Italy, Switzerland trip ideas
May 28th, 2014, 06:22 PM
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Italy, Switzerland trip ideas
We're thinking of going to Italy (flying into Milan) and/or Switzerland (Geneva) this July. It's a last minute trip and we'll likely decide btw the two based on ticket prices. No specific agenda - we'll be there for 7-8 days and thinking of renting a car. Never been to either country.
I was thinking of a few road trips - Milan to Turn or Milan to Venice or maybe Milan to Geneva (or vice versa) and spend a few days in both? Has anyone ever done these and would recommend them (on a car or without)? How hard and scenic is the drive? I wouldn't mind stopping in an in-between city/town for a night as well.
We don't speak a word of Italian (except whatever we can learn from now till then) but one of us speaks a little French - is Geneva better for that? We're just looking to see the country but limit Coliseum-style large tourist attractions - alternate a large city for a few days with a few days in the countryside.
Thank you for any good ideas
I was thinking of a few road trips - Milan to Turn or Milan to Venice or maybe Milan to Geneva (or vice versa) and spend a few days in both? Has anyone ever done these and would recommend them (on a car or without)? How hard and scenic is the drive? I wouldn't mind stopping in an in-between city/town for a night as well.
We don't speak a word of Italian (except whatever we can learn from now till then) but one of us speaks a little French - is Geneva better for that? We're just looking to see the country but limit Coliseum-style large tourist attractions - alternate a large city for a few days with a few days in the countryside.
Thank you for any good ideas
May 28th, 2014, 07:09 PM
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My advice is to actually think more carefully about where you want to visit, what your interests are in each country and aim for that. Sometimes cheap tickets end up costing time and more money to get to the places you really want to be. Example: if you were coming to the US and wanted to visit NY or DC, it would not save money if you got cheap tickets to say, Pittsburg, and then had to drive or fly down to DC or up to NY. That would eat up some of your expensive vacation time and cost money for car rental or flights going and returning, not at all cost effective.
In general, in Italy, you would want a car only for touring quite rural areas and use trains for most travel, especially city to city. Examples: Milan to Venice is usually best by train, Tuscany usually better by car.
While it is nice to speak the language, you will get along just fine without it.
You will be spending a lot of money just to get to Europe. Just getting a car and going may not net you much enjoyment without being selective about where you go. Since you have not been to either country, what attracts you to them? Think a bit more about that before buying tickets.
In general, in Italy, you would want a car only for touring quite rural areas and use trains for most travel, especially city to city. Examples: Milan to Venice is usually best by train, Tuscany usually better by car.
While it is nice to speak the language, you will get along just fine without it.
You will be spending a lot of money just to get to Europe. Just getting a car and going may not net you much enjoyment without being selective about where you go. Since you have not been to either country, what attracts you to them? Think a bit more about that before buying tickets.
May 28th, 2014, 07:17 PM
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My husband and I went to Italy last year and loved it. This July we are heading to France.
First off I have never been to Italy before last year and was trying to pack in so much in 3 weeks. You only have 7-8 days. I would not try to drive too much since you don't have too much time. The train system is great in Italy.
Here is what we did:
Flew into Rome and and took a train straight to Florence. We spent 7 days in Florence and the Tuscan region and still feel it was not enough. We did not have a car. We trained to Venice. We purchased a round trip ticket the day before or departure. We left around 10am and our return trip was for about 7pm. Needless to say that we exchanged our return ticket for 4 pm if that tells you anything. We were not a fan but glad we went. We took a Vespa tour to the wine county which was a full day in itself and I would return to Florence just for that activity alone. You can find this tour on viator.com under tours and sightseeing. We also did a bike tour around the same region because we loved it so much.
Milan has not much to see and is not that interesting in my opinion.
I would not try to fit 2 countries in such a short amount of time. If you want to do northern Italy, I would fly into Milan, head straight to the Lake Como area. You can see the Swiss alps from there is you really want to get a taste of Switzerland.. From Lake Como head to Florence and stay their the rest of your trip and fly out of Florence. Take a day trip to Venice from Florence to avoid checking in/out of a hotel in Venice. I don't think you need more Han 1 day thee, but some may disagree.
