r/Europetravel • u/ayu_ssh • 1d ago
Itineraries Planning a trip to Switzerland and Italy from 1st to 17th October. Should I start from Switzerland or Italy ?
As per my research, it won't matter much when I visit Italy in October. But I am not able to decide which time would be better for Switzerland, the first week or the second week of October?
I know I am overthinking as it won't be much of a difference in a week's time and it is not possible to predict the weather either.
But if given a choice, which time would be preferable for visiting Switzerland?
Thanks in advance.
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u/travel_ali These quality contributions are really big plus🇨🇠1d ago
Depends a bit on what you plan to do in each country.
Check the timetables of any cable cars that you are interested in incase they stop for the end of summer on the 12th (most will carry on past the 17th anyway).
The days will very slowly be getting shorter, but that is the only certainty.
Weather-wise it is too short a period for there to be any reliable predictable difference. The middle of October could be warmer and sunnier than the first week of October.
In theory if Switzerland is mountains and Italy is cities then doing Switzerland first makes a bit more sense. But over 2 weeks random chance will play a bigger role than the onset of autumn.
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u/newmvbergen 1d ago
It's up to you but try at least to have an open-jaw ticket. Time is limited to visit these two countries.
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u/skifans Quality Contributor 1d ago
Honestly a week here or there is not really going to make any predictable difference in terms of the weather. You can always be lucky or unlucky in that front with such short periods of time.
I don't think there are really any relevant public holidays then. In Switzerland schools usually take an autumn break at some point around then. But these are staggered depending on the canton. I don't really think they are worth worrying about honestly.
In Switzerland mountain cable cars/railways that are not open year round can start closing at the end of the summer season. When that is exactly though varies. Some might close at the end of September, some will continue to the end of October and beyond. Again though that is extremely localised. But if you have any specific ones in mind that is something where at that time of year a week can matter. For example looking at Zermatt quite a few lifts are expected to close on the 4th October (https://www.matterhornparadise.ch/ZBAG/17-PDF/flyer/flyer-sommer/2026/fahrplan-sommer-2026.pdf). But in say Bernese Oberland everything is open till at least the 25th October (https://www.jungfrau.ch/en-gb/live/operating-info/). Though both have several lifts that do open later. But it is just something you need to check.
If you are thinking of going to the Dolomites then a similar thing applies there. In fact a week one way or the other there is likley to be even more important as the main tourist season is a little shorter. But if say you are going to the big Italian cities or into the countryside I don't think one week here or there would make any difference in Italy.
Personally I would look more at the transport logistics. Does flying into one and back from the other work best with Italy first or Switzerland first? Honestly that is probably going to have the biggest impact. You could also research if there happen to be any events you want to visit. Might be nice to include them but can push up accomodation price. But that is going to vary depending on specific towns/cities.