Gluhwein Roadtrip

Distance: 90 km. Driving time: 1 hour. Overnight: Como, Italy. At 20:15 in the evening we land at Bergamo airport, where our Van will be waiting with its engine running, ready to take us on new adventures. Our roadtrip begins at romantic Lake Como. We head to our hotel to drop off our things and, once we've pulled on our gloves, we clink our first Glühwein at the Como Christmas market!

Distance: 250 km. Driving time: 3 hours & 30 minutes. Overnight: Interlaken. This morning we leave Italy behind and slip into the heart of the Swiss Alps. The snow turns deeper, the houses more timbered, and the mountains close in around us the way only Switzerland knows how. Our first stop is the storybook village of Giornico, with its 12 stone churches, cobbled lanes, and an iconic 16th-century bridge. We carry on through narrow alpine passes, with views toward Lake Lucerne, until we reach a hidden spot overlooking the lake, the pastures, and the forests. Late in the afternoon we arrive in town: cradled between two lakes (Thun and Brienz), beneath the peaks of the Jungfrau, dressed in Christmas lights. The streets are strung with decorations, open-air chalets serve hot bratwurst, raclette cheese, and gluhwein, and there's an ice rink on the square. We spend the evening exploring the old center and overnight in Interlaken.

Distance: 20 km. Driving time: 30 minutes. Overnight: Interlaken. Christmas Eve dawns, and we're right at the epicenter of alpine magic. Today is devoted to summits, cable cars, sheer cliffs, and chocolate. First stop: Lauterbrunnen, the village that symbolizes the Alps, with its towering waterfall. From there we take a cable car up to Mürren, a true car-free village buried in snow. The route leads us onto the thrill walk and then to the spectacular Schilthorn, on the frozen peaks at 2,970m, where the James Bond film was shot. In the afternoon we descend toward Grindelwald, glowing with hundreds of tiny lights. In the evening we return to Interlaken to spend Christmas Eve together.

Distance: 226 km. Driving time: 2 hours. Overnight: Colmar. Merry Christmas from the heart of Europe! We begin the day with a short but magical stop in Switzerland's capital, Bern. Its historic center, decked out for the holidays, is truly one of a kind: medieval arcades, underground galleries, statues against a backdrop of snowy rooftops, and a Christmas market in full swing. Then we continue toward the fairytale town of Colmar in France. Here the whole town is dressed