Italian Lakes & Swiss Mountains:
Criss-Crossing the Alps

Accommodation:
A friendly B&B in the heart of Venice2 Nights | Bed & Breakfast

The 15th century palazzo, former residence of a wealthy Venetian family, is located in the maze of narrow streets in the heart of Venice near the Rialto Bridge. Today it houses a B&B. Each room is tastefully decorated in an individual design and partly furnished with antiques. The idyllic, green inner courtyard with the ancient well was once open and led to the canal. Here you can enjoy breakfast in the morning or the peace and quiet, reviewing the impressions gained after a strenuous day of sightseeing. All major sites are within easy walking distance.

Attractions:

• Veneto: Cultural landscape between Dolomites and Adriatic Sea
• Venezia: Inspiration for artists, musicians and writers
• Do Mori: Venice's oldest Bacaro
• Ponte di Rialto: Business centre of the commercial metropolis
• Frari: Outside plain and common, inside splendour and wealth
• Museo del Settecento Veneziano: Of the opulent lifestyle of the Venetian nobility
• Interpreti Veneziani: Venetian music in the church San Vidal
• Piazza San Marco: “The most beautiful salon in the world”
• Campanile di San Marco: Great panoramic view across the lagoon city
• Basilica of San Marco: The stunning splendour of a thousand-year-old church
• Palazzo Ducale: Palace of Palaces and Power Centre of Venice
• Murano: 1000 years of glassblowing tradtion on an island

Rental car pick-up
Broker: Sunny Cars
Vehicle: Mietwagen Sunnycars
Rate: Sunnycars (Stand: 08.11.2018): BB – Skoda Fabia /AC/4dr oder ähnlich, All-in/FF
Location: Venedig Railwaystation

From Venezia to Cannobio384 km | 4 hours 30 minutes

Attractions:

• Piemont: Cultural landscape at “the foot of the mountains”
• Treviso: Arcades in the old town
• Padua: Glorious university, market square in the lake
• Vicenza: City of the arts and architecture at the edge of the Po Valley
• Soave: Small city among hills and vineyards
• Verona: Urban life under the balcony of Romeo and Juliet
• Brescia
• Lago d'Iseo: Romantic shores and rugged cliffs
• Bergamo: Historical corners in the Città Alta
• Milano: Soccer, fashion and opera at its best

Accommodation:
A 15th century mansion in Cannobio2 Nights | Bed & Breakfast

The historical manor house sits in the medieval village of Cannobio, a resort on Lake Maggiore, a few kilometers south of the Swiss border. Following an extensive restoration it combines authentic medieval architecture with all the comforts of a modern hotel. Original frescoes, vaulted ceilings and massive century-old stone pillars are complemented by period furniture. The twelve rooms vary in color and decor. Some overlook the lake, others the car-free Old Town. The breakfast room seems to have emerged straight from the 18 century. The exclusive dining room on the first floor with an open fireplace provides the ideal setting for a relaxing evening over a glass or two of good wine.

Attractions:

• Lago Maggiore: Romantic lake between Ticino and Po Valley
• Ticino: Paradisiac lakes, remote mountain villages
• Cannobio: Historical place with waterfront
• Centovalli: Chestnut forests, mule tracks and deserted villages
• Locarno: Fashionable resort town on Lake Maggiore
• Cimetta: Mountain with a view and a cablecar
• Lake Lugano: Ancient villages and a scarcely populated southern shore
• Stresa: Lakeside town on the Lago Maggiore from the Belle Époque
• Sentiero di Olivo

From Cannobio to Zermatt164 km | 3 hours

Attractions:

Simplonpass
With an elevation of 2,005 meters, this pass connects the Rhône Valley in the Swiss canton of Wallis with the Val d'Ossola in the Italian province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola. People have been using the pass since prehistoric times. It was even later used by Roman emperors. The influential merchant Kaspar von Stockalper built the first road here in the 17th century, which is now a hiking trail. The modern road through the pass follows Napoleon Bonaparte's route. At the top of the pass there is a hospice. Coming down the southern side, you will find the Mediterranean-looking town of Simplon and the the romantically wild Gondo Gorge with the majestic, glacier-covered Fletschhorn towering above it. 

