My husband and I are going to Geneva for a wedding on a friday and wanted to make a bit a vacation of it in advance of the wedding.

Most flights from Toronto to Geneva are via Milan. So we thinking of one of two options:

1. Arriving in Milan and foregoing the Milan-Geneva flight. Instead we'd head to Bellagio and spend 3 nights there (maybe a night in Milan) and then make our way to Geneva by either car or rail OR
2. Arriving in Geneva and head to Interlaken area by car or train.

On this trip we'd like to relax, eat great food, see beautiful scenery. We'd also like to be in a place with some lively action to the extent that either of these options can offer that!

What do you suggest? And, whichever you suggest, let me know if we need a car. If Bellagio, would probably stay at Belvedere as have heard great things.

A car would give you more flexibility BUT you would probably not want to drive it into Switzerland given the possible drop-off charge.

One way from Milan to Bellagio (which has NO rail service) is to take the train to Varenna 1 hr and 20 minutes) and then the ferry across to Bellagio (10-15 minutes).

You do not, IMO, need a car if you are staying in the mid-lake area Varenna/Bellagio/Menaggio).

From Milan it is an easy rail ride to geneva especially if you take a high-speed service such as the Cisalpino.

A lot of the Lake Como possibility will depend on what time of year this is going to take place. I'd personally forget Lake Como prior to April at the earliest.

It depends when you are going.

Assuming that it will be aftre late April, Lake Como would be more of a relaxing, sitting and watching the world go by, strolling, some sightseeing kind of a vaction.

Interlaken, or Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald, would be more alpine sightseeing. I mention L. and G.as alternatives for staying, because you will have to go to these places from Interlaken, if you want to take the train or cable car to one or several of the major mountains, like Jungfraujoch and Schilthorn orn First and Maennlichen

I should have mentioned that we're going in early July.

Thanks for your responses so far.

See my response to your other post.