2-Week Switzerland and Italy Road Trip with INSANE Hiking!
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This 2-week Switzerland and Italy road trip, hiking through the Alps and Dolomites and relaxing on the famous Lake Como and Lake Garda, was one of my best trips through Europe so far!
In total, our Italy and Switzerland road trip lasted 14 days, and the breakdown for our trip goes like this:
- 4 days: Tyrol / Val di Funes / Ortisei (Italian Dolomites)
- 4 days: Lake Como / Lake Garda (Italy Lakes)
- 6 days: Lauterbrunnen / Lucern / Stoos (Swiss Alps)
In this post is my breakdown of the full itinerary, costs, lodging, and our thought process for how we made decisions on routes. There were a few lessons learned along the way – like how parking works or where cash vs credit card is available – but all in all, this was a very smooth road trip through Switzerland and Italy, and I wouldn’t change it one bit!
➡️ NOTE: Planning a trip to the Dolomites is a bit tough. I can plan a custom itinerary for you – suggest lodging and iconic hikes, and answer any questions. All you do is book it and enjoy it! ❤️
Switzerland and Italy Road Trip
Road Trip Priorities
We spent quite a few hours planning the best route so we could maximize time in one location, minimize driving a huge amount in one day, and also see all of the beautiful spots we had on our highlights list.
We also tried to be budget-conscious when it came to rental cars and locations because we knew Switzerland was going to be a bit pricey. Here are our priorities in a nutshell:
✅ Best Scenery in the Italian Dolomites & Swiss Alps
We started this trip with the idea of visiting the cute towns we loved in a few Instagram posts from Switzerland and Northern Italy, and that was the theme of our 14 days – Instagram-worthy views!
✅ Spectacular Mountain Ridge Hikes
We were a bit ambitious on the hikes, having plans to do one big hike every other day, but this led us to some of the most iconically beautiful treks in the mountains:
- Adolf Munkel Hike to Geisler Alm (Italian Dolomites)
- Cadini di Misurina Ridge Hike (Italian Dolomites)
- Seceda Ridgeline Hike (Italian Dolomites)
- Grutschalp, Murren, Gimmelwald Hike (Swiss Alps)
- Oeschinensee Lake Loop Hike (Swiss Alps)
- Stoos Ridge Hike (Swiss Alps)
✅ Famous Lakes
In between the Italian Dolomites and Swiss Alps, we took a break for a few days on Lake Garda and Lake Como. Both of these lakes are tucked in between mountains in very different ways, and both have a charm that is unmatched in this world. And to top it off, we ended our trip around Lake Lucern in the Swiss Alps!
✅ Priority on Hiking, not Driving for Hours
Outside of beautiful views, we were set on being active! We prioritized hiking over traversing long distances of land in the car every day. And I think this focus made our route enjoyable because it didn’t feel like we were go-go-go on the road most of the time.
Switzerland and Italy Road Trip Itinerary
Let’s dive into the details of the day-to-day, including places to eat, where hikes begin and end, and how the heck the logistics of parking, tolls, and gondola passes work.
Day 1: Tyrol Mountains
My travel buddy arrived at the Munich Airport in the morning, and by lunch, we had our rental car and were on the road toward the Italian Dolomites.
The drive from Munich through Austria and into Northern Italy took about 3.5 hours (including a small speeding ticket and two snack stops along the way).
Once we arrived at our lodging, we splurged on a steak dinner in the little town of Fallerhof, drank a bottle of wine, and were in bed early for the next day’s hike.
Lunch & Dinner Recommendation: Restaurant Waldschenke, Restaurant Viel Nois
Where to Stay In The Dolomites
📍 Proihof Funes Lodge (4 days) – We prioritized the views of Proihof, Funes, for our lodging. The perks include free parking, close to a few of the hikes we wanted to do, close to a little town for dinners and a grocery store, and a delicious fresh breakfast. Oh, and not to mention sunrises and sunsets with the most spectacular view of the Val di Funes Valley and the Odle mountains (picture below).
Day 2: Val di Funes & Geisler Alm
Our first couple of easy hikes were around Val di Funes. A quick 10-minute walk from our Fallerhof lodging is the Santa Maddalena Viewpoint, and just a few minutes further up the trail is yet another spectacular trail and viewpoint. This is a great way to spend the morning and a phenomenal spot for pictures.
