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Alternatives For Switzerland

First of all, I am amazed by the quality of answers in this forum. I need your help for our trip to Switzerland in the beginning of october. We as a couple of 36 years of marriage, plan to start from Varenna/Como and then tour Switzerland and then either return to Milano or continue to Lake Constanz, Munchen and Salzburg. We plan to travel by train and because of not wanting to carry luggage too much we want to stay about three nights at each town. If we return to Milano the trip will take 10 days, otherwise we might be flexible. Our basic aim is to enjoy nature although we are not able to walk long distances and also see small Swiss towns. We thought of staying in Varenna 3 nights, then go to Tirano to take Bernina express, stay somewhere in between (where could that be?) Tirano and Interlaken for one or two nights, continue to Murren or similar town, then go to Lucern and come back to Milano through Lugano maybe. Another route could be after Murren go to Lake Constanz, then Munchen, take a daily tour towards Salzburg and return home from Munchen. (Both min 10 max 14 days)
Could you please help me where we should stop over before continuing to Interlaken area at the Bernina Express? Secondly how can we go to Lake Constanz and then to Munchen from Interlaken area? Any other suggestion will be more than welcome. Many thanks.

Posted by
21274 posts

Your plan looks to be well thought out and doable. I'll start off by suggesting St Moritz. This resort is not on the RS radar screen because it has a glitzy reputation, but being that it is between Summer season and ski season, you should be able to secure reasonable lodging. This is a historic resort town because this is where the whole Winter mountain holiday industry was invented (on a bet between an entrepreneurial Swiss hotel owner and a group of upper class English people). I have only been there once on a day trip from Davos, but it is interesting, beautiful, and I think, worth a stop on your way between Tirano and Interlaken. I know the St Moritz tourist bureau is always keen to provide information.

Posted by
17580 posts

Your plan sounds good. We typically travel in Switzerland with 3-night stops at varios places. We go for hiking but one could enjoy the same scenery from a more placid point of view, such as one's own balcony at the hotel. From landing in Milan, you travel to Milano Centrale and take a regional train one hour to Varenna. I highly recommend Albergo Milano as a place to stay; we spent 3 nights there and liked it a lot. From Varenna travel to Tirano and meet the Bernina Express. st. moritz is a possibility for an intermediate stop, or you could also consider Pontresina, which is a town rather than a ski resort. Or travel up to Sils Maria ( have not been there but a good friend who goes often says it is her favorite in the area). Then you will travel onward to Chur and to Luzern to pick up the train to Interlaken. You could stay in either Wengen or Mürren, depending on where you find a hotel you like.