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Travel plan from Geneva to Rome

Hello everyone,

I want to express my gratitude for the responses received. I want to inform you that we have finalized our travel plans. We have booked a flight departing on May 18 to Geneva and returning on June 2 from Rome Airport. So i have 15 Days.

After careful consideration, we have decided not to rent a car and instead plan to explore the destinations on foot, immersing ourselves in the beauty of nature. Our main interest lies in enjoying the scenic landscapes and lush greenery rather than engaging in skiing activities.

We have conducted thorough research to identify the best places to visit in both countries, ensuring that we make the most of our trip. I have prepared a chart outlining these destinations, and I kindly request your input and suggestions.

Additionally, I would appreciate any recommendations for hotels that offer breathtaking views in the respective areas. Your insights and suggestions will be highly valued.

Itinerary plan:
Arrive, Geneva
1 Night - Lake excursion to Lausanne/Montreux
2 Night – Bern
1 Night – Luzern
4 Nights - To Lauterbrunnen (Wengen & Schilthorn & Oeschinen Lake & Blausee‏)
2 Nights - Lake Como sights
1 Nights - Varenna
Milan To Venezia to spend 2 Nights in Venezia
1 Night - Firenze & Pisa
1 Night & fly back - Roma

Thank you once again for your assistance.

Posted by
16401 posts

Welcome back! For others reading here, this is a honeymoon trip.

With your interest in nature and scenic beauty, I suggest you focus on that in Switzerland, and not spend 2 nights in Bern. You already have some “city time:’ in Switzerland with Lake Geneva (Lac Leman), and Luzern, and more in Italy.

A few suggestions, mainly for Switzerland:

If your flight lands in Geneva in the afternoon, consider taking the train directly to Montreux and spend 2 nights. Book a nice hotel with a lake view, such as the Grand Hotel Suisse, or another. Spend the day strolling the lakeside promenade, or visit Chateau de Chillon.

Next take the scenic Golden Pass train from Montreux to Interlaken Ost, where you change to the local train to Lauterbrunnen. You have allotted 4 nights to this area and that is good. Lauterbrunnen is a beautiful valley that many compare with Yosemite in the USA. The views from a hotel there will be of the walls of the valley and a waterfall, like this:

https://lauterbrunnen.swiss/en/

For stunning views of the mountains, you might consider staying in one of the alpine villages above the Lauterbrunnen Valley. From Mürren you can see views of the mountains across the valley, like these from Hotel Alpina which is right on the edge of the cliff:

https://www.alpinamuerren.ch/en/hotel

Or you could stay in the village of Wengen across the valley, which has more upscale hotels, and views like these:

https://www.silberhorn.ch/en

https://www.bellevue-wengen.ch/en/home/

Here are the views from the webcam there:

https://bellevue.roundshot.com/#/

After your time in or near Lauterbrunnen, return to Interlaken Ost and continue on the scenic Golden Pass train route to Luzern to spend 1 or 2 nights.

From Luzern, you have 2 good options to reach Lake Como by very scenic trains or boat/train combination.

(1). Take the Gotthard Panorama Express boat plus train, ending at Lugano in the Italian-speaking Ticino region of Switzerland. You can overnight here, or change to a train heading to the town of Como on Lake Como, 35-45 minutes away. Spend 1-2 nights here, then move to Varenna either by taking a boat up the lake, or train to Milan and change there for Varenna (1 hour away by train).

You can watch the video of the Gotthard Panorama Express on this website:

https://www.gotthard-panorama-express.ch/en/

The Gotthard Panorama Express is all First Class. For a less expensive journey with the same scenery (same boat and same train tracks), you can ride the ferry to Flüelen and take a regular train going toward Milan to reach Como. You may have to change trains on the way. Or you can skip the boat and take a Treno Gottardo from Luzern to Bellinzona, changing there for the train that will take you to Como.

OR (2). From Luzern, ride the train to the mountain village of Pontresina, 4.5 hours away. Overnight here, and the following day you board the Bernina Express train, or a regular train on the same tracks, for the most scenic of Switzerland’s named scenic trains. This will take you to Tirano on the Italian border, where you change to an Italian train going straight to Varenna. The entire journey is 3.5-4 hours.

After your time in Varenna, you continue to Milanand/or Como. After that to Milan where you catch a fast train directly to Venezia for your cities in Italy.

Posted by
6 posts

Wow, that was a comprehensive response, thank you!

I just have a few questions if you or anyone else knows.
Is it easy to travel by train or boat with luggage? They're not massive suitcases, but I want to know how flexible it is.
and My husband wants to rent a car to enjoy the road and make stops whenever we want. When do you suggest renting a car in Switzerland and Italy?

Thank you so much for your help.

Posted by
16401 posts

Luggage—-you have to manage it yourself, but it is not difficult. (I am a very petite 77-year old and I do just fine). On trains, you can put your luggage on the luggage rack by the door if there is room, or on the overhead rack above your seat. Or in the A-shaped space created by 2 back-to-back seats, on the floor. That is my choice.

On boats, you just roll it on and keep it with you, by your seat. There is lots of room.

For the car, I recommend renting when you get to Italy—-maybe Milan? Or the town of Como if there is an agency there. Or better yet, when you are ready to leave Venice, as you cannot use a car there anyway.

You do not want to rent in Switzerland and drive the car down to Rome; that will incur a large drop fee. Also, Switzerland is best seen by train. Some of the places you want to visit—-Wengen, Oeschinensee—-cannot be accessed by car.

I recommended scenic train rides above. You can see these highlighted on this map of the Swiss rail system:

https://www.travelswitzerland.com/en/download/swiss-travel-system-map-en-2023/?wpdmdl=14294&masterkey=63a023c8da36c

Make sure you understand and observe the traffic signage in Italy. The cities you are visiting (Florence, Pisa) and many smaller towns you want to see have ZTL’s (Limited Traffic Zones) that you cannot enter without a special permit. There are heavy fines for violating these, as well as for driving in marked bus lanes. For Venice, if you drive there, you will have to park in one of the large garages and take a boat (vaporetto) to your hotel. Be very careful to observe the speed limit driving over the causeway from the mainland. There are 3 speed cameras on that bridge, and we have heard of drivers getting speeding tickets from all 3 of them!

Posted by
6 posts

That sound great!
thank u so much for explain all these for us ..
but i have another question to u
can we rent the car in Switzerland?