Accommodation:
A colourful boutique hotel2 Nights | Bed & Breakfast

Red and zebra is the surprisingly attractive colour combination that greets guests to this tastefully decorated hotel, in which every room is different, and every room features a carefully coordinated colour scheme. As guests will happily discover, the entire property has been thoughtfully designed to please the body and soul, from the gourmet restaurant in the warm, wood-panelled dining room to the full three levels of swimming pool and spa facilities. The extraordinary hotel endeavours to make a stay there an intrinsic part of the Zermatt experience. And it succeeds.

Attractions:

• Zermatt: Car-free village at the Matterhorn
• Aosta Valley: Smallest and most beautiful region of Italy
• Brig: At the foot of the largest Alpine glacier
• Castello Fenis: Mighty castle of the counts of Challant

From Zermatt to Lausanne167 km | 2 hours 30 minutes

Attractions:

• Bernese Oberland: Between lake idyll and eternal ice
• Martigny: Roman town with French flair
• Mürren: Car-free sunny village in the Bernese Alps

Accommodation:
A port hotel in Lausanne1 Night | Bed & Breakfast

The family-run inn is ideally located on the shores of Lake Geneva. The interior of the 20 bedrooms is practical and comfortable. Guests can relax in the outdoor restaurant and enjoy the beautiful lakeside views, which are also offered by many of the bedrooms. The city centre of Lausanne is just a seven-minute walk away. The friendly hotel represents a rare find in this overly expensive city: A good value for the money. For the entire stay guests receive the Lausanne Transport Card.

Attractions:

• Lake Geneva: Medieval towns and castles in front of dramatic alpine scenery
• Lausanne: Capital of the Swiss Riviera
• Thonon-les-Bains: Spa with picturesque view
• Nyon: Charming village on Lake Geneva
• Geneva: French lifestyle and international culture on Lake Geneva

From Lausanne to Zürich237 km | 3 hours

Attractions:

• Bern: Renaissance arcades and facade paintings in the UNESCO World Heritage City
• Old town of Bern: Magnificent Boulevard between the Zytglogge and the Kramgasse
• Biel: Sunshine city on the lakefront
• Emmental: Magnificent farmsteads in a story-book Swiss valley
• Napf: Panorama Mountain with Traditional Hotel
• Bad Säckingen: Spa town on the Hochrhein
• Castle Laufenburg: Turrets, Alleys, Fountains and Staircases
• Waldshut: Medieval town on the Upper Rhine
• Rhine bridge Waldshut-Koblenz: Europe's oldest continuously used railway bridge

  Wanderung:

• Around the Küssaburg: Between Wutach and Rhine to the striking Castle

Accommodation:
A 16th century mansion in downtown Zurich1 Night | Bed & Breakfast

The small hotel in the centre of Zurich prides itself as an “oasis of tranquillity” in the heart of the city, and indeed the ability to relax in the secluded garden next to the Neptune fountain dating back to 1770 is one of the many features that set this property apart. The small hotel with 35 individually decorated bedrooms offers convenience and comfort on the highest level. Lovers of wine and gourmet cooking will appreciate the restaurant's market-fresh cuisine and exquisite wine cellar. The pleasant oasis in the bustling city is the ideal refuge after a hard day of sightseeing in the nearby Old Town.