We did a more strenuous 4+ hour hike in the afternoon, the Adolf Munkel Hike. You can park here and walk 5 minutes to the trailhead leading to Dusler Alm (#36).
We did the hike counterclockwise because we read it offered the most impressive views of the Odle Mountains. We also recommend starting around 3 pm or later so you get the full effect of the mountains lit up by the afternoon sun!
Our favorite stop along the way was Geisler Alm, a great restaurant and viewpoint. This is where we went a bit photo crazy, met another hiking group from Serbia, and promised we’d meet back at Geisler Alm at the same time next year! Now that’s a promise I would hate to break! ❤️
- Hike | Adolf Munkel Hike & Geisler Alm
- Trailhead | Zannes/Zans in Val di Funes, South Tyrol (Paid Parking)
- Distance | 9.2 km circuit
- Time Needed | 3 – 3:30 hours
- Elevation Gain/Loss | 378 meters
- Difficulty | Moderate
- Trails | 36, 35, ending on 6
Day 3: Cadini di Misurina Hike
Empowered by yesterday’s hike, we kept going on our mission for insane views. About 100km away from our lodging in Fallerhof is the Cadini di Musurina Hike. Because these are winding mountain roads, it took us about 2.5 hours to get to this part of the mountain.
The great thing is that Cadini di Misurina is quite a short hike, and the mountain gives you the option of a few other short and equally stunning hikes if you’re feeling up to it. So grab a good breakfast, pack a lunch and water, and get on your way.
When we arrived, there were police directing traffic away from the Rifugio, saying to come back in the afternoon or find parking at the bottom and take the bus up (which would add another hour to our logistics).
As you can imagine, we were devastated because we had just driven 2 hours, BUT we looped around until the police left and went up to the Rifugio anyway, where there was plenty of parking… when at first you don’t succeed!
PRO TIP: Arrive early at the starting point (9 – 10 am) as the parking lot gets full fast.
The starting point of the Cadini di Misurina hike is from Rifugio Auronzo at the foot of Tre Cime di Lavaredo. It will cost you €30 to enter the toll road and go all the way up to the Rifugio. From here, there are TWO amazing hikes I recommend that you can technically do in one day:
Tre Cime di Lavadero
(best short hikes in the Dolomites)
- Start / End point | Rifugio Auronzo
- Hike distance | 10 – 11 km loop
- Time | 3 – 4 hours (+30 min photos)
- Elevation Gain | 300 – 400m
- Difficulty | Moderate
Cadini di Misurina Hike
(the one we did this time)
- Start / End point | Rifugio Auronzo
- Hike distance | 4 km loop
- Time | 1 – 2 hours (+ 30 min photos)
- Elevation Gain | 150m
- Difficulty | Easy (+ a few scary height-related moments)
If you end up making a day of it and doing both hikes, I recommend doing the Tre Cime (Three Peaks) first while you’re fresh and because it’s the more popular one.
Then grab a sturdy late lunch and a cold brew at the Rifugio Auronzo before doing the Cadini di Misurina Hike in the afternoon while the sun is setting over the peaks.
If you’re going in the summertime, the sun won’t technically go down until much later in the day, so you have time to wander about at your leisure and take all the cute pictures you want without it truly being dark!
Day 4: Seceda & Ortisei
Feeling on a roll with our plan for hiking the most scenic mountaintops in the Dolomites, we headed to the town of Ortisei to take on the Seceda Ridgeline Hike. You can park right next to the cable car station (which is also a spa) for 8€/day or 1.50€/hour.
Cable car ticket costs: Adults 25€ one-way, 35€ return. Children 13 € one-way, 17.50€ return. Dogs and bikes 5€.
To get to the top, you will have to first take the Ortisei-Furnes gondola and then the Furnes-Seceda cable car, which takes about 15 minutes.
The ticket allows you to use both the gondola and the cable car to get to the top of Seceda. If you don’t want to hike up or down, you should buy a return ticket because it’s more economical than changing your mind at the top and buying a return ticket there.
