A Swisalian Holiday

When it came time to consider destinations for spring break 2010, the list of possibilities looked pretty much endless.  Every country in Europe looked just as appetizing as the usual spread at Regent's. Countries that I wouldn't dream of visiting if traveling from the U.S. (primarily due to the high cost of traveling across the Atlantic) were suddenly within reach.  Everything from camel-trekking in Morocco, to cruising on the Mediterranean, to just crashing on the beaches of Santorini and calling it a day sounded like fun.  Then reality stopped by to say hello.

Harsh it may be, reality isn't all bad..It's umm, real. All things considered, we have planned (what promises to be) an incredible European adventure, and I am by no means disgruntled that I won't be jumping on a camel to wander through the Sahara.

The planning started when Zach and I somewhat recklessly booked plane tickets.  Being sucked into the airline price war is very easy when you are seeking the best price. If you see (what you think is) a deal, it might not be there in 2, 5, or 45 minutes, so you should probably BOOK NOW! This was our mentality and, although we had obtained two one-way tickets for a very small amount of money, we had restricted ourselves to Geneva and Rome. There was no turning back!! Now we needed to connect the dots...

European trains are famous for their to-the-second arrival times, better-than-average cabins and good service.  What isn't always advertised is the cost.  And for good reason.  They are expensive!!!

We eliminated the possibility of flying because we wanted something more out of the experience.  Sterile airport terminals, long lines and the possibility of delays/cancellations ruining our tight schedule was not appealing.

Planes, trains and...........you guessed it: automobiles!

You aren't....renting a car? Yes, by good fortune and a trip (that started as a joke) to the Europcar UK website, we ended up booking a Seat Ibiza (tiny four door) for the trip from Lausanne to Florence.  It promises to be an adventure in itself as we hope to stop by a few famous sites, cities and drive along the Italian coastline.

Here we go!

3/13: Zach, Dave, Bri, Rainey and I will depart London Gatwick airport for Geneva, Switzerland.  Why Switzerland? Alps Alps Alps!

From Geneva, we will take a train south to Lausanne, Switzerland and spend three nights.  Here is an excerpt from an article on a Swiss tourism website that dubs Lausanne Switzerland's sexiest city:

"Lausanne tends to inspire hyperbole. In a country of spectacular natural beauty it is the most beautiful of cities, Switzerland’s San Francisco, a city of incredibly steep hills that has developed tiered above the lake on a succession of compact, south-facing terraces. Vistas of blue water, glittering sunlight and the purple and grey of the looming, whitecapped Savoy Alps peep through between gaps in buildings or at the ends of steeply dropping alleys. Much of the city is still wooded, there are plenty of parks, and the tree-lined lakefront promenades spill over with lush, beds of vibrantly colourful flowers. Attractive, interesting, worldly, and well aware of how to have a good time, it’s simply Switzerland’s sexiest city."

-Victor Hugo, Switzerlandisyours.com

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3/16: After three nights in Lausanne, we will be bidding farewell to Dave and getting up early to pickup our rental car. Destination: Florence, Italy where we will get to see some fellow Capital friends (Heaven and Josh)!  The best part about driving is the ability to stop and enjoy the magnificent views.

We plan on driving through the Alps, down through Switzerland, through the city of Genoa, along the Italian coastline, stopping to see the Cinque Terre (incredible), Pisa and finally onto the Florence Airport to drop off the car.  Here is a map of our journey:



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 3/16 - 3/17: Florence, Italy 

After spending some time seeing the sights in Florence, we will head to Rome (via national rail) to finish our our adventure.  


3/18: Train to Rome, Italy


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3/18 - 3/20: Rome, Italy

There is SO much to do in both Florence and Rome. Having a less than a week to see everything is impossible, but a few days is absolutely better than no days. Lots of pictures to follow!


"When in Rome..."


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3/21: Depart at 6:55 AM out of Rome CIA to London Stansted Airport