If you want to stay away from Northern Italy, fly into Florence, stay a few days. Head to Rome or Capri and fly out of Naples or Rome.
We flew in and out of Rome. The day we flew in, we headed to Florence right away, from there trained to Naples and took a ferry to Capri. From there, took a train to Rome and flew out of Rome. The first day of travel was not very bad as people said it would be since we slept through the night. As we normally would. We took a flight out of he US in the evening and arrived in Rome around 7am. We settled into our apartment in Florence by 10:30 am and were out exploring by noon. The adrenaline of finally being I Italy was plenty to keep us up all day and take in the surroundings.
Hope this helps!
First off I have never been to Italy before last year and was trying to pack in so much in 3 weeks. You only have 7-8 days. I would not try to drive too much since you don't have too much time. The train system is great in Italy.
Here is what we did:
Flew into Rome and and took a train straight to Florence. We spent 7 days in Florence and the Tuscan region and still feel it was not enough. We did not have a car. We trained to Venice. We purchased a round trip ticket the day before or departure. We left around 10am and our return trip was for about 7pm. Needless to say that we exchanged our return ticket for 4 pm if that tells you anything. We were not a fan but glad we went. We took a Vespa tour to the wine county which was a full day in itself and I would return to Florence just for that activity alone. You can find this tour on viator.com under tours and sightseeing. We also did a bike tour around the same region because we loved it so much.
Milan has not much to see and is not that interesting in my opinion.
I would not try to fit 2 countries in such a short amount of time. If you want to do northern Italy, I would fly into Milan, head straight to the Lake Como area. You can see the Swiss alps from there is you really want to get a taste of Switzerland.
. From Lake Como head to Florence and stay their the rest of your trip and fly out of Florence. Take a day trip to Venice from Florence to avoid checking in/out of a hotel in Venice. I don't think you need more Han 1 day thee, but some may disagree. If you want to stay away from Northern Italy, fly into Florence, stay a few days. Head to Rome or Capri and fly out of Naples or Rome.
We flew in and out of Rome. The day we flew in, we headed to Florence right away, from there trained to Naples and took a ferry to Capri. From there, took a train to Rome and flew out of Rome. The first day of travel was not very bad as people said it would be since we slept through the night. As we normally would. We took a flight out of he US in the evening and arrived in Rome around 7am. We settled into our apartment in Florence by 10:30 am and were out exploring by noon. The adrenaline of finally being I Italy was plenty to keep us up all day and take in the surroundings.
Hope this helps!
May 28th, 2014, 07:23 PM
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I want to add we were In Italy for 3 weeks and feel that if we tried to pack more, we would not have enjoyed it as much as we did. You are spending so much money already. Go there to create memories not just to see and forget. Otherwise, you will only be left with bragging rights to say that "yes I have been to Italy and Switzerland"
May 28th, 2014, 09:49 PM
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I haven't been to either country before, but I am going to both in September and I've done a lot of planning already (bar the second half of Switzerland). So while I can't give you any specific advice the way others can, a suggestion I can give you is to just write out some of the top things you would like to do in each country (preferably each city if you have an idea) and then choose based on the list that makes you excited. Over 90% of the people we talked to told us not to spend as much time in Milan - that usually a day is enough as there isn't much to see. But my travel companion and I love fashion and Milan is one of the destinations we are most excited about, whereas Geneva is on our list but we aren't planning to spend more than a night there. If you really want to go to both you can split those days between Northern Italy and Switzerland, but you would miss a lot. Since you have limited vacation time, I'd go for something you really want to do.
May 29th, 2014, 04:33 AM
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"How hard and scenic is the drive?"
