Italy and Switzerland: Lake Como to St. Moritz OR Lake Geneva to Venice??
Apr 26th, 2013, 05:04 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Italy and Switzerland: Lake Como to St. Moritz OR Lake Geneva to Venice??
Hi Everyone,
I'm trying to plan a trip to Italy and Switzerland for me and my husband for our one year anniversary! We would be traveling to Northern Italy and Switzerland within the first two weeks of October. I'm trying to decide between two options -- it would be our first trip to both Italy and Switzerland and possibly our last big vacation for a long time! We have about 8-10 days to work with and I was hoping to see some lake views and mountain views! My husband is somewhat against a travel intensive schedule, however I'm trying to convince him that taking the train, especially in Switzerland, is half the fun!!
What would you recommend? I was thinking of two options:
Option #1: Fly into Geneva, stay on Lake Geneva for 3 days (visit the vineyards, lake, etc.), then take the train from Montreux to Venice - stay in Venice for 3 days. Was wondering if Lake Geneva is a good base for day trips? Also, does anyone have an idea of how long the train from Montreaux to Venice takes? How many transfers on the way? Would we be able to take one of the "scenic trains" and what is the approx. cost??
Option #2: Fly into MIlan, shuttle over to Lake Como for 2-3 days. Then, take the train from Varenna to Bernina Express all the way to St. Moritz. Stay in St. Mortiz for 3 days. I get stuck here since I'm not sure how to get back to NYC from St. Moritz? Should I travel to Zurich? Or take the train all the way back to Milan and fly out there??
If anyone has any insight i would greatly appreciate it! Also any other suggestions for an Italy/Switzerland trip that includes some lakes and some mountains would be greatly appreciated!!!
Happy travels,
Sarah
I'm trying to plan a trip to Italy and Switzerland for me and my husband for our one year anniversary! We would be traveling to Northern Italy and Switzerland within the first two weeks of October. I'm trying to decide between two options -- it would be our first trip to both Italy and Switzerland and possibly our last big vacation for a long time! We have about 8-10 days to work with and I was hoping to see some lake views and mountain views! My husband is somewhat against a travel intensive schedule, however I'm trying to convince him that taking the train, especially in Switzerland, is half the fun!!
What would you recommend? I was thinking of two options:
Option #1: Fly into Geneva, stay on Lake Geneva for 3 days (visit the vineyards, lake, etc.), then take the train from Montreux to Venice - stay in Venice for 3 days. Was wondering if Lake Geneva is a good base for day trips? Also, does anyone have an idea of how long the train from Montreaux to Venice takes? How many transfers on the way? Would we be able to take one of the "scenic trains" and what is the approx. cost??
Option #2: Fly into MIlan, shuttle over to Lake Como for 2-3 days. Then, take the train from Varenna to Bernina Express all the way to St. Moritz. Stay in St. Mortiz for 3 days. I get stuck here since I'm not sure how to get back to NYC from St. Moritz? Should I travel to Zurich? Or take the train all the way back to Milan and fly out there??
If anyone has any insight i would greatly appreciate it! Also any other suggestions for an Italy/Switzerland trip that includes some lakes and some mountains would be greatly appreciated!!!
Happy travels,
Sarah
Apr 26th, 2013, 06:28 AM
#2
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 8,381
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There may be some fog over ALL lakes (Geneva, Maggiore, Como, etc.) in October, especialle in morning.
Montreux - Venice: direct train Montreux dp 8.36 - Venice ar 14.40. Other connections with train change at Milan. Low cost flights Geneva - Milan.
