Italy & Switzerland — 11 Nights

Met at Fiumicino and driven into the city. The first evening is for the centro storico on foot — the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, the Trevi Fountain after dark — and dinner in Trastevere. Overnight in Rome.

The Colosseum, the Forum and the Palatine with timed entry, walked as one site in the cooler morning. The afternoon is the Capitoline hill and its museums, or simply the streets around Campo de' Fiori. Overnight in Rome.

The Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel with a timed entry, then St Peter's Basilica and, for anyone willing, the climb to the dome. A free afternoon — the Spanish Steps and Villa Borghese, or a rest before the evening. Overnight in Rome.

Ninety minutes north through Tuscany. The Duomo and Brunelleschi's dome in the afternoon, the Ponte Vecchio, and the Oltrarno across the river for the evening. Overnight in Florence.

The Uffizi in the morning with a timed entry, Michelangelo's David at the Accademia after lunch, and the climb to Piazzale Michelangelo or San Miniato for the city laid out below at sunset. Overnight in Florence.

To Milan by fast train and on to the lake, with the ferry along the water to your base — Bellagio on its headland where the two arms of the lake divide, or Varenna across from it. An evening on the waterfront. Overnight on Lake Como.

A day on the ferries between the mid-lake villages: Varenna and its castle, Bellagio and its steps, and one of the villa gardens — Balbianello on its point or Carlotta with its terraces — that made the lake famous. Overnight on Lake Como.

Back to Milan and north by train through the Simplon and Lötschberg tunnels into Switzerland, with the descent to Lake Thun and Interlaken in the late afternoon — about five hours, and the landscape changes country as you watch. Overnight in Interlaken.

Through Lauterbrunnen and Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch, the highest railway station in Europe, with the Aletsch Glacier below the Sphinx terrace and snow on the plateau. Down via Grindelwald. Overnight in Interlaken.

The panoramic train over the Brünig Pass and along Lake Brienz to Lucerne. The Chapel Bridge, the old town and the Lion Monument in the afternoon, and the lakefront in the evening. Overnight in Lucerne.

To Engelberg and up by cable car to Titlis, with the rotating Rotair cabin, the glacier cave and the Cliff Walk at the top. A last Swiss evening on the lake. Overnight in Lucerne.

An hour by train to Zurich and the private transfer to the airport for your flight home.