Help with details or suggestions on my May 2027 Italy Switzerland Itinerary, thanks!

Your itinerary looks very doable to me. I do think that Florence deserves more time as there is lots to see there. Two nights gives you realistically just one full day. Can you add a day or two on to your trip or possibly take a day away from your 3 night stay in Val d'Orcia?

This past April i took the Bernina Express from Tirano to Chur. It was interesting and we experienced sunshine, rain, snow, fog and ice. We took a regional train from Milano to Tirano and then stayed overnight in Tirano. I want to tell you how pleasant aand easily walkable Tirano was and how much I enjoyed it. I like to visit smaller, lesser touristed spots and this combined with the beautiful mountain scenery and the noise of the crystal clear rushing river I found Tirano to be very appealing. I cannot recommend a BNB but we stayed at the Hotel Stelvio, overlooking the river. Breakfast was included in our rate and had a good variety. We spent our time strolling the streets of the town. Right across from the S. Martino church there is another old church, Oratorio di San Pietro, that has been converted into a thrift resale shop with religious and regular household and decoarive items. There were all kinds of interesting things in there and the older Italian woman who was working there that day was very friendly and we spent some time speaking with her in my basic Italian. The next afternoon we took the Bernina Express all the way through to Chur.. We stayed one night only in Chur and it was quite pretty but we headed out early the next morning by train so we really didn't have time to explore there. We did not go to St. Moritz but that whole area is gorgeous.

I have been to Florence several times and can recommend a small, budget friendly restaurant whose patrons are mainly locals and there is usually a line waiting to get in at lunch. Check out Ostaria dei Centopoveri on Via del Porcellana, very close to the Piazza di Santa Maria Novella. This is not a fancy place. At lunchtime, they offer several menus of the day.

Happy 50th anniversary!

It might be easiest to return the car to the Florence airport and not get into city traffic.Getting into town from there is easy. I think that you do not need to limit yourself to near the Train station - there is so much of Florence to explore. We particularly like Loggiata dei Serviti which is four blocks north of the Duomo and right around the corner from the Accademia Gallery where the David statue is located. Otherwise sounds like fun.

https://accademia-gallery-tickets.org/en

https://www.loggiatodeiservitihotel.it/en/index

If you have watched the RS Florence episodes many off his outdoor audio shots are doing form the front portico of this hotel, or the plaza in front of it.

I’d reduce Zurich to one night, so you can add to your other Swiss stays. Congrats!

Thank you to those who replied. Should I add two nights in Varenna and skip a night in Tirano, or is that just too much for the extensive trip I have already planned! Thanks in advance for more advice!

Hello Are you taking the Bernina Express from Tirano to St Moritz?

No we will be traveling by the regional trains. Thanks your your input.

I'd spend the last two nights in Lucerne instead of Zurich. It's an easy one hour train ride from Lucerne directly into the Zurich airport. Lucerne is so much more charming, IMHO.
We prefer Pontressina to St Moritz, the latter being such a shopping mecca.
Sounds like a great trip!

PS
May 1 is a major holiday in Italy , and brings the crowds out, including the surrounding weekend. My advice regarding staying in Venice is to sleep away from St Marks Square and Rialto. We love the charming Cannaregio neighborhood, on the quiet back canals, which has a nice energy, but no crowds. Hotel Ai Mori D'Oriente is our favorite.

Tuesday May 4 - train to Orvieto, spending two nights at a lovely b&b
just outside the town with an olive grove.

Thursday May 6 - picking up rental car and spending three nights
somewhere in the countryside around Val D'Orcia. Probably a castle, or
farmstay.

Hertz is your only car rental option in Orvieto and they don't usually have automatics (if you need one)
How will you get from train station to the B&B and then back to Hertz? Can you walk to/from the town?
Train from Venice to Orvieto means change in Florence I guess so maybe just get your car there (honestly we loved Orvieto but it seems a bit out of place here).

Sunday May 9 - Return car at the Florence train station, and spending
two nights at a nice b&b near the station. Planning to get a taste of
Florence the next day, seeing David etc.

You don't need to be near the station- Florence is very compact/walkable- look a bit further as I am sure you can find something more in the center. Around the station is just OK but rather busy/noisy.

Most museums are closed on Monday so if you want to see David, visit Uffizi etc you will need to do that on your half day Sunday or give Florence another night or 2

Friday May 14 - Train via Chur to Zurich!! spending two nights in
Zurich and flying home....

Agree with above- we didn't care much for Zurich. Stay in Lucerne- easy to get to airport from there.

Happy Anniversary!

Thanks everyone! Thanks Pat for the specific suggestion on where to eat in Florence. I have put that on our list! Also thanks for the suggestion of staying in Poschiavo. Would we have difficulty with transportation there after we get off the train, and then of course getting back to the station a couple of days later? If not that sounds like the perfect place to stay!

Still debating on two nights in Veranna versus one night in Tirano! Input anyone? We found a b&b right by the train station in Veranna and we could just stay there and take a ferry on the lake, walk to town and more or less just enjoy doing nothing for a day or so? Then take the train from Veranna to Tirano and on to St. Moritz via a regional train? Or we can take the train from Florence to Tirano, stay the night and take the regional train to St. Moritz the next day. I don't want to pack so much in that I regret adding Veranna? We aren't doing much in Florence (I can hear gasps!) just seeing David, and Palace Vecchio. Maybe a day tour if anyone has a suggestion but probably just slowing down and enjoying walking through the city. Thanks in advance for more input!

I think you mean Varenna, right? The train station is about four blocks up the hill from the lake, above the ferry landing and parking lot. Unless you have an incredible view, ( perhaps use google earth street view) I wouldn't recommend staying there, due to train noise and crowds. I much prefer being in the heart of Varenna with a view room.

Remember every day when you change location is not necessarily a vacation day. think about it, get up, have breakfast, pack, get to the train station or airport (add 2-3 hrs for check in and security at the airport, less for the train), arrive, get to the taxi (after you have gotten your bags or walk to the taxi stand), get to the hotel, check in, settle in and try to relax. Changes is location is part of the fun, but not a lot of time to visit museums, sites, etc. I did that trip when i was in my 30-40s and it sorta worked. Got home and said, “spent a lot of time in the train station airport or car/taxi. Would never do it now that i am in my 70s. LESS IS MORE! Reduce the number of stops, increase the time in each location to allow for getting lost and wondering around. That is what a vacation is for. NOT checking off the places you visited. Enjoy your trip. Happy Anniversary!!!!!!

Thanks again everyone! Special thanks to Christine. We have changed our intinerary and will take the train from Venice to Florence and then drive to Orvieto, spending several days in the Val D Orcia area. Then we will take a train to Tirano and onward to St Moritz. We are eliminating Varenna and slowing down the pace a bit. Again thanks everyone!

Train to St Moritz!! spending two nights at Hotel Nolda. We don't hike but would like suggestions of walks or?

Specifically related to this request, there is a lovely walk that we call our Path to Lunch, where we take the 30 minute walk to Lej da Staz and make a reservation at Restaurant Lej da Staz https://www.laudinella.ch/gastronomie/restaurant-lej-da-staz/. The only way to arrive at this restaurant -- and it is very good -- is on foot. A little uphill but not bad and you get to walk downhill coming back. :-) Beautiful views of the surrounding mountains with the lovely Lake St. Moritz.

You can also walk along -- or all the way around -- Lake St. Moritz. We do both of these walks every time we visit the area.