Need advice for itinerary between Strasbourg and Lake Como/Milan
 

We are just beginning to plan a 3 week trip for next April which sees us beginning in Paris for a few days (not our first time here), training to Strasbourg, and driving south through Colmar to Annecy. (Where else in this area should we not miss?)
From Annecy we hope to make a couple of day trips into Switzerland (Bern or Basel? Geneva? Lausanne?) before training somehow, from somewhere, into Italy, where we plan to spend a few days in the Lake Como area with a car before dropping the car in Milan. We are flying home out of Turin (mileage ticket). (It may make more sense to go straight to Milan by train from Switzerland, then get a car for the lakes before driving to Turin- yes??).
Any help would be appreciated to narrow down which places to include (and yes, I have a table full of guidebooks in front of me), as well as tips on trains to consider between France and Italy. How much time to spend where, and which places might serve best as a base? We like to stay put for at least 3 nights as much as possible, and prefer areas with lodging costs under 175 euros a night. We look for historical sights, scenery, museums and local (crafts) shopping.
Thanks in advance- I always get great advice from Fodorites!

You do not need a car on Lake Como with it's extensive ferry service.

as well as tips on trains to consider between France and Italy. How much time to spend where

From Annecy you would want to pick up the few-daily TGV trains between Paris and Milan that you can connect with - be sure to buy seats in advance to save money at www.voyages-sncf.com - the French Railways web sites - discounted tickets are however train specific and non refundable I think whereas full fare tickets are the opposite I believe.

Great sights for help with tips on trains in Europe in general - www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.seat61.com and www.ricksteves.com - I always use the Wunderbar www.bahn.de - the German Railways web site's English version for schedules of trains all over Europe - easiest I have seen to use.

Lake Maggiore also makes a neat place or lake to do - I prefer it actually over Lake Como, whose most famous place, Bellagio, is often hopelessly overrun by tourists IME

I love Stresa as a beachhead for Lake Maggiore aka Lake Stresa - as right offshore are the famous three Borromean Islands, each with a sweet treat on it. Lake boats will take you everywhere, just like on Lake Como - if coming from Switzerland Stresa is a train stop on the mainline from Brig to Milan in case you want to train from France via Geneva and Brig - a really nice scenic rail trip.

You can actually easily do the whole trip by train, as the cities you mention are all very well connected (apart from Annecy). And the train is very cheap, when booked in advance (i.e. Geneva-Milano should be 19 euros).

Places not to be missed depend on you; along Lake Geneva runs a Unesco-heritage vineyard trail: the views and the colors are stunning. If you like historical old towns with a view, Sion is awesome with its twin peaks. If you like hiking, stop by Brig and walk along the Aletsch ice tongue. Shortly after the Swiss/Italian border, Vogogna welcomes you with a quaint fortified town, that was built (together with Bellinzona) by the former dukes of Milano to prevent the Swiss from barging in. Stresa's 3 islands are a must-see. If you have time for a little detour, a famous landmark next to Lake Maggiore is Lake Orta, a small and quiet lake with an island in the middle of it.

If you are going through Switzerland I would head for the Alps - the best part. Geneva is OK for a day but really focused on the UN. And Basel and Bern are not really that interesting. Head for the Berner Oberland - staying in either Lucerne or one of hte villages part way up in the mountains.

Yup the glacier-strewn ice-girdled Alpine wonderland of Switzerland that is etched in our minds' eyes is not seen in Geneva, Bern, Zurich, Lucerne, Lausanne, etc or any big city but in a place like the Berner Oberland - the Interlaken area - put up in a neat Alpine village like Wengen or Grindelwald and be intoxicated just by the views from your hotel balcony. And right on main rail lines to Lake Stresa and Milan (have to go thru here by train to get to Como I believe)

Actually Interlaken is a 20-minute train ride off the main Bern-Brig-Stresa-Milan mainline.