular with local expats and accessible by train/cable car for example, but little there other than the ski-slopes and cafes. There is a public ice rink at Dolder in Zurich.

If you want a holiday which has a bit of skiing but also lots of other stuff, I’d look at the Sierra Nevada (combine with Granada and the many other Andalusia highlights) or one of the Scandinavian ski resorts which also have husky sledding, skidooing, Northern lights and various other activities available.

I went last year and loved it! Bought breakfast and lunch from the supermarket, had one fairly expensive dinner and one not so bad. Really enjoyed the FIFA museum and the Lindt one. Got the Zurich card which kept the costs down. The zoo was fabulous. Everywhere was really clean, people were friendly. Would love to go back.

How about cologne? Phantasialand and chocolate museum. Not good for skiing. There is a spa baths.

Alternatively europapark and then on to skiing.

Zurich is SO expensive. And echo not great for skiing. Could do Milan and then get a transfer to one of the Italian ski resorts for a few days?

Zurich is cold and wet in February. It's quite a way from the mountains, which is where you would need to go even for sledging (the city streets will be mostly water with the odd bit of slush). It's ridiculously expensive even by Swiss standards, and there is about 8½ hours of daylight. Munich or Innsbruck would be much better.

Avoid Milan and the resorts nearby next February, it is hosting the Winter Olympics so will be busy and £££

Wow, thanks so much for all the replies. A lot to think about as there are cheerleaders on both sides 😄. I think I'll look into a couple of the other options mentioned and see how they weigh up.