Our family will be spending 3 days in Pontresina in early June. Thought we would visit Lake Como for 2 or 3 nights. We are traveling by train with a Swiss pass so
would probably arrive by way of the Bernina Express bus. What town would you suggest we stay in and can you recommend any 3 star hotels. Thanks for your help.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17424 posts
The Bernina Express bus will take you to Lugano, and you could take the train from there to the town of Como. But it would be easier, faster, and probably less expensive to skip the bus and go directly by train from the last stop on the BE train ( Tirano) to Varenna right on Lake Como. Varenna has several nice hotels, including our favorite Albergo Milano, plus highly regarded Hotel du Lac, and Eremo Gaudio perched high above town. Albergo has a couple of apartment options as well as a large room in Casa Rossa that would work for a family.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17424 posts
More details: The Bernina Express bus takes 3 hours to go from Tirano to Lugano, and there is only one a day, departing Tirano at 14:20. There is a 12 CHF mandatory reservation fee, so even if you have a Swiss Pass this bus is not free. And you do not end up on Lake como The train from Tirano to Varenna takes 1/5 hours and costs 7 euro in 2d class. There are departures every 2 hours, at 10:36, 12:36, 12:36, etc. Website for Albergo Milano: http://www.varenna.net/
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32350 posts
Carolyn, I definitely agree with the suggestions that Lola mentioned. Your best bet would be train from Tirano to Varenna. That train will probably be a Regionale, so DON'T FORGET to validate your tickets prior to boarding the train While in Varenna you could take a day trip to Bellagio (about 20 minutes by Ferry) or other places along the lake. Staying there will also facilitate your ongoing journey, as it's only about an hour from there to Milan. For travel in June, I would highly recommend getting a hotel in Varenna booked SOON! At this late date, you may have trouble finding something, and may have to take what you can get. In addition to Albergo Milano and Eremo Gaudio, you could also check: > Hotel Royal Victoria > Hotel Villa Cipressi > Albergo Olivedo > Hotel du Lac Good luck and happy travels!
Posted by
Columbia, MO, USA
249 posts
I'll second Albergo Milano-we loved it in Varenna. Seven-minute walk from train station. Ferry to Bellagio/Menagio provides scenic views of the area.
Posted by
OP
beverly, ma
4 posts
Thanks for all the feedback! We booked at Hotel Olivedo and are looking forward to exploring the area. Lola, thanks for all the transportation detail! That was very helpful.