👉 What We Did: We bought a one-way ticket up, walked along the ridgeline, and hiked down, which took half the day (3 – 4 hours with pictures).
While I think downhill hiking is tougher on my knees, it was worth it because we had the mountains facing us the entire time. And you can see all of the Dolomites the whole way! The wildflowers were blooming, and a few grazing cows greeted us along the way, making for an epic day.
- Hike | Seceda Ridge Hike
- Start Point | Seceda Ridgeline (Top)
- End Point | Ortisei Town
- Hike distance | 8 km
- Time | 3 – 4 hours (+30 min photos)
- Difficulty | Moderate (steep downhill)
Day 5: Lake Garda & Girls’ Night Out
From the Dolomites and all our hiking, we headed to the lakes to relax the footsies for a bit. Our German friends highly recommended our first destination, so we headed to a town on Lake Garda called Limone Sul Garda.
Lake Garda is a huge lake in northern Italy, and about a 3-hour drive from where we were staying in the Dolomites. What’s more, each little town has its own personality and is favored by a group of Europeans.
So, Limone is popular with Germans, while other towns are super popular with Austrians, Russians, or generally more international because trains and other public transport arrive there.
Where To Stay on Lake Garda
📍 Hotel Limone (2 nights) – We stayed at Hotel Limone, which offered amazing views of the lake, air conditioning (which came in handy on the hottest of days), free parking (very important), a pool, and an AMAZING breakfast for a pretty decent price. To top it off, it was within walking distance of a little beach on the lake (5 min) and a 10-minute walk to the town.
Day 6: Lake Garda Beach Day
Today was all about relaxing at the beach, so we picked Cola Beach to post up. This is AFTER the insane breakfast at Hotel Limone, which I cannot say enough good things about! Literally, they have a chef preparing a fresh meat and cheese board fresh and custom just for you.
Happy hour drinks and a light dinner were at Scaloni 20 both nights because this is an absolute gem, and they have a killer Espresso Martini which both of us are absolute suckers for!
Day 7: Lake Como
From Lake Garda, we headed to Lake Como after breakfast. The drive was a couple of hours, and the most difficult portion of the drive was the one-car-at-a-time-only streets around the lake to get to our lodging in Moltrasio. Itlay driving is a whole adventure of its own!
A few lessons we learned in Lake Como about transportation:
- The lake is very large, and it’s worth staying close to the main ports (Bellagio, Como).
- It’s very important to plan out your ferry routes and transfer times for the day because the fast ferries only run to certain ports at certain times (and can take 2 hours to get from the town of Como to Bellagio).
- All ferries are crowded, queues are long for tickets, and lines take forever at some ports due to a lack of organization. This is very on-brand for Italy sometimes – love it or hate it, it’s the way it is!
- It’s worth renting a private boat if you’re wanting to get around quickly and without the stress of planning ferry logistics. If we were to do this again, this is how we would do it.
Where to Stay on Lake Como
📍 Borgo Le Terrazze Studios (2 nights) – This little spot is in Bellagio, one of the prettiest and most iconic towns on Lake Como, and great for a 1-2 night stay. I recommend getting lodging either in Bellagio, across the lake in Varenna, or in the town of Como itself. This will help eliminate the need for ferrying or driving back and forth to see the best of Lake Como.
Day 8: Bellagio & Varenna
These two towns are the most beautiful and renowned on Lake Como. I say this because we decided to play tourists on this day, but the reality of it is that all of the small hidden towns around Lake Como are incredibly charming, including our town of Moltrasio.
Because we opted to try our hand at the ferry system, we only had time to visit the town of Como and Bellagio in one day, including a 1-hour boat tour for $50 a person.
➡️ If you only have a couple of days like us, I recommend doing this Villa Balbianello and Lake Como Walking and Boating Full-Day Tour
This will hit all of the highlights – including explanations of where George Clooney’s mansion is, how many celebrities truly live around Lake Como, and if Leonardo DiCaprio is in town or not.
Day 9: Lauterbrunnen & Fondue for Two
From Lake Como, it’s literally a 15-minute hop over to the border of Switzerland, where it seems everything switches over from unorganized to organized, from Italian to German, from Euro to Swiss Francs, from less expensive to more expensive.
