Milano Trip Overview
207,000 square kilometres of granite peaks, deep lakes, and snow: the Alps are Europe’s grandest attraction. And on this tour, you take in its views from both the glamorous lakes of Northern Italy and the green valleys of Switzerland.
At Lake Como and Maggiore, you’re spoilt with Renaissance style architecture and celebrity hang-out spots. From Lausanne, you set off to lakeside castles and the home of Gruyère cheese. And in Lauterbrunnen and Zermatt you admire the postcard-perfect alpine peaks, forests, and waterfalls.
Venture through scenes of the Alps and discover the best views Europe has to offer.
Additional Info
Duration: 6 days
Starts: Milano, Italy
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
Explore Milano Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Milano, Lombardia, Italy
207,000 square kilometres of granite peaks, deep lakes, and snow: the Alps are Europe’s grandest attraction. And on this tour, you take in its views from both the glamorous lakes of Northern Italy and the green valleys of Switzerland.
At Lake Como and Maggiore, you’re spoilt with Renaissance style architecture and celebrity hang-out spots. From Lausanne, you set off to lakeside castles and the home of Gruyère cheese. And in Lauterbrunnen and Zermatt you admire the postcard-perfect alpine peaks, forests, and waterfalls.
Venture through scenes of the Alps and discover the best views Europe has to offer.
Itinerary
Day 1: Milan – Lake Como – Lugano
Stop At: Lake Como, Lake Como, Lombardy
You travel directly from the metropolis of Milan to Lake Como, the most stunning lake in the region. Framed by the Rhaetian Alps, this Italian slice of heaven’s crystal-clear waters seduced the most famous writers of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Admire the mountainous vistas and colourful villas from the unique perspective of the water, as you hop on an included boat trip across to Lenno.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Lugano, Lugano, Canton of Ticino, Swiss Alps
You then cross the border into Switzerland and visit Lugano. You have a couple of hours here to explore however you please. People watch over a coffee in Piazza della Riforma, pour over the frescos at the Church of S. Maria degli Angioli, or feast your eyes on more waterside scenes on the shores of Lake Lugano.
You travel to the quaint and cultural town of Locarno for your evening and overnight stay.
Duration: 2 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Home Hotel Locarno or similar, Locarno
Day 2: Locarno – Stresa – Varese
Stop At: Isola Bella, Isola Bella, Stresa, Lake Maggiore, Piedmont
You first travel to elegant Stresa. Here you have the option to take a boat ride to Isola Bella.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Palazzo Borromeo, 28838, Stresa, Isola Bella Italy
This island sits in Lake Maggiore and offers visitors a chance to wander through gorgeous gardens and admire the exuberant extravagancies of a wealthy 17th-century family in Palazzo Borromeo.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Varese, Varese, Province of Varese, Lombardy
In the afternoon, you venture to Varese, also known as the ‘Garden City’. Grab a snack here and enjoy a guided stroll through the old town centre to find out how this town earned such a nickname.
Duration: 1 hour
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Home Hotel Locarno or similar, Locarno
Day 3: Domodossola – Simplon Pass – Täsch – Lausanne
Stop At: Domodossola, Domodossola, Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Piedmont
Your first stop of the day is in Domodossola. You have time here to grab a coffee, snap a few photos of the piazza, and acclimatise to the sky-touching mountain views.
Duration: 45 minutes
Pass By: Simplon Pass, Simplonstreed Simplonpass, Brig 3900 Switzerland
The winding roads take you to the Simplon Pass. This is a historic location that’s been used as a key route through the Alps by Stone Age dwellers, Romans, and smugglers of the Middle Ages.
Stop At: Zermatt, Zermatt, Canton of Valais, Swiss Alps
Now, it’s time to discover one of the most admired peaks in all of Europe, the Matterhorn. You arrive in Täsch and take a round trip on a train to car-free Zermatt, a “base camp” for aspiring mountaineers, to enjoy the views and grab lunch.
Duration: 2 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Hotel Alpha Palmiers by Fassbind or similar, Lausanne
Day 4: Gruyères – Gstaad – Chillon Castle
Stop At: Gruyeres, Gruyeres, La Gruyere, Canton of Fribourg
We hope you have an appetite, because your first stop of the day is the home of Gruyère cheese, Gruyères. You have time here to go beyond the dairy delights and discover the Medieval town and its views of the Saane Valley.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Gstaad, Gstaad, Saanen, Canton of Bern
You then travel alongside Alpine peaks to Gstaad. This glamourous Alpine village is a favourite hangout spot for ski-loving celebrities; see who you can spot.
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
Stop At: Chateau de Chillon, avenue de Chillon 21, Veytaux 1820 Switzerland
Near Montreux, you have the option to visit Chillon Castle, an unbelievably idyllic stronghold that deserves its claim as Switzerland’s most visited castle.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Hotel Alpha Palmiers by Fassbind or similar, Lausanne
Day 5: Lauterbrunnen – free day
Stop At: Lauterbrunnen, Lauterbrunnen, Jungfrau Region, Bernese Oberland, Canton of Bern
You spend time in Lauterbrunnen any way you choose today. There are lovely walks, trains to mountain peaks, and more. You’re spoilt for choice, so ask your guide for advice on what you should do.
Once you’ve gratified your senses with Lauterbrunnen’s imposing mountain views and pastoral Swiss splendours, you travel to Interlaken. This small resort town, nestled snug between the mountains, is your home for the evening.
Duration: 6 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Hotel Weisses Kreuz or similar, Interlaken
Day 6: Interlaken – Chessiloch Falls – Altdorf – Bellinzona – Milan
Stop At: Chessiloch Wappenfelsen, Unterer Moosweg, Grellingen 4203 Switzerland
You leave Interlaken and head through the bucolic landscape of the UNESCO Biosphere Entlebuch. Stroll through typical sound-of-music style scenes of cows chomping through fields of green grass and along mossy paths to Chessiloch Falls.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Altdorf, Altdorf, Canton of Uri, Swiss Alps
Nature may rejuvenate the senses, but it doesn’t fill your belly; so your next stop is for lunch in Altdorf. This historic town is famous for being the place where William Tell shot an apple off his son’s head.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Bellinzona, Bellinzona, Canton of Ticino, Swiss Alps
You then descend from the heights of the Alps to Bellinzona. Since Roman times, grand castles, now UNESCO heritage sites, have stoically guarded the access to northern Italy. You have the choice here to visit the castles or relax in the town.
You arrive back in Milan in the evening.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.
