Six Days of Alpine Magic via the Bernina Express

Our journey from Zurich to Milan via the Bernina Express was one of the most memorable I’ve ever taken. The idea came from my lovely friend Trish who originally conceived it as an extreme day trip. Her itinerary was meant to last twenty-four hours, but when she realised she couldn't possibly pass through Lake Como without lingering awhile, it became three days and two nights. As I read about her trip, I thought: this would make a wonderful, slow five-night journey. So I hatched a plan for festive cheer, cheese, and Alpine relaxation in November with my goddaughter Keira.

Our Route

• 1 night in Zurich
• 1 night in Chur
• The Bernina Express (panoramic train journey)!
• 2 nights in Tirano
• Lunch stop in Varenna
• 1 night in Milan

Zurich

We arrived on a Thursday afternoon in late November, which is the perfect week to arrive as it marked the opening of Zurich's many Christmas markets. After a cosy afternoon of pastries and hot chocolate at Bäckerei Hug on Stauffacher, we returned to our hotel to warm up before heading out into Zurich's festive streets.

Top tip for Zurich: if you have enough time, definitely book ahead for the Lindt Home of Chocolate which is as heavenly as it sounds.

Visit Zurich’s Sechseläutenplatz Christmas Market

Our first stop was the Christmas market at Sechseläutenplatz, where we enjoyed the atmosphere while sipping hot apple cider with rum.

Eat Out at Zurich’s Raclette Factory in Rindermarkt

Dinner was booked at the Raclette Factory in Rindermarkt. I opted for raclette with blue cheese and white wine, served over potatoes. It was delicious, though far simpler than the raclette I'd previously enjoyed with German friends.

Stay at a Women’s Only Hotel in Zurich

We stayed at the Josephine's Guesthouse, a women's only guesthouse with a wonderful community feel. We had a very spacious twin room with en-suite bathroom.

Chur

After breakfast on the Friday morning, we took a long walk before catching the train to Chur from Zurich Hbf. The journey was lovely as we travelled out of the city and past snowy scenery. The first thing we noticed in Chur was how very, very cold it was.

Top tip for Chur: there is free transport around Chur for all hotel guests in the city. Ask your hotel to register you for the Chur Guest Card ahead of your stay and all local trains and buses will be free.

Have a Drink at Hemingway Bar in Chur Old Town

After checking in, we made our way to the old town for dinner. It was -18°C outside, and we were horrified to be turned away for arriving twenty minutes early, even though Restaurant Franziskaner was half empty. We enjoyed a drink in the lovely, warm, welcoming Hemingway bar next door before returning to the restaurant.

Eat Cheese Fondue at Restaurant Franziskaner

I had a delicious Fondue de la Gruyère with Gruyère cheese and Yvorne white wine, served with bread and potatoes, while Keira opted for a giant pork schnitzel.

Stay at Ibis Chur

I honestly can’t recommend the staff at this hotel highly enough. They allowed us to check-in early, arranged for our free travel around the city, leant us Swiss plugs to charge our devices and assured us we’d get breakfast before daybreak the next morning. Most importantly, they gave us all the details we needed to catch the bus to Chur main station the following morning. It’s a short 8 minute ride that is practically door to door.

Take the Bernina Express to Tirano Italy

Of course, there was one reason we'd come this way at all: the Bernina Express panoramic train.

Tirano

Tirano is a small Lombard town ringed by snow-capped mountains. After checking in to our hotel and freshening up, we headed out for lunch.

Sample Lombard Cuisine at Merizzi

The food at Merizzi is exquisite and the restaurant is located on the main road just outside the train station. I enjoyed Paccheri with pumpkin and ragu, a local, seasonal delight.

Relax with a Spa Afternoon in Tirano Old Town

After lunch, we wandered into the old town for a spa afternoon at the Hotel Centrale complete with massages, sauna, steam room and sensory showers. This was such a welcome relief after a couple of days travelling and exploring and we slept so well that night!

Walk, Read & Relax in Tirano

Many travellers continue straight on to Milan after arriving on the Bernina Express. Keira and I decided to do the opposite and spend an extra day doing very little at all. We spent the day reading in our apartment, popping downstairs to the Caffe Dell Angolo every now and again for pastries and their delicious cioccolata calda (hot chocolate made from melted dark chocolate). We went for a long walk and enjoyed a meal of local breads, cheese and meats in our hotel that evening.

Stay at Bernina Express Eco Rooms & Breakfast

Somehow, because we are the luckiest girls alive, we booked a twin room in Tirano but were upgraded to a two room apartment, complete with sitting room and full kitchen. For the third time on our trip, we received superb service, were allowed to check-in early and had an excellent breakfast on both mornings.

Varenna

The time had sadly come to leave Tirano and head to Milan. After loving Bellagio and Villa Melzi on my last visit, I wanted Keira to have a Lake Como lunch treat in Varenna.

Enjoy Lunch With Views of Lake Como

On a very rainy Monday in November, we struggled to find open restaurants. Fortunately, we discovered Nilus Bar, where we were seated beneath a patio heater and treated to spectacular views over Lake Como and the mountains beyond. I had enjoyed my Paccheri with pumpkin and ragu so much that I ordered a very similar dish again, this time with a creamy pumpkin sauce.

Milan

By evening, the mountains had given way to city streets as we continued by rail to Milan for the final night of our adventure.

Sip Cocktails at Penelope a Casa

After checking in and freshening up, we headed out to Penelope A Casa near Porto Romana for the most expensive cocktails I’ve ever purchased - €25 each! It was worth it for the ambiance and service.

Explore Milan

On the final morning of our trip, we spent some time exploring Milan, including visits to Santa Maria delle Grazie and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. I wrote about our Milan adventures back in 2013, and I’m pleased to report that the city is just as beautiful as I remember.

One piece of advice I can’t stress enough: book ahead if you want to see The Last Supper. I neglected to do so this time, and despite travelling in the off-season in November, we were unable to get tickets!

Milan highlights:

• Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II – Instagram friendly and free
• Sforza Castle – boasting a stranger-than-fiction history
• Museo D'arte Antica – featuring an unfinished Michaelangelo sculpture
• The Dominican Church of  Santa Maria delle Grazie – featuring Leonardo’s Last Supper
• The Duomo Di Milano – beautiful inside and out

Stay at JR Hotels Bocconi Milan

It’s safe to say we were weary when we arrived in Milan but the Bocconi Milan was perfect. It boasted the most comfortable bed of our stay, with a reasonably-sized room and en-suite bathroom, all for an excellent price. It is located near Porto Romana.

I hope you’ve enjoyed what was such a lovely five night trip from Switzerland to Italy on the Bernina Express. With Christmas markets, Alpine railways, snowy mountain towns, Lake Como, and more cheese than any reasonable person could consume, it remains one of my favourite trips to date.