bricud

My wife and another couple will be traveling to Switzerland from Italy 5/28 and staying for at least a week (we have 14 days, but not sure how much time to spend here). It is our first visit and we were planning on taking a scenic train to Italy. We'll be leaving Trieste and was wondering the best way to take the most scenic train to Switzerland, likely Zurich. We aren't sure if we need to travel to Milan first or if there is a better way to go. Additionally, we love nature and would like to find a beautiful place to stay for the 4 of us that includes a Jacuzzi on site and some wonderful mountain views. Although Zurich looks wonderful, the pictures I have seen from Interlaken and Grindelwald look spectacular and I am tempted to spend a few days in Zurich and the rest in Interlaken and Grindelwald exploring. Can someone recommend a travel plan that covers 7-10 days in Switzerland that includes some recommendations on places to stay and the best way to get there?

Thanks

Finsteraarhorn

Hello Bricud,

I agree with your idea to stay in the mountains. For that, I would skip Zurich entirely. As the Bernese Oberland (Interlaken region) is maravellous, you could easily spend the whole week there. Grindelwald, Wengen and Mürren in the Jungfrau area would be my choices in the mountains far before lower Interlaken itself, despite being a convenient transportation hub. Or, at lower altitudes, on the lakes Thun and Brienz I would probably look at the villages of Spiez, Brienz or one on the northern lakeshores.

On the other hand, you could travel Trieste - Milan, then Milan - St. Moritz in the astonishing upper Engadine valley, riding from Tirano on the amazing Bernina railway. After a 3-4 days there, you could take the famous Glacier express to reach Zermatt, the iconic Matterhorn and the circle of many of the highest peaks of the Alps. Stay there the rest of the time, at least 3-4 days, then leave for your further leg: where are you headed then?

neckervd

Most scenic train itinerary from Trieste to Switzerland (all through the Alps):
Trieste Gorizia - Nova Gorica - Bled Jezero - Jesenice - Villach - Spittal - Lienz - Toblach - Bruneck - Brixen - Bozen - Meran - Mals (Swiss border) - Zernez - Samedan/St. Moritz - Glacier Express - Chur - Andermatt - Brig - Panoramic train Loetschberger - Kandersteg - Spiez - Interlaken - Golden Pass - Gstaad - Montreux.
If you have not so much time, you make take a direct train from Venice to either Lugano -Arth-Goldau (Luicerne) - Zurich or Brig (Zermatt) - Montreux - Geneva.

bricud

Once we get to Switzerland, we have left the schedule open but need to be back in the US by 6/12. We may decide to extend our time in Switzerland or stop in another place. This will be the last leg of our 7 week stay in Europe. Arriving in Portugal on 4/23 for two weeks in Portugal/Spain. On 5/9 we arrive in Florence, Italy and stay till 5/18 when we take a Mediterranean cruise, returning to Trieste on 5/27, then plan to go to Switzerland and stay for at least a week. The plan was to leave the last week open and decide where to end the trip based on our favorite places from the previous 6 weeks of travel. We may very well simply stay in Switzerland. We'll fly back through Amsterdam. This will be our first time to Europe, and only time we traveled for this long. Likely we won't be able to do it again for this long, but looking forward to the time we have available.

Finsteraarhorn

As I adore Venice, I like very much the idea to take the train from Trieste to Milan with the stop in between for some days at the "Serenissima". Then, from Milan, you can access your preferred top Swiss mountain destination (Upper Engadine-St. Moritz; Zermatt; Bernese Oberland-Jungfrau area). You can stay in one location or combine two (possibly riding a scenic train in between), but I would stay at least 3 nights in each place.

The route suggested by Neckervd is for sure scenic but very long, too. I would prefer to spend my time in the mountains (or in Venice) instead to sitting in trains all this time. But it's my personal travel preference.

After the Swiss mountains, to connect to your flight in Amsterdam, either fly out from Geneva or Zurich or do the long train ride to. Eventually, I would maybe profit to spend a couple of days in Amsterdam as well, a city I like a lot.