Switzerland & Italy
September 4–14, 2026 · 10 nights
Day 1 — Thursday, Sep 4
Arrival
Land in Zurich
We check in, nap if we need to, and ease into the time zone.
Evening
Old Town Zurich walk
Bahnhofstrasse, Lindenhof viewpoint, a slow walk along the Limmat. First night in Europe together.
Dinner
Swiss Chuchi
Classic cheese fondue in Old Town. A little tourist-y, but genuinely good. We're starting this trip right.
Day 2 — Friday, Sep 5
Morning
Train to Lauterbrunnen
2.5 hours through the Swiss countryside. We're grabbing window seats on both sides.
Afternoon
Trümmelbach Falls
10 glacier waterfalls inside a mountain. It's loud, it's wet, it's incredible.
Evening
Settle into Lauterbrunnen
Dinner in the village. There are 72 waterfalls in this valley. We'll see them from our window.
Day 3 — Saturday, Sep 6
Full day
Schilthorn cable car
Cable car up to 9,744 ft. There's a revolving restaurant at the top. They filmed James Bond here. The panorama (Eiger, Mönch, Jungfrau) is going to wreck us.
Afternoon
Mürren village
Car-free Alpine village on the way down. We stop for coffee and stare at the mountains.
Day 4 — Sunday, Sep 7
Morning
Train to Lucerne
Short ride, gorgeous route.
Afternoon
Lake Lucerne boat cruise
Covered by our Swiss Travel Pass. Chapel Bridge, Lion Monument, Old Town. This city is so pretty it's annoying.
Evening
Dinner along the lake
We pick a waterfront spot. Watch the light change over the mountains together.
Day 5 — Monday, Sep 8
Morning
Train to Milan
We cross into Italy. If we book Trenitalia early, the tickets are way cheaper.
Afternoon
Milan — quick stop
The Duomo, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. A few hours is enough here before we keep moving.
Evening
Train to Lake Como, check in
We settle into Bellagio or Varenna. The lake at sunset is something else entirely.
Day 6 — Tuesday, Sep 9
Morning
Villa del Balbianello
Boat ride to the villa. They filmed Star Wars and Casino Royale here. The gardens are beautiful.
Lunch
Ristorante Bilacus
Right on the water in Bellagio. Fresh pasta, lake fish, local wine. This is the lunch I keep picturing.
Afternoon
Explore Bellagio
Steep cobblestone lanes, gelato, little boutiques. We're just wandering.
Day 7 — Wednesday, Sep 10
Morning
Lake Como — free morning
Sleep in, coffee by the water, maybe a ferry between villages. No agenda.
Afternoon
Train to Florence
About 3.5 hours. We check in and walk straight to the Ponte Vecchio.
Day 8 — Thursday, Sep 11
Morning
Uffizi Gallery
We book timed entry. Botticelli's Birth of Venus, Caravaggio's Medusa. We take our time.
Lunch
Trattoria Mario
Cash only. Communal tables. We're getting the ribollita and the bistecca. Get there before noon or we wait.
Afternoon
Leather shopping in San Lorenzo
The market and the shops around it. We can bargain a little. I know you'll find something.
Sunset
Piazzale Michelangelo
Walk up or take the bus. Florence at golden hour from up here is the view you see on every postcard, except we'll be in it.
Dinner
Buca Mario
The massive T-bone, split between us. This place has been open since 1886. Our big Florence dinner. $$$
Day 9 — Friday, Sep 12
Morning
Florence — free morning
The Duomo climb is 463 steps and worth every one. Baptistery doors, gelato from Vivoli. Our last Florence morning.
Afternoon
Train to Rome
1.5 hours on the fast train. We check in and do an evening passeggiata through the city.
Dinner
Da Enzo al 29
Trastevere. Cacio e pepe, carbonara, artichokes. No reservations, so we line up 20 min before they open. $$
Day 10 — Saturday, Sep 13
Morning
Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
We book the early entry. Seeing the ceiling in person is a completely different experience.
Midday
St. Peter's Basilica
Free entry. The scale of it is hard to understand until you're standing inside.
Afternoon
Colosseum & Roman Forum
Combined ticket, we book ahead. The Forum is underrated, so we're taking our time there.
Evening
Roscioli
Part deli, part restaurant. The pasta is incredible and they have a serious wine list. We reserve ahead. $$$
Day 11 — Sunday, Sep 14
Morning
Last morning in Rome
Coffee in Trastevere, Trevi Fountain early before the crowds, one last cornetto. Then we go home.
Midday
Fly home from FCO
Where to Eat
-
Swiss Chuchi
Swiss — Zurich
Fondue and raclette in Old Town. The cheese fondue with kirsch is what we're getting. $$
-
Ristorante Bilacus
Italian — Bellagio
Right on the lake. Fresh pasta, lake fish, local Lombardy wines. This is the one I keep thinking about. $$
-
Trattoria Mario
Florentine — Florence
Cash only. Communal seating. We're getting the ribollita, the bistecca, and the house red. Before noon or we wait. $
-
Buca Mario
Florentine — Florence
The 1.5 kg T-bone for two. Oldest trattoria in the city. Our big splurge in Florence. $$$
-
Da Enzo al 29
Roman — Rome
Cacio e pepe, carbonara, carciofi alla giudia. No reservations, so we line up early. $$
-
Roscioli
Roman — Rome
Deli meets restaurant. The pasta is outstanding and the wine list is serious. We reserve in advance. $$$
Good to Know
- The Swiss Travel Pass covers trains, boats, and most mountain transport. We're getting the 4-day pass, it pays for itself fast.
- If we book Trenitalia trains early, Milan to Florence can be as cheap as €19. Two months out is the sweet spot.
- I need a Schengen visa. Starting the application 3 months before, because appointment slots fill up.
- We should download offline Google Maps for each region. Cell service in the Alps and rural Italy gets spotty.
Booking Checklist
- ○ Flights to Zurich / from Rome
- ○ Schengen visa application
- ○ Swiss Travel Pass
- ○ Lauterbrunnen accommodation (2 nights)
- ○ Lake Como accommodation (2 nights)
- ○ Florence accommodation (2 nights)
- ○ Rome accommodation (2 nights)
- ○ Uffizi Gallery timed entry
- ○ Vatican Museums early entry
- ○ Colosseum + Forum tickets
- ○ Trenitalia bookings (Milan→Como, Como→Florence, Florence→Rome)