Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
Lyon, Zermatt, St Moritz, Italian Lakes
100% customisable for you
Head to St Pancras for the first leg of your Swiss Alps and Italian Lakes adventure. Catch a morning Eurostar train from London to Paris, arriving two-and-a-half hours later. Alternatively, you can make this itinerary a road trip from the UK, beginning in Folkestone and travelling on the Eurotunnel Le Shuttle service to Calais.
From Gare du Nord, transfer to Gare de Lyon which is an easy two-stop hop on the Paris RER (metro). Once at Gare de Lyon, we've planned it so you can have a lovely lunch in the splendid art nouveau Le Train Bleu restaurant in the station.
After lunch, make your way to your onward train from Paris to Lyon, which takes around two hours, arriving in France's second city in the late afternoon. Transfer to your centrally-located hotel and enjoy a fun evening in the city generally regarded as the culinary capital of France.
We can recommend and reserve a table in one of Lyon’s many fabulous restaurants, but before dark we recommend going for a stroll around the old town and exploring some of the famous traboules (secret alleyways that snake through the city blocks like ancient pedestrian shortcuts).
This morning, take a two-hour onward train to Geneva and then connect onto the service to Visp, in the Swiss Alps. This train takes a little over two hours before you switch for your final connection – a one-hour train to Zermatt, arriving in the late afternoon.
Zermatt is car-free, so you can then either walk to the hotel or take a horse-drawn carriage. This evening, we can book one of the resort's outstanding restaurants for your first supper in the mountains.
Today you’ll have the chance to properly explore this picture-perfect setting, the first official stop on your itinerary, with the iconic Matterhorn mountain as a pyramidal backdrop. Whether you are here in winter or summer, enjoy a pre-lunch wander along well-marked trails, which are well maintained even in the snowy months. If you're here in winter, you could also try snowshoeing or skiing.
Have lunch back in town, and then you have the afternoon to relax or wander around what many people consider to be the prettiest village in the Alps. Tonight, you can indulge in another hearty mountain meal at a lovely restaurant.
If yesterday was all about two feet, today is about two wheels as you tackle some of Zermatt's superb biking trails (only in the summer months). There are several to choose from, depending on the duration and difficulty level you’re after, but the best known are the seven-mile Gornergrat Riffelsee and the one-mile Kate Moos.
If you don’t fancy biking, you could take the cable car up to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise for spectacular views over the alps. If you’re travelling during warmer weather, we’d suggest catching the train one stop to Tasch where you can get out on the lake for some watersports.
This afternoon is yours to relax, walk, bike some more or just breathe in the fresh mountain air. This is your last night in Zermatt, so make the most of it with another supper in one of the town's best restaurants.
After breakfast at the hotel, wander back to the station to board the famous Glacier Express to St Moritz, the next stop on this Swiss Alps and Italian Lakes train trip. 'Express' might be something of a misnomer, as this is actually one of the slowest railway journeys in the world, covering the 180-odd miles in eight hours. That's all the more time to take in some of the most glorious alpine scenery imaginable, we say. If you want to upgrade your journey on the Glacier Express, we can book you into Excellence Class in the Deluxe Panoramic Car, which includes cocktail bar, five course lunch and excellent service.
On arrival into St Moritz, transfer to your hotel and check in. Our detailed Dossier lists our recommendations of the best places to eat and drink in town.
Today you have the chance to explore your new surroundings on a self-guided hike along one or more of St Moritz's well-marked and maintained hiking trails. The Muottas Muragl Panorama Trail (4.1 miles) or the Water Trail on Corvatsch Mountain (3.1 miles) are both excellent choices. If you are here in winter, you'll probably be skiing these routes instead... This afternoon, you can relax at your hotel or indulge in a spot of shopping in St Moritz.
There’s plenty for adventure lovers to do here all year round. In summer, you can try kitesurfing, hiking, biking and visiting an Alpine dairy; while in winter, you can enjoy downhill or cross-country skiing, tobogganing and snowshoe hiking.
Today you'll be taking to the water for a morning sail at nearby Lake Silvaplana. Famous for its wind, Silvaplana is a watersports fan's paradise and is the place to sail, kitesurf or stand up paddleboard.
Once you’ve had your fill of activities, return to St Moritz and spend the afternoon and evening relaxing.
You'll be leaving St Moritz this morning and enjoying what is commonly considered the most beautiful train journey in Europe - the Bernina Express.