Pro Tip: Make sure to fill up the gas tank at Lake Como / Italy because it’s a bit more expensive in Switzerland.
It’s a 3.5-hour drive from Lake Como to the famous town of Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland. We got there in time to enjoy a good sunset, a proper Swiss meal of fondue for two in town and hit up the local late-night bar at the lobby of Hotel Horner, full of foreign paragliders, base jumpers, and locals alike.
Where to Stay Near Lauterbrunnen
📍Chalet Wäschhüsli near Interlaken, Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen ($$) – 2 nights – We stayed in a hostel, but if we were to do it again, we would stay in the bigger town of Interlaken (30 minutes away) and drive into Lauterbrunnen Valley hiking simply because there would be more lodging and food options. Lauterbrunnen is quite a small town.
Day 10: Grütschalp, Murren and Gimmelwald Hike
We started the Switzerland leg of our trip with an easy walking day through the Jungfrau region, where we were rewarded with the most beautiful iconic mountains in the Swiss Alps – Jungfrau (the virgin), Monch (the monk), and Eiger (the dude).
Local legend goes that Jungfrau is still a virgin because the big Monk sits between her and Eiger.
Note: These mountain towns are a no-car zone and can only be reached by a network of cable cars. They are basically cute little Swiss mountain towns tucked into the most beautiful mountain range in the Swiss Alps. Straight out of a postcard!
👉 Grütschalp to Murren Hike: This hike starts at the Grütschalp Railway Station, which you can get to from the Lauterbrunnen Station (get a one-way ticket to go up!). From there, it’s a scenic easy walk to Murren, about 45 minutes and 2 km.
👉 Murren to Gimmelwald Hike: From Murren, follow the yellow hiking signs to the town of Gimmelwald. You will mostly be walking on a small pavement road for this portion, and it’s another 45-minute easy walk.
We ended up meeting a Swiss grandpa with the loveliest Bernese mountain dog, who kept us company the whole way. We grabbed a beer and snacks together at the bar right past the Honesty Shop, Europe’s first unattended self-service village shop. Complete honor system and absolutely wonderful hospitality, not to mention incredibly fresh produce and top-quality goods!
PRO TIP: Along this route, signs point to little mini-fridges full of local meats, eggs, jams, and cheeses. This is like Amazon’s just-in-time delivery before Amazon. All you do is open the fridge, take what you want, and leave the appropriate cash in the box – each item is marked with the price.
👉 Gimmelwald to Murren to Birg: We bought another ticket in Gimmelwald to Murren, and then Murren up to Birg. There is an option to keep going up to Schilthorn, which is one of the tallest peaks in the region, but we wanted a bit of adventure and got off to do the Thrill Walk. And HOLY SH*T, it was insane!
👉 Getting down from the Mountains: From Birg, you can take the cable cars down to Gimmelwald, then back to Murren and Lauterbrunnen, or you can take the cable car down to Stechelberg. From Stechelberg, there is a frequent bus that goes back to Lauterbrunnen and beyond.
Day 11: Oeschinen Lake Hike
Today was a big full-day panoramic hike at Lake Oeschinen, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We drove about 1.5 hours from Lauterbrunnen to Kandersteg and took the cable car up to Lake Oeschinensee and the trail’s starting point (cable car times & costs here).
We read the best way to do this particular panoramic hike is counter-clockwise and thought the first bit of incline was tough, by the end, we were ‘team counter-clockwise’ all the way!
From the gondola, follow the high road (Trail 8) to Blumesalpe, then return to the banks of Lake Oeschinensee on the low trail (Trail 5). Be warned that the last cable car down to the parking lot in Kandersteg is at 6 pm!
- Hike | Oeschinen Lake Hike
- Start / End Point | Lake Oeschinensee
- Hike distance | 7.5 km
- Elevation Gain | 500 m
- Time | 3 – 4 hours (+30 min photos)
- Difficulty | Difficult (steep downhill)
- Trails: From the gondola, follow the high road (Trail 8), then return on Trail 5.
Day 12: Lake Lucern
We left Lauterbrunnen and headed northeast towards Lake Lucern and the last hike of the trip.
