Peaks and perks of a National Geographic tour of Switzerland by rail and Italy’s Lake Como

“What a fantastic mountain; if a kid drew a mountain, it’d look like this,” our guide, Tim Jepson, said. It was the second morning of our Swiss Trains and the Italian Lake District group tour by National Geographic Expeditions – which offers exclusive travel packages with expert guides unavailable to regular tourists. The tour had begun in Zurich, Switzerland, with a comfortable train ride to the alpine town of Zermatt. Day one had been a 10 out 10 in terms of scenery. Now we listened to the first of three lectures – one of the unique draws of National Geographic Expeditions. Tim, our guide for this particular itinerary and a successful writer, mixed humour and fun facts with important historical details. He was, of course, speaking about the Matterhorn, the mountain featured on the packaging of Toblerone chocolate bars, and which stands above Zermatt as a mysterious monument, changing appearance from one minute to the next. We would get the chance to see the mountain. Our group of strangers soon to be friends consisted of about 24 travellers, ranging in age from 10 to eighty-something. A handful of the guests were repeat National Geographic Expeditions customers and the rest, including me, were newbies. Over the next 10 days, we would share experiences that top many people’s bucket lists. If riding Switzerland’s scenic railways is on your bucket list, this trip is for you. We covered a lot of ground via train, climbing mountain passes, whizzing by storybook villages and bright blue glacial lakes and winding through tunnel after tunnel. Although my seat was comfortable, I barely sat; my camera’s shutter button got a serious workout. That is the thing about Switzerland – beauty abounds. In Zermatt, we took three gondolas up to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, on Klein Matterhorn, a nearby peak from where the more famous Matterhorn can be viewed. The air was thin and you could walk inside a glacier. The area, which offers panoramic mountain views, is popular – there were lots of selfie-taking tourists on our visit. On the way back down, we ate Switzerland’s national dish, rösti, alfresco out of cast iron pans. It was so delightful that the only sounds during the meal were the clinking of silverware and wine glasses. In Zermatt we also ate fondue, went hiking, rode the Gornergrat Bahn rack-and-pinion railway – the second highest railway in Europe – and visited the underground Matterhorn museum, where we were regaled with tales of the first adventurers to climb the peak by a local Alpine historian. The three days spent in Zermatt felt long enough but not too long, and with my belly full of cheese, we boarded the luxury Glacier Express train for an all-day journey to our next stop, Saint Moritz. Aboard the train, a three-course meal, chats with fellow guests and vistas at every turn kept us busy. Saint Moritz, known as the “birthplace of Alpine tourism”, is perched on a hill overlooking the lake of the same name. Our hotel was centrally located, making it easy to walk around the town. Dinners in Saint Moritz mostly included group meals with a prix-fixe menu, but there were also chances to explore the local restaurant scene. Attractions in the town include the Segantini Museum, dedicated to the Italian artist known for his paintings of the Alps; and famed chocolatier Hanselmann, where chocolate-tasting sessions can be enjoyed. Those wanting to get out of the town centre can take a funicular up to Muottas Muragl, a summit with sweeping views of the region. We next took another train, the Bernina Express, to Poschiavo, a town offering lots of photo opportunities and the best tiramisu I have ever eaten. While in Poschiavo, I enjoyed wandering around as well as partaking in the planned excursions. During periods of free time in the early evenings, I would go for happy-hour drinks at the hotel bar, where I would typically run into the rest of the group – great minds think alike. Our time in Saint Moritz came to an end but I was not disappointed, because we were going to Italy next. We boarded a coach for Lake Como. Along the way our driver expertly navigated one of the gnarliest-looking mountain switchback roads I have ever seen. I lost count of fairy-tale towns, waterfalls and alpine lakes mirroring mountains. Before arriving at our destination of Varenna, we enjoyed a lunch of burrata and fresh tomatoes washed down with crisp white wine at a family-run winery overlooking Lake Como. Our lakeside hotel in Varenna was my favourite of the trip. Our days in Varenna were spent wandering, lounging by the pool, taking dips in the lake, drinking sunset aperitivos and eating. There was also a private boat ride which took us to Bellagio, another town on Lake Como, and Villa del Balbianello, a picturesque lakeside villa that has featured in Hollywood films. We also enjoyed a cooking demonstration by a local chef and a day trip to Como – the largest town on the lake – which included a private tour of Como Cathedral and the Teatro Sociale theatre. At our farewell dinner, on the grounds of a gorgeous villa, we reminisced about the trip. The National Geographic Expedition afforded us exclusive opportunities, such as private museum tours and chocolate tastings. We ventured off the beaten path at times, and always had someone sharing interesting information about what we were seeing and experiencing. .

Peaks and perks of a National Geographic tour of Switzerland by rail and Italy’s Lake Como

A National Geographic Expedition guided tour taking in the sights of the Swiss Alps and Lake Como in Italy offers a variety of experiences