Swiss Alps, Northern Italy

[andreios]

Dear friend, cari amici,
I'll be spending some two weeks at the end of June/beginning of July in southern Switzerland in the Alps, near to St.Moritz. I was wondering if anyone could recommend me some interesting places to visit and to shoot.. Or should you know about something interesting happening there in given period of time...

There are the Alps, of course, but I like more looking on them than climbing them, I'm planning a visit to Milano, but I'd welcome more tips - e.g. some nice, quiet small cities and villages with interesting people and so on..

Thank you in advance.

 

[Ezzie]

Zermatt?

 

[ElectroWNED]

driving north to south means you don't need to have any plans: everywhere you go will take your breath away. Take a swim in any of the lakes overlooked by the Alps (lago maggiore is my preference) then grab a bite to eat overlooking the lake. The light in such places is great for evening photos too!

 

[andreios]

Thanks for suggestions, keep them coming - I'm looking forward to hear from the locals..
I'll be have a "base camp" near St. Moritz (it is too difficult to make a road trim with a one-year old child..) and I'll be mostly making one-day trips..

 

[ferider]

Davos (historical place; you can also go up to the Weissfluh), Chur, Zurich, Luzern, Lugano, Ascona (particularly pretty), the three lakes. Valle Vercasca, Valle Maggia. High up in the Valle Maggia you'll find a Botta Church. You can swim in both Vercasca and Maggia, a unique experience (you can swim and drink - any lake bordering Italy however is not very clean). You won't be bored - so much to see.

Also, eat in one of the many Ticinean "Grottos".

Check out the Swiss "Glacier Express", might be nice with a kid.

Have fun.

 

[mfogiel]

I am not sure Milan is worth a visit, unless you are fond of Leonardo da Vinci or high fashion... As you drive south through Chiavenna, you can stop in Lecco and take a trip on the lake to Bellaggio/ Menaggio / Como a beautiful scenery and quite unique too. I recommend lunch in Bellaggio, which is the tip dividing lake Como from Lake Lecco. Around San Moritz you will have lots of great places to see, there are several valleys converging at Pontresina, and you can do one day walking trips, or if you prefer go up in a little train and come back by foot...

 

[nksyoon]

Chapel of St Mary of the Angels on Monte Tamaro in Southern Switzerland, designed by Mario Botta - between Bellinzona and Lugano.

- Take the train on the Gotthard route to Bellinzona
- Check out Bellinzona with its 3 castles
- Take the Centovalli train from Locarno to Domodossola (including stops at Re and Rasa on the way)
- second the recommendations of Valle Versazca, Valle Maggia and the scenic route along Lago Maggiore southwards to Italy
- boat trips on Lago Lugano, esp to Gandria, a gorgeous lakeside village
- boat trips on Lago Maggiore from Locarno or Ascona to Isola Brissago's botanical gardens

 

[andreios]

Thanks for these recommendations (and for very nice pictures, that bw square shot of the chapel is wonderful), it seems it won't be dull.. Now I have to sit down over a map and do some planning..

 

[leguaan]

I'd certainly recommend Davos, and dropping by in Bergamo on the way to Milan, or maybe even instead of Milan. (I found Milan to be a rather uncharming place, but maybe that's just my personal impression)

 

[Graham Line]

I'd make a beeline for the Ferrari Museum at Modena/Maranello, but that's just me.

The Appenzell area in Switzerland is not so touristly, very beautiful, offers nice lodging and lots of short walks, plus many of my distant relatives . . .

 

[andreios]

Thanks, leguaan, I plan to stop at Davos on our way south - avoid the motorway and take a "scenic" route.
Interesting count of votes against Milan Anyway, I do not insist on visiting it, I've been passing through it once or twice and found it quite nice.. But I see there are lots of places much nearer (and I presume I'll have enough of driving by the time we arrie there so maybe I'll stick to nearer places.)

PS: As for Maranello, I'll leave that for a next trip to Tuscany that I already plan, it'll be more on the way..

 

[ferider]

Compared to Prague, Milano is indeed disappointing

But Bergamo is a great suggestion. But all this is already quite far away, as is the Appenzell or the Berner Oberland (Zermatt).

Ticino is so nice and scenic all by itself You might also notice that people a very accomodating of small kids, in both Italy and Ticino. More so than in most of the rest of Europe, in my experience.

 

[raid]

I have twice taken this route:

Bavaria (Germany) ==> Austria (Innsbruck, Salzburg)
==> cross Grossglockner Pass to Italy
==> Bolzen, Verona, Pisa, Venice,Padua, Florence
==> back the same way.

This is an awesome route for enjoying cultures, beautiful scenery, fresh air, good food, art, beauty overall.

 

[Ken Shipman]

I agree Milan is okay, but only barely. Better time spent in Bellagio, Stresa, Verona, and of course Venice.

 

[andreios]

Thanks to all once more.. I'm leaving tonight, in some two hours, so that I'll drink my morning cuppa with an alpine scenery in view.. I've packed some two dozen rolls of film, I wonder how many of them will come home exposed..
Anyway, see you in two weeks, hopefully with a nice picture or two.