One week to get to Venice
 

Hello! My husband and I are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary with a Greek Islands cruise (!!!) departing from Venice in August 2019. Our lucky dilemma is how to spend six days traveling from whichever city we land in to arrive in Venice the day before the cruise departs. We would prefer a non-stop flight from Vancouver, B.C., so...Frankfurt or Zurich will be the likely starting point. We have been to Venice, Cinque Terre, Florence and Rome. We have not been to any area in Switzerland, Germany or Austria. We are not foodies, nor do we drink alcohol. We prefer villages to cities and don't need much nightlife. We are in very good health and enjoy the outdoors. We have the amazing Rockies nearby, so the Matterhorn is not on the bucket list. Train travel is preferred. Your suggestions are appreciated! Thank you!

I'm crazy for the Lac Leman area of Switzerland. You mention Zurich but can you fly into Geneva instead?

In September, our daughter asked to join us on the first leg of our annual fall European vacation. She said she wanted to see Zurich and Munich, and, although we visited each briefly (one night in each), we did have a fabulous couple of days in the magnificent Jungfrau region of Switzerland (including Bern and Alpine village Wengen), but we also had a great bike ride among magnificent castles in Germany (Fussen) and re-visited Salzburg with a day trip to iconic Lake Hallstatt. Here is a link to our trip report: https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...esome-1659589/

The trip was all via very easy rail that you could set your Swiss watches by. You could easily drop Zurich and Munich and still enjoy, with a fair amount of leisure a little of the Alps, German castle country and even a bit of Austria. We always enjoy the rail service to Venice from Salzburg via Innsbruck via the scenic Brenner Pass. The train ends at the Santa Lucia station right on the Grand Canal.

Unfortunately, Geneva is not direct. Thank you for the ideas.

What about YVR - MUC, visit of Munich, some imperial castles around Chiemsee, Salzburg and Austrian Alps?... or Innsbruck and the Dolomites ?
From ZRH, I would suggest the itinerary via Engadin Valley (Pontresina, Diavolezza, resp Sils Maria, Corvatsch) - Swiss National Park - Müstair (Unesco site) - Glurns (smallest walled city of the Alps) - Bolzano/Bozen - Dolomites - Cortina d'Ampezzo - Venice.
FRA is a bit far away and would make sense if you are interested in the Rhine and Mosel Valley and the Romantic road. You could then reach Venice by overnight train (sleeping cars) from Munich.....or continue from Mosel Valley to Luxemburg - Dijon and reach Venice by overnight train from there.

Rome, Paris Amsterdam ? If you have light luggage, take then a low cost flight from wherever you are to Venice (Treviso or the other airport) - Easyjet or Ryanair are very cheap.
Frankfurt is one of the most boring cities I've ever been too.

I'd think about Bavaria - Munich for a few days - and either day trip or stay in the Bavarian Alps or Salzburg - can take a scenic several-hour train to Venice or a night train from Munich or Salzburg.

Now IMO the Swiss alps near Inerlaken - the Berner Oberland or Jungfraujoch area is way way way different from the Rockies - you can do boat rides on the two lakes that bookend Interlaken and stay in a neat mountain village like Wengen and do so hikes and also stop in lovely Lucerne for a few days.- the Jungfrau area:

https://www.google.com/search?q=jungfrau+area+images&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u &source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjWjJHhjN_fAhWK5oMKHVs ADL4QsAR6BAgAEAE&biw=1600&bih=753

For lots on trains check www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.co0m (their free online European Planning & Rail Guide is superb for planning where to go by rail in each area.

Thank you for the wonderful ideas! Now I want to spend six weeks in the area rather than just one!