Scenic Routes - Venice to Milan
 

I have six days to use in exploring Northern Italy/Switzerland. Will be starting in Venice and flying out of Milan. Looking for scenic train routes that give us a good combination of Moutains and Lakes. Interested in hiking.

My dates will be 20-26 May.

Dear Cato,

The Centovalli train, starting at Lake Lugano, between Locarno and Domodossola is beautiful and combines lakes, mountains. Finally took this route this summer and recommend it as a very scenic route. It is named for "100 valleys" with waterfalls, picturesque towns. You can stop along the way for hiking in the area.

Best wishes, SusanEva

Thanks SusanEva - that rail trip looks super. Were you staying in Lugano?

OK--here is a plan.
Train to Varenna on Lago Como for 2 nites.Then, take the train via Sondrio to Tirano,Italy to catch the wonderful Bernina Express, which will drop you in St. Moritz., or perhaps Pontresina.
Then, take the postal bus to Lugano via Menaggio. Milan is just an hour from Lugano and they run often. You decide how much time at each.

We came from the Swiss side, and stayed in Locarno at the Hotel Garni Rondinella. It is about a block from the train station and right on the lake. We payed 80 swiss francs per person for their room number 51, which is a corner balcony with great views of the lake and mountains (breakfast and taxes included.) Spotlessly clean, good bed and pillows, nice bathroom with shower.

www.rondinella.ch

Coming from the Venice side, if you don't want to go all the way to Domodossola and circle back to Milan, you can take the train from it's beginning at Locarno to a location along the route, stop at a town for lunch and/or hiking and return in the same day.

SusanEva

Bob - thanks for the plan proposal. SusanEva - that hotel is in my price range for sure.

TTT

How can we get back from St. Moritz or Chur if we take the Bernina Express from Tirano? We have a rental car and just want to do this section of the train as have heard it is very scenic. Or should we just drive it since we have the car anyway?

Lily,

We took the afternoon Bernina Express from Tirano to Chur, slept in Chur, then took the morning Bernina Express back to Tirano.

One thing to consider is that while there is only one round trip run of the 'Bernina Express' daily, the rail line that the Bernina Express runs on is in constant use. I have been told the only difference is that the rail cars of the Bernina Express have full height curved glass, where as normal rolling stock would have two windows with a smaller upper window. (The photographers will lower the windows in the vestibules and take thier pictures from there.)

My point is, if its more convenient, you can take any of the 14+ trains per day that run that pass and still have a beautiful trip.

One thing I would have changed in what we did is going all the way to Chur (I would look at St Moritz, Pontresina, or possibly Zuoz). To arrive at Chur at 7:00pm and leave at 8:00am just isn't good (even for a 'rail stop').

Have a good trip.

Cato,
As far as hiking in CH goes, I did a cut and paste on someone else's post (I don't have any specific hiking knowledge.) Also you might try: http://www.traildatabase.org/countries/italy.html.

If your plan could include either Lake Como or Lake Maggiore, then a boat trip traversing either would take as much as a half day. (on Lake Garda only Desanzano has rail service.)

Author: Edward2005 ([email protected])
Date: 05/03/2005, 04:05 pm
You need to get two great guidebooks for Switzerland hiking:

1. Swiss Bernese Oberland: A Travel Guide with Specific Trips to the Mountains, Lakes and Villages, Third Edition
by Philip Alspach, Loretta Alspach

2. Walking Switzerland-The Swiss Way-: From Vacation Apartments, Hotels, Mountain Inns, and Huts
by Marcia Lieberman, Philip Lieberman

Both these books are great. I've read both of them in preparation for my trip in a few weeks. The second book identifies a whole series of huts high in the Alps. They're supposed to be spaced a day's hike apart so a serious hiker could stay in such a hut and get a bed and a meal every night.

Also, Interlaken and Grindlewald are very touristy. While you're in the Berner Oberland, then best place to stay if you want to avoid mobs of tourists is Gimmelwald. It has a fantastic hostel. See
http://www.mountainhostel.com/

Doble_Vergasser - thanks for the info.

Yes thanks D.V for the tips on how to do the Bernina Express.

ttt