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Switzerland/Lake Como with 3 preteens/teens

Posted by (U.S.) on

Hi travelers!!

Seeking inputs on a southern Switzerland/northern Italy trip in mid-July. Mom with 3 kids (15, 13, 10).

We would like to visit the most beauitful areas around Lake Como and nearby towns in Switzerland.

Any recommendations on the best route / base cities?

Log

LOGISTICS
- Round-trip in/out of Zurich for best pricing.
- 14 nights... 3-4 base cities.
- Transportation via trains, ferries and (if needed) private driver. We will NOT rent a car.

TRAVEL STYLE
- Seaside (lake-side) lounging, easy/moderate hikes, eating, sight-seeing.
- Hoping for time in water but will seek pools if too cold.
- Kids are much more excited about Lake Como/Italy segment-- so definitely don't want to skimp there ;).

First time to mountains. Our vibe is usually more Mediterannean "old town". We want to experience this amazing area without feeling isolated.

We have done this pace/number of base cities in Turkey, Greece, Croatia, etc., and it works for us.

Thanks in advance! I have been researching but finding it quite overwhelming as a novice to Swiss travel.

Posted by
5966 posts

If you can still change airline tickets, I'd suggest-

Milan>Varenna, Lake Como (sleep 3-4 nights)
Lake Como > Tirano, Italy to catch the scenic Bernina Express to
Pontressina, Switzerland- (sleep 1-2 night)
Pontressina > Berner Oberland : Murren, Wengen, or Lauterbrunnen (sleep 5 nights)
BO > Lucerne ( easy train commute to Zurich airport ) (sleep 3 nights)

Switzerland's I'd one of my favorite countries - you're in for a treat. Note that the Swiss cities will be in the 80's, so come prepared for the difference in temps between the cities and mountains.
Determine an itinerary soon, and book lodging asap, as family lodging is harder to find, many travelers book 8-10 months out for these areas. Enjoy!

Posted by
8 posts

Thanks, Pat! Airline tickets already purchased. :-)

Would have preferred the flight itinerary you suggested but we save $2K USD by going in/out Zurich. Seems worth it, no?

Posted by
5966 posts

Agreed, saving money is preferable. I think Lake Como might be the hardest to find accommodations, so maybe see what's available and plan the trip around that issue, since you'll be traveling in a circle in any case. Do your research on Booking.com but book directly for the best price.

So your bases could be-???
Lake Como ( Varenna, Bellagio, or Menaggio )
Berner Oberland
Lucerne

Have a wonderful family trip!

Posted by
36 posts

Yes! Do not miss the Berner Oberland! It is literally breathtakingly beautiful! I live in Colorado, and spend a lot of time in the mountains, but Switzerland takes the prize for scenery!

Posted by
286 posts

We started last years trip in Varenna and ended up in Switzerland, doing a very similar route to what has been suggested.

We were originally flying into Milan but due to strikes at the airport we had to change to Zurich. We caught a train from Zurich Airport to Como S. Giovanni which took a couple of hours from memory. We did hire a driver from there as we had flown from Australia and had already travelled for about 30 hours.

If you are only doing a shorter flight from the US though, you could easily train to Varenna and then ferry to Bellagio if that is your choice.

Once in Varenna/Bellagio you really don't need a car, we've been twice and managed perfectly well with ferries and the odd driver.

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