Zurich to Rome
 

Hi all adventurers,
We will be completing our second leg of the Spain camino on the 13th October 2014 in Leon. We are planning to head from Leon to Madrid for two nights and then flying to Zurich where we would like to hire a car and drive to Lake Como for two nights.
Drive to Cinque Terre ( Vernazza?) for three nights.
Drive to Tuscany for three nights and then to Rome where we will be finishing our holiday to fly back home.
I would like to know if hiring a car is practical as both Como and CT are no parking areas generally. Are there any recommended alternatives.

All suggestions are welcome to maybe even change destinations also.

How much are the drop off charges for renting in Switzerland and returning in Italy?

You can park in many towns on Lake Como but you really don't need a car there.

CT - parking is about impossible unless you arrive very early and are willing to walk from the parking spot.

Alternatives - take a train from Zurich to Varenna or fly to Milan. Why fly to Zurich just to rent a car.

"Are there any recommended alternatives."

Yes - use trains or buses.

BTW -- the trails of the Cinque Terre can be treacherous in mid-Oct or later.

Thanks Adrienne, no drop off charges. Your Milan suggestion is good as it will save a couple of hours drive to Lake Como.
Luggage on trains and buses is a pain and thats why we are considering a car.
Accommodation suggestions?

I would not fly into Zurich just to head to Italy - fly into Milan instead and you won;t have cross border drop off charges. After you see the lakes and ct (and Oct in getting late in the year, may get good weather or chilly and rain so trails are impassible) you can drop the car and head to Rome by train.

If you are renting a car because of one factor, luggage carrying, be sure you understand other trade-offs if these things don't exist at home. I am presuming you have gears from the Camino walk.

- Italian communities frequented by tourists have ZTL restricted areas enforced by video cameras with heavy fines.
- They also use speed cameras on highways. Locals speed until they get close to cameras. You might not know exactly where they are located.
- Luggage in car invite thefts. You can lower the risk by not making them visible and park in controlled parking area.

>>>Alternatives - take a train from Zurich to Varenna or fly to Milan.<<<

Taking the train to Varenna would require 4 hours to Milan (passing by Como area) and then back to Como area (another hour). You could take the train from Zurich to Como (a little over 3 hours) and then take one of the boats/ferries or buses to the area of the lake you want to stay. Take a train to CT and pick up your car in La Spezia when you are leaving CT. As for weather, CT had it's worst landslides in years in Oct. 2011 so yes, Oct. can be much more iffy weather than many other months.

If you stick with CT, I would drop a night from there and add elsewhere (Tuscany or Rome).

>>>Thanks Adrienne, no drop off charges.<<<

There are typically big drop off charges picking up in one country and dropping in another. Who did you rent the car from that doesn't charge this?

>>>I would not fly into Zurich just to head to Italy - fly into Milan<<<

I agree. Have you already booked a flight to Zurich?

Thank you. Will not go to Zurich. Yes Milan is sensible as nytraveller has advised. Cancelling plans as per Sandralist advise is good too providing that there is availability for last minute bookings.
Are there controlled parking areas in CT and the Como lakes ?

"Are there controlled parking areas in CT" The only parking in the Cinque Terre villages is for residents.
http://www.cinqueterre.eu.com/en/parking-cinque-terre

wow I love the passion in the last couple of replies. I am getting close to a final itinerary. I have this for everybody:

Fly to Milan. Train to Lake Como.
Hire Care drive to Tuscany keep car.
Drive to La Spezia drop off car and visit CT.

Train to Rome.