by Gergana Dimitrieva
In the beginning of May 2019, me and a group of friends took a train trip through Switzerland and Italy for 10 days. We started in Geneva (03.05), then Zermatt (04.05), Chur (05.05), St. Moritz (06.05), Tirano (07.05), Como (08 -10.05) and ended the trip in Milano (11-12.05).
I separated the trip into two parts: 5-Days train trip in Switzerland & 5-Days train trip in northern Italy. And this is the second part of the train trip in northern Italy:
Day 1. Travel St. Moritz, Switzerland to Tirano, Italy
The train we took from St. Moritz, Switzerland to Tirano, Italy was Bernina Express (we bought the tickets online). I can’t agree more with the slogan on the brochure “The most spectacular way to cross the Alps!” You get around 3 hours of splendid scenery:
And we arrived at Tirano.
Tirano is small and calm town nothing too exciting to see, so we used our time there mainly for rest, including enjoying good Italian food and wine.
Days 2 & 3. Como and surroundings
We took a local train from Tirano to Como, the ticket for which we bought at the counter at the train station. On arrival, Como greeted us with rain, but sent us away with sun, so all good.
Como is a city at the southern tip of Lake Como in northern Italy. Famous for the Gothic Como Cathedral, the Museo Didattico della Seta on the history of Como's silk industry, the Tempio Voltiano museum (also known as the Museum of the scientist Alessandro Volta) and many more astonishing monuments, but if you ask me Como Lake itself is the most spectacular and breathtaking.
You can’t go to Lake Come and not take a boat to some of the small towns on its shore. We visited Varena and Bellagio.
Views form Varena:
Views from Bellagio:
The photos speak for themselves… I mean crazy beautiful. But in my opinion the greatest view of them all was this one:
Brunate… also known as "the balcony of the Alps".
The Funicular railway station, opened in 1894, in piazza De Gasperi in Como shall bring you in just a few minutes up to Brunate. Once you get to Brunate, just follow the signs for the panoramic terrace for the most spectacular view (the upper photo).
Days 4 & 5. Milan, Italy
Our final stop was Milano… crazy... full of people… Milano. To be honest it was my least favorite place from all that we visit during the trip. I guess it was because our stay was during the Annual Alpini rally – a colourful parade and rally, gathering the National Alpini Association, celebrating the famous mountain warfare infantry corps of the Italian army.
Note: If you are not crazy about people (especially tipsy ones) – DON’T visit Milano during the Annual Alpini Festival!
To escape the city craziness we visited the botanical garden in the city – beautiful, FREE and calm place.
And I can’t not mentioned the must go places in Milan: the Gothic Duomo di Milano cathedral, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Castello Sforzesco, Opera at Teatro alla Scala and many many more.
Note (MUST DO when in Milano): Visit Naviglio area, take an “aperativo” with Aperol Spritz in one of the many canal-side cafés and enjoy the atmosphere.
Voilà! That was our amazing trip!