deladeb

After reading wonderful trip reports for hours I think I have narrowed our 14 nights to these 3 regions. (Engadine,Italian/Swiss Lakes and Dolomites)
(In 2005 we loved visiting the Berner Oberland,Vevey,Lucerne,Stein Am Rein,Lake Constance)
We will be flying in and out of Geneva.
My questions are 1) what would be the best amount of time to spend in each area? (We will be renting a car) 2)Should we add Chamonix or another destination? 3)What would be the most logical order? Thank-you.

Ingo

Congrats - excellent choices!

1) Depends, are you more of a mountain or lake person? Which time of year?

2) No.

3) Depends again. Which airport are you flying into/out? If Milan then Lakes, Engadine, Dolomites.

I.

GapYear2009

Which Engadine valley region? If upper, I recommend Sils-Maria; lower, then Guarda. Are you hikers?

TuckH

1) I'd suggest splitting your time equally amongst the 3 regions.
2) Why not? It's beautiful there and it's within an hour or so of Geneva and would make a good starting and/or ending point.
3) I'd try, if possible, to put The Lakes portion in the middle (for contrast) between the two mountainous areas.

flygirl

It may make more sense to fly into/out of Milan... although you could always spend the first day in Geneva!

bobthenavigator

Yes, why not Milan. The Dolomites are a long way from Geneva and your trip is really an east/west line. I would do 2 lakes destinations with that much time. Get your car in Lugano for better rates.

deladeb

Flygirl-Originally I hoped to fly into Munich and follow a similar plan that you will be doing. But I booked a much cheaper direct flight to Geneva.
Ingo-We love the mountains and lakes (last June we spent 2 weeks exploring the fjord regions of Norway and never got bored)We are going in mid-June and flying into and out of Geneva.
GapYear-What is the main difference in the upper and lower valley of the Engadine?
TuckH-So maybe lakes,Engadine,Dolomites and finish with Chamonix? Thanks

deladeb

Bob-I have already purchased the tickets in and out of Geneva (a savings of $450 each) I had been searching since December for a rate better than $1150 for Munich,Milan,Zurich etc and then finally... I would also like to thank-you for all of your tips you have given others over the years...one of the posts I read with your name was from 1998.

LLindaC

Hi there! We spent 2 summers in Switzerland. (05 and 06)

We loved the Engadine. Have you considered doing a trip by train and bus instead of driving? We found it so relaxing and the Swiiss transportation system is amazing. I loved all the areas around Scuol, Tarasp, Ardez and Guarda. I would have ventured even further east. However, we enjoyed our train trips intpo Pontresina, hiking up Muottas Muragl. You can also take the cable car...great views. What I didn't enjoy was St Moritz. What a dry, dull touristy place. The most spectacular place of all was Soglio. THE most gorgeous village I've ever seen. However, if I had to drive there, I'd be a total wreck...

We did Lugano on our first trip. I didn't like the town that much, but I did like the area. I would stay in a quieter place than Lugano...maybe Morcote.
Since you're coming from Geneva, consider visiting some of the beautiful valleys in the Valais. We spent a week in the Val D'Anniviers hiking to one tiny village after another. Take a look at Grimentz. You might enjoy driving through there, or the Val D"Herens for a taste of the real Switzerland.

TuckH

Here's how I'd do it...

Start at Chamonix, for a first night and another day or so, weather permitting. Then through the tunnel via the Val d'Aoste to The Lakes.

From the northeast corner of Lake Como, head into Switzerland's Val Bregaglia with a stop at Soglio (a must!). From there, the Upper Engadin with a dip into the Lower and a visit to Guarda (another must!).

On to the Dolomites via Val Müstair into Italy (stop at Glurns) and Merano, etc.

On the way back to Geneva, a last night in Annecy (an hour away) would be nice.

Ingo

I agree with Tuck except that I would drive back to Geneva via Simplon or Grand St. Bernhard pass and along the northern shore of Lake Geneva, probably with an overnight in one of the small towns there.

I.

deladeb

Thanks everyone, How many days in each area?

deladeb

Could we, should we include Zermatt?

Ingo

To quote Tuck:

"1) I'd suggest splitting your time equally amongst the 3 regions." Exactly.

No to Zermatt IMO.

LLindaC

There are other villages which are in beautiful settings. Zermatt is much more commercial and expensive...IMO sort of like St. Moritz as compared to Pontresina.

deladeb

Trying to plot out the days...Flying into Geneva in June...1 or 2 nights in Chamonix/Mont Blanc then heading into Lakes region (2 nights in 2 different areas?) from Lakes to Soglio and Guarda (3 nights?)then towards Dolomites via Val Mustair and Glurns and Merano (4 nights in Dolomites, (Split among 2 regions?)Drive back to Geneva with overnight before morning flight.

TuckH

Looks good.

>> Lakes region (2 nights in 2 different areas?) <<

I suggest 4 nights in or near Lugano, not 2 locations. Lake Lugano is the most scenic of The Lakes IMO. It's also equidistant to Maggiore and Como for day trips.

>> Dolomites, (Split among 2 regions?) <<

I suggest 3 or 4 nights in or near Castelrotto, not split into 2 regions. Devote at least a day to the Alpe di Siusi.

You'll be doing a lot of driving, so I think you should 'settle in' when you can...

Steve_James

Hi Del - I second TuckH's suggestion of just one base in the Dolomites.

Ortisei or Castelrotto would be good.

Steve