This was an easy-going travel day – we left the hostel after lunch, arrived at our little boutique hotel on the lake, spent some time swimming, and caught the sunset and some live music in town.
Where to Stay Near Lake Lucern
📍 B&B Hotel Mattli Übernachtung Frühstück (2 nights) – We ended up staying in a cute little B&B Hotel, but anywhere on the east side of the lake is a great spot, especially close to Schwyz, where a lot of the hiking we were going to do was centered.
Day 13: Stoos Ridge Hike
This is a half-day walk/hike, but it was pretty strenuous on the uphill, so we were glad for the rest day yesterday.
The ridge walk itself between Mt. Kingenstock and Mt. Fronalpstock offers views of more than 10 lakes and the Swiss Alps in all of their majesty. And it is one of my absolute favorite ridge hikes!
We started off around 10 am from the Schwyz parking lot and took the funicular to the village of Stoos. From there, we followed the signs towards the Kingenstock chairlift, which is about a 10 min walk up the hill.
FUN FACT: The Stoos Funicular is the world’s steepest funicular railway and it is insanely cool!
From Kingenstock peak, it will be a 2.5-hour walk to Mt. Fronalpstock. It looks closer, but the ups and downs and ridge walk itself are deceptive – we took the entire 2.5 hours and stopped halfway to admire the views and have a little picnic lunch.
Fronalpstock also has a cute little restaurant at the top just in case! From here, we took the gondola back down to Stoos, had ice cream to celebrate some more, and then back down to Schwyz.
- Hike | Stoos Ridge Hike
- Start Point | Mt. Kingenstock
- End Point | Mt. Fronalpstock
- Hike distance | 4.7 km
- Elevation Gain | 400 m
- Time | 3 hours
- Difficulty | Moderate (steep uphill)
- Trail | Stoos Hike #83
Day 14: Ebenalp Lunch & Head Home!
And we came to the last day of our Switzerland and Italy road trip, but hell if we were going to have a mediocre day! After breakfast, we headed towards Munich to return the car and get ready for our flights the next day.
This would normally be a 4-hour drive, but we decided to make a stop halfway at yet another stunning Instagram-worthy mountain location for lunch, Aescher!
Aescher is the famous restaurant on the cliff’s edge of the mountain Ebenalp, and National Geographic named it one of the world’s most amazing places a few years back!
👉 The gondola up to Ebenalp is located at the following address: Schwendetalstrasse 82, 9057 Wasserauen.
When you get to the top, take a left and head down the mountain on the trail for about 20 minutes. It’s an easy downhill, and even though we didn’t do any hiking today, we did have to go through some caves to get to the restaurant, so we recommend good walking shoes.
FUN FACT: The Prehistoric Wildkirchli Caves were used by Neanderthals as hunting quarters way back before man was even wiping his butt! 🙂
The restaurant has some amazing home-cooked meals and beer, tons of desserts, and lots of stunning mountain views. When we were there, we could see about 20 paragliders dotting the valley like colorful little birds.
From the Berghaus restaurant, we headed back up to Ebenalp and took the gondola back to our parking spot in Wasserauen. When we have more time, we promised to come back and paraglide and hike these mountains, and many more!
Switzerland and Italy Road Trip Map
Here’s a map of the route we took through northern Italy and Switzerland. We technically started our trip at the Munich International Airport and drove 3 hrs south to the Italian Dolomites to start our adventure.
This was because flights from the United States to Munich were better than to Milan or Zurich, but also because it was cheaper to rent a car from Munich compared to the other 2 cities by a few hundred dollars.
Switzerland and Italy Road Trip
Road Trip Budget
We spent about $3,500 in total together, and this reflects a budget for 2 people on a 14-day Italy and Switzerland itinerary, prioritizing gorgeous hikes and great views.
Our Cost Breakdown
- Car Rental: $550 total (from Munich Airport)
- Lodging: $2000 total (moved every 2 days)
- Cheapest: $30 per night Hostel in Switzerland
- Most Expensive: $200 per night boutique hotel in Switzerland
- Funiculars/Gondolas: $250 per person
- Food& Drink: $50 a day per person
- Most lodgings included a hearty breakfast
- We ate out half the time and cooked in / snacked the other half
- Good Times: Priceless!