The route, for the most part, follows the Rhaetian Railway through the Engadin Alps in Switzerland and into Italy, climbing up the Berninan Pass before descending through the extraordinary Brusio spiral viaduct where the line corkscrews, allowing for an iconic photo opportunity. The entire journey from St Moritz to Tirano takes around two-and-a-half-hours, before you change trains to Como with a connection in Monza, arriving in Como three-and-a-half-hours later.
From Como it's a short drive to your next hotel, right on the shores of Lake Como. The hotel will be home for the next three nights and is the perfect base to begin exploring the gorgeous Italian Lakes region.
Today you'll kick off the Italian Lakes leg of your trip with a whole day to do as much or as little as you like. Lounge by the pool or wander around the fragrant gardens at the hotel, borrow some bikes and explore a bit further afield; the decision is yours.
Our clued-up local Concierge is on hand to suggest other options, such as walking to a lovely local viewing point, San Martino's Hill, or visiting nearby Villa del Balbianello, famed for its terraced gardens overlooking Lake Como.
To see Lake Como from a different perspective, we can arrange for you to go waterskiing or to take off for a scenic flight by seaplane. The Concierge is also on hand to suggest a local restaurant and book a table, should you wish to dine out this evening.
Today you can explore Lake Como by boat. Enjoy a day buzzing about on the water, mooring up where you want to dive in for a swim or exploring charming villages on the shoreline.
There are both public and private boat tour options. Take a private tour to explore some beautiful gardens and aristocratic villas such as Balbianello, Melzi, Carlotta, Monastero.
Bid farewell to Lake Como today as you head back to Como station and take the train (via a connection in Milan Centrale) to Stresa, which takes roughly two hours.
A short transfer sees you reach your next hotel, a lovely lakeside property on the shores of Lake Maggiore.
Begin the day with a leisurely stroll along the lakeside promenade, past grand villas, flowering gardens and cafés perfect for a slow espresso with a view. If you feel drawn uphill, the Mottarone cable car offers sweeping panoramas over Lake Maggiore and Lake Orta, with gentle walking trails at the top for fresh alpine air and wide horizons.
Alternatively, take a short boat ride across the water this morning for a day trip to the Borromean Islands, one of the lake’s great highlights. Explore the theatrical splendour of Isola Bella, with its baroque palace and terraced gardens cascading down to the lake. Continue to Isola Madre, known for its botanical gardens, exotic plants and free-roaming peacocks, then pause on Isola dei Pescatori for a relaxed lunch of lake fish and local specialties in the island’s charming lanes.
Back in Stresa, the rest of the day is yours to enjoy at an unhurried pace. Perhaps wander through the old town, browse small shops or settle by the water with a glass of wine as boats drift past.
This morning you’ll have time for breakfast at your hotel before starting your journey back to London. There are a few different options for your journey back. You could take a three-hour train to Geneva and have the afternoon there or spend a bit more time travelling today and spend the night in Paris.
Alternatively, catch the train to Zurich. The journey, including a change in Bellinzona, takes around two-and-a-half-hours. Enjoy lunch at your hotel before you are met by your historian guide for a private half-day tour of this under-rated city. Visit the Lindenhof, a one-time Roman fortress, and the medieval Grossmunster church, and sample some Swiss delicacies en route.
Zurich is a renowned foodie city, so tonight we can recommend (and reserve a table at) one of the city's many fine restaurants to celebrate the last night of your Swiss Alps and Italian Lakes train itinerary.
Today is sadly the last day of your Swiss Alps and Italian Lakes train itinerary.
The last leg of your journey will depend on where you spent yesterday. If you were in Geneva, your journey home will take around eight hours, while if you were in Paris it will take around two and a half hours on the Eurostar.
If you were in Zurich yesterday, take your time over breakfast and maybe enjoy another stroll around town before you head back to Zurich Station and board the high-speed TGV-Lyria train to Paris Gare du Lyon, which takes four hours. As before, you then need to transfer across from Gare de Lyon to Gare du Nord, again an easy two-stop hop on the Paris RER. Once at Gare du Nord, if you feel so inclined, we can reserve you a table at the lovely bistro-style Terminus Nord restaurant beside the station for an early supper before boarding your two-hour-and-twenty-minute Eurostar train to London.
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
ENQUIRE NOW
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
ENQUIRE NOW
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
ENQUIRE NOW
Our team of destination experts will get to know you and your unique requirements for your holiday
We work with you to build an ultra-personalised holiday itinerary with your choice of accommodation, experiences and activities
All of our holidays include little extras designed to make a big difference to your trip, from fast-tracking you through airport check-in and security to our network of local Concierges
