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Travel Tips - Switzerland to Italy Honeymoon

Posted by (United States) on

Hi friendly folks,
First post to the forum and looking for some of your fabulous tips and guidance for my soon-to-be-wife's and my upcoming honeymoon in June!
Flight:
Arrive morning of June 2 in Zurich. Leave morning of June 15 from Florence.
About Us:

Only our second time to Europe. First time was to Paris and then through Normandy (Rouen, Eretrat, Bayeux, Arromanches les bains). We're both very much into nature, simple elegance, and hidden gems. Our main goal for the trip is to get a sizable taste of both the Swiss Alps and northern Italian cuisine and culture. We'll be traveling by train in Switzerland and hopefully in Italy too, but may rent a car.
The Plan So Far:
- June 2 - Train from Zurich to Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen
- June 3 - 5 - Lauterbrunnen (thinking we can go to both Murren and Wengen from the valley)
- June 6 - Travel Lauterbrunnen to Interlaken to Spiez (here's where things get interesting) to Stresa for one night
- June 7 - Travel from Stresa to Genoa (mainly for fooooood)
- June 8 - 10 - Liguria/Genoa, not sure where but thinking day trips to multiple towns
- June 11 - Travel to Tuscany (mainly for food and wine)
- June 12 - 14 - Tuscany not certain where yet, thinking we pick up a rental car (hire car?) and take in all of the hill towns
- June 15 - Flight home
My questions for RS experts
Does this plan seem feasible? Are we missing out on anything that we shouldn't given the time allotted and our hopes to get at least a taste of both countries? Is Stresa unnecessary or a potential "back door"? Any recommendations on where to stay in Genoa or Tuscany given prime time seasonality of our trip?

Any help is much appreciated. If nothing else, thanks for letting me get all my thoughts onto paper!

Posted by
11779 posts

Here’s how I would break down your nights

  • Lauterbrunnen- 4
  • Stresa - 1
  • Genoa - 1
  • Liguria/Genoa - 3
  • Tuscany - 4

Those two one-night stays concern me. One night stays are not fun. I get why one night in Stresa, though, to break up what would be a very long train day. We did a stop in Stresa once for the same transfer form Lauterbrunnen to Liguria but we stayed 3 nights, I don’t think you have time for that so I understand a single night.

Liguria has fabulous food, overall, IMO. Maybe make a base in Camogli for 3 nights and use the train to get to Genoa (and elsewhere) for a meal if you have targeted something special. Camogli is small, close to great nature opportunities (hiking, boat trips). We spent a week once and enjoyed it immensely with day trips here and there.

If you do what I suggest, you have 5 nights for Tuscany, which is huge and you will need to pin down a base or maybe two bases. Perhaps three nights in a hill town and the final two up in Florence before your flight. You will not be able to see “all of the hill towns” so pick a few that interest you. Rent your car when you are leaving Liguria.

Posted by
381 posts

I've been to Italy 5 times, and it's pretty easy to find good food everywhere. Are you sure you want to go to Genoa?

I think your itinerary looks great, but I'd swap out the Genoa and Luguria days for Lugano (a sophisticated, small, breathtaking city), and either Lake Maggiore or Lake Como. They're both much nicer than the Cinque Terre.

In Tuscany, if you've never been, I recommend staying in Florence if you can get a nice place close to the centre (or a little outside with a view). If not, go for a place inside the walls of Lucca (from Lucca it's an easy train ride into Florence for the museums). For a hill town with romance, you can't go wrong with San Gimignano. Volterra is also very nice.

Auguri!

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