Italy & Switzerland Tour Packages

Most of our guests travel to Italy & Switzerland from the US by air, unless they are already traveling in a neighboring country. There are direct flights from the US to many of the large cities in Italy and Switzerland, such as Geneva, Zurich, Milan, Rome, Venice, and Naples. We usually recommend getting an “open jaw” ticket which has you flying in to the first city on your trip and out of the last. This will save time and usually cost less when you factor in the cost of returning to the first city on your itinerary. The exception is if you opt for a self-drive itinerary, in which case a round trip route will make more sense due to one-way fees. Although we don’t sell airfare, our travel advisors will help you pick out the best fare and routing.

With the journey from the United States always involving an overnight flight, it’s usually best to make your first stop a city that has direct flights if possible, or with the least changes. In Switzerland that’s usually Zurich. For Italy, typically Rome or Milan.

Much depends on what you want to do on your vacation. If you are interested in hiking when in Switzerland then May to September is ideal. If winter sports are your thing then December through mid April usually guarantees good snow conditions. Northern Italy’s lakes and mountains have similar weather to Switzerland but further south temperatures are usually warmer. Unless you like very hot weather, or are planning a beach and seaside vacation, we suggest avoiding southern Italy from mid July to the end of August.

All our tours are custom, based on your preferences for accommodation, excursions and transport method. All our suggested Italy and Switzerland itineraries have a price guide function so you can get an instant price estimate. In general Switzerland is much more expensive than Italy, so reducing the number of nights spent in Switzerland can result in big savings.

Just visiting all the highlights of Switzerland could take a couple of weeks. To see all of Italy could take several years. At a minimum we suggest a ten night itinerary, to give a taste of each country, which can be adjusted to include your choice of destinations and activities. Our travel advisors will help you pinpoint the places and kinds of experiences to concentrate on.

In Switzerland, a combination of train and private transfer will get you everywhere you need to go. In Italy the major cities are very well connected by train, but for certain segments of your trip, particularly in regions like Tuscany, or Puglia, you might prefer to self-drive. We can include a car rental in your package if you require.

Italy uses the Euro while Switzerland has the Swiss Franc. Although part of the Schengen Agreements (which covers trade, and border controls) Switzerland is not a member of the EU.

All our tours of Italy & Switzerland are private tours. You will work with our travel advisors to create your perfect tour itinerary, based on your dates, interests, and budget. You get to choose how busy or relaxed your schedule is. We like to call this semi-independent travel and we think it’s the better way to take a Europe tour. We make all the arrangements, from airport transfers, accommodation, full day and half day guided tours with a local guide, and transport between cities. You can opt for private or group excursions and activities as part of your package. And you can choose to leave some free time for exploring on your own. Unlike an escorted tour, you aren’t paying to have a guide and driver the whole time, just when needed, so our packages are more affordable too. Our local staff handle the role of trip leader remotely too, to keep the total price of your trip down.

A lot depends on your destinations. Public transportation between major destinations in both countries is a good option. There are good high speed rail links from many Swiss cities to Northern Italian destinations such as Milan and Venice, and in some cases local trains between close-by destinations like Lugano and Como. Private transfers are another option, and allow you to make a sightseeing stop on the way. At certain times of year traveling by road isn’t the best idea as routes like the Gotthard Tunnel can involve a several-hour wait. If you are combining Switzerland with central or southern Italy, an intra-European short flight might be quicker and more economical. Renting a car for both countries is only practical if picking up and dropping off in the same country. If you rent a car in Italy and want to take it to Switzerland, you will need a Swiss Highway sticker, which is only available in an annual version.