Hello- I am having trouble with planning a good Itinerary in N. Italy and Switzerland for 2 adults. I need your help. We arrive in Paris early on July 5 (mileage tickets). Planning to catch a flight to Milan that morning. We would like to travel from Milan to Switzerland via the Bernina Express, with a possible day or 2 at Lake Como. We will depart on July 14 from Geneva. We would like to see the Berner Oberland. Do you have suggestions for an itinerary or route and hotels? This is our first trip to Switzerland. Thanks much for your input.
Posted by
San Diego, California
5647 posts
The above Searches may help you. Have a wonderful trip . Safe travels!
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17559 posts
OK, you have 9 nights, counting your arrival day July 5. You will be moving quite a bit, but you can accomplish your goals and have an enjoyable trip with an itinerary like the one below. I am posting a link to the Swiss rail system, with scenic routes highlighted, so you can follow the path.
July 5: it will be a long day, but I suggest you push through and take the train from the Milan airport to Milano Centrale, and catch the regional train for the 1-hour ride to Varenna. Book a hotel here for 2 nights. If you have a choice of Milan airports, which you should for an intra-Europe flight, choose Linate (LIN). It is closer to the city and specifically the Milano Centrale train station than Malpensa; close enough that a quick and easy taxi ride is reasonably priced (under 20€ when we did it 2 years ago).
7/6. Lake Como
7/7 train to Tirano (1/5 hours) to catch the Bernina Express train, or a regional train on the same tracks. Travel to Pontresina, a lovely mountain village in the Engadine. Book a hotel here for 1 or 2 nights. Chesa Mulin is a favorite hotel here; close to the station and very nice. Or you can take the opportunity to get off the train earlier and stay a night in a mountain inn such as Alp Grum. The train stops here (might be a request stop). so you can re-board the next morning to continue your journey.
7/8. Say you elect to spend only one night in Pontresina or Alp Grum. On j7/8 you continue by train to Luzern. This is a journey of 4.5 hours from Pontresina; a bit longer if you start at Alp Grum. Spend 2 nights here. forum members can suggest their favorite hotels here; there are several lined up right on the river just across from the train station.`
7/9 Explore Luzern
7/10 Take the scenic Golden Pass train 9Marked on the map as # 8 ) to Interlaken Ost, changing here to a train heading to Lauterbrunnen, 25 minutes away. This is your base in the Berner Oberland for 3 nights**; choose either the alpine village of Wengen or Mürren, or Lauterbrunnen in the valley.
** 2 nights if you elect to spend 2 nights in Pontresina
7/10 and 7/11 Enjoy the Berner Oberland however you like—-hiking, riding scenic lifts, boat ride, etc.
7/13 Return to Interlaken Ost and catch the westbound Golden Pass line heading to Montreux. This will be the night before your flight from Geneva, so I suggest you stay on the lake closer to the airport, in a town with trains directly into the airport. Morges, Audrey Hepburn’s home in Switzerland, was our choice for this purpose. We enjoyed our lakeview room at Romantik Hotel Mont Blanc au Lac, but there are other choices if you prefer. There are 2-3 trains hourly directly into the Geneva Airport from Morges, taking 42 minutes.
7/14 Say good-bye to Switzerland and fly home.
Posted by
11606 posts
I highly recommend that you stay at least two nights in Pontresina, a charming town.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Wow! You are all amazing! I cannot thank you enough for your links, help and suggestions. I truly appreciate your taking the time to respond. I'll dig in with making travel plans and also invite any other suggestions. Thanks!