Where for a true Switzerland experience.

Please define what a true Switzerland experience for you would be.

Lugano is a very nice area and so easy to reach from Lake como.
U can even get there by bus from Menaggio.
Also for a train ride away is Lucerne. Beautiful town and easy quick access to Mt Pilatus or Rigi Kaltbad mtns areas.

What I picture in my mind are beautiful mountains, maybe some cows, just sort of how you have been shown Switzerland in movies all these years.

I think that the OP is asking us to define the 'true Swiss experience'.

Two things:

1. Appenzell
2. The SAC-CAS huts: http://www.sac-cas.ch/huetten.html , http://www.sac-cas.ch/huetten/huette-suchen.html

Those are true Swiss experiences.

Or you can listen to the 'Muerren/Gimmelwald Overture', it plays pretty regularly in the Swiss forums. Lots of folks like that tune a lot.

Bon voyage!

Yes, that's pretty much it. I grew up with Heidi, what can I say. When I looked at Lugano it reminded me of Lake Como and since I was thinking of spending some time there I wasn't sure that was what I was looking for. Is Lucerne what I had envisioned?

I like Lugano but it wouldn't be where I'd head for a Swiss experience after having been in Italy. They speak Italian in Lugano, and the city has a semi-Italian vibe (makes it a great stop on a Swiss tour).

The Lauterbrunnen/Muerren area seems to be just about everyone's favorite Swiss Alpine experience, Lucerne is a very nice lake town, and Appenzell is picturesque dairy country (cows!). I don't think it's viable to try to hit all of them in four days. Even two of them might be pushing it. Take a look at your train time into and out of Lauterbrunnen. Will it take you all day to get there and to return to Italy? It's a long slog from Venice, a bit quicker from Florence, and considerably better from Milan.

Edited to add: You didn't mention how much time you have. There's a great deal to see in Italy itself, and both hotels and food are much less expensive on the Italian side of the border. The Dolomites are lovely. You could spend your extra time in a picturesque town like Ortisei. It's a beautiful area with very good bus transportation, so you don't have to drive. Chair lifts will take you up high for spectacular walks of varying degrees of difficulty.

You envisioned Appenzell (although Mainfeld has adopted Heidi, her story, and built a small house...). Give it a try. Stay in the mountains the whole time you are there. Look up Ebenalp...and the areas around there--they are all in Appenzell.

Lauterbrunnen and Appenzell both look pretty wonderful!

Second for the Dolomites.

Rifugios like Graffer and Tucker, little huts like Rifigio Nambino tucked away near Madonna di Campiglio. See the ice man while you are down in that area.

I don't know how it would be for train travel--maybe someone could speak to that. Beautiful, though.

We just came back from a trip and the Berner Oberland was our favorite area on our trip, and we stayed in Murren. It's hard to convey how amazing it was to sit on a deck and look up at these majestic alps right in front of you (felt like I was sitting in front of a postcard). I took plenty of pictures coming down from the Jungfraujoch on the train of the rolling green hills. We also explored country outside Lausanne, specifically in the Broc and Gruyeres areas and it sounds like that might be what you're looking for too (but both would be hard in four nights). Our other stop was Lucerne and while pretty, it didn't have the same feeling that the other two areas did.

Ok, I'll add to the chorus. It sounds like the experience you're looking for is the Berner Oberland just outside Interlaken (Lauterbrunnen / Mürren / Gimmelwald). That ticks all the boxes - fantastic scenery, cows with bells on their necks, nice hiking opportunities and some interesting sights in the area (Schilthorn, Jungfraujoch). It's also quite easy to reach from Milan, although it will require a longer travel day. While there be sure to try some of the local delicacies such at Rösti.

If you're adventurous and want to see the incredible scenery from the air, sign up for a short Paragliding flight. It provides a unique perspective. You can also watch the Base Jumpers as that's a popular area for them.

When visiting anywhere in Switzerland, bring money as it's very expensive!

Of course the Lauterbrunnen Valley area and surrounding Alpine villages of Murren, Wengen and Gimmelwald is the obvious answer.

Close to Italy, you might consider Riederalp or Bettmeralp. Get off at Brig, the first station in Switzerland coming out of the Simplon Tunnel from Italy. A short train ride to Moerel or Betten, then take one of the cable cars up. But I think sheep and goats maybe more plentiful than cows. Get a view of the end of the Aletsch Glacier coming down from the south side of the Jungfrau. Europe's highest golf course. What could be more Swiss than that?

Thank you everyone! Since I am still at the "talk my husband into this trip " stage, these beautiful places should be very helpful! I just won't show him the "bring money " part. It looks like I could easily spend the whole trip in Switzerland but it might be more economical to stick with my original plan.

From what you have described, I echo what many of the other posters have suggested and would say the Berner Oberland would be a good choice, especially if you stayed up in the mountains above Lauterbrunnen in Murren, Gimmelwald or Wengen. It's certainly Rick's favorite part of Switzerland and just what many Americans envision as a true Switzerland experience.

Another similar option, especially if you will be in the Lake Como area would be to take a local train to Tirano (1.5 hours from Varenna, on Lake Como) and catch one of the most beautiful scenic trains in Switzerland, the Bernina Express to Pontresina. See this website for details: https://www.rhb.ch/en/panoramic-trains/bernina-express#info

Having done all the Swiss scenic train rides, The Bernina Express and the Golden Pass are my two personal favorites. You could easily spend 3 or 4 days in the Pontresina-St. Moritz-Samedan area, which is beautiful, then take the train back to Italy.

The scenic train looks wonderful!

Stay in Murren, in the Alps....absolutely beautiful with mountains, cows and very nice people.