Down South to Italy

 

We had initially planned on the scenic Bernina Express from Zurich to Milan, over the route that goes across the Alps, rather than cut under it. However, considering it would mean spending the whole day in train, and a minimum of three train transfers with luggage, we ditched the idea and trook the straightforward Luzern – Milano express through the Gotthard pass. In hindsight, we are glad we did.

The only direct train from Luzern to Milan leaves at 08:46 from Luzern and reaches Milan Central at 12.50. However, there are hourly trains in this route, and you dont even need a reservation on most of these trains, as long as you put up with the minor inconvenience having to change trains at Lugano.

As it transpired, the route is just as scenic, and we didn't miss the Bernina route one bit. We got down at Como, two stops ahead of Milano Central, as we found a bargain apartment there for about INR 8000/- a night, a good alternative to overpriced Milan where daily room rental started at INR 13,000/- per night, and INR 25,000/- was the norm for a room in a decent hotel.  The host Maria Teresa is especially charming, and I recommend the Maria Teresa apartment to anyone who is in the area.

Lake Como makes for an attractive viewing on its own, and the cable car up to Givonni can be quite an experience, but coming as we did from Switzerland, it was an overdose of scenic spots. We were rather infatuated by the Como cathedral, a unique art deco monument, the delicious pizza and pasta on the cute sidewalk cafes near the Como Nord Lago railway station, and the tasty Gelatinos.

The costs at Como were the lowest we found in Euirope, with a  sumptuous Italian meal of pizza and pasta costing just EUR 18/- and four jumbo gelationos under EUR 10/-. 

 Milan is a hour away by train from Como. We had time only to visit the magnificent Duamo, shop for some clothes at the sprawling Victor Emmanuel Gallery, have another set of pizzas for dinner at a tourist trap restaurant near the Duomo square, and shop at the Carrefour near the railway station.

Would another day at Milan or Como have been worthwhile? Yes, for the shopping. There are several outlet stores in the region that we didn't have time to visit. However, with  an extra day on hand, we would have skipped Como and Milan altogether, and headed straight to Venice.

 

The connection from Como to Malpenso airport is straightforward enough, with a easy change of train at Soronno. The train to Malpensa leaves at a different platform, but there are elevators that make the transit easy. Do bear in mind, you may not have time to catch the immediate train, as scheduled in the Trentalia website, unless you rush, but don't fret. The next train is just 15 or 20 minutes away, taking you directly to Malpensa, and your check in counter is less than five minutes walk away.

NEXT: Descend into Chaos