hi people!

my parents will be visiting me soon. their 35th wedding anniversary is during their time here, so i wanted to arrange something special for them. last year there were also here during the same time and i took them for a nice afternoon tea at a posh hotel, had the table decorated with flowers etc.

i am not sure what to do this year. i guess going for a dinner is always nice, i'm just trying to see if i can treat them with something more special. i and my boyfriend "have" to be present as well, as my parents speak only greek.

any ideas are more than welcome! money is not an issue (as long as we stay reasonable!). we won't mind a bit of travelling from bern but possibly not more than 1,5 hours. my parents are not athletic so hiking etc are out of the question.

thank you in advance for your input!

Looks like the weather will slowly grow wintery end of this week, so that may close out some of the scenic options. What particularly do they like, are they interested in?

thanks for your reply! they like being in places with a nice view, they enjoy a good dinner....they also like going to the theater but i guess that is out of the question because of language. they also like sightseeing.

i would like to treat them with something special, something they would normally not do for themselves. being typical greek parents, they are ready to give everything for their children but they cannot easily justify to themselves spending money on them.

Why don't you take them to the opera?

that is a good idea, thanks. i am not sure if they would like it, as they have never been (nor have i for that matter) but surely it would be an experience to remember.

Museum perhaps followed by dinner?

thanks for the suggestion. they like museums but i don't! i know it's a day for them but if i can do something else, i would prefer it!

thankfully, i do like a good dinner! mmm!

the revolving resteraunt at 2000m in Leysin, Valais - le kuklos http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/le-k...ant-2048m.html

However it would be a trek, its 1hr 23mins on google maps from bern.

They would need to take the cable car up, which can be a great adventure or utterly terrifying and out of the question depending on what type of people they are.

I bet you what they would really like to do is to spend as much time as possible with you, and that's enough. It certainly would be for me.
I good dinner somewhere would be the icing on the cake.

Some kind of boat ride. Take the train to our area, then hop on a boat either in Lausanne/Nyon, take them to France (Yvoire), cgn.ch here. My folks loved it. The steam boat is even nicer. You can or don't have to have lunch in France, but there is a really nice resto there with fish, etc. Icecream works, too.

that looks cool! the lift is not so much the problem, however my father tends to get high blood pressure when in high altitude, and has developed some kind of "phobia" in going to places that are too high. but i keep the idea to do it once myself!

of course thankfully this time they stay for 10 days, so we will have enough time (although there never really is enough time!)

Have you taken them to Rosengarten before? The food, service and deco has gotten a lot better and the view over Bern is about the best. If you reserve a window table and ask for special things to celebrate your folk's anniversary, they'll tell you what they can offer, champagne and sparklers with dessert as a minimum.

http://www.rosengarten.be/start.htm

Do they like art? The Paul Klee Zentrum has different things going on.

http://www.paulkleezentrum.ch/ww/en/pub/web_root.cfm

If the weather is ok, anywhere around Thunersee is scenic and beautiful, then dinner at Schloss Schadau?

http://www.schloss-schadau.ch/

thank you! sounds great! last year we also went on the boat from montreaux to chillon castle and they loved it! i guess going to france would make it even more special!

ps: i just discovered there is a multiple quoting option. will use it from now on, promise!

we've been to rosengarten but just for a coffee. they loved the view! thanks for the idea!

this scahdau castle looks beautiful. i see they have different gift options, i have to further investigate!

art is not really their thing.

you people are great!!!

We usually go to Schadau for dinner and the fireworks 1st August. Food, service and surroundings are great and I'm sure would please your parents.

You can also do a boat tour around Thunersee, the views are wonderful (weather permitting).

It might sound childish, but a walk around TIERPARK DÄHLHÖLZLI BERN, including indoors, can be very enjoyable and interesting. The restaurant upstairs has also been good when I have been there.

http://www.tierpark-bern.ch/

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it's not childish, it's sweet! thanks!

Areas close to interlaken are very nice, specially if you could visit the small towns around both lakes, a cruise dinner might not be a bad idea though depends on the weather ,

thank you! my parents do enjoy being on a boat. i hope the weather will be ok!

Many of the excellent suggestions involve being outdoors ... I am partial to Yvoire though I have only been there in summer.

But if you plan on an outdoors day make a Plan B for bad weather.