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3 days in Southern Switzerland, Northern Italy

Posted by (Northeast US) on

Hi,
I have 3 days after my work to spend in the Alps of Southern Switzerland, Northern Italy in mid-September.
Milan is my base camp where I fly out of on 17th at 11 AM. I will have seen Milan already and the 3 days are dedicated to nature/sightseeing around Milan. I will be traveling solo. Can you please provide recommendations for itineraries/possible night stay places.

  1. I have decided to focus on the Alpine region vs Cinque Terre or Venice or Tuscany trips.
    1. I would like to see Lake Como and want to do the panorama Bernina express from Tirano. Which Bernina express route: from Tirano to Saint Moritz or Tirano to Chur is more scenic?
    2. I would also like to see parts of Switzerland, so Zermatt, Lugano, Saint Moritz are all on the table. I cannot decide :(
    3. I am strongly considering one of the day tours for one day to cover one of the above regions. But I cannot decide between whether to do the day tour for Lake Como or to Tirano & Saint Moritz via Bernina Express. Does one area lend itself more amenable to a day tour vs another? Do the day tours provide decent time to get a feel for the location? Any particular ones you would recommend?
    4. For the other one I would do an overnight stay. Should I do overnight in Zermatt or Saint Moritz or Tirano or Lake Como? I like hikes and nature. I prefer variation of landscape. Is one place more amenable to getting from sightseeing point A to sightseeing point B with fewer transfers so I can spend more time seeing/hiking vs waiting for bus/train/tram etc?

Option 1 - Lake Como day tour, 1 night stay in Saint Moritz or Tirano or Chur (no Zermatt). But how to see Lugano?
Option 2 - Lake Como day tour, 1 night stay in Zermatt (no Tirano/St. Moritz). But how to see Lugano?
Option 3 - Can I combine Lake Como, Lugano in 1 overnight stay? Then do Saint Moritz/Tirano OR Zermatt in ANOTHER overnight stay? How easy are these places to navigate solo vs a day tour?

Thank you, greatly appreciate all your input.
Mandy

Posted by
28065 posts

All I can contribute is that I've read many times that St. Moritz itself is expensive but not especially attractive. So--no issues with the surrounding (gorgeous) area, but St. Moritz sounds like a place to pass through rather than to stay in.

Posted by
1117 posts

Only the route from Chur goes over the Landwasser Viaduct, which is the most scenic part of the whole trip (for me). Chur is a nice little town.

Rhatische Bahn (the company that operates Bernina Express) runs a bus between Lugano and Tirano. So an option would be Milan to Lugano by train, then Bernina Express bus Lugano to Tirano, which connects to the Bernina Express to Chur.

Posted by
4 posts

@acraven and @darrenblois, thank you! Are there places in the Engadine valley or on the way between Tirano and Chur that you would recommend for a night stay for a more rustic quintessential Swiss country feel? Doesn't sound like St. Moritz provides that.

Posted by
5604 posts

We stayed in Pontressina when we rode the Bernina Express. It's a beautiful ski town in the mountains, and just a few stops away from Chur and St. Moritz. In fact, you can get on/ off the train at Souvas, a " stop by request", just push the button to make your request . The stop is in a cedar forest a five minute walk into Pontressina .
We rode the Bernina Express regional trains, which offered more flexible schedules and you can open the windows for better pix. The regional trains require no reservations and aren't crowded .
Have a great trip!

Posted by
5604 posts

Also, spend at least a night in Lake Como. The mornings and evenings are so peaceful. The entire area is beautiful. We stayed in Varenna. Safe travels!

Posted by
11569 posts

Forget St-Moritz; nearby Pontresina is a gem! Lake Como and Lugano?? We always stay on Lake Como but did go over to Lugano once. We much prefer Lake Como, Lugano is nice, but Lake Como has much more beauty.

Posted by
5604 posts

I agree with Suki above. I found Lugano full of high end stores that we have at home. I love Lake Como, the beauty and peacefulness. Also, the shops seem to have more unique and made-in- Italy items that were reasonably prices. Sleep in Lake Como, I say. Safe travels!

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