Northern Italy itineraries that pair Milan and the lakes with the Swiss Alps, designed by a team that goes back to Italy every year. From 2,999 € per person, quote within 48 hours.
Day by day, with prices. Each one is reshaped around you.
Thirteen nights from Zurich to Milan by train: Rhine Falls, kayaking on Lake Brienz, the Schilthorn, a via ferrata, Rigi, Lugano, Lake Como and the Borromean Islands. Central 3-star hotels; an active trip with full days.
From €5,499 per person
Six nights from Milan to Zurich by private transfer and train: the Borromean Islands, Lake Orta, a grotto lunch above Lugano, a cheese day in Appenzell and the Bürgenstock spa. Four 4-star hotels; an easy pace for food lovers.
From €2,999 per person
Our travel designers suggest the right pace for each trip length.
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For the lakes and Milan, April to June and September to October are the months we recommend. The Borromean Islands' gardens open in late March and are in full bloom by May; Lake Como's villas and boats run from April to the end of October; the water is warm enough to swim from June to September. July and August are hot in Milan and busy on Como, though the lake breezes help. November to February is quiet, with many lakeside hotels closed, but Milan is lively for Christmas and the January sales. Our Italy itineraries cross into Switzerland, so if you want hiking on the Swiss side as well, June to September is the only window where both halves are fully open.
We specialize in the north, where Italy and Switzerland meet. Milan is the gateway: the Duomo terraces, Leonardo's Last Supper (timed tickets we reserve months ahead), the Navigli canals for aperitivo. From there, Lake Maggiore and Stresa are an hour away, with private boats to Isola Bella, Isola Madre and lunch on Isola dei Pescatori; Lake Orta is a quieter neighbor with the island of San Giulio. Lake Como, with Bellagio, Villa Carlotta and Villa del Balbianello, is best seen from a private water taxi. Our 7-day Italy and Switzerland itinerary runs Milan, Maggiore, Orta and Lugano before Zurich. The 14-day Switzerland to Italy trip arrives from the Alps and gives Como, Maggiore and Milan four days with a pizza and gelato class to finish. Beyond the lakes, we design trips to Venice, Verona and Lake Garda, Piedmont's truffle and Barolo country, and Tuscany, usually as an extension by train from Milan.
Seven days for Milan plus two lakes, with Lugano or Zurich if you want a Swiss finish. Ten days adds Venice (2 h 30 from Milan by Frecciarossa) or Piedmont. Two weeks is the right length to combine the Swiss Alps and the Italian lakes without rushing either, which is what our 14-day trip does. See Italy in 7 days and Italy in 10 days.
Italian high-speed trains are excellent between cities: Milan to Venice 2 h 30, Milan to Florence 1 h 50, Milan to Como 40 minutes. Around the lakes, the best transport is a boat, so we book private boats with a captain for the Borromean Islands and Como, and a private driver for the transfers between lakes. You do not need a car for anything on our itineraries. Budget sits between France and Switzerland: our 7-day Italy and Switzerland trip starts from 2,999 € per person with 4* lakefront hotels, private boats and a spa day; the 14-day active trip from 5,499 € per person. Emilie, who designs our Italy trips, goes back every year and knows which lakefront rooms actually face the water. Your proposal with hotels, boats, trains and prices arrives within 48 hours.
Based in France, they build and operate every trip on the ground.
Global Manager · Based in Villefranche-sur-Saône
Grew up between the French and Swiss Alps; designs our scenic train and mountain itineraries and has strong opinions about hotels.
More about ValentineTravel Designer · Based in Villefranche-sur-Saône
Grew up in Beaujolais in an adventurous family of six; designs our Italy and family trips and goes back to Italy every year.
More about Emilie
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Lake Como and the Milan fashion district are, especially from June to September; Lake Maggiore, Lake Orta and Lugano are more reasonable. A 7-day trip with 4* lakefront hotels, private boats and transfers starts at 2,999 € per person. Lunches on the islands are good value; the cost drivers are private boats and villa entries, which we include.
No. Milan, Stresa and Como are linked by train, and on the lakes a boat is faster and far more pleasant than the narrow shore roads. We use private drivers for lake-to-lake transfers and private boats for the islands. The only time a car helps is for Piedmont wine villages, where a driver who tastes nothing is still the better plan.
May and September. Gardens are in bloom in May, and September has warm water, harvest in the nearby vineyards and fewer visitors in Bellagio. June is excellent too. July and August are hot and crowded; from November the lake hotels start to close for the winter.
Four to six months for May, June and September, because lakefront rooms with a view are limited. Tickets for Leonardo's Last Supper are released in blocks about three months ahead and sell out within hours, so we reserve them the day they open. Shoulder-season trips can be arranged in six to eight weeks.
That is our specialty. Lugano is an hour from Como by train; Zurich is under three hours from Milan; the Bernina Express runs from Tirano to St. Moritz. Both our Italy packages cross the border, and we handle the change of currency (euro to Swiss franc) and the train reservations. A two-week Alps-and-lakes trip is the most requested shape.
English is spoken in every hotel, restaurant and attraction on our itineraries, and your guides are English-speaking. Many restaurants add a small coperto (cover charge) per person; beyond that, leaving a few euros or rounding up is appreciated but not expected. Boat captains and guides welcome 5 to 10 € per person for a day.
Two minutes, three steps. Free and without obligation.