Not going to lie, planning this trip took a longer time than I thought, especially as we had a specific budget and list of hikes we wanted to hit. If you don’t have the time or want to do something more unique than this itinerary, I can help you plan your trip.
Cost Saving Tips
We knew going into this road trip that Switzerland was going to be expensive just from its reputation. We also knew that we were going to be moving around every couple of days, so it didn’t make sense to cook as much as we would have liked to.
So here is what we did and what we learned to keep costs low:
- Try and get lodging with breakfast included. This is more common in Europe than you might think! So we would have a huge breakfast, and take some snackies from breakfast with us for lunch.
- We used the Booking.com app to get lodging for about $75 a night on average a night. We splurged on some views but tried to keep it to one room for the both of us, get the largest bed we could find, and just share. There were times when we slept in tiny hostel beds and other times when one of us took the pull-out couch, but all in all, we had plenty of space, and it was a comfortable arrangement.
- Be mindful of where you rent your car. This route gives you the flexibility to rent a car from Zurich, Milan, or Munich. We picked Munich because the rental cost came out to be the cheapest, by several hundred dollars.
- Map out the driving and/or boat logistics 2-3 days ahead of time to maximize time. In the mountains, a 2km distance can take an hour to traverse because of mountain roads. Similarly, when you are at the mercy of ferry schedules, it’s good to plan what you can and cannot see, so you’re not disappointed later.
- Read the travel blogs on the specific hikes you want to do for tips, tricks, and details of how to navigate the hike and how to plan. I tried to give the highlights and starting points of each hike we did, but these are big and popular treks that will need further diligence if you want to customize your trip.
- Buy your booze and snacks from grocery stores to limit the eating and drinking out.
- Travel with a buddy so you can split costs on this trip! Plus it’s more fun to hike with a friend and take actual pictures, not just selfies.
Switzerland and Italy Road Trip
Renting a Car: Costs & Advice
If you’re doing this road trip around Switzerland and Italy, renting a car is the way to go so that you have the flexibility to do the hikes at your own pace. You also have to consider which airport is best for you.
Where to rent your car?
I usually use Discover Cars to review all the rental car company rates and pick what works for me – ie. a small, automatic, diesel, a cheaper city to start the trip (ie. Munich is cheaper to rent compared to Zurich), and got a solid car for 2 weeks at about $500.
Check Prices for Your Dates Here:
▶️ DISCOVER CARS ◀️
I did have to pay a fee ($150) with the rental company because I was crossing borders with the car, which is standard, but as far as actually driving past any of these borders, it was seamless. We didn’t get stopped once at a border for COVID or Passport checks.
Pro Tip: It is worthwhile to map out distances and route the time it will take on Google Maps from one point to another because mountain roads are tricky, and it usually takes longer than you think.
Where can I park in each country?
✔️ Parking Rules for Italy: Free parking in any area marked with white lines. Parking lots are also useful. Just look for the big blue P sign for Parking Garages.
✔️ Parking Rules for Switzerland: You will have to pay either way, so try to get accommodations with free parking. Parking places with blue lines means anyone can park, but you will have to pay. All other colors are reserved for various reasons (ie. reserved for locals, reserved for businesses).
Parking App: EasyPark App saved our butt a couple of times because we could add time to our parking remotely if we were running long on a hike. Plus it’s all over Europe and in the mountains.
What to know about driving in each country?
No matter where you start your trip, you will need an International Driver’s Permit to rent a car, in addition to keeping in mind a few unique driving rules per country, so I’ve put together some useful links & rules: Driving in Europe.
Advice before you hit the road…
When it comes to a trip around Switzerland and Italy (and technically a bit of Germany), here’s what we learned:
- Be mindful of where you rent your car. This route gives you the flexibility to rent a car from Zurich, Milan, or Munich. We picked Munich because the rental cost came out to be the cheapest, but another option may make more sense for you
- Map out the driving and/or boat logistics 2-3 days ahead to maximize time. In the mountains, a 2km distance can take 1 hour to traverse because of the nature of winding mountain roads. Similarly, when you are at the mercy of ferry schedules, it’s good to plan what you can and cannot see so you’re not disappointed later.
