srossitto

My husband and I are traveling in the Spring of 2015. I have never seen the alps so would like to take in that view along with perhaps the most beautiful of the Italian lake region. I have also always wanted to travel to Austria or Switzerland for the experience. Can I do this in 9 days driving ourselves. We are not hikers but walkers. We would love walking but it can't be too strenuous. We want all of the beauty of the region with those wonderful little towns.

srossitto

IN reading some of the forums I am finding the weather might be a problem if we decide to travel this time of year in this area

bobthenavigator

When are you going?
Spring is 3 months.

sandralist

For the Italian Alps (the Dolomiti or the Montebianco area), spring is not a great time to go. Even at the very end of spring, the weather can be cloudy, rainy and foggy, and you just can't see the peaks.

But from mid-spring to June 21, the Italian lakes are certainly lovely, and I think by the second week in May many parts of the Swiss Alps get pretty nice weather. Just don't know about Austria. But if the trip is from late March to mid April, you run the risk of rainy weather spoiling the trip you've always wanted to take.

You will face added expenses renting a car in one country and dropping it off in another, and it will get even more expensive if you pick up the car outside Italy and drive it into Italy.

One option you might explore is flying to Milan airport and taking the one-hour bus ride from there to Lugano. Rent your car there (you can use it for a day trip to Bellagio in Italy), and then keep it for Switzerland. If you drive in Austria, be sure you understand what types of permits you need to buy.

Also consider skipping driving and using trains instead. Fly into one country and out of another.

swandav2000

Hi srossitto,

Certainly if you visit Swtizerland, you really don't need a car; in fact, it could hinder you. The best mountain towns are car-free, and all of the mountaintops are -- you'll find yourself on the trains and cable cars anyway, and your rental would just sit collecting fees. Parking can be tough to find and expensive. It's also just more fun to travel with/like the locals instead of being isolated inside your private bubble.

But, yes, for any mountain region, the springtime can be bad -- wet and dreary. Many cable car systems shut down for regular maintenance at that time, too. If that's the only time you can travel, then choose a town down the mountain in the flats, but nearby, so you'll have options for day-trips when the weather is bad. For Switzerland, that could mean staying in Bern or Thun instead of in the mountain towns of Wengen or Muerren.

Have fun as you plan!

s

neckervd

The weather is ALWAYS unpredictable for the alpine area. April can be drier or wetter than May or June.... There is absolutely no rule.
But there are areas which are drier all the year round (like the Swiss Rhone Valley from Brig to Sion - Lake Geneva) and there are areas which are always wetter (like the Northern slopes of the Alps: Interlaken - Lucerne - St. Gallen/Appenzell - Garmisch - Salzburg).
The best travel hub in Switzerland (3 climate zones within less than 1 hr of train travel) is the tiny medieval city center of Brig.

Dukey1

Breathtaking views? The Berner Oberland for sure.

nytraveler

Early spring is probably a bad idea - weather can be too cold, rainy and the best of spring - flowers etc won't be out et in the mountain areas. I would do this late May or June to get the best chance of good weather everywhere.

Also - your tie is quite limited and to see the mountains you need to allow more than one day - we were in Interlaken 3 days before we got decent weather to ascend the Jungfrau (other days the tops was wreathed in clouds even though it was sunny in the valley). We visited a number of nearby lakes and towns (we had a car) while we waited - and the area was charming - we really enjoyed it. But if you have only one day there your chances of seeing the mountaintop is not great.

coffeequeen

With 9 nights, you can easily see the Dolomites and maybe Lake Como area and a bit of Austria and Bavaria. We fly into/out of Munich for our trips to Bavaria, Austria and the Italian Dolomites. The Dolomites are maybe 3.5 to maybe hours drive from Munich. Renting cars in Germany is cheaper than Austria and Italy. Just return the car in Germany also. Here's a rough idea: arrive Munich airport and drive to Miitenwald. Stay the night. Drive to and stay in the Val Gardena (Dolomites) for 3 nights. Then Lake Como for 2 or 3 nights. Head back and stay in the Innsbruck area for a night. Then to the Munich airport area for a night.

You could also base in maybe 3 locations in Bavaria and Austria. For an alpine experience, Zell am See, Berchtesgaden area, Mittenwald/Garmisch area, Innsbruck area and the Zillertal are all good choices.

