Big picture we are doing a Europe trip late June/early July 2025 with our two kids who will be 18 and 15. The general route plan is linear(ish) between northern Italy and Netherlands/Belgium. Flight hubs will be Amsterdam/Milano. For the Switzerland portion of this trip, we are looking for what you would call "iconic Swiss views/towns/feel" and would prefer to stay away from big cities, unless we need it for a train connection, which is totally fine. Really only plan on spending 3 nights in Switzerland on the way through. I know, we could spend weeks in Switzerland, but that could be said for any country in Europe. But we only have so much vacation time and $ and don't know when/if we will get back to Europe so trying to "get the most" we can from each stop.
I'm in the very early stages of planning/researching. Here is where I'm getting stuck a bit in Switzerland... From Milano (home base in northern Italy is Bologna but headed to Milano to head northeast from there) for this part, where is the recommended path, if you will, for going through Switzerland? Bernina Express sounds amazing and then stay in Churn area(ish), but that seems to be in my head more east of where we should be based on where we are long term headed, and forums seem to be directing me to Zurich after that which is not appealing to me. But could do long term train/overnight to our next leg and basically sleep/train it right through Zurich. Or, do we do the Glacier Express or portion of, and stay more western Switzerland and go through that way/area like Interlaken/Lauterbrunnen area (ish) then heading to next leg through Bern/Basel route?
Knowing we want more iconic Swiss experience, and would love to get in a hike or mountain view and see a "cute swiss town" which route is best. I think my US brain is telling me it will take forever to get from one place to another but then when I google train times from one area to another, it is like nothing! Ultimately, we will be going through eastern France and western Germany to our final leg to fly home, if that helps at all.
Thank you!!