Switzerland & Italy Travel Review: Lucerne, Gondola Ride, Tuk Tuk Tour, Local Cuisine, Nature, 2-Week Trip

Review by traveler

Debra S.

9.22.2023

General Info

Traveler Review

Which Country (Countries) did you visit on this trip?

Switzerland

Italy

Your overall comments on the trip and the travel company:

The trip was beautiful and the travel plan was good. We covered all of the many destinations we set out to explore in Switzerland and wrapped up in northern Italy. Generally, our vacation went according to plan and the extraordinary weather was an added bonus which made it that much more enjoyable. Every mountain, city, vista and experience was unique, with new things to see and experience. We were grateful for this wonderful and memorable opportunity.

What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?

We really enjoyed everything we did. The trains in Switzerland are fantastic--clean, comfortable and on time. Our experiences making chocolate bars and the tuk-tuk fondue city tour of Lucerne were so fun and memorable, and made for one of our best days as it was so unique. The mountains--every one of them--were really highlights for us. Again, every gondola ride, every mountaintop offered a new perspective and spectacular scenery. What a breathtaking country!

If you could take your trip again, what would you do differently?

As with most trips, here were a few hiccups that added a bit of frustration and aggravation. Some of these we felt our travel specialist should've been aware of and may have been avoided. Most notably:
We definitely should have had a reservation for Mt. Pilatus after receiving such careful and thoughtful instructions how to get there, we were sorted into the "no reservations" line because we did not have a timed ticket. It would have been appropriate to get us a timed ticket so we did not have to wait nearly two hours to go up the mountain.
There was a glitch with the train (which we were told about prior to travel) entering Italy. We were told we would need to transfer to a bus in Domossodola but when we arrived we found there was only ONE bus for the hundreds of people waiting for hours to get to Stresa where our driver would meet us. People had been waiting for 3-4 hours when we arrived and we waited in line for 2 hours before we were able to make arrangements to have our driver come the extra 45 minutes (for an extra fee) to pick us up there. It was especially challenging to do this with the language differences.That should've just been arranged from the beginning of our planning.
There were some other minor directional and scheduling issues that were a bit frustrating, but certainly none of these impacted our trip in a big way. They were just the extra details that we felt could've been more thoroughly attended to and had they been considered it would have been a more seamless experience.

Travel Company Comments:

Dear Debra,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback about your recent trip to Switzerland and Italy. We are happy to hear that you had such a beautiful and enjoyable journey overall and that you appreciated the travel plan we put together for you.
We sincerely appreciate your constructive feedback regarding certain aspects of your trip that could have been smoother. We apologize for any inconvenience you experienced with the reservation for Mt. Pilatus and the train-to-bus transfer in Domodossola. We take your comments seriously and will use them to improve our services and better anticipate potential challenges in the future.
It was a pleasure to have you as our guest, and we hope that despite these minor hiccups, the memories of your journey will continue to bring a smile to your face. If you ever decide to embark on another adventure, we would be honored to assist you in creating another unforgettable travel experience.
Warm regards,
Mojca