Itinerary Help - Geneva to Rome in 10 Days

Ok, assuming you mean 10 days=9 nights on the ground, here is my first suggestion.
1. Go to Montreux right from the airport. Spend 1 night. Take a boat ride on Lake Leman and see Chillon Castle. Leave late afternoon.
2. Go to Zermatt and spend 3 nights to increase the chances of having at least one day of good weather to see the Matterhorn.
3. Go to Stresa on Lake Maggiore. Logistically easier to get to than Lugano or Como. Spend 2 nights.
4. Go to Monterosso in the CT. Spend 2 nights.
5. Go to Rome for last night.
6. Fly home.

Get 2 Swiss 30 day Half Fare Cards and a free Family Card so the kids travel free in Switzerland. That will come in handy going to Zermatt for mountain trains and cable cars.

You really only need 2 sets of advance purchase discount tickets bought ahead (they're nonrefundable), Stresa to Monterosso and Monterosso to Rome. www.trenitalia.com or www.capitaintrain.com.

Thanks so much for the suggestions, Sam! I had a few questions:
1) I was thinking of actually going to Lausanne from Geneva, but is Montreux a better experience? I've only ever visited GVA before and heard Lausanne is a good jump off point. Would love to hear more about Montreux though. Best to just train around the lake?
2) Is the weather questionable in late August / early September? I'd read about August being the wettest month, but it also being the month w/ the most sun, so I wasn't sure what to expect that late in the month.

3) How does Maggiore compare to Lugano/Como? Location wise, I definitely see your point here. however, if we're making the trip, I want it to be memorable and not miss out.
4) I've seen a lot of talk around cable cars, but not so much info on where. Can you expand on what to expect and where?

Thanks again for your suggestions. Any way you split it, it definitely feels tight so your suggestions are very much appreciated.

1. There are direct trains from the airport to Montreux (also passing through Lausanne along the way) every 30 minutes at 21 & 51 past the hour. Takes about 1 hour 15 to 20 minutes. Lausanne is a good size city, it even has a subway system. Montreux is more of a lake-side resort town. The nearby Chillon castle is on a small island in the lake. Reachable from Montreux by train or lake ferry. Montreux is the home to the famous jazz festival in the summer. The Deep Purple song "Smoke on the Water" was inspired by a fire at the wooden concert hall by the lake when an audience member at a Frank Zappa concert shot a flare gun into the ceiling. That was in 1971, just a little historical note.
2. Weather is always a crap shoot. It is dumping rain in Europe right now. But late August early September should be drier than early summer.
3. Stresa on Maggiore is often overlooked as everyone wants to go to Como. It is a cute resort town right on the lake with a train station on the main rail line connecting Western Switzerland to Milan. Just off shore are the famous Borromeo Islands, worth a visit. Getting to Varenna on Lake Como or Lugano will take another 3 to 4 hours, depending on the wait time in Milan.
4. Cable cars are all over the mountains in Switzerland giving access to small villages and Alpine hiking. In Zermatt, they will take you up right next to the Matterhorn where they have year-round skiing on the glacier. There is also a railway called the Gornergratbahn that goes up to an observatory with great views of the Matterhorn. These are often pretty expensive, so having Half Fare cards and the Family Card helps with the cost. Even with a Swiss Travel Pass, you still have to pay half the normal fare, so the Half fare card is a better deal.

If you are staying in the Lake Geneva area, I recommend staying in Vevey which is a charming town along the lake, between Lausanne and Montreux. You'll be able to get almost anywhere by train or bus easily. Chateau Chillon is directly on the lake, a short and beautiful walk from Montreux to the Chateau along the lake. The boat ride is worth taking and you can get on and off in various towns and locations including Chateau Chillon, Montreux, Vevey, near Lausanne, Geneva, etc.
The weather is generally quite warm in August and September although it rains from time to time.

Thank you for the continued insight. I love hearing about lesser known locations that may be worth visiting. @Sam, I also love hearing about that Deep Purple/Zappa story. Recently heard it told on XM radio. My ears perked up since I knew we'd be visiting shortly. Good to know exactly where it took place, thanks.

• How are the accommodations in Montreux and/or Vevey? Any recommendations?
• How does Stresa compare to Lugano or Como? Trying to balance our schedule without selling ourselves short. If it's really an additional 4+/- hours to Como, that's a tough decision.
• Any cable car or tour type activities you recommend at Zermatt?

Thanks again!

My last trip to the Italian lakes was over 20 years ago, but I remember Lugano as being quite a lively city, quite Italian in feeling despite being in Switzerland. Stresa was a more genteel experience when I was last there. To me, the reason for visiting Stresa is the Borromean Isles, so Google for pictures and see what you think. My visit to Como was shorter, and I don't have as clear a memory of it. I've noticed, thiugh, that most folks on this forum recommend Varenna rather than Como when the subject of Lake Como comes up.

I think any of the three potential destinations would be a nice contrast to the other places you'll be visiting.

Thank you! Does anyone have any recommendations on the best way to make our way over to Lugano or Varenna from Zermatt? Is a car/bus would be a much quick solution?

At Domodossola, just inside the Italian border, you can take Centovalli Railway (otherwise known by the acronym FART) to Locarno, then trains from there to Lugano. Despite being in Italy at the start, it goes into Switzerland and is considered a Swiss railway as far as the Swiss Travel Pass, Half Fare card, and Family card are concerned. Again, www.sbb.ch/en for schedules.
To get to Varenna, continue on the train past Domodossola and Stresa to Milano Centrale, then change to a train to Varenna-Esino.

Zermatt activities:
The two trails I liked are on here:
https://albinger.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/map-of-summer-hiking-trails-above-zermatt.jpg

One was to take the train up to Sunnegga, then take the trail further until you get to the little lake called Grindjisee. If the weather is good, you can get the Matterhorn reflected in the lake for a great picture. After that you can continue in a sort of semi-circle and end up at Riffelalp, where you can catch the next train coming down.

Another good one is to take the train to Gornergrat (pretty much across from the main train station). Nice views at Gornergrat, but then walk downhill towards the Matterhorn for about 30 min. to a lake called Riffelsee. Again, great pic of Matterhorn reflected in the lake if the weather is good. Cut across back to the train tracks (no need to walk back to Gornergrat) to find the little train station at Rotenboden and catch the next train down. Allen