Itinerary advice for Lake Como and Bernese Oberland

Why so many flights to and from Milan? Are these booked? From Barcelona, flying to Zurich gets you closer to Interlaken and/or flying home from Switzerland also makes sense.

You can get the Swiss Half Fare Card and free Family Card in advance at https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/transportation/trains/switzerland-rail-passes. See train schedules at www.sbb.ch, including to/from Varenna on Lake Como.

What Laura said.

I don't understand why you would fly back to Milan just to go north through and under mountains on a long journey to the Berner Oberland when if you fly to Zurich you are nearly there?

Can you not fly home from Zurich instead of schlepping all the way back to Milan?

Milan has some interesting aspects but I tend to use it to change trains. There are many Italian cities which have more attraction for me. You will be spending lots of time there, and most of it seems unproductive. Unless you have a particular reason for so much Milan time? Family there maybe?

If you have a look at the Rick Steves Italy book you will see a number of places on Como described. I like Varenna.

Milan had the best price for flying to Europe and closest to what we wanna see, Lake Como, Bernese Oberland and Barcelona.

I just looked on Expedia and I can do Milan - Barcelona - Zurich for a good price so thank you for the suggestion. We will come back to Milan with the train, we love trains with the Swiss views !

Can you recomend a different town to stay in the Oberland that is more affordble then Murren or Lauterbrunnen but still easy to visit the two valleys ?!?

Can anyone explain to me the two valleys please ?

Thank you !

I have one more question. We gonna be in Switzerland from July 13 through July 18 so for this period of time is better to buy a Swiss Pass or the Half Fare Pass ?

The Swiss Pass is CHF 726 for 8 days for me and my husband for Second class ( son is free with the Family card ) .

The Half Fare Pass is CHF 360 .

Thank you !

I just provided information on the Swiss Passes and my experience in answer to another post. Maybe it will help you. There's no one answer.

You also asked about "the difference between the two valleys." I do not understand which two valleys. There is the Lauterbrunnen Valley with two sides to it, which is often discussed here. One side is Muerren and the Schilthorn (plus other venues, various hikes and lifts) and the other side is Wengen and the Jungfrau, access to Grindlewald and still more venues and hikes. Risk Steves' book lays it all out quite well.

You also asked about "more affordable." Welcome to Switzerland in the summer! It is quite expensive. We rented an apartment in Lauterbrunnen last year and that helped control expenses a bit as we ate in most evenings and it cost less than most hotel rooms. You can try VRBO.com or perhaps chalet.myswitzerland.

While not the most elegant digs in town, one year we decided very last minute to go at New Year's and the only place I could snag a room for less than a king's ransom was the Hotel Steinbock. It was very simple, but clean, convenient to the trains (across the street!) and they had a nice breakfast.