Hello all, my family will be traveling to Switzerland this June (flying in and out of Zurich). We will have our 2-year old and 5-year old, and we will be taking trains for transportation. We will be spending our last four nights in Lucerne.
Do you recommend a private tour company that would leave out of Lugano to go to Como, Italy. We would love to experience a full day trip at Lugano / Como Areas. We can easily take a morning train to Lugano to start the tour.
Thanks
Cannot recommend a tour company. But consider this: many of the trains to Lugano continue to Como... Why not take one of those?
Also, Switzerland is, well, full of lakes. Lake Luzern is truly dramatic. With two young kids, I would not inflict myself hours of transportation (8 perhaps?) to get a glimpse of Lake Como, which is, well, another lake set between mountains. Exaggerating a little of course, but I think you'll get my point.
Where are you coming from enroute to Lugano? It wasn't clear to me if you were thinking of coming Luzern to Lugano (so RT in one day) or something...say like Milan to Lugano in the morning and onto Luzern at dinner for last 4 nights.
We are traveling with our 3 and 5 year olds in May (Luzern, Thun and Lugano are our Swiss "hotel" cities) for 19 days in Switzerland and Italy.
We fly into and out of Zurich this June. We stay the first 4 nights in Wengen and the last 4 nights in Lucerne.
We would be taking a train from Lucerne
to Lugano (and maybe Como) the same day.
So I understood this correctly as a day trip from Luzern.
I would recommend against it, it is too much travel in one day with kids.
If you really want to see lake Como, I would stay the night (e.g. in Menaggio (Italy)).
But I question the need. If you want some "italian flair", I would stick to Lugano - in itself a lovely destination with a lot to fill a day! - or, maybe Locarno/Ascona on the shores of Lake Maggiore, but lake Como pushes it for a day trip.
Thanks for the feedback.
Yes, it does look like going to Como (from Lucerne) for the day could be a bit too ambitious.
What if you stayed 3 nights in Wengen, 2 nights in Lugano (etc), and then 3 nights in Luzern (or some version of this)? If it’s important to you to see that area on this trip, might be reasonable choice. I understand not wanting to schlep the kids around and pack/unpack. We are staying at the International au Lac hotel in Lugano which seems to have some good stuff for the kids.
Deviation from your original topic, as I have no information to offer on a private tour. good luck and best wishes on your trip. Glad to hear of others taking small kids, makes me feel not alone or crazy 😂😂
Thanks so much for the suggestion. That is actually a good idea to consider Lugano as a third base.
On another topic, Stephanie, are you bringing a double stroller on your trip? We just have single umbrella and jogging strollers. Our 5 year old does not nap often but could get sleepy during the trip and during short hikes. If you are bringing the double, what is your recommendation? Thanks again. Yes, we are the ambitious, crazy parents taking the kids on these memorable journeys :)
Hi Michael- No double stroller, and actually don’t own one either. We decided to just get 2 city mini GTs for regular life and a single umbrella stroller that we use when we are out and about traveling or need something small. I really, really want one of the GTs for the trip but it’s too heavy for us (and probably too big) given all the travel we’re doing between Switzerland and Italy, but I will tell you, I’d probably bring it if we were just going to Switzerland.
We are bringing a McClaren Triumph umbrella stroller for the 3 year old. We are winging it for the 5 year old. The five year old mostly prefers to walk but will occasionally jump in a stroller if we are at a zoo or the like. The 3 year old is fully unpredictable. I feel like we will sort it out using it for whoever wants to ride it or figure out a plan B if it becomes absolutely necessary. Some friends suggested that we get a backpack carrier for the 3 year old, but I don’t think she’d be agreeable for it so we decided to not take that approach. All that being said, we are mostly in cities, trains, and walking paths - not really hiking.
I don’t know if that helps, but there you go.
