nandshah

My parents are travelling to Italy and Switzerland in October and they would like to cover Milan, Venice, Rome and Zurich. They would like to start with Milan. I'd like to have suggestions on what the plan should look like after Milan. The preferred mode is by train and keeping travel time to the minimum.

china_cat

I would consider starting in Switzerland and going south. The weather will start to get bad in the mountains in October, so it really might make sense to start there, ands end in Rome.

Also, why Zurich? Its got some nice things, but generally is not one of themore interesting/scenic/popular cities in Switzerland. I suppose they want to fly from there, which is fine, but I would be more inclined to spend time in Lucerne, or visiting the mountains.

Which then leads to the final question...what are you really asking? Presumably your parents have a reason for picking the cities they have picked. What do they plan to see, what are their interests? How can we help with a plan if we have no idea what they wish to accomplish?

Sassafrass

How many days will they actually have on the ground?

nandshah

You are right about Zurich- they just want to fly out from there but want to visit Lucerne and other places there.

They need to be a Milan for a trade show and they are inclined to see history in Rome and the beauty of Venice. They also had Paris on their mind but that has been dropped. If I can give them sound reasons to trade Paris for Rome, they will probably consider. They need to be in Milan anytime between Oct5th-10th for 2 days.

I will appreciate if you can suggest a good plan for them.

nandshah

They have about 11-12 days on the ground

nandshah

guys, would appreciate a response.

vincenzo32951

I think the lack of response may have to do with what seems like a vague inquiry.

I assume you're asking for suggestions about the number of days in each place and order of itinerary? Can we assume Milan is their arrival city? You haven't provided that information. And now you're thinking about their skipping Rome and replacing it with Paris? That entails a major change in itinerary.

I suggest you provide arrival and departure cities (if that's locked in) and a firm idea of the places to be visited.

nandshah

alright, let me make it clearer.

They will be landing in Milan, they need to be here for 2 days for sure on business. They also plan to visit Venice, Paris, Zurich. I need suggestions on what might be the best route to follow after Milan on train. They can end their journey in any of these cities.

I also need suggestions on how many days they can spend on each locations. They have about 11-12 days on ground. In Switzerland, what locations can they cover making Zurich their base? For health reasons, my father won't be able to walk too much. Also, they have less interest in history/museums. I hope that this is sufficient info to invite responses.

mcnyc

I would suggest Milan-Zurich-Paris-Venice as an itinerary. As for how many days to spend at each place, well, that depends on the person. I could spend all 2 weeks in Paris or Venice and be happy as a clam. Give me a week in Milan, and I'll be looking for day trips immediately (actually, that's what brings me back to Fodors).

The places you noted are all walking cities, although public transportation is wonderful and convenient. But depending on public transportation to explore means being at the whim of where it leaves you.

Have they purchased tickets? Maybe they can arrive Milan, and leave from Venice (if they follow my itinerary). Ideally, they would arrive Venice, stay a few days (at least 3, plus, it's the Biennale this year if they like art), train over to Milan (2 hrs), train over to Zurich (4 hrs), then train over to Paris (4.5 hrs).

Also, what is it that they are interested in? I see not history or museums, so I guess just scenic?

vincenzo32951

BTW: Venice can be a challenge for someone with mobility problems. It's a city best done by walking -- lots of walking. Yes, there are the vaporetti, but getting around by foot is a necessity, and there are lots of small up-and-down bridges to traverse.

I don't know how limited your father is, but this could be a real consideration, IMHO, for the Venice part of the trip. Maybe the problem could be solved by centrally located accommodations and careful planning about which sites to see.