From Lucerne … Our flight arrives late morning after our overnight (and direct!) flight from Boston. We get through Swiss passport control, collect our luggage, and meet our…
From Boston … Alps and Med? This tour is to Lucerne, Switzerland, Northern Italy, the South of France, and Barcelona. Simple one or word titles work best for…
Today is a transfer day of sorts with a side of Lake Como. We leave Switzerland for the 3-hour drive to Lake Como in Italy.
Not everyone enjoys the longer bus rides, but I always like to chance to sit back and watch the countryside roll by. The views of Switzerland on the way south towards Italy do not disappoint!
South on E35 near MohrenkophPassing Cadenazzo, Switzerland on E35
Lake Como is one of the deepest lakes in Europe with picturesque lakeside villages serving as a retreat for international celebrities. We stop in the town of Como. Located at the southern tip of the lake, Como is the lake’s historic gateway. Known for its lakeside promenade and the Como Cathedral, a Gothic–Renaissance landmark that took nearly four centuries to complete. Como is also famous for the nearby Como–Brunate Funicular, which climbs the hillside for views of the lake and surrounding Alps.
Lake Como Waterfront
But our plan is a quick ferry ride to the lakeside town of Cernobbio. There we have lunch at Trattoria Laghee and then walk around Cernobbio for a bit.
In CernobbioPiazza Castello in Cernobbio
Then it’s back to the ferry, a hot afternoon walk through Como, and on the bus for the 3-hour drive to Genoa.
Piazza Alessandro Volta in ComoVia Giuseppe Garibaldi on the way back to the bus in Como
Located on the coastline of the Liguria region, Genoa is the “capital” of the Italian Riviera! Once a powerful maritime republic, Genoa is one of the best-preserved medieval old town’s in Europe. And well known for Genoa Salami!!
After a few days of planes and bus travel, it’s time to get down to the business of sightseeing! Lucerne sits on Lake Lucerne beneath the soaring peaks of the Swiss Alps. It’s medieval and picturesque!
Breakfast is at the hotel with an 8 AM departure. After a 1-hour bus ride through the Alps, we arrive at Mount Titlis. This is the highest glacier in central Switzerland at 10,000 feet. It’s a multipart trip up the mountain with a funicular, and several gondola rides. But on the last section there is a 15-minute delay hundreds of feet in the air when the gondola randomly stops midway. Eventually, the gondola restarts and we arrive safely. We venture 20 meters below the surface and explore the inside of the glacier. Then we’re up above the glacier for a breathtaking view of the Alps from the Cliff Walk bridge suspended way up above the side of the mountain. Have I mentioned heights are really not my thing?
View of the Alps before we begin the gondola ride to Mount TitlisOn the way up to Mount TitlisThe view from Mount TitlisGreg, Sophie, me, and Michelle on Mount TitlisThe alps from Mount Titlis
Back in Lucerne Michelle, Peter, and me enjoy a pizza lunch at La Vie.
In the afternoon we take a walking tour of old Lucerne. In the historic old town we visit Weinmarkt and Kornmarkt Square (cobblestone medieval squares in the heart of the old town), the Musegg Wall and Towers (the 800-meter long wall dating to the 1400s), and the Lion Monument (Löwendenkmal honors the Swiss Guards lost during the French Revolution).
One of the Musegg Wall towers Lion Monument in Lucerne
At the end of the day we do some souvenir shopping then stop for Sunday afternoon cocktails overlooking the Lucerne River at Mr. Pickwick Pub. On the way back to the hotel we stop by the Jesuit Church (the first baroque church in Switzerland). Then it’s on to the Hotel Astoria for dinner and sunset cocktails to end the day!
Our flight arrives late morning after our overnight (and direct!) flight from Boston. We get through Swiss passport control, collect our luggage, and meet our guide. Rodolphe Rousseux is from France, with extensive travel experience as a tour director in the United States and Europe. Then we board our bus, meet our driver Silvano, and are on the way to Lucerne to check into our hotel.
[Pro tip: On a bus tour like this travelers pick a seat the first time they get on the bus and that’s where they sit for the entirety of the trip. My strategy is to pick a seat on the left side of the bus so that when we get to the Mediterranean we will be traveling east to west along the coast and I’ll have an ocean view in a few days time. But I’m too slow and end up picking a seat on the right side of the bus!]
We visit Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke) built in the 14th century over the Reuss River. A 1993 fire destroyed most of the bridge, but it’s been faithfully restored as a symbol of Switzerland’s medieval craftsmanship.
Chapel Bridge in LucerneJesuitenkirche Luzeri (Jesuit Church)Chapel Bridge and Jesuit Church
After a quick hotel check in we’ve got time to walk through Lucerne. On a beautiful Saturday afternoon in mid-April, the towns squares are bustling. And we get our first look at the stunning Swiss Alps!
The Alps from Lucerne
Then it’s back to the hotel for dinner and I do the best I can on this post in a state of jet-lagged delirium!!
We’ve got a late evening departure so plenty of time today to make the best of a layover day in Boston. I decide to walk along The Rose Kennedy Greenway to the Boston Harbor waterfront and visit the New England Aquarium.
