Please sign in to post.

From Venice to Swiss Alps to Paris

My husband and I are planning to visit Italy, Switzerland, and France for the first time this summer. We know nothing about how to effectively make our way through the Swiss Alps (I will start researching!) but we really want to enjoy a few days traveling through the region and taking in as many views as we can, with short walks/hikes as often as reasonable (short stops as we travel through). On Monday May 28 we plan to travel from Venice to Milan or Varenna and stay the night (recommendations on which option would be best?). On the 29th, we want to take a train to Tirano to board a train that will take us over the Bernina Pass. We aren't too particular about where we go in the Swiss Alps since it's all so new to us...besides the natural vistas, I think Chillon Castle would be fun to see if it's not too far from our route...but mainly we're wondering if you could tell us your ideal itinerary for spending 5 days sightseeing in the Swiss Alps and ending up in Paris. What are the best places to go that would be ideal for so early in the summer? We want to end up in Paris on Sunday June 4th to check into an arbnb that afternoon/evening. I'd be grateful for any tips you've got!

Posted by
7209 posts

Train (depart 8:20) Venezia S. Lucia->Milano Centrale->Speiz->Interlaken Ost->Murren BLM (in one day, about 7 hours)

Spend your days in the Swiss Alps in Murren or Wengen and explore that stunning area.

Take the Golden Pass (or just any regular train) from Interlaken Ost -> Montreux to see Castle Chillon. Spend the night in Montreux. Resume you travel next day Montreux -> Geneva where you'll pick up the high speed TGV directly to Paris (4-5 hours).

Posted by
16382 posts

I would stay in Varenna as I suggested in your other thread. Hotels are less expensive than in Milan, and the lake is stunningly beautiful. Albergo Milano is our favorite, but there are other options as well.

From Varenna to Pontresina over the Bernina Pass is 3.5 hours. You could spend a night there, or continue to Luzern (another 4.5 hours via Chur and Arth-Goldau. The first option has three one-night stays in a row; the second gives you one night at Varenna and two in Luzern. That leaves you two nights for the Berner Oberland suggested by Tim---but note that early June is still early for the higher elevations there. You will however be able to take lifts like the Schilthornbahn if you wish to have a "peak experience".

Or you could skip the Berner Oberland and take the Golden Pass train to Montreux for the last two nights. This is at a lower elevation and should be quite nice at that time.

Posted by
23 posts

Thanks so much, Lola. (Also, thank you for your comment on my other thread--I deleted that post since in that one I mentioned routing through Austria and definitely decided against it, but I saved your comment!). Would you recommend Luzern over staying in a place like Wilderswil? I was thinking I could take the train over the Bernina Pass but then head on to Wilderswil rather than Luzern and spend a few days there, exploring Wengen and Murren. Then I would head to Montreux for two nights, then to Paris.

Posted by
16382 posts

I am going to revise my earlier suggestion of the Bernina Pass route---it takes you too far to the east, out of your way. Take a look at this Swiss train map and you will see what I mean:

https://www.swisspasses.com/railpass/overviewmap_en.pdf

You could have fun on the way to the Berner Oberland by going via Locarno and Domodossola, on the Centovalli Railway:

http://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/centovalli-onsernone.html?iPadCover

This would break up the long journey and give you a night in the lakeside town of Locarno.

And in case you would like alternative suggestions to the Berner Oberland (not sure what the weather and conditions are around June 1) I will suggest another car-free village called Bettmeralp.

https://www.aletscharena.ch/en/?season=summer

This is perched high above the Rhône Valley, on a south-facing slope ( sunnier than other aspects). It is detour from your route to Montreux and then to Paris. From Brig, you had East two stops (12 minutes, if I recall correctly) to Betten, the Valley station for the cable car up to Bettmeralp. From the village you have views across the valley into Italian Alps. From the ridge behind the village, you can see the huge Aletschgletscher, Europe's largest glacier, flanked by snowy peaks. If you walk to the next village, Kuhboden, you can ride a cable car up the Eggishorn and see all the way to the Jungfrau.