N. Italy / Switzerland Itinerary Wed 7/3 Thurs 7/4 Fri 7/5 Sat 7/6 Fly out Arrive in Morning Ferry to (overnt.) Milan – Day in Milan Bellagio in Milan Train to Como Stay in: Stay in: Stay in: Milan Como Como Sun 7/7 Mon 7/8 Tues 7/9 Wed 7/10 Thurs 7/11 Fri 7/12 Sat 7/13 11-3 Boat Drive to Hike Train to Train to Rental Wengen Bern → Colmar, Lucerne Zurich (Cab to Basel France (or (or day in Day in Stay in: Lugano-rent day in Basel) Basel) Zurich Como car-return in Afternoon in Laterbrunnen- Bern train to Wengen) Stay in: Stay in: Stay in: Stay in: Stay in: Wengen Wengen Basel Stay in: Basel Basel Zurich Sun 7/14 Fly back AIRBNBs: Milan Hotel (11,049 points, close to main train station) Address: Via Mauro Macchi 79, 20124 Milano Lake Como Airbnb - Menaggio ($1029.52) Address: Via Castellino da Castello No. 50, Menaggio, Lombardia 22017, Italy Wengen Airbnb ($742.36) Address: Lehn, Lauterbrunnen, Bern 3823, Switzerland N. Italy / Switzerland Itinerary Basel Airbnb ($634.97) Address: Vogesenstrasse 116, Basel, Basel-Stadt 4056, Switzerland Zurich Airbnb ($234) TRANSFERS (Train/Car): Italy Train . Rick Steves Train Info Swiss Train Schedule . Good train resource RENTAL CAR Pick-up: Via San Gottardo 13, Lugano Drop-off: Hauptstrasse 4, Interlaken ****************************************************************************** Milan ● Things to Do: ○ Duomo ○ Corso Vittorio Emanuele II: shopping st. near Duomo (ped. only) ○ Corso di Porta Ticinese: shopping st. near Navigli (vintage/boutique) ○ Quadrilatero della Moda: high end pretty area (10m. From Duomo) ● Food/Drinks: ○ Cantine Isola (wine shop, can try by the glass and pair with charcuterie/bring food from next door in) ○ Raviolerio Sarpi (next door to above^, homemade street food-style raviolis & crepes) ○ https://www.flawlessmilano.com/en/the-10-best-typical-milanese-restaurants/ ○ https://www.eater.com/maps/best-milan-restaurants-38 ● Naviglio Neighborhood (canals w/ apertivo 5-7, shops, live music, bars), 25m scenic walk from Duomo ○ Osteria Conchetta (risottos) ○ Prosciutteriana vigli (huge charcuterie boards) ○ Rita; Mag and Ugo (have outdoor tables): (creative cocktails); Backdoor43 (tiny speakeasy w/ to-go counter for drinks, 14euro pp, bar fits 4ppl max) ****************************************************************************** Lake Como (staying in Menaggio) ● Milan → Como (9 euro, 40m direct train) Ferry to Menaggio ● Ferry Prices . Ferry Info . Ferry Schedule ● Things to do / Other Towns to Visit: ○ Boat Rental (235 euro for 4hrs) ■ AC Boat rentals N. Italy / Switzerland Itinerary ○ Menaggio ■ Lido di Menaggio (beach/pools), Villa Mylius Vigoni; Fri. night and Sun. am craft market (Piazza Garibaldi and promenade) ■ La Vecchia Magnolia – food/drinks ○ Bellagio ■ Ristorante Bilacus ■ Ristorante alle Darsene di Loppia (lunch) (Via Melzi d'Eril, Loppia) ■ La Fontana Bellagio dei F.lli Patroni (Via Centrale, Salita Monastero, 7) ■ Villa/gardens: Giardini di villa Melzi ○ Varenna ■ Lover’s Walk (5min) ■ Al Prato Restaurant (Contrada del Prato, 6) ○ Tremezzo (10min bus) ■ Villa Carlotta (huge gardens and museum) ■ Grand Hotel Tremezzo: T Beach, a full-service beach club ○ Lenno Beach ($10 entry, $10 chair rental, 13min drive from Menaggio) ■ Villa de Balbianello ○ Como ■ Villa d’Este ● Beaches: https://lakecomotravel.com/lake-como/beaches/#menaggio-beach ● Ferries/Hydrofoils: ○ Hydrofoils/Motorships: Hydrofoils are faster (approx. 1 hr vs. 2hr Motorship) ○ Ferries: Travel between Varenna, Menaggio, and Bellagio - 15 minutes ****************************************************************************** BERNESE OBERLAND TOWNS (near Interlaken/Jungfrau and Schilthorn Region): ● Wengen*- car-free w/ great views, centrally located to Jungfraujoch and hiking trails, larger town with bars/restaurants staying open later, very close to Lauterbrunnen ○ Cheese/wine shop: Chäs Gruebi ● Hike options: https://wengen.swiss/en/summer/tracks/maennlichen-kleine-scheidegg/ ○ *Northface Trail- Allmendhubel to Gimmelwald via the Sprutz Waterfall ○ https://triptins.com/murren-to-gimmelwald/ ● Transport info on how to stay in Wengen and visit Murren / hike from there / Schilthorn: N. Italy / Switzerland Itinerary ○ Wengen → Murren: 20min train (Wengen → Lauterbrunnen) / 5min gondola (Lauterbrunnen → Grutschalp) / 15min mtn. train (Grutschalp → Murren) - 40mins total** or 2.5h hike ○ Murren → Wengen: 5min gondola (Gimmelwald (can start in Murren gondola) → Stechelberg) / 15min #141 bus (Stechelberg → Lauterbrunnen) (on valley floor w/ waterfalls) → 20min train (Lauterbrunnen → Wengen) ○ Wengen → Murren via route above** (40mins) / N. Face Hike (2.5h) starts from Allmendhubel funicular (via Murren) & ends in Murren / Gondala