Milan Malpensa airport - Marcallo Mesero - Turin: all motorway, mega easy and mega boring
Milan town - viale Certosa - Turin: all motorway, mega easy and mega boring
Milan Malpensa airport or Milan town - Venice: all motorway, mega easy and mega boring
Milan Malpensa airport or Milan town - Simplon Pass - Lausanne - Geneva: scenic, along 2 lakes and over a mountain pass, easy, most of it motorway
Milan Malpensa airport - Marcallo Mesero - Ivrea - Chamonix - Geneva: scenic, through the highest mountain area of Western Europe, easy, most of it motorway
Milan town - Viale Certosa - Ivrea - Chamonix - Geneva: scenic, through the highest mountain area of Western Europe, easy, most of it motorway
Milan Malpensa airport - Marcallo Mesero - Turin: all motorway, mega easy and mega boring
Milan town - viale Certosa - Turin: all motorway, mega easy and mega boring
Milan Malpensa airport or Milan town - Venice: all motorway, mega easy and mega boring
Milan Malpensa airport or Milan town - Simplon Pass - Lausanne - Geneva: scenic, along 2 lakes and over a mountain pass, easy, most of it motorway
Milan Malpensa airport - Marcallo Mesero - Ivrea - Chamonix - Geneva: scenic, through the highest mountain area of Western Europe, easy, most of it motorway
Milan town - Viale Certosa - Ivrea - Chamonix - Geneva: scenic, through the highest mountain area of Western Europe, easy, most of it motorway
May 29th, 2014, 05:11 AM
#7
"Mega easy"
Neckervd: your information is invaluable. I hope Fodor's appreciates all your knowledge. I'm not sure if you're a born and bred Swiss or just a long-time expat, but you certainly know your stuff; including "mega".
Neckervd: your information is invaluable. I hope Fodor's appreciates all your knowledge. I'm not sure if you're a born and bred Swiss or just a long-time expat, but you certainly know your stuff; including "mega".
May 29th, 2014, 05:47 AM
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I would not try to visit two countries in 7-8 days. Choose one. If Switzerland, don't include Geneva which, thought a pretty city doesn't offer much to a tourist. Try Lucerne and/or the Berner Overland.
If Italy, fly into Venice and take the train to Rome. Fly home from there. Sassafrass is correct. Getting the cheapest tickets often turns out to be more expensive if you don't have an interest in that place.
A car might work for Switzerland but trains would serve the purpose better for Italy.
If Italy, fly into Venice and take the train to Rome. Fly home from there. Sassafrass is correct. Getting the cheapest tickets often turns out to be more expensive if you don't have an interest in that place.
A car might work for Switzerland but trains would serve the purpose better for Italy.
May 29th, 2014, 08:13 AM
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Thanks so much for all the tips. I should have added we're not trying to see as much of Italy or Switzerland as possible, just get a taste. Saving Rome for another trip.
As someone who lived in NYC for 6 years, I've learned the only "New Yorkers" in Times Square, Empire State, etc are there by accident and cursing out the tourists so trying to limit places like that.
Neckervd - thanks for the trip itineraries. Looking into the Milan-Ivrea-Chamonix-Geneva. That sounds like an amazing trip.
As someone who lived in NYC for 6 years, I've learned the only "New Yorkers" in Times Square, Empire State, etc are there by accident and cursing out the tourists so trying to limit places like that.
Neckervd - thanks for the trip itineraries. Looking into the Milan-Ivrea-Chamonix-Geneva. That sounds like an amazing trip.
May 29th, 2014, 09:14 AM
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tskittles, based on how I understood your first post, I would agree with you that the itinerary that Neckervd described and that you chose, is probably a good choice.
Some others seemed to want to send you off to major tourism centers, and that wasn't what I read into your original question. It's hard to go to Italy without people wanting to send you to Rome, Florence, Tuscany or Venice. However, you should plan the kind of trip that you want, not what everyone thinks you ought to do.
If you just want to drive and see scenery, there is certainly nothing wrong with that.
Some others seemed to want to send you off to major tourism centers, and that wasn't what I read into your original question. It's hard to go to Italy without people wanting to send you to Rome, Florence, Tuscany or Venice. However, you should plan the kind of trip that you want, not what everyone thinks you ought to do.
If you just want to drive and see scenery, there is certainly nothing wrong with that.
May 29th, 2014, 12:45 PM
#14
Several times I've flown into Geneva, stayed around Vevey/Montreux, then taken a train to Milan and Venice. Fantastic trips (but I had 2-3 weeks each time).
Don't know anything about doing it by rental car. I've always just gone by train.
Don't know anything about doing it by rental car. I've always just gone by train.
