“Italy via the Alps” has become perhaps the signature Railbookers holiday in recent times, and it was one I had long been keen to try out for myself. I had had the idea of exploring Tuscany for a while, but had decided to take in Verona for a couple of nights first. I had visited the city briefly a few years previously and been very impressed, and had decided that I needed to return to do it more justice, and this seemed the perfect opportunity.

Although it is perfectly possible to reach Switzerland in a day from the UK via the wonders of high speed rail, I decided to take a more leisurely approach and stop off in Paris en route. This had several benefits – firstly I could break up the train journey, secondly as I was only going to have one night in Zurich I would have more time to explore the city and finally I could leave for Paris after work on the first day of the trip. After a hard day’s toil and a short journey on the underground I was soon checking in at St Pancras. As it was an evening departure I had decided to upgrade to First Class – this meant I could relax in a more spacious seat after a long day and also tuck into a complimentary meal washed down with a refreshing glass of champagne – the perfect way to start the trip. In next to no time I had arrived in Paris and headed off to my hotel for the evening – the Mercure Suffren. This hotel is very close to the Eiffel Tower and I took advantage of a pleasant evening to go for a stroll around the Champ de Mars and enjoy the view of the illuminated tower.

After a hearty breakfast the next morning I headed off on the metro to Gare de l’Est to catch the high speed TGV Lyria service to Zurich. In no time at all I was flying along the TGV Est route, watching cars on the neighbouring autoroute being left far behind in the distance. As I was travelling First Class I was given the opportunity to order lunch at my seat – this arrived promptly and was very tasty too. After calling at Strasbourg and Mulhouse we arrived into Zurich. I was staying at the Zum Storchen hotel, which is in a perfect location in the old town overlooking the lake. I had been to Zurich once before in winter, but my trip in September completely changed my view of the destination. The weather was lovely, and after an afternoon exploring the old town I ate al fresco in one of the many open air restaurants and then enjoyed a drink or two as the sun began to set. The atmosphere was so welcoming I could easily have stayed for a day or two.

The following morning I had a fantastic breakfast on the hotel’s terrace overlooking the lake, before heading towards the station. As I was in Switzerland everything ran exactly to schedule and soon I was leaving Zurich far behind me. After leaving the city behind I was soon enjoying some truly spectacular alpine scenery as we passed along the famous Gotthard pass route, with lakes and mountains either side. This was truly a great journey, and all seen from the perfect vantage point. Just before entering Italy I managed to catch a glimpse of Lake Lugano on my left hand side, and afterwards we travelled alongside Lake Como for a brief but spectacular moment. All in all it made for some spectacular photographs before the train finally pulled into the imposing Milan Centrale station. I had given myself a comfortable half hour period to change trains, and found this to be plenty of time. Indeed, I was glad I had not been more cautious as the facilities to grab a drink or snack at the station were somewhat limited – something that was perhaps not at the forefront of Mussolini’s mind when he approved the designs for the famous station.

It was quite a warm day, so I was glad when the air-conditioned Eurocity train set off from Centrale in the direction of Venice. After brief glimpses of Lake Garda the train was soon pulling into Verona Porta Nuova station. After a short taxi ride I was checking into my hotel, the Due Torri Baglioni . The hotel is right in the centre of Verona, with all of the main sights within walking distance. I spent the afternoon getting my bearings and dodging a brief shower of rain, before spending an enjoyable (and rain-free evening) on the Piazza della Erbe a lively square surrounded by picturesque palazzi from the time of the renaissance. Again it was a really friendly atmosphere and a beautiful setting.

The following day after a good night’s sleep I decided to make the most of my one full day in Verona with an uncharacteristically (for me) early start. As my colleagues will tell you, I don’t have a complete command of the mysteries of the Italian language, but despite this I put my limited Italian into practice and ordered a Verona card for 10€, which represented excellent value as it got me into all of the main sites that day. I started of with the famous arena, before heading on to take in the view from the Toree dei Lamberti. Next I dodged the crowds to visit the supposed Casa di Giuletta, although I think rather than any connection to Shakespeare’s famous love story this represents nothing more than a picturesque courtyard and balcony.

Next up was the Duomo and the San Zeno church, before taking a walk along the river and admiring the Ponte Scagliero, a bridge dating from 1355. This pleasant walk led me to my final stop for the day, the first century Teatro Romano, which was being prepared for a concert that evening. I decided after this busy day to return to the hotel and rest my sore feet for a while, and then decided tucking into a glass of something cool and wet was the order of the day. I was glad I had taken the time to explore the fascinating city of Verona, which offers so much for both culture vultures and keen shoppers., and was excited about the start of my Tuscan tour the following day…

Tags: Italy, Scenic journey, Verona, Via the Alps, Zurich | Posted in: Italy, Switzerland | Author: Matt