Different train itineraries from Geneva airport or Zurich airport through the Alps to Venice possible, like GVA or ZRH - Brig - Glacier Express - St. Moritz - Bernina Express - Lake Como - Milan - Venice
or
St. Moritz - Pass dal Fuorn - Mals - Meran - Bolzano/Bozen - Rovereto - Riva - Lake Garda - Peschiera - Venice
or
Bolzano/Bozen - Dolomites - Cortina d'Ampezzo - Venice
etc.
http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/home.html
http://www.swisstravelsystem.ch/en/
http://fahrplan.sbb.ch/bin/query.exe/en
BTW: Lake Geneva and Lake Lucerne are the only Lakes with big fleets of more than 100 years old steamboats
Montreux - Venice: direct train Montreux dp 8.36 - Venice ar 14.40. Other connections with train change at Milan. Low cost flights Geneva - Milan.
Different train itineraries from Geneva airport or Zurich airport through the Alps to Venice possible, like GVA or ZRH - Brig - Glacier Express - St. Moritz - Bernina Express - Lake Como - Milan - Venice
or
St. Moritz - Pass dal Fuorn - Mals - Meran - Bolzano/Bozen - Rovereto - Riva - Lake Garda - Peschiera - Venice
or
Bolzano/Bozen - Dolomites - Cortina d'Ampezzo - Venice
etc.
http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/home.html
http://www.swisstravelsystem.ch/en/
http://fahrplan.sbb.ch/bin/query.exe/en
BTW: Lake Geneva and Lake Lucerne are the only Lakes with big fleets of more than 100 years old steamboats
Apr 26th, 2013, 07:08 AM
#3
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you have never ever been to Switzerland you are missing out in your ideas on the Alpine wonderland of Switzerland etched in most folks' minds when thinking of Switzerland - except the Bernina Pass rail route but you are not going to stay in one of the famous Alpine resorts like Zermatt or the Jungfraujoch, to me and many both the literal and figurative highpoint of Switzerland - the ice-girdled sheer peaks, glaciers you can walk to and just a wondrous area of toy-like mountrain-climbing trains, thrilling aerial gondolas, great hikes for all degrees of abilities, etc.
And cute chalet-style family-run hotels and guest houses witjh views of the sheer ice-bound summits.
Geneva is just another modern city IMO and Lake Geneva a nice lake but I'd suggest relaxing in Geneva a day or two and do a lake boat trip and then take the fabled Golden Pass scenic train to Interlaken and head for the hills - to places like Wengen, Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen that will put you eyeball to eyeball with the soaring peaks - with a lot of varied day trips to do from any base.
Then move onto Italy - to Lake Maggiore or Lake Como and end up in Venice to fly home.
anyway the train is the best way to experience Switzerland IMO especially if going to Alpine areas where cars are not even allowed in - for lots of great info on Swiss trains check out theee IMO fantastic sources - www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteeves.com. A just a few train trips can make the Swiss Pass a great investment - good not only on trains but lake boats, like those on Lake Geneva, and city buses and trams and postal buses and also gives free entry to 400+ Swiss museums.
The Bernina Pass route is fantastic but on limited time it is quite a detour, being in remote southwestern Switzerland.
And cute chalet-style family-run hotels and guest houses witjh views of the sheer ice-bound summits.
Geneva is just another modern city IMO and Lake Geneva a nice lake but I'd suggest relaxing in Geneva a day or two and do a lake boat trip and then take the fabled Golden Pass scenic train to Interlaken and head for the hills - to places like Wengen, Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen that will put you eyeball to eyeball with the soaring peaks - with a lot of varied day trips to do from any base.
Then move onto Italy - to Lake Maggiore or Lake Como and end up in Venice to fly home.
anyway the train is the best way to experience Switzerland IMO especially if going to Alpine areas where cars are not even allowed in - for lots of great info on Swiss trains check out theee IMO fantastic sources - www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteeves.com. A just a few train trips can make the Swiss Pass a great investment - good not only on trains but lake boats, like those on Lake Geneva, and city buses and trams and postal buses and also gives free entry to 400+ Swiss museums.
The Bernina Pass route is fantastic but on limited time it is quite a detour, being in remote southwestern Switzerland.
Apr 27th, 2013, 05:32 AM
#6
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
