Very Conflicted on Which Part of Italy We Should Choose

Where are you looking for trains?
I think it’s shorter than 10 hours- more like 5-6
Try Murren to Milan then Milan to Rapallo.

We just spent 3 nights in Santa Margherita and enjoyed it very much, pretty sure we were the only Americans in town.
I would NOT go to CT.
Visit Portofino, spend time in SML itself and maybe Camogli

I am very biased towards Lake Como and have visited Bellagio four times. Santa Margherita Ligure is also lovely and we have been there twice. I fear the Cinque Terre may still be mobbed but you can always cut that day short and return to SML. You can’t go wrong . One time driving from Tuscany to Nice, we stopped overnight in Noli, a charming town on the Mediterranean between Genoa and Nice.. One more choice for you!
Taste of Italy is hard to decide as Lake Como also has Swiss influences. Santa Margherita still is northern Italy but if you choose the right hotel, it will have Italian clientele( vs Americans, other Europeans) . We stayed at Hotel Continental and the rest of it’s guests were Italian at that time.
Have a wonderful trip whichever you choose.

I have bee to all of the places you mention and my vote is Lake Como.

Or Lake Maggiore.

I liked SML but to me, the CT has become an
overrun den of tourists.

With only 3 nights I would not go all the way to CT or LC Italy. I would spend the extra time in Murren as 3 nights is not enough for me. Much depends on what you plan on doing in Murren, do you hike? Even if you do not hike I would add at least one night to Murren, and the other two between there and Nice. That said October is the month that gondolas are shut down for yearly maintenance and getting around by train in/out of Murren will be slower. Expect foul weather too. Enjoy your trip it sounds wonderful!

Thank you everyone for weighing in. Your input is very helpful! It seems I can't go wrong between SML and Lake Como, but may want to skip the Cinque Terre either way. My biggest issue is the transportation for either option. It seems like the trip to SML is long because there are usually long layovers in Milan. Also, if we go to Bellagio on Lake Como, it sounds like we have to take a ferry. Are both routes easier than they sound? Or is there a simpler way to get to either location that I'm missing? For what it's worth, both locations sound lovely and I think I can't go wrong with either - so maybe picking the one that is easiest logistically makes sense?

@joanne1108, I am also strongly considering your suggestion of staying in Mürren an extra night. I could do that and still manage a couple of days in another spot en route to Nice. I was considering Lake Como and SML because they seemed like they were in the right general direction, but is there a more direct route to Nice that would be better, and if so, do you have any suggestions for a place to stay for a couple of nights?

Another option would be to spend 3 nights in Mürren and then travel to Milan or Kenderstieg for one night before continuing onto SML or Lake Como. Does that make any sense or is it more trouble than it's worth? I am just trying to figure out ways to split the long train trip up a bit.

Thank you in advance for any suggestions! :)

there are usually long layovers in Milan

Again, as Christine asked above: Where are you looking for trains?

Hi @dario, I've been using SBB and Trenitalia. I also looked at the DBahn since I heard they have a good grasp on all the European schedules. Are there better sites?

I vote for Lake Como and stay in Varenna, which is walking distance from the train. You can then enjoy the ferries to Bellagio and Menaggio. If you can, get a hotel with a balcony on the lake, so that when relaxing and resting your feet, with a glass of wine, of course, you can just soak in the beauty of the area without doing anything!
Safe travels!

My biggest issue is the transportation for either option.

And which would give us the best taste of Italy in such a short period
of time?

I am just trying to figure out ways to split the long train trip up a
bit.

Just a suggestion - I always try to keep the transits simple.

I’d try to reduce the number of changes/seats for the journey.
Como/Bellagio requires a few “seats” which translates to time.
(train/train/ferry/maybe taxi)
SML requires a few seats as well.
(train, train, maybe another train/maybe a taxi)

And remember that is each way- in and out of the towns.

I’d stay on main train lines and use main stations/fast trains as possible.

Check out Stresa on Lago Maggiore- (haven’t been, had planned, canceled and now planning again for late Sept)

Have not dug in to real details - just playing with www.rome2rio.com
It’s too early for the full train schedule in October.

Kandersteg to Stresa- thru Brig/Domodossola 2-3 hr

Stresa to Milan is regional about 1 hr

Milan to Nice- about 5 hr-
Use the longer train ride as a rest, take a picnic.

Or give another night to Murren and do 2 Milan. Or Genoa. Or Turin.
Pick a larger town/city on the main train line for most efficient travel/use of the 2.5 days/3 nights you actually have.
I will say we’re not real fond of 2 night stays, especially when travel time to get there is longer than 3 hours.

3 nights in just 1 location won’t give you a big bite of Italy. It will be Italy. It moves you to where you need to be next.

We had a transfer from Lauterbrunnen to Camogli a few years ago that was very long, much as you are seeing for Mürren to SML. We broke it up with 3 nights in Stresa. Maybe you can do the same and go on to Nice from Stresa. I would encourage an extra night in Mürren then two nights in Stresa. You can never have enough time in the Lauterbrunnen Valley.

What everyone is saying about making the transit days a bit simpler makes total sense. I really like the suggestion of staying an extra day in Mürren and then going straight to Milan for 3 nights. I have been watching videos on Milan, and it does seem really interesting. Plus I think we could do a day trip from there to Lake Como, right? Lake Como looks too heavenly to completely skip, so I'm hoping this is a possibility. Any other good day trips from Milan?

A day trip from Milan to Lake Como is very easy.