Penguins at the New England Aquarium
With more than a million visitors each year, the New England Aquarium is one of Boston’s most popular destinations. It’s a great opportunity to photograph the coral reef species inhabiting the Giant Ocean Tank.
Myrtle the Turtle in the Giant Ocean TankCownose ray in the Giant Ocean TankOn the prowl at the New England Aquarium
After a few hours exploring the Aquarium I head back to the hotel for a late checkout, lunch at Tavern in the Square, and an Uber to Logan. I’m early, but that’s okay. Time to look through today’s photos a pick a few to include in this post. As everyone arrives it’s great to reconnect with longtime travel friends and meet the new travelers on this trip. We check in to Swiss International Air flight 53, get through TSA, and soon we will board our flight for the beginning of a new adventure.
Alps and Med? This tour is to Lucerne, Switzerland, Northern Italy, the South of France, and Barcelona. Simple one or word titles work best for the blog posts, so I’ve settled on the shorthand Alps and Med. And why Day 0? Because technically this trip starts tomorrow. But I flew to Boston today to make sure I’m in Boston and ready to go!
Bags packed and keys in the door to remind me that I did lock the door … I think
This morning I took United flight 641 from Dulles to Boston Logan. It was clear day with great views coming up the east coast.
United Flight 641 over the Long Island Sounds
Once in Boston I took an Uber to North Station. Dropped off my luggage at the Courtyard Boston Downtown. I had lunch in the North End, the did a walking tour of the neighborhood … including a stop at Mike’s Bakery. I meet Greg and Sophie for happy hour at Green Dragon Tavern, one of the oldest bars in the country, followed by a great dining experience at Assaggio. We will meet up tomorrow at Logan for the beginning of the trip.
Happy hour at the Green Dragon Tavern with Sophie and Greg (📷 Sophie)
Here is the itinerary …
April 23, Day 0 IAD to BOS
Fly to Boston Logan, tour Boston’s North End.
April 24, Day 1 BOS to Zurich
Tour New England Aquarium. Overnight flight to Zurich.
April 25, Day 2 Zurich
Arrive in Zurich. Transfer to Lucerne.
April 26, Day 3 Lucerne
Tour Lucerne. Chapel Bridge, Lion Monument, Jesuit Church, Weinmarkt and Kornmarkt Squares, Mount Titlis.
April 27, Day 4 Lucerne to the Italian Riviera
Transfer to Italy. Explore Como. Travel to the Italian Riviera.
April 28, Day 5 Cinque Terre
Tour Cinque Terre.
April 29, Day 6 Monaco and Nice
Transfer to Côte d’Azur. Tour Monaco, Nice Vieux Nice, Promenade des Anglais.
April 30, Day 7 Côte d’Azur to Provence
Transfer to Provence. Hike the Ochre Trail.
May 1, Day 8 Provence
Tour Provence. Pont du Gard, Nîmes Amphitheater, Les Baux-de-Provence.
May 2, Day 9 Provence to Barcelona
Transfer to Spain. Las Ramblas scavenger hunt.
May 3, Day 10 Barcelona
Tour Barcelona. Plaza de España, Sagrada Família, Montjuïc Hill, Park Güell.
May 4, Day 11 BCN to ZRH to BOS
Fly to Zurich. Fly to Boston.
May 5, Day 12 BOS to IAD
Fly to Dulles.
And here is what I’m packing …
As expected, international travel requires careful consideration of what to pack to capture the best photos and video of a bucket list trip! Instead of the Nikon Z8 I decided to go a little smaller and lighter on this trip so I’m bringing the Nikon Z6ii mirrorless camera with the Nikkor Z 28-400mm f/4-8 VR zoom lens. For a wider option I’m bringing the Nikkor Z 14-30mm f4 S zoom lens for landscapes and mountain peaks. I’ll be taking a graduation photo on this trip, so I’m bringing a Nikon SB-800 flash. Also in the bag is the DJI OSMO Pocket 3 for timelapse video and the DJI Mic for recording ambient audio tracks. I’ve got the Apple iPhone 16 with the SnapBridge and JetPack Mobile apps for updates to this blog while I’m on the go. For backup I’m bringing the Clouzen Tainer with 2TB of M.2 SSD capacity. In Italy and Greece I carried the Gura Gear Kiboko City Commuter 18L+ and for Iceland I brought the Shimoda Designs Urban Explore 25, but for this trip I’ve switched camera bags once again and this time I’m bringing the Think Tank Photo FocusPoint 30L. For Italy and Greece in the middle of summer I packed an assortment of shorts and t-shirts For the cool spring temps and wet weather conditions of Iceland I packed lightweight base layers, a fleece assortment for mid-layers, and a waterproof/windproof jacket and pants for the outer layer. From the peak of Mount Titlis to the oceansides of Cinque Terre and Monaco the average temps on this trip will range from 37°F (2.7°C) to 69°F (20.5°C). So I’ve packed warmer layers for the Swiss mountains and cooler layers for the warmer seaside days.
While I’m traveling I will post daily updates here on the blog. If you want to get an email when I post an update subscribe by entering your email address in the subscription box. I’m looking forward to sharing these updates with you!
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