Zürich

Attractions:

Zürich
The city at the northern end of Lake Zurich began as a Roman settlement called Turicum. Zurich didn't become a free city until the 13th century, and shortly after that joined the newly established Swiss Confederation. The town's rise to prominence began during the era of Protestant reformer Ulrich Zwingli, who lived in Zurich from 1484 to 1531 and laid the foundation for the emergence of a Puritan-capitalistic culture. Today Zurich is one of the world's richest cities in terms of per capita income and its citizens enjoy the best quality of life in the world according to a survey conducted in 2007. Millionaires and billionaires from around the globe have established a residence in the city because of Swiss bank privacy laws and the country's low tax rate. Yet Zurich has much more to offer than secret bank accounts and low taxes: an attractive old town with chic cafés and bars, over 40 museums, and the famous Bahnhofsstrasse, one of the most elegant shopping avenues in Europe.

From Zürich to Andermatt110 km | 2 hours

Attractions:

• Lucerne: Jewel of Central Switzerland
• Lake Lucerne: The heart of old Switzerland: Picturesque Lake Lucern
• Maria Loreto: One thousand steps and Marian mysticism
• Pilatus: Switzerland's most famous panoramic summit

Accommodation:
An Alpine hotel near St. Gotthard2 Nights | Bed & Breakfast

The hotel is situated near the historical Devil's Bridge on what for centuries was the main trading route across the Alps. Since completion of the Gotthard Road Tunnel in 1980, however, it has grown nearly as quiet in these parts as it was when Goethe stayed in Andermatt on his way to Italy over 200 years ago. The bedrooms in the traditional Swiss hotel are bright and comfortable. Regional Swiss specialities are served in the wood-panelled dining room.

Attractions:

• Andermatt: At the center of exciting mountain passes
• Engelberg: Hiking and skiing paradise near Lucerne
• Furka steam locomotive: Over the pass with the cogwheel railway
• Tremolastraße: Scenic road at the St. Gotthard Pass
• Furka Pass: Watershed between the North Sea and the Mediterranean
• Susten pass (2,224 m): Wild romantic road with glacier view
• Grimsel Pass: Pass with a view between the Bernese Oberland and the Upper Valais

From Andermatt to Gardone Riviera333 km | 5 hours

Accommodation:
A 15th century manor house2 Nights | Bed & Breakfast

The villa is a renovated 15th century manor house set on the green hillside that slopes steeply down to Lake Garda. The sensational views will make your stay unforgettable. The well-appointed rooms contain a delicate blend of works of art and antique furniture. The stone house stands in a magnificent park where both body and mind can relax. The 80,000 square meter park contains lush vegetation, broken here and there by natural water falls and gently shaded paths. A succession of small clearings, fruit trees, ornamental shrubs, flowers and aromatic herb gardens conveys a sense of peace and well-being.

Attractions:

• Lago di Garda: Lemons and wine on Italy's largest lake
• Gardone Riviera: Waterfront with exquisite restaurants and cafes
• Boating on Lake Garda: The most beautiful places in 30-minute intervals
• Lago di Valvestino: Fjord-like reservoir with crystal clear water
• Punta San Vigilio: Peninsula in Lake Garda and a bathing bay
• Sirmione: Old town on a headland at Lake Garda
• Madonna di Montecastello: Sanctuary in a stunning location
• Monte Baldo: Hilltop with a view

From Gardone Riviera188 km | 3 hours

Rental car drop-off
Location: Venice Airport

Sunny Cars Permit for Switzerland (payable on site)
We will inform Sunny Cars that your trip includes driving in Switzerland. Any fees incurred are to be paid at the time of picking up your rental car.

Climate Compensation
In order to compensate part of the CO2 emissions caused by your travels, we raise a voluntary donation, which is being transfered in its entirety to the Klima-Kollekte GmbH in Berlin or Wildlands South Africa. 

With your donation CO2-saving projects are supported; one example being solar cookers for Lesotho. Further information can be found at www.umfulana.com/about-umfulana/projects/climate-compensation
www.klima-kollekte.de and www.wildlands.co.za

If you wish to opt out of the Umfulana climate initiative, please note this on your booking form.

Company: Sunny Cars
Rate: Sunnycars (Stand: 08.11.2018): BB - Skoda Fabia /AC/4dr oder ähnlich, All-in/FF