After seeing a video of the Glacier Express train, Switzerland’s famous trip through the alps, we had a dilemma – we wanted to ride the train, but weren’t interested in spending a lot of time in Switzerland. When we learned that we could connect to a second scenic train, the Bernini Express, which ended close to the border of Northern Italy, we started making plans. We created an itinerary to include a few days in Zurich, 2 days of train travel through the Alps, and a week in Emilia Romana.
We began our trip in Zurich. We had an image of Zurich as a bustling but somewhat boring modern city. We were pleasantly surprised; the Old City is filled with medieval architecture, winding alleys, and amazing views of the distant Alps. We didn’t build in much time there, so we limited our stay to the highlights: The Kunsthaus Museum, a walking tour of the city, and crisscrossing the river.
The Kunsthaus Museum was the highlight of Zurich. A large portion of the museum’s collection was donated by Emil Georg Bührle, a WW2-era Swiss arms dealer who not only sold arms to the Nazis, but used his fortune to buy art from fleeing Jews, usually for a pittance. Some of the art was looted. Many pieces have been repatriated to the survivors or the victims’ families, but in many cases, provenance cannot be established. The Kunsthaus dealt with this dilemma in as sensitive a way as possible, including thought-provoking interactive polls on what museum patrons thought should be a path forward with the looted art which was originally owned by Jews that were murdered during the Holocaust.
We took a high-speed train from Zurich to Brig, where we boarded the Glacier Express. The train was very comfortable, with glass windows and roofs allowing for views in every direction. The weather was perfect; we were treated to a magnificent view of snow-covered mountains and green valleys. Called the “slowest express train” in the world, the Glacier Express was amazing in every possible way. We got off the train near the end its journey and spent the night in Chur, the oldest town in Switzerland. It is a charming village nestled in the remnants of its medieval walls and surrounded by the Alps. The next morning, after an amazing breakfast complete with wonderful Swiss cheeses and breads and excellent coffee, we boarded the Bernina Express – which continued on a beautiful path through the Alps, with one stop for photos, to the Italian border.
Swiss trains are known to always be exactly on time. Crossing the border, we switched to the Italian rail system, which is known to always be late or suffer cancelations. Unsurprisingly, our first train was cancelled, and we were hustled onto a bus and missed our connection in Milan. After standing in line to get re-booked (because of course the train app doesn’t work even though it says you can rebook through it if there is a cancellation), we got seats on a train about an hour later. We were prepared for train issues in Italy, but also know that their stations reflect the Italian love of food and drink, so we picked up a small bottle of Prosecco in the station convenience store. Although we had no cups, we toasted our arrival in Italy while we waited for the next train.
We were excited to return to Bologna, where we’d spent a few days in 2018. Bologna is a big, busy city, filled with tourists. Thanks to traffic bans and good public transit, it’s not choked with cars. The streets are narrow and winding, and many are pedestrianized. The city’s buildings – like so many in Italy – are mostly renaissance-to-1800s. Art is everywhere, and the smells of food permeate every alley. The food there is dangerously good, and piles of handmade pasta are displayed everywhere. We took a short day trip to Ferrera, the site of an amazing and enormous ceramics museum. The collection includes pieces from around the world, galleries of beautiful Italian ceramics, and a wing with modern and very whimsical art. We also went to Moderna to enjoy the home of balsamic vinegar, but the day was rainy and for some reason most of the shops were closed. On both trips, the Italian trains were a bit delayed but easy to navigate. Our afternoons and evenings were spent visiting all of the ancient gates of Bologna and the many different towers and museums.
From Bologna, we went to Ravenna, and spent two full days exploring the amazing Byzantine mosaics in various churches and mausoleums. Each one was an intricate art display, totally captivating. We stayed in a lovely B & B, which had been the childhood home of the owner, and was filled with charming antiques. In both Bologna and Ravenna, we tried different pasta dishes and wines in each restaurant, and every meal was suburb.
Logistics/Hotels
The Swiss Rail system – While it’s incredibly punctual and dependable, there are multiple operators and weird ticket purchasing procedures. Essentially, you buy a ticket (or better yet – a one-day pass) and then buy seats at a different time and often a different website. Sometime seats are available 30 days ahead, sometimes 92 days ahead. Sometimes they sell out, and you have a ticket, but no seat.
The Italian Rail system is always late or cancelled. Although we could have bought our tickets in advance, we waited until we got to the station because our train could be delayed – and another earlier train that was actually running late train was about to arrive. The app is essential to avoid eternally long lines at the ticket windows.
Zurich – Hotel City Zurich.
A few minutes’ walk from the train station and in the heart of Zurich’s old city.
Chur – Ambiente Hotel Freieck.
Near the train station and in the heart of Chur’s old city. Amazing breakfast.
Bologna – Airbnb Sottosopra B&B
Just 15 minutes’ walk from the train station and in the heart of Bologna’s historic area. There’s a large supermarket a few blocks away, plus countless restaurants, cafes, and bars.
Ravenna – Casa Masoli
Near the train station. Enormous breakfast. This hotel/B&B was the star of our trip. It’s an old mansion converted to a B&B, with high ceilings, amazing decor, and a helpful host.
Piacenza – Grande Albergo
A large grand hotel in the city center, a short walk from the Piacenza train station and in the heart of the old city.
Milan – Hotel Windsor
Not far from the train station and a short walk to Milan’s Cathedral. We had to leave very early and therefore missed the breakfast, but the hotel kindly provided us with a boxed breakfast.
