Day side trip to France/Switzerland

The question is how tempted are you? From Genoa, you can be in Nice and Monaco in about 2.5hrs. From Genoa, you can be in Lugano, Switzerland in about 3.0hrs if you catch the faster runs. One train change in Milan. Trying to go from Nice to Lugano will take 6hrs-7hrs and will trace much of the same journey I describe above. You go back through Milan and Genoa.

Kathy, were you planning to "day tour" to both France and Switzerland on the same day? That might be a LONG day! Before suggesting possible routes, it would help to know where you'll be in Italy?

If you go to Lugano, you'll hardly know you left Italy. Going to both border countries in one day would be a lot of traveling. If starting in Genoa, a trip into France would be you best choice. There are some nice sights along the stretch of coast between Genoa and Nice.

If you have a eurail pass and you want to see quintessential Switzerland, here's a great train ride (it'll be a long day, but you'll see some incredible scenery). Genova - Milano - Brig - Andermatt - Göschenen - Milano - Genova. You could get off of the train in one of the towns for lunch between Brig and Andermatt and you'll be in the heart of the alps. A nice stop would be to go up on the Eggishorn (there's an arial tram that leaves right from the Fiesch station). You could have lunch up there and look down on the largest glacier in Europe. The train ride (and the ride up there) will be through some of the most beautiful alpine scenery that Switzerland has to offer. It'll make for an insane day of train riding, but you'll go through some of the most beautiful country in Switzerland the entire way.

We are going in and out of Rome, spending several days there initially. Then heading to Tuscany, including Florence, Cinque Terre, then Genoa, before moving on to Venice. I just look at how close we'll be to France and Switzerland, and since we're FINALLY getting to Europe (a wish for decades), I love the idea of even just a train ride that skirts the border of both countries before coming back (through the Dolomites?) and on to Venice. To know "I've been there" with even such a superficial route. I wouldn't mind a long train ride, as there is sight-seeing to be had the whole way. Thanks for input.

I don't know how much time you really have for being on the train. Since I see the Dolomites and Venice, Marcus has a good suggestion above. The route he describes from Brig to Andermatt and Goeschenen is many of the same tracks used by the Glacier Express scenic train. For a long train ride experience, you could go the complete route on the Glacier Express to Chur and then come south back into Italy on the Bernina Express. You might have to overnight somewhere but you'll be close to the Dolomites. Again, I don't know how much time you really have to be on a train.

Kathy, if you've got a spare day to spend outside of Italy and you're heading towards Venice, then the route that I was talking about is great and could be added to to allow you to see what I think are some of the best parts of Switzerland. Like Larry said, you could extend the train ride through Andermatt and on towards the Engardin (St Moritz). Thats essentially the route of the Glacier Express (minus the Zermatt part). You could then overnight in the Engadin and then take the Bernina Express to Tirano and then go via the lakes to Milan or over to Venice. While you'll spend full days riding trains, your face will be plastered to the window the entire time, its just that spectacular.