We normally lay out our travel plans very far ahead, but this time time slipped away from me...
We'll be in Europe June 29-July 9th, and need to finalize itinerary ASAP as many places are already booked.We enjoy fast paced travel and long road trips, having done many of them in Europe and all the other continents. So it may seem very busy to some - but we actually prefer it this way.I love driving mountain roads, and am really looking forward to long and windy drives.
On our many trips, we've discovered that we like the driving days to be about 4 hrs worth of driving, we don't like to move nightly, but don't like to spend more than 2 nights in one place either.

We are 2 adults 2 teens. One of the kids had knee surgery a 3 weeks ago, so not sure of her hiking ability and general mobility for long walks at the time of travel (part of the reason driving tour was selected).

For various reasons, arrival and departure points are fixed and were not optional.

I would greatly appreciate feedback and suggestions.

Option 1

June 29 - Brussels..city tour.
June 30- Brussels.
July 1 - Brussels - Luxembourg - Metz - Strausbourg.
July 2 - Strausbourg - Lucerne - Mt Titlis? - Sarnen.
July 3 - Sarnen, excursion to Jungfrau.
July 4 - Sarnen - Mt Rigi - St. Moritz
July 5 - St Moritz -relax, light hiking around area, cable car, etc.
July 6 - long day....St Moritz-Como-Milan-Chamonix
July 7 - Chamonix - cable car, light hikes, paragliding, etc.
July 8 - Chamonix - Geneva, city tour etc.
July 9 - Depart Geneva

or Option 1A

July 6 - St Moritz--Bernina Pass- Como-Milan
July 7 - Milan - Chamonix
July 8 Chamonix - cable car, light hikes, paragliding, etc.
July 9 - Chamonix - GVA


Total time 16 h 12 min
1,412 km

Alternatively,

Option 2

July 6 -Glacier Express St Moritz - Zermatt (very few seats remaining)
July 7 - Zermatt
July 8 - Zermatt - Geneva
July 9 - Depart Geneva

Option 2 would include Glacier express, but may not provide as much opportunity to see different landscapes.

We are also open to adding/subtracting nights from different destinations.

Suggestions would be welcome.

GEX to me is one of Europe's most highly publicized scenic trains but not one of its most scenic trains - plenty more scenic like all in the Jungfrau Region and also lots of roads you will take like in and around St-Moritz-be sure to drive up to the Bernina Pass (or take trains that basically run the same route) but forget that marathon GEX train.

I'd stay Grindelwald (accessible by car) forf two nights rather than commute in just to do then super-crowded Jungfraujoch trains but also do some other excursions in the awesome area. Grindelwald - from hotel balconies you have views of glacier-girdled Jungfrau Massif - and do things like the supereasy and fairly flat gently descending Panoramic Walk between The Mannlichen and Kleine Scheidegg (very easy).

Also get a free Family Pass from any train station if kids are under 16 so they always go free on any conveyance adults pay for - adults may want to buy a Half-Fare Card for 50% off every conveyance - almost pays for self on Jungfrau Railway - any for lots on Swiss trains like GEX check www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.ricksteves.com and BETS-European Rail Experts and www.seat61.com.

I'd forego Milan and head straight from St Moritz to Domodossola and then for a thrill take the Simplon Pass road up and over the Alps instead of putting car on train and tunneling thru the Alps - really could be a highlight of your driving trip.

Thanks for your thoughts!
Glad to hear GEX is not the destination some brochures make it out to be...we generally enjoy driving more than trains (well, I enjoy driving more than trains, and I make the itinerary )
One of the kids is just under 16, so we were planning to get the pass, thanks.
If we want to get from StM to Chamonix, via Bernina Pass - the road lies through Lake Como Milan. We have been to Italy many times, and to that region as well, but never to Milan or Como. I would imagine Lake Como is somewhat similar to Guarda where we've been, but Milan has interesting sights for a day.

So I think we'll go with Sarnen 2N - StM 2N - Milan 1N - Chamonix 2N, and head straight to GVA skipping the city.

Lots of driving and little time in each place IMO - might forego Chamonix this time and spread out time to you need not take autoroutes as you will have to to keep that schedule but more interesting side roads and Alpine passes like you want.

Have you checked driving times between those places and again autoroutes are boring - slow down IMO and take Alpine pass roads, etc which will not be possible with your present itinerary it seems.

Milan is not on the directmost road between Tirano, Italy (terminus of Bernina Pass road) but from there to Lugano and Locarno and Domodossola - a lovely route -Milan is a huge detour - you'll get there to sleep and start out the next morning. Locarno would make a great overnight stop the other way.

July 2nd:
Ifg you want to go to Titlis, you may drive up to Engelberg (instead of Sarnen)
July 3rd:
You will have to drive from Stans (or Sarnen) up to Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald and back.
July 4th:
I suppose you know that Rigi can olny be reached by cog wheel train.
Drive from Stans to nearby Beckenried, cross Lake Lucerne by car ferry and drive to Vitznau where you can board the train. The whole trip will take half a day. From Vitznau you can choose between different itineraries, like
Vitznau - Andermatt - Oberalp Pass - Reichenau - Julier Pass - StM,
Vitznau - Fluelen - Klausen Pass - Glarus - Chur - Julier Pass - StM,
Vitznau - Gotthard motorway - Castione - San Bernardino motorway - Spluegen - Spluegen Pass - Chiavenna - Maloja Pass - StM,
Vitznau - Schwyz - Schindellegi - Chur - Julier Pass - StM...........

Milan - Ivrea - Aosta - Courmayeur - Chamonix is all by motorway. There would be a lot to see along this itinerary with the highest mountains of Western Europe on both sides of the road.

Rigi is a very low 'high Alp' - known for views over Alpine spine of central Switzerland but not awesome scenes itself - Titlis does however. But if going to Jungfrau those mountains will be much more awesome all in all.

Mt. Rigi - My opinion is that the value of this trip was getting there and back. The mountain itself is not that high.
I took the first boat out to Vitznau from Luzern. The boat glided quietly through the partially fog covered mirror flat lake. It was an ethereal experience. The cog wheel train from Vitznau to the RIgi offered a spectacular view. The view I took an aerial gondola down from Rigi Kaltad down to Weggis for another spectacular scenery of the Lake Luzern. Had a lake side lunch in Weggis watching the boats go by before hopping on a boat back to Luzern.

And on Rigi's summit you have the incessant blowing of alphorns - Switzerland's version of backpipes - much to Mark Twain's disgust when he wrote of hearing them.