Hi,
I would please like some suggestions on where to go for my 7 day 6 nights in southern Switzerland.
I would like to go up to the Zermatt and maybe spend 2 nights there. Then back to Stresa for a night. And from there I thought I'd
make my way to Lucerne. Not sure if it's worth the 210k ride or should I go on to Lugano?
Maybe there is something else that is worth seeing? I am open. I am spending a week in Como Lake....without a car
Thanks for any suggestions that you may have.
Ingrid
Your other post says "starting is Stresa and ending in Milan.", here you say "Then back to Stresa for a night.".
Southern Switzerland has a lot of mountains (obvious), but this means that there are a limited number of roads going across these mountains, but these pass roads are spectacular
When are you going? Summer I hope, as many passes over the Alps are closed by snow from November to May.
I would suggest, from Stresa the route north goes over the Simplon pass (you need to follow this route on a map), and down to Brig.
Turn right, to carry on up the Rhone valley (the river that enters the Mediterranean near Marseille). Then at the end of the valley (Rhone Glacier in front of you) turn left, and over the Grimsel Pass.
I suggest you go to YouTube, and do a search for "Grimselpass" and you will see what I am talking about.
This takes you into the Aare valley, you are now on the north side of the Alps, the Aaare is a tributary of the Rhine, which ends up in the North Sea at Rotterdam.
Keep going down the valley (there is only one road), past Meiringen - stop to visit the Aaareschlucht (gorge), on to Interlaken. Stay in either Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen (both are car accessible) for 4 nights.
Then on to Luzern for 2 nights.
From Luzern you take the Autobahn back to Italy. Long tunnels including the longest one under the Gotthard pass. You don't see as much, but it is a faster return route.
Thanks Chris...Sorry for not being clear.
My husband and I will be flying into Milan April 7th. Picking up a car and driving to Stresa. We will have 7 days and 6 nights before we have to be back in Milan. We will stay there for 3 nights and then on to Como Lake for 7 nights and our last night in Milan to be near the airport to fly home the next day. Part of this trip is business, so we have to be in these places.
Reading your reply, it sounds like driving up to Zermatt and taking the train to Tasch may not be a smart thing to do considering the roads. So we have 7 days and will research the places you have mentioned.
Thank you for taking the time to share info with me.
Ingrid
I suggested the Berner Oberland instead of Zermatt because:
1) It gives you a circular route and less driving to go Italy - Berner Oberland - Luzern - Italy than going or Zermatt, which is an outlier to the west (nothing wrong with road quality, just geography).
You suggested Stresa - Zermatt - Stresa - Luzern - Stresa, which is a lot more driving, and repeating yourself.
2) You get to cross the Alps over one of the high passes. Always one of my favourites.
3) Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen are car accessible (unlike Zermatt), so you still have access to your car if you want to use it during your stay.
