Hello
In May we will fly into Milan and then spend a few days at Lake Como. We will then have 4 days before we need to be in Annecy France. We have never been to Switzerland and thought perhaps we could use those 4 days to get a small taste of it. We will have a car. Would you please suggest a route and what to see in that amount of time. Thank you!
Posted by
226 posts
If you are set on Switzerland and okay with some longer driving, go from Como to Zermatt - about 3.5 hours - and spend 2-3 hours in Zermatt and hope for some good weather which could provide exceptional views. Then, Zermatt to Lauterbrunnen - about 2.5 hours. (6 hours of driving on the first day). Spend 2 nights in Lauterbrunnen. There's a car park on the east side of the station - opposite the Bergbahn side to Murren. Then from Lauterbrunnen to Chamonix - about 3 hours. Consider to spend a couple hours in Bern and/or Montreux. You will pass right by Chateau de Chillon - outside of Montreux. Spend 1 night in Chamonix. Then, on to Annecy on the 4th day.
If you want an easier drive, I'd suggest you go from Como to Aosta Valley, Italy (Italian Alps). About 2 hours driving. Then, from Aosta to Chamonix via the long Mont Blanc tunnel. 1-hour drive. Chamonix is only about 1.5 hours from Annecy. 2 nights in Aosta and 1 night in Chamonix, or vice-versa.
Posted by
Niagara, Ontario
1677 posts
Seeing as you have a car, you may be able to knock off two or three of your Switzerland days whilst still based on Lake Como. Lugano, Ascona, Locarno, Bellinzona to name a few places. Bellinzona is a worth a day for me but it depends on your speed of travel – it has a nice downtown area and 3 castles, a bit of nice hiking. Bernina Express is worth it, if the weather is nice. Morcote is a small, pretty village with a nice cemetary on a hill, not too far from the west side of Lake Como, with lovely hikes above it, if you are into that.
We had a ‘driving day’ when based on Lake Orta (Orta San Guilio is simply the best for me). Up to Domodossola, north and west on the way to Brig but did not quite make it, stopped off in some village for lunch, back along the side roads and down the west side of Lake Maggiore. Pleasant area. There was a very nice church along the road back but cannot remember where off the top of my head.
Some may try to divert you to the Bernese Oberland. It is stunningly beautiful, depends if you want to make that much of a trip in your short time frame.