- Drive times are usually about 3 hours, but if you get bored, check out: Unique Ways to Pass the Time on a Road Trip.
- Facts about Italy – The capital city is Rome, the currency is the Euro, the speed limit is usually 130 Km/H, but Italians drive a bit faster and more erratic than that, parking is a pain, a credit card is not always accepted everywhere, the espresso is fantastic, and the spirit of “la dolce vita” is very real.
- Facts about Switzerland – The capital is Zurich, the currency is the Swiss Franc, the speed limit is about 120 Km/H, and the Swiss respect that due to speed cameras everywhere, credit card is accepted almost everywhere, and German and English are spoken fluently.
Switzerland and Italy Road Trip
FAQ: Switzerland and Italy Road Trip
Finally, here are a few more questions that might come up.
Can you drive from Switzerland to Italy?
Yes, but there are easier and faster ways to do it! Here are a few Great Ways to Get to the Dolomites, no matter your budget or starting location.
The border crossing from Switzerland to Italy was quite anticlimactic as the car informed us we had just crossed the river that is the natural border between Italy and Switzerland.
Sometimes there is border control where you have to show your passport and COVID vaccination, but we were not stopped once crossing to and from Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. Smooth sailing!
How do I get from Italy to Switzerland?
For this road trip, I recommend renting a car so that you have the flexibility to do the hikes you want at your own pace. If you’re smart about renting from a less expensive city and booking ahead of time, the price should be manageable.
Alternatively, you can also do a large portion of this trip by leveraging the train systems, which are great in Switzerland and in Italy. At this point, you would be backpacking of sorts and need to be mindful of where you book your lodging so that it’s close to the public transportation stations.
Is Switzerland expensive?
Yes. Partly because the Swiss Franc, the national currency is very strong compared to the dollar and Euro and partly because a meal is 30% more expensive in Switzerland than in any other neighboring country.
There’s no way around this topic; Switzerland is just more expensive to visit, on par with Norway and the Nordic countries.
South Norway Road Trip in 10 Days!
If you love Switzerland and the Dolomites, you’ll love Norway and its mountains! Here is the plan behind a road trip around southern Norway “a la Mariana” because there is nothing like doing it yourself to spark that little fire.
Do people speak English in Switzerland?
Yes, silly! Most people in Switzerland speak Swiss German and have a good grasp of English. After all, Switzerland has four official languages – German, French, Italian, and Romansh (dialect). Each of them is spoken in different regions. We had no problems ordering food or asking for directions in English.
Do I need travel insurance?
This trip contains some intense hikes and lots of exploring in the wild, so you need to look into adding medical travel insurance, which is about $40-60 a month.
Travel insurance comes in handy as well if your luggage is lost or broken, which happened to us on this trip! Airlines are struggling to be ready to handle the summer travel traffic, and my travel buddy didn’t get her luggage until the last day of our trip. (Thanks for nothing, Lufthansa! :))
This is what I use:
➡️ Safety Wing Insurance ⬅️
Bouncing in Europe for the last couple of years, I’ve done research on the Best Medical Insurance for travel in Europe. See what fits your trip and make sure you’re covered.
When is the best time to visit the mountains?
We did this road trip from Italy to Switzerland in July, when the wildflowers were blooming and the sun was bright.
We got super lucky in that we only had one rainy day for the whole two weeks, and that’s the benefit of doing this in the summer.
I put together this list of comfy road trip outfits – use it as a checklist for your trip, especially the summer section.
Switzerland and Italy Road Trip
Conclusion: Switzerland and Italy Road Trip
This was one of my favorite trips in Europe, especially great in the summer and fall. All of our hikes were easy to medium, we saw some of the most Instagram-worthy views in the Dolomites and the Swiss Alps, and the entire Italy and Switzerland 14-day itinerary did not break the bank!
The breakdown for our road trip went like this:
- 4 days: Tyrol / Val di Funes / Ortisei (Italian Dolomites)
- 4 days: Lake Como / Lake Garda (Italy Lakes)
- 6 days: Lauterbrunnen / Lucern / Stoos (Swiss Alps)
Being in nature is always rewarding, but being surrounded by these mountains takes it to a whole new level. I can’t wait to come back and explore more!