up to Schilthorn via Berg (20m, 2 gondolas)*if we are up for it / Gondala to Murren and walk to Gimmelwald (2km, paved downhill) / return to Wengen via route above ○ Approx. $100 for all transfers for the day, going all the way to Schilthorn; can buy Schilthorn boarding pass for $5 until 9pm the day before and not wait on gondola lines ● Interlaken ○ “Adventure city”, accessible public transport, on a pretty lake but not as scenic as others ● Gimmelwald ○ Car-free, most isolated/relaxing of the bunch, very small/good place to go hiking, close to Schilthorn, Ways to get there ● Murren ○ Car-free, smaller village, close to Schilthorn and hiking, rest of region not as accessible, go up cable car to get there ● Lauterbrunnen - transport hub, valley floor, 72 waterfalls (2 in center of town) ● If driving in the area: Hotel Oeschinensee: can rent a rowboat out on their lake/order a picnic lunch (have to park at gongola in Kandersteg and cable car to Lake Oeschinen) *add’l 1/2hr drive from Lugano, 40mins to Interlaken ****************************************************************************** Bern ● Aare River Float: ○ https://lenews.ch/2016/06/23/how-switzerlands-best-river-swim-became-a- summertime-commute/ ● Stop there via train en route to Basel (Wengen → Bern 1h45m, leave every 30mins) (Bern → Basel 50m, leave every hour) ● Explore Old Town: try to find all 11 Renaissance fountains in the centre N. Italy / Switzerland Itinerary ● Zytglogge: the oldest clock in Switzerland does a show on the hour ● Bern Cathedral: tallest cathedral, the single spire soars to 100+ metres ● Münsterplattform is the most visited park in Bern ● BärenPark, a 64,500-sq-ft park that houses brown bears (Björk and Finn) ● Bike rentals: 3 rental stations offer free bikes for 4 hours. main pickup point, on Milchgässli, on the southwest corner of Bern’s main train station ● Places to eat: ○ Riverside dining like the Schwellenmätteli: (Mediterranean and Italian) ○ For dessert, walk up the hill to Restaurant Luce (tiramisù) ○ Altes Tram Depot by bear park (Hefeweizen, bacon + onion spaetzle) ○ Rosengarten, a park with 220 types of roses and a restaurant (lunch) ○ Lötschberg a casual eatery that specializes in traditional dishes. ○ Pizza Ristorante Thurm Molino, Italian and pizza ○ Kornhaus Café, European, A house favorite is the “Spaghetti Tennessee” ○ Wartsaal Kaffee Bar, for breakfast ○ Altes Tramdepot, lunch and local beer ○ Gelateria di Berna, ice cream ○ Bars: ■ Burgunder Bar, wine bar ■ Turnhalle, cocktails ■ Terrace bar of the Bellevue Palace, offers views of the Alps ■ Abflugbar, underground vaulted cellar ○ Coffee: ■ Marta ■ Einstein Kaffee and Rauchsalon ■ Adriano’s Bar & Café (beer or coffee)*** (highly recommended) ****************************************************************************** Basel : Base for Day trips to Bern / Lucerne / etc. - Float down the Rhine (find fish floats) Restaurants: Zum Goldenen Fass (restaurant downstairs, bar upstairs) Bars: Kleinbasel Area ● Jagerhalle N. Italy / Switzerland Itinerary Day Trip Options: Colmar, France ● Trains there: 10:20, 11:20 (every hr.); Last train back: 9:53 (45min trip) ● Marche Couvert covered food market, Altisian “wine route” capital ● 30min boat trip in "Petit Venice"**(6 euro, every 30mins) ○ For boat, meet at the foot of the bridge Saint Pierre, next to Restuarant Le Caveau Saint-Pierre ● Old Town: Free Walking Trail (6km, 2.5h) ○ Highlights: House of Heads, the Customs House, Tanner’s District, Unterlinden Museum and Pfister House ○ Grand Rue & Rue des Clefs: main shopping streets ● Can take a 30m bike ride to Eguisheim (smaller, less crowded) – can bike through multiple villages / small towns on the wine trail ● Food ○ Le Cercledes Aromes Wine bar, 200 wines by the glass, charcuterie (6:00) ○ Lun des Sens Wine bar and shop, have to order meat/cheese w/ wine (5:00) ○ Local specialty: Tarte flambee (like pizza), Rue des Boulangers (st. of bakers) ○ Dinner: la Table du Brocanteur: 7:00 res Address: 23 rue d Alspach, 68000 (20min walk from train) Lucerne ● Boat ride and a train up to Riggi; covered bridge ● Bars: ○ Sunset Bar: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sunset-bar-lucerne (Open 3-12 daily) ● Food: ○ Breakfast-Dinner (Outdoor tables: http://www.millfeuille.ch/angebot/?utm_source=tripadvisor&utm_medium=referral **************************************************************************** Zurich - Credit Suisse head office (in Paradeplatz) for chocolate/treat/coffee - Banhofstrasse is a beautiful street that goes from the main rail station to the lake. Every designer in the world is on this street – expensive - Go around Lake Zurich (is a short and long version) N. Italy / Switzerland Itinerary .