[Anonymous]

18 December 2018 at 9:30:26 #819213

Hi All,

It has been some weeks now since I am trying to gather useful information about by my trip to Italy in late January.

My family (with old parents) and myself (9 adults and 3 children) will arrive Milan on 25th of January for a 7 nights vacation and I have the following questions that I truly need an advise with:

1 – We plan first to stay 2 nights first at Milan (sightseeing and maybe some shopping) and then I would love to see Switzerland as well, therefore and since we are 12 persons we will rent 2 cars from Milan to go to Switzerland. Do you advise to you use another means of transportation?

2 – Since we will drive therefore I prefer to go to the nearest Switzerland spot, may be Lugano (1.5 hours driving) especially we have our parents, do you have any better locations to go by car that are not far??

3 – Planning to stay 2-3 nights at Lugano for scenery options, having boat, walking and so on, please share your opinion.

4 – Then I think of heading to lack Como and stay there like 2 nights before going back to Milan and fly back to my country.

Now, I truly appreciate if you can give me my opinion about this planning given that I have my parents. Also about renting the cars as we have bags so I think this is a better and cheaper idea than using trains.

Any ideas out of this context will be greatly appreciated as well.

Thanks

Khaled

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[User]

Reply 1 of 7 • 18 December 2018 at 17:31:49 #900545

Hi Khaledmaged and welcome to MySwissAlps!

1. Normally we would recommend travel in Switzerland by train – especially in the winter. But with 12 people a car may be noticeably less expensive. It depends on where you end up traveling to though. Read here for more details: http://www.myswissalps.com/ca rversustrain
2. Lugano is the closest town from Milan. Looking at other locations depends on how far you may be willing to travel and what you want to see and do
3. That can work well. For our recommendations on what to do and see in Lugano and the Ticino region look here: http://www.myswissalps.com/lu gano // http://www.myswissalps.com/ti cino
4. I don’t have any details on Lake Como and Italy on our website

If you are simply wanting to be in Switzerland, then Lugano is your best bet. However you may find it very similar to Italy – it being the Italian canoton on Switzerland. If you are looking for a very Swiss experience (and much different from Italy) you may want to look at a town like Zermatt or Montreux.

• http://www.myswissalps.com/ze rmatt
• http://www.myswissalps.com/mo ntreux

[User]

Reply 2 of 7 • 18 December 2018 at 17:41:44 #900546

Hi Lucas,

I truly appreciate your feedback and it’s great that you replied at the very same day, again, much appreciated.

Ok, I totally agree with you, Lugano would be a similar experience than Italy therefore Zermatt or Lucerne would be a better choice.

Now, given that I can stay at any of them no more than two nights then which one of them do you recommend and why (knowing that I will be driving) and is two nights is ok for that?

After Zermatt/Lucerne I would go back to Italy for flying back home.

Thanks a million.

Khaled

[User]

Reply 3 of 7 • 18 December 2018 at 18:00:29 #900547

Well Zermatt is closer and I don’t know if I’d go all the way to Lucerne for just 2 nights, but I still don’t know why you want to come to Switzerland. Did you read the Zermatt webpage I linked for you? To see if that is a town that you’d like to visit with activities you’d like to do?

That should be how you choose where to go (along with how far the drive is)

Do note either way to be prepared for winter driving and mountain passes (and ensure your rental car has winter tires). If you aren’t familiar with winter driving I’d recommend taking the train. http://www.myswissalps.com/ca r

[User]

Reply 4 of 7 • 18 December 2018 at 18:27:19 #900548

Hi Lucas,

I have looked Zermatt and yes I would like to see it together with the Alps great views. I also would love to see and let my kids see the stunning views of the ice covering the mountains at that time.

Now, based on what I understood from you two nights would not be enough, right? Do you recommend 3 nights at Zermatt? This will not fit my plan 🙁

Lucas, how about Lucarno??

Thanks

[User]

Reply 5 of 7 • 18 December 2018 at 19:54:46 #900549

It was Lucerne that I thought would be too far for just a two night stay. Zermatt is closer and more manageable from Milan.

But in the end it is up to you to decide how far into Switzerland you want to travel for your 2 night trip. I would try to go to Zermatt – very typical Swiss mountain scenery and not too far from Milan for a 2 night trip.

Locarno is nice – but still in the Italian Ticino region though – so similar to Lugano. http://www.myswissalps.com/lo carno

[User]

Reply 6 of 7 • 20 December 2018 at 5:30:39 #900550

Hi Lucas,

After all that has been said I will most propably will do the folowing:

• Nights 1, 2 and 3: Arrival to Milan, sightseeing and shoping
• Night 4: Heading to Zermmatt on the early morning and stay there for 1 night
• Night 5, 6 and 7: To Lugano and then to MXP airport

Please let me know your final thoughts with regards to this itenrary.

Thanks

Khaked

[User]

Reply 7 of 7 • 20 December 2018 at 8:59:01 #900551

Seems like your trip has turned more of a focus on Switzerland than Italy now! Nothing wrong with that. 🙂

Your itinerary is just fine. I’d personally make Zermatt 2 nights – for more mountain scenery which you seemed to want. But Lugano is really very nice too!

These types of decisions are the hard part! 🙂