My husband and I are taking a cruise that ends in Venice. After a day or two in Venice we would like to travel by rail to Lake Como. But we'd like to see other cities and sites either on they way or as day trips from lake como. We'd also be interested in going into Switzerland for a day or two. Do you have suggestions on places to go and
where to stay? Would like to take 5-7 days. Also need tto know best place to fly out to get back to the states.

We like 4-5 star hotels, like to walk but not really into hiking. Enjoy good food, learning history of where we are, photographing beautiful scenery, boating on the water, relaxing with a good drink looking at an amazing view.

Be AWARE: you will, by rail from Venice, be changing trains in Milan. Unless you are traveling by rail from mid-Lake Come (Bellagio/Menaggio/Varenna) to Tirano, Switzerland, you will have to go BACK to at least Lecco if not all the way to Milan (1 hr 30 minutes) in order to change trains and get to just about anywhere else.

There IS bus service into parts of Switzerland from Menaggio.

Might be helpful if you told us what other places you are interested in visiting.

I would go to Lago Como by train for 3 nites and then bus or taxi to Lugano from Menaggio to get the train to Luzern for another 2 or 3 nites and fly home from Zurich. The Zurich airport is a direct connect from Luzern anmd takes about 90 minutes.

As a slight alternative to bobthenavigator's suggestion, I would train from Venice to Varenna on Lake Como and stay there (or in Bellagio a short ferry ride away) for three nights before continuing to Lugano, Luzern and Zurich as he recommends. Most of what you would likely want to see on Lake Como is nearer the Varenna/Bellagio area. The town of Como has its own worthy sights, but it has more of a city atmosphere than the tiny villages of Varenna and Bellagio.

However, you don't say when this visit would be, and at some times of the year Como might make more sense than the mid-lake area.

There are 4-5 star hotels in several towns around the lake. If you'd like some suggestions, you need to tell us your budget. Some of these hotels close during the off season, so again we'd need to know when you're taking this trip.

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Hi Kathy Just came across your query re Lake Como. My husband and I and another couple are travelling together practically the same route next year in July, 2014. We are on a 12 day cruise around the Med and finish in Venice then we planned to go to Lake Como via Milan and then to Zurich. After that we planned to travel to Germany to go to the Hockenheim grandprix.
Can you tell me how you went with your journey as we are very interested to do as much planning as we can before hand regarding accommodation, places to stop and see, best ways to go ie hire car or train etc.
Can you give a summary of how it went please.
We are coming from Australia but we are going to the states first and then meeting our friends in Spain.

Thanks
Anne

topdesk - this is the OP's one and only post and it is almost 2 years old so I doubt she will respond. Best to search for information or start your own post.

Well, it was topdesk's second ever post and the first one was over 3 years ago

Maybe she drowned in Lago <B>di</B>Como