Help: Should we drive from Florence to Lake Lucerne in one go or stop overnight?
 

Here is my question: Which scenario is better? <BR>1. Leave Florence (or probably south of Florence), check out Pisa (briefly), go up the coast, perhaos check out Carrara,then stay overnight near Parma, e.g Tabagno Terme; continue on to Lake Lucerne the next day, probably arriving in the early afternoon. <BR>2. Stay one more day in Chianti (4 instead of 3); perhaps have checked out Pisa before our do it now. Then step on the gas pedal and make it to Lake Lucerne. <BR> <BR>My husband favors version 2; I think 1 might be better since our kids aren't good on long car rides and Cararra, St. Gotthard area, etc. might be nice; eventually stop near Lugano or hereabouts (or is it Locarno??) <BR> <BR>I guess it laso depends on how long a drive it is from Florence/Pisa to Lake Lucerne (teh south corner not Lucerne itself). <BR>Thanks!

My inclination would be a variant of option 1. From Florence through Pisa and then up the coast past La Spezia, and then slowing down along the Cinque Terre, and overnighting at Santa Margarethe or Rapallo, from where you can easily visit Portofino by boat, car or bus. I would'nt go back towards Parma, as you will miss the best part of the coast. <BR>Next day freeway past Genoa, except it is'nt free - tollway to be precise, and past Milan to the Swiss border, and then stop for lunch by the lake at either Como or Lugano - Lugano would be my choice. From Lugano a spectacular afternoon drive over the Gothard to <BR>Lake Lucerne.

Sounds like a tempting, but a bit ambitious, trip. How long is the drive from Pisa to Milano, and from Milano to Lake Lucerne?

Pisa-Milano is about 170 miles, say 3 hours. <BR> <BR>Milano-Luzern is 150 miles. 3 hours? Perhaps a bit more. <BR> <BR>twenj

That's about what I figured. What scenario would you recommend?

Ingrid, I would go as far as Lugano the first day---you can do that in less than 5 hours and still have time to enjoy the area--perhaps stopping at Portofino for lunch enroute. Have fun !