The Alps--Mind checking our itinerary?

Keep the car in the garage in Verona and take a Regionale Veloce train to Venice and back for the day. There is a train every hour for 8.60 euro each way and takes about 1 1/2 hours. That will be less than you will spend on gas and tolls and parking and drop you right on the Grand Canal.

Skip past Bolzano and go directly to Ortisei in the Dolomites and spend two nights there. Fabulous hiking (if the weather co-operates). You can drive back to Bolzano and drop the car and take the train to Innsbruck.

Possibly try and work scenic rail journeys into your programme - Bernina Express, Glacier Express, Golden Line, Jungfrau Railway.
It may be preferable to return your hire car in Turin and proceed to Verona and Venice by train. A further rental may be useful in the Dolomites.

Some travelers here have found that 2 nights in Innsbruk is too many, in relationship to things to do there.

General rule of thumb for the Alps... unless you have the benefit of a short-term weather forecast, budget at least three nights in each location. Two nights gives you only one full day. If the Alpine weather gods are in a bad mood on that one day, your time at that location is a waste...

...although at least your two night stays are all based around cities, so that gives you some rainy-day alternatives.

Agree, drive by Bolzano and in 30 or so minutes, head into the Dolomites, meaning the Val Gardena (Ortisei, St. Christina and Selva). 3 nights would be ideal. Drive back to Bolzano and train to Innsbruck. We happen to love Innsbruck and the area. We have spent 18 nights based in nearby Hall in Tirol over 5 trips to this area.

FWIW, We loved our 4 nights in Wengen in the Berner Oberland.

Paul

Thank you all for the great tips and advice!
-leslie

I will endorse the ideas of staying in Val Gardena IN the Dolomites instead of Bolzano. There is wonderful hiking there, often right from your door, and you will have beautiful views of the nearby mountains from you room or balcony. Reduce Innsbruck to one night so you can spend three nights in Val Gardena---either Ortesei, Santa Cristina, or Selva.

In the Lauterbrunnen area we like both Wengen and Mürren. Either is preferable to staying in the valley if you are hikers and love mountain views.

Check if it is possible to turn back the car in Bressanone (they should have Avis and Hertz) and take the train to Innsbruck from there. It could save one hour of travel time if compared with Bolzano.

Personally, I spend something like 8 to 14 nights in Innsbruck every year so I do not agree with people considering it worth a night. But let us not delve into it.

I am concerned that your series fo 2-night stays will be disappointing and tiring. f you are truly mountain lovers, I would exclude Verona unless you are going there for the opera. If you are using it for a day trip to Venice, why not stay in Venice since it is only two nights/one full day? Also, as mentioned above, I think you will enjoy the Val Gardena more than Bolzano as mountain lovers. Once you get there you will see why to nights is not enough.

Personally I would drop Verona and drive right to Ortisei in the Val Gardena for 4 nights.

Just to make it clear, Bolzano is not IN the Alps. Bypass it and go into the alps as others have said.

Also, I would suggest 3 night stays minimum, and as much as I do like Verona, I'd choose to stay in Venice instead, there is nothing like it! Day trip to Verona if you like.

Lauterbrunnen is in the valley, Wengen is ON the mountain as well as Murren is ON the mountain on the opposite side of the valley. Wengen is much larger, touristy, and Murren is quieter. Just depends what you are looking for. It is all spectacular!

Thank you all for your suggestions and opinions! One thing we decided to do was reverse the trip because our reason for Verona is the Opera (as someone asked). If we stick to the original plan, we miss the end of the season by 4 days. By reversing it, we can catch one of the last nights.

Train from Zurich to Innsbruk, stay 2 nights
Train from Innsbruk to Bolzano, pick up car, drive and stay in Ortisei 3 nights
Drive to Verona, stay 2 nights
Drive to Aosta, stay 3 nights
Return car in Turin, travel to Grenoble, stay 2 nights
Train to (probably) Wengen, stay 4 nights
Train to Zurich, stay one night to catch early morning flight.

Yes, there are some 2 night stays, but they're sandwiched in between longer stays and generally they're not demanding days. We may take the advice to forgo Venice and find something else to do for our one full day in the area. We may stay outside the city and come in just for the Opera. I'm looking near the lake for some interesting accommodations.

Again, thank you!!

Hi,

Just to comment on the places we have been a few times, the time you are allowing for Innsbruck, Ortisei and Wengen are very good in my opinion.

Paul