Good morning.

We are planning a two week trip end of June/July from US that has to begin/end in Zurich (business travel). The first 3-4 nights must be in Ascona, then free to explore. We'd like to do the following, and not sure the best way, especially the Swiss Alps stay. Will be traveling by train and hired car as needed. We could take a train (I think?) from Ascona through Alps, tut then we'd have to work our way all the way south to Florence. Seems the more logical route is to plan Alps between Venice and Zurich? Here's the wish list and thanks for suggestions!

Ascona - 3-4 days
Florence - 2 days
Tuscan town for wineries - 2 days (which is best given itinerary and no car)
Venice - 2-3 days
IS THERE A TRAIN THAT'S BEST THROUGH ALPS ENROUTE? TOWN TO STAY ENROUTE?
Swiss Alps - 2 days
Zurich - 1-2 days - DEPARTURE

the most scenic train is the Bernina Pass Railway IME and IMO - take a regional train from Milan (after Venice to Milan) up to Tirano and switch to the Bernina Pass trains that climb up and over the Bernina Pass - one of the few if not the only trans-alpine railway running north to south that goes up and over the Alps and not tunneling under them - up top is a Top of the World scenery - glaciers feeding idyllic Alpine lakes - rugged Alps - stay in Pontresina or St Moritz the next day and slowly explore this fantastic region.


From St Moritz or Pontresina or other base it's about 3-4 hours by train via Chur to Zurich.

https://www.google.com/search?q=bern...HXJ6BPwQsAQIGw

For lots of Swiss trains check www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

The day in St Moritz area explore the surrounding Engadine - buses and trains and gondolas take you fact to face with the high Alps.

https://www.google.com/search?q=enga...HQebA6YQsAQIGw

You can easily go Venice-Milan-St Moritz in one rather longish day on trains or stay in say Tirano and take the Bernina Pass Railway the next day. Tirano however is merely a transit town with little Alpine atmosphere.

Ascona/Locarno - Florence takes about 5 hrs by train (via Lugano - Milan).
As an alternative, you could go by Lake Maggiore boat from Ascona dp 9.20 to Stresa ar 12.40 and continue by train Stresa dp 13.21 - Florence ar 16.59

It's also possible to visit the longest glacier of the Alps (Aletsch Glacier) in a day trip by scenic train and gondola from Ascona (3 1/4 hrs one way).

Another day trip from Ascona could bring you in 4 hrs to Saas Fee and then by gondola and rope railway to Mittalallalin (3800m), a revolving restaurant in the middle of glaciers.
http://www.myswitzerland.com/en-ch/m...ain-world.html

Venice - Zurich, most popular itinerary:

Venice dp by bus 7.30 - Vigo di Fassa 12.35/13.13 - Bolzano/Bozen ar 14.23, visit Bolzano, dp by train 16.35 - Mals ar 18.55 - Swiss PostBus - Mustair ar 19.31 . Sleep at Mustair.
Mustair dp 9.13 by Swiss PostBus - Stelvio Pass (2777m) - Bormio - Tirano - Bernina Express - Pontresina ar 16.02.

Don't waste a full day at Zurich, there is not much to see.

Thanks so much for these ideas, which are very helpful and make enormous sense. The detail on trains, buses and itineraries is just what was needed!