Decision's decision's!

[Alpinista]

Love hiking in Switzerland. We went to Chamonix once but the fog/rain kept us from going up on Monte Blanc. Skyway will be cool but would also like to get close to the Matterhorn again. Currently watching a couple running the tour du Monte Blanc on YouTube, beautiful scenery

Brought back memories -- summit Mont Blanc

 

[BEERMAN]

Brought back memories -- summit Mont BlancView attachment 40038

Looks like you had perfect weather that day! Great pic of a great memory I'm sure!

 

[BEERMAN]

We have booked this place:

Rental unit in Orta San Giulio · ★4.91 · 1 bedroom · 1 bed · 1 bath

ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!

www.airbnb.com

for our first 3 nights in March.
Hoping to do a little lite hiking and less lite eating before heading down to Novello.

ANT

www.antnovello.com

IMHO--Torino is not to be missed! We have day tripped there twice and stayed once for 5 nights.

The last 4 days I've only had my phone to google, small screen is frustrating!! on my home computer now, the pics of this airbnb look great. Price is nice! Our daughter will not be with us this trip, so searching 1 bedroom instead of 2 provides lots more options....and we save a few bucks! We are slowly trying to piece together this 2 week trip, driving today we agreed that the Aosta Valley deserves 4 nights, probably near the end of our trip. Now.. how to piece together the other 10 days hmmmmmmmm

 

[Alpinista]

Looks like you had perfect weather that day! Great pic of a great memory I'm sure!

There had been two bad days prior and the climbing hut filled up beyond capacity and there were some really ugly incidents over people jostling for space (not so sure that we weren't ready to refight WW II between the Germans and the French at one point). Once the weather broke, it was a rush to the mountain and the summit ridge got really packed and had a couple of chokepoints -- but, would give a million dollars to still be young enough and fit enough to do it again.

 

[BEERMAN]

That's a very popular climb and not surprised at the chokepoints. I assume hut reservations made over a year in advance? hopefully not first come, first served?

I just dug through some October 2017 pics, we took the Gornergrat railway up to the observatory (10,285 feet) for sunrise pics, then hiked down towards Zermatt stopping in Sunnegga (sp?) for a beer of course. Not a SUMMIT! but a nice hike, the change of scenery is incredible working your way down, went from below freezing to maybe 65f? awesome

 

[wco81]

End of April might be a bit early for this area. Aosta may be good but the mountain towns may still have snow. We spent a week in Cogne a few years back and I like this area but we were there in September.

I did a Northern Italy tour 10 years ago. It was in late May and early June.

I hit Ortisei in early June and a lot of the cable cars weren't open. They wouldn't open until like the last week of June.

Then went to Lake Como and eventually all the way to Aosta.

Then drove out to Courmayeur. The cable car there was closed because of avalanche risk, apparently snowed a lot later that season than normal.

Even thought about driving through the tunnel to Chamonix.

Since then I've been to Chamonix a couple of times but not back to Piedmont, Aosta, Torino.

 

[Alpinista]

That's a very popular climb and not surprised at the chokepoints. I assume hut reservations made over a year in advance? hopefully not first come, first served?

I just dug through some October 2017 pics, we took the Gornergrat railway up to the observatory (10,285 feet) for sunrise pics, then hiked down towards Zermatt stopping in Sunnegga (sp?) for a beer of course.

I was with a group led by Mountain Travel-Sobek, so don't know the reservation procedures. Was chaotic in hut, though. Beautiful photos of the Matterhorn!! We had another cultural experience on the Gornergrat line ;-) When we hiked off the mountain, we found a fenced area (weather fencing) to hold the queue for the train. All the English and Americans lined up in the queue and stood there patiently. When the train arrived, all the French and Germans (see above) pushed down the fence and elbowed their way onto the cars and left us standing there. The food and beer was still really good once we made it to town, though.

 

[BEERMAN]

I was with a group led by Mountain Travel-Sobek, so don't know the reservation procedures. Was chaotic in hut, though. Beautiful photos of the Matterhorn!! We had another cultural experience on the Gornergrat line ;-) When we hiked off the mountain, we found a fenced area (weather fencing) to hold the queue for the train. All the English and Americans lined up in the queue and stood there patiently. When the train arrived, all the French and Germans (see above) pushed down the fence and elbowed their way onto the cars and left us standing there. The food and beer was still really good once we made it to town, though.

I have to assume the rowdy bunch at the hut were the same ones at Gornergrat?

wco81, the cable car websites I searched show a yearly schedule, including scheduled maintenance and other closure dates, hopefully we'll get a ride!

 

[wandering]

If you are interested in staying in the Valle d'Aosta I have a dear friend who runs a B & B in a small town called Valtournenche situated before Cervinia (other side of Zermatt) www.bbpankeo.com.
If visiting Liguria don't forget to visit Portovenere you can hike from here paths lead into the 5 terre also worth a visit the resort town of Lerici. Ferry boats from the port of La Spezia will take you to the 5 terre.

 

[BEERMAN]

If you are interested in staying in the Valle d'Aosta I have a dear friend who runs a B & B in a small town called Valtournenche situated before Cervinia (other side of Zermatt) www.bbpankeo.com.
If visiting Liguria don't forget to visit Portovenere you can hike from here paths lead into the 5 terre also worth a visit the resort town of Lerici. Ferry boats from the port of La Spezia will take you to the 5 terre.

We are thinking about Aosta…still figuring that out. Portovenere is definitely on the list….still trying to decide on where to stay in Liguria too??? Thank you for info, I’ll look at your friends place!

 

[Phyllis]

Hello, I am so happy Slow Europe is still around, huge fan. Upon your recommendation we were in Torino 2018, it is my favorite Italian visit. We leave for Sicily in a week, 10 days West side, fly into Palermo and out Catania. I have not planned as I use to do : (

 

[Sharon J]

You mention Pienza. Southern Tuscany is a great place to visit and I've been several times. Great towns - Montepulciano, Pienza, Montalcino to name a few. Sodoma Frescoes and chanting monks at Monte Oliveto north of Pienza. Chanting monks and an incredible church at Sant Antimo, south of Montalcino.

Orvieto further south. Pitigliano and its Etruscan Pathways in the very southern part of Tuscany.

We have reviews in the Italy Vacation Rental Reviews forum for places in southern Tuscany. There are good rentals in Montepulciano. Sant'Antonio is a lovely estate with houses and apartments just outside Montepulciano.

I second, third and fourth Sant'Antonio in the beautiful countryside near Montepulciano. We have become very good friends with the owner, and stay once or twice a year. Heaven on Earth.