We will be going on the Villages of Italy tour next summer. Since we end near Milan, we wondered if there is a place in Switzerland that we could get to easily with public transportation and stay for 2 or 3 nights. Our other option is taking the train to Rome and visiting a couple of the highlights there.
Any suggestions?
Since you are in Europe during the summer, I would go to Switzerland. We easily drove from Lake Orta to Grindelwald in the Berber Oberland.
I do not know about public transportation though. Check MySwitzerland.com.
At www.trenitalia.com look for the Milano Centrale to Spiez, Switzerland EuroCity direct train. At Spiez you can change to the Swiss trains which will take you first to Interlaken Ost then Lauterbrunnen where you will find hiking both easy and challenging, fabulous views, fun lifts and mountain trains. You may want to buy a Berner Oberland Regional Pass in Spiez to cover your travel there. You may have to return to Milan the night before your flight. Look for the EuroCity return from Spiez, I think the direct train is about 13:30 in the afternoon.
From Orta-Miasino station there are several direct, north-bound trains per day to Domodossola, from where you can connect to anywhere in Switzerland. However, the two most likely departure times are 7:40 or 14:30, with none in between.
Direct train from Milan to Lugano with its lake and its very nice little town.
Touring Lugano lake is very nice.
Also a nice thing to do if you rent a car is visit Turin and the Langhe region with Alba, Asti.
It’s a 2 hours drive from Milan.
