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7-Day Alpine Adventure: Exploring Switzerland and Italy’s Stunning Landscapes
May 17, 2023

7-Day Alpine Adventure: Exploring Switzerland and Italy’s Stunning Landscapes

Planning a family vacation can be both exciting and challenging. It can be especially daunting when you have young kids to consider. But with a little bit of research and planning, you can create an itinerary that’s fun for the whole family. Here’s a one-week itinerary that takes you from Milan to Switzerland, and to the stunning Lake Como.

Day 1: Arrival in Milan, Bosco Verticale, and Train to Zug

After arriving at Milan Central Station, head to the trendy Bosco Verticale, which is a complex of two residential towers. It is unique because it has over 900 trees and more than 2,000 plants, and it is a sight to behold. After exploring the area, take a train to Zug, where you can check into your hotel and relax for the evening.

Day 2: Visit the Schilthorn

Head to the town of Lauterbrunnen and take a cable car to the Schilthorn, which is famous for its 360-degree panoramic views of the Swiss Alps. The Schilthorn is also home to the James Bond Brunch, which is an exciting experience for the whole family. After brunch, explore the James Bond Experience and the Thrill Walk. Following this you can take another cable car down to Murren and have a walk at the picturesque town. Once you get all the way down and have extra time you may want to consider going to Lauterbrunnen which is just a short drive away.

Day 3: Visit Rhine Falls and Stein am Rein

Next we headed to Rhine Falls, which is one of the largest waterfalls in Europe. After experiencing the waterfall, head to Stein am Rein, a picturesque town known for its well-preserved medieval architecture and its stunning location on the Rhine River. We had an enjoyable lunch at Uferlos which has a good view of Rhine river. After that we let the kids play in the large playground just a 4 minute walk away and spent a good time of the afternoon there.

Alternatively, if you have not been around Zurich yet this day may be alternatively when you can explore the city.

Day 4: Bernina Express

  • Bernina Express from Chur to Tirano
  • Train from Tirano to Colico Piano
  • Check in at the Rainbow Holiday Apartments

We then took the Bernina Express from Chur to Tirano, which is one of the most scenic train journeys in the world. You’ll pass through the Swiss Alps, cross the Bernina Pass, and travel through the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Rhaetian Railway. The journey ends in Tirano, a small town in Italy.

At the day we had travelled there was only one available slot a little after 8am. This meant that if you are travelling from Zurich or surrounding areas you would need to be leaving very early to catch this train. In our cases we had decided to book a one night stay at Chur so that the kids would be refreshed when we start our trip. Do consider that from Tirano it will be another hours train travel to Colico Piano in Lake Como.

Day 5: Lake Como

We had decided to stay in the Rainbow Holiday Apartments in Colico Piano for our stay at Lake Como. For this day we took the train from Colico Piano to Varenna then took a ferry to Bellagio, which is known for its charming narrow streets and its stunning lakefront location. We had a lovely lunch at Ristorante Pizzeria Carillon and took the Bellagio Express train which the Renzo really enjoyed.

After exploring Bellagio, we headed back to Varenna, a small town on the eastern shore of Lake Como that’s famous for its stunning views and its beautiful gardens. We had a look at the Varenna walk of lovers which has areas that go over Lake Como itself and spend time exploring the wonderful gardens of Villa Monastero

Day 6: Colico Piano

On our last day we decided to take it a bit easier and explore Colico Piano, a small village located at the foot of the Alps. Here, you can relax and enjoy the natural beauty of the area, including its stunning mountain views and its clear blue lakes. If you are there on a weekend there may also be a weekend market, the kids loved playing in Parco Paride Cariboni and we had lunch at Blue River Colico. If you still have some time do consider to rent an electric boat and take some time to go around the lake and take in more of its stunning views.

Day 7: Milan

  • Explore Milan
  • Fly back home

There are trains going straight to Milan from Colico Piano and there are no transfers needed. If you have an evening flight you can spend a bit more time exploring the city before catching your flight back home.

This itinerary offers a perfect blend of adventure, relaxation, and stunning natural beauty. With so many incredible sights to see and experiences to enjoy, it’s sure to be a vacation that your family will never forget.

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