Big question is, what time in spring? That could mean late March to late May. Big difference.

Paul

bobthenavigator

Good advice, but no OP !

Timing means everything.

sandralist

>>With 9 nights, you can easily see the Dolomites...<<

It is really problematic to book a transatlantic journey to the Dolomiti in spring whether it is 9 night or 19 nights unless it is after the middle of June. It is easy to be in Munich and look at a weather forecast, but not so easy to make an international plan.

PalenQ

Breathtaking views? The Berner Oberland for sure:

https://www.google.com/search?q=imag...=1600&bih=1075

The dreamy Alpine wonderland of Switzerland perhaps etched in your minds' eyes but which is fulfilled only in a few spots - Zermatt and my favorite the awesome Jungfrau Region just up in the hills from Interlaken - stay in a Grindelwald or Wengen and have titillating panoramas of glacier-girdled peaks rising thousands of feet over lush cow-dotted meadows from your hotel balcony.

Trains are best for Alpine areas in Switzerland at least - cars cannot even penetrate the Jungfrau Region above a few parking lots or Zermatt - take the train and once there toy-like mountain trains go off in every direction as do thrilling aerial gondolas.

Austria is also good by train - one of the best rail networks in the world IME.

Italian Alps not so conducive to public transit but really you may want to concentrate on Switzerland and Austria in that short of time - the Alps there IMO are more spectacular than in Italy (though they are nice too but few glaciers, cable cars, tiny trains, etc.

For lots of great info on trains in those countries I always spotlight these IMO superb sources: www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com - these sites also have lots of info on the Jungfrau Region.

I'd spend at least three days in the Jungfrau Region where there are walks (and also hikes) for all degrees of energies.

srossitto

What amazing advise. We are flexible on time but thought of leaving around end of May. I have to absorb everything said here. I need to look at a map and see what this will be like as I try and map it out.

coffeequeen

After the middle of June, the weather doesn't suddenly become predictable and clear. We did a trip to the Dolomites and the Sud Tirol (Val Venosta), Austrian Alps and Bavaria in late April and had a very good time with pretty good weather.

The Bavarian and Austrian alps plus the Dolomites are all very easy flying into and out of Munich.

neckervd

Italy has tons of glaciers, the highest peaks of Europe (Mont Blanc, Aiguille de Bionassey, Aiguille du Geant,Aiguille de Tre la Tete, Grandes Jorasses, Aiguille de Triolet, Dent D'Herens, Matterhorn, Gobba di Rollin, Breithorn, Castore, Polluce, Lyskamm, Punta Parrot, Punta Gnifetti, Punta Zumstein, Punta Dufour, Punta Dunant, Nordend, Jaegerhorn, Gran Paradiso, Torre del Gran San Pietro, Piz Roseg, Piz Scerscen, Piz Bernina, Piz Zuppo, Piz Palu, Ortles, etc. all of them higher than 13000ft); but Palen is right, most of the some hundred cableways don't run in spring.

neckervd

Italy has tons of glaciers, the highest peaks of Europe (Mont Blanc, Aiguille de Bionassey, Aiguille du Geant,Aiguille de Tre la Tete, Grandes Jorasses, Aiguille de Triolet, Dent D'Herens, Matterhorn, Gobba di Rollin, Breithorn, Castore, Polluce, Lyskamm, Punta Parrot, Punta Gnifetti, Punta Zumstein, Punta Dufour, Punta Dunant, Nordend, Jaegerhorn, Gran Paradiso, Torre del Gran San Pietro, Piz Roseg, Piz Scerscen, Piz Bernina, Piz Zuppo, Piz Palu, Ortles, etc. all of them higher than 13000ft); but Palen is right, most of the some hundred cableways don't run in spring.

PalenQ

Yes Italy has it but IME if going by public transportation it is hard to get to say the Dolomites by train or bus - can do but not as simple as from Interlaken in 20 minutes to the Alpine Wonderland.

neckervd

Of course, because public transport in Switzerland is better; for example:
Zurich airport - Wengen: 3 1/4 hrs, trains about every 30 min, fare 90 USD
Venice airport - Cortina d'Ampezzo: 2 hrs, 2 direct buses per day, fare 35 USD
plus 6 bus-train-bus connections with 4 changes, 5 1/2 hrs, fare 18 USD