Basics: 

• Credit Cards: Many stores in the region do not accept American Express, so plan accordingly.

• Public Restrooms: In many of the towns we visited in Switzerland, as well as some in Italy, public restrooms are scarce and often require a fee. We frequently had to ask local restaurants to use their facilities. Keep this in mind when planning your day.

• Trash Disposal: In Switzerland, public garbage cans are rare. It’s helpful to keep a small bag in your car for trash throughout the day.

• Picnic & Grilling Areas: Switzerland has few picnic or rest areas, and both Switzerland and Italy have restrictions on grilling in public spaces. Be sure to check local regulations and plan ahead.

• Cooler: If you're relying on buying ice for a cooler, keep in mind that many gas stations don’t carry it. It's often only available in local supermarkets.

• Car Rentals: Renting a car in Europe can be pricey. We recommend Car La Rent for competitive pricing and reliable service. Car La Rent can be reached at 914-533-3311

 

Kosher Food: Since we weren’t staying at a kosher program for most of our trip, we brought along nearly everything ourselves.

• Switzerland: Outside of Zurich, kosher food is not readily available. Zurich has two kosher groceries, a bakery, a meat store, and more. During summer bein hazmanim, there are kosher hotels and catering options in popular destinations such as Davos and St. Moritz. A kosher list is available online, but we found it hard to follow and a bit frustrating, which is why we opted to bring food from home. The Chabad Rebbetzin in Lucerne mentioned that during the summer, there are often Pas Yisroel options in Switzerland, but it’s always best to check the most up-to-date kosher list before you travel.

• Italy: In the areas we visited, kosher food was only available in Venice and at My Kosher Hotel in the Dolomites. Other cities with kosher options include Milan, Rome, and Cervinia (during bein hazmanim, when kosher vacation programs are hosted there).

 

Minyan:

• Lucerne: Chabad of Lucerne offers a minyan on Shabbos and often during the week. Contact the Rabbi in advance to confirm.

• My Kosher Hotel: Offers daily minyanim with a consistent schedule throughout the year.

 

Shabbos:

• Chabad of Lucerne: Offers beautiful Shabbos meals onsite, but no takeout option. We ate both meals there and truly enjoyed the experience. However, the Friday night meal ran late, which was difficult for our jet-lagged children. If we were to travel again on a Friday, we’d likely eat the night meal at our lodging and attend only the Shabbos day meal.

• My Kosher Hotel: Shabbos at the hotel is a truly special experience. It’s inspiring to see Jews of all backgrounds spending Shabbos together, some even experiencing Shabbos for the first time.

 

Weather: Summer weather in the Alps is mild, and evenings can be cool enough to require layers. Bring sweatshirts and light jackets.

The weather can be unpredictable in the mountains, so it’s wise to pack rain gear just in case.

 

Hotels & Attractions: We found plenty of hotel options across Switzerland and Northern Italy in a wide range of price points. 

The attractions in all the areas we visited were easy to book, with plenty of family-friendly activities available at each destination. While we did book some of our tours in advance, these regions are popular tourist spots with many vendors offering similar experiences. Even when booking last minute, we had no trouble finding available options.

• Zermatt: Double-check your hotel address. We accidentally booked a hotel that came up under "Zermatt" in a Google search, only to find it was in a neighboring town over an hour and a half away due to winding mountain roads.

• Lake Como: Consider staying in a nearby town rather than directly on the lake. Lakeside hotels can be extremely expensive and, in our experience, didn’t always offer value for the price.

• My Kosher Hotel: Book as early as possible, especially for summer, as it fills up quickly.