Advice needed for October trip in Europe

Heading to Lugano Switzerland in a month. We are visiting our daughter who is studying abroad, but my wife and I will have 3 days on the front end and 3 days on the back end to venture out on our own. We are thinking Interlaken/Lucerne and a town or two in Italy....any suggestions are appreciated!

My daughter and son-in-law visited Cinque Terre for several days on their Italy trip. They raved about it. Based on your trip reports, it sounds like an area you would really like. Not sure about the logistics of getting there from Lugano.
Scott

Thanks Scott, my daughter was there last weekend and she loved it also. That might just be the place! There are a handful of small towns around there, the photos I've seen look incredible and your right, it looks our speed! There are a couple towns around lake Como that we are looking at, not much time, but if we can squeeze two stops in a 3 day weekend we will! Thanks

Beerman the area around the Cinque is amazing. I was lucky enough to have (twist my arm) work in La Spezia which is fairly large town near the Cinque Terre. It is a very short ferry ride to the CT. There are other places close by also worth seeing. Lerici and Portovenere are two villages not to miss and far less crowded than the CT. Although in October it should be winding down.

La Spezia is not a tourist destination so if cost it a factor it can be more reasonable. As I said it is a short ferry or train ride to the CT. Ferry or Bus to Lerici and Portovenere. Let me know if you decide to head that way I can share some detailed info.

Of course Lake Como is way up there on my wife's list on our next trip. And that would be beautiful in October.

I know you are beer drinker, but you are very close to the Piedmonte and some AMAZING wine and food. Mid October starts the White Truffle Festival in Alba. Oh so much to do and so little time...

Enjoy your visit with your daughter and add a week to the trip!

Thanks Tom, I read your pm and will check out all your recommendations! Let you know what we are thinking. Our daughter keeps sending photos like this...AWESOME!! By the way 16 of them flew to Barcelona today for the weekend, I want to be her this semester!!

Oh to be young! My daughter did two mini-semesters abroad. One was 6 weeks all over the EU - from Ireland to Hungary. The other one... will she is a BA girl and hates... No HATES science. So she got her science credit by studying abroad on 82 foot boat in the Galapagos. As I said, oh to be young.

You will love the Cinque Terre if you decide to go. Just remember Lerici is a short ferry ride away. I took this shot from the ferry entering the harbor at Lerici.



Start practicing this weekend... Sorry boss I am going to need a few more days in October.... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

I could have spent a semester in college in London and I didn't.. I often think about that and so wish I had!

Yes, the things we coulda shoulda. This is truly a trip of a lifetime for her, 9 weeks studying in Lugano then 5 weeks teaching kids in Rwanda then back to Lugano for a week. I thought I would only get the customary t-shirt! but we couldn't pass on this opportunity for us to travel there also!!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />

Did you guy finalize the itinerary?

You had some hard decisions.

Hi Rick...
Thought of you when I ran across this story :
http://consumertraveler.com/traveler/10-tips-for-discovering-the-best-of-switzerland-by-train

Tom, less than 2 weeks out and haven't settled on an itinerary yet! We are still looking at Primary locales as Cinque Terre, since it has 5 charming seaside towns nearby and Interlaken for the mountain experience.

My daughter and her friends have been taking advantage of their study abroad opportunity by traveling all over, Munich last weekend for Oktoberfest opening ceremonies, Rome and Florence this weekend. They are using www.AirBnB.com to find lodging and have been very happy with the site. We are looking at this option instead of standard hotels to get a better local experience.

Thanks for the helpful link JP, we are looking forward to traveling a lot by train!

My wife has had a busy business travel month and I've been swamped lately, so hopefully we'll get our travel plans somewhat finalized in the next week. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" />

Beerman--I am so looking forward to this trip for you, because I am anticipating a great trip report with lovely pictures! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Smile.gif" alt="" />

Beerman - One thing you will experience in the Cinque Terre is the only thing better than the view is the food.

There is a dish called Frutti di Mare, which is basically whatever seafood is fresh and is served with pasta. Each restaurant does it differently.

I was sitting at a small taverna in Portovenere (small town 5 KM west of CT) along the seawall. I asked the waiter what was in the Frutti di Mare today (I am allergic to scallops). He looked over his shoulder and ran down to a fishing boat that just pulled in. I had to follow... The white container on the bottom right was the Frutti di Mare of the day. Sooooooooo good!



You will love Liguria! But do not tell anybody – let them keep going to Tuscany, Amalfi Coast, and Rome. Liguria is so nice. The Cinque does get a fair share of tourist, but nothing like the other places mentioned.

If you like the sea and the food that comes from it - Liguria is an amazing place.

Carol, I can't get ahead at work recently, I have several BVI reports to start/finish <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" /> hopefully those can be completed before this next trip or I may never finish them ugh! Might be buying a new camera before this trip, that would mean literally thousands of photos <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Selfishly, I would much rather see the Europe trip report, as we don't get many of those here! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

I, too, can't wait for your trip to Lugano and the surrounding area because your trip reports are always fabulous. Having traveled myself to Lugano and the Cinque Terre, I really look forward to seeing what you enjoyed most. While staying in Cinque Terre, we also took a train ride one afternoon to Pisa and saw the leaning tower there. The train was also a great way to see each of the individual towns nearby.

We still aren't 100% set on an itinerary, but focused on taking the train from Lugano to Cinque Terra. We arrive in Zurich Friday, same day our daughter heads off to Paris for the weekend! We told her to go with her classmates and have fun, it's her experience, we'll see her Monday after class! We plan to check out Lugano our first day/night and want to drop a suitcase of STUFF off at our daughters dorm so we'll only have our backpacks. She goes to Africa in a few weeks so we'll bring home some clothes etc she doesn't need there. Planning Saturday to Monday in Italy?....that way we can spend our last weekend in the Swiss Alps, puts us closer to Zurich for flight home. Now to figure out purchasing train passes, ugh!

We made our one and only trip to Europe way back in 1999. Flew into Zurich for 2 nights then 2 nights in Lugano, then back to Zurich for 2 more. Went by railcar to Lugano and absolutely loved it! Lugano was gorgeous and am still amazed at the site of palm trees around the lake. Of course we had to go to Como so Belinda could try and catch a glimpse of George. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

so envious of your upcoming trip Beerman. we spent a glorious 3 weeks in Italy and France in 2008 and part of that was in Genoa and Portofino Italy.....just incredible ..

Carol I will start my Greece trip reporting soon...have to sort through a couple thousand pictures...Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend also so will be in a turkey coma for a few days. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

the train travel is simply incredible ....took a fast train from Italy to the French Riviera or azure coast and thought I was in heaven ...you will have a blast...each time I travel to Europe I come back asking myself...why the heck to I live in the frozen north <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

That's a bit like saying you've been to the Caribbean and actually only been to Anegada. Please come back and see some more. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Kiss.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Kiss.gif" alt="" />

Never said I saw Europe! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> Would love to come back and explore more. As I'm very close to retirement that very likely will happen. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

"each time I travel to Europe I come back asking myself...why the heck to I live in the frozen north"

Kim, I have a feeling my daughter is going to feel the same way! She's having the time of her life and I can't wait to join her this weekend!!! I would love to read about your Greece trip, perhaps I can read it while... in the Alps <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Groovin.gif" alt="" />

Nice!!!
Enjoy my friend...just coming home from my first turkey meal...the coma will start shortly <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Update, we are in Monterosso! Can't post photos, but what a beautiful town!! Dinner was incredible, sat outside in a very narrow alley way enjoying wine and great seafood,can't wait to share photos!! Ciao! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />