jeri

What is our route? Is there a scenic route? Any stops we should make along the way? Thanks

Tony

It is basically freeway all the way, by-passing Genoa and Milan, although in Italy the freeways are not free, you will be stopped a couple of times to pay moderate tolls.<BR>The real scenery starts when you cross the border into Switzlerand, and first traverse Mont Ceni, and then the Gotthard Pass and Tunnel. (Is the tunnel open? It was closed for a while I think, due to a serious accident)<BR>A good stopover, either for lunch or overnight, depending on the pace you are setting would be Lugano, just over the Swiss border. Here you can take time out for a leisurely stroll around the neat city centre, or take a highly recommended ferry ride on Lake Lugano, to blow away the driving cobwebs.<BR>My choice if time permits, would be an overnight in Lugano.

jeri

Will probably take autostada, but want someplace to stop for lunch? Sightsee a bit and then travel on...

Wayne

I have to make an assumption that if you want to sightsee along the way, you might want to take more than a day. On the other hand, you mentioned stopping for a lunch, as if it is in the singular, implying one day. So I'll give you an answer for a one day or two day trip. Also, if you want it scenic and like to stop in the smaller, picturesque villages, the route I will suggest might appeal to you more than driving along the autostrada/autobahn, which isn't always very scenic.....but such a route WILL take two days to really enjoy. So with a slow, scenic two-day route first in mind, here's what I suggest:<BR><BR>If you leave SML around 9:00 am, which seems to be a reasonable departure time, you can drive north past Genoa, then take the A26 north toward Alessandria, then to Vercelli, where you will turn northwest on the A4/A5 headed toward Aosta. About 10 to 15 miles before reaching Aosta, stop at the little town of St. Vincent, a great place to have lunch. Can't recall specific restaurants right now, but there are several good ones, and the town is kinda neat. After lunch, which I assume will take you to about 2:00 pm, drive past Aosta to Courmayeur, thru the Mont Blanc tunnel, and into Chamonix to spend your first night. This is a wonderfully scenic route, and you will be overwhelmed by the scenery around Chamonix. Stay at the Park Hotel for lower cost, or at the Hotel Mont-Blanc for slightly more. <BR><BR>The next day, drive northeast from Chamonix to Martigny, then along the autostrada paralleling the Rhone River all the way to the exit to Gletsch, then north to Meiringen and head west toward Interlaken, but take the exit north to Sarnen and then to Luzern. I guarantee you can't get any more scenery into a two day trip. Oh, and for lunch on the second day, you should be somewhere between Gletsch and Meiringen....Handegg is a neat place for lunch, high in the mountains right on the road to Meiringen, or there are several other small villages along the way.<BR><BR>For two days, this is the very best route I could think of. I've personally driven the identical route myself and it's one of my favorites. <BR><BR>For the one-day trip, I'd say follow Tony's advice and stay on the autobahn to Milan, Gotthard Tunnel, and on into Luzern. For a lunch break on this one-day route, my suggestion is to veer off the road a bit to the picturesque village of Morcote, one of the real jewels in Switzerland, only a few miles south of Lugano. There'll be an exit sign off the autostrada to Morcote, and it's only a mile or so and you are there. For a splurge lunch right on Lake Lugano, stop at the Hotel Olivella au Lac's restaurant on the shore of the lake. Otherwise, there are several nice, less fancy places in Morcote. <BR><BR>Either way, I know you'll enjoy it.

BOB THE NAVIGATOR

Jeri, Wayne knows his stuff--I concur with the Lugano/Morcote itinerary.

jeri

Wayne & Bob thanks for the routes and affirmation. We'll probably take the 1 day route.

Paul

Great job on the directions Wayne and Bob. We're going in the same direction in late Sept. and I can hardly wait to travel your suggested two day route in the Fall. I take it there is no problem with the Mt. Blanc tunnel now but still those long tunnels spook me at times even though I always assure my wife its OK. Even so, driving through the mountains of northern Italy and Switzerland is great. Thanks for the info.!

Anita

hi jeri,<BR>Here is how we drove from Santa Margherita Ligure to Basel (Switzerland) last October. A12 bypassing Genova to A26; south of Vercelli A26/4 to A4/5 to Aosta to E27<BR>Great St. Bernhard Pass to Martigny. E62 to Vevey and E27 to Bern, etc. We made a couple of pitstops on the way up to the pass and in Martigny at a huge reststop; had a nice meal (Swiss specialities) at the "Restoroute-Motel de la Gruyere, Avry-devant-Pont" (right off the freeway big reststop with stores) on the balcony overlooking a small lake and mountains of Gruyere. The drive to this point took about 5 1/2 hrs. and was very easy with beautiful views of the mountains. The tunnel fee was Euro 17.56.<BR>On the way down we took a different route: Basel to Kandersteg, where we connected with a car/train to Goppenstein. The fee was CHF 25.00 (for 1 car up to 9 passengers) no reservations required - first come first serve - they leave every 15, 20 or 30 min. depending on season and weekdays, resp. weekends. From Goppenstein to Brig (9) to Domodossola via the Simplon Pass. On to A26 and A12 to Sta. Margherita. <BR>You didn't say at what time of the year you intend to drive from Sta. Margherita to Lucerne. On weekends and holidays the Gotthard route is grievously congested!! You could adapt both our routes for your purpose and drive to Lucerne from Berne. If you feel like it you could even drive from Aigle on rt. 11 through the "Simmental" via Spiez/Interlaken and N8 (Bruenig Pass) to Lucerne. But that is too exhausting in one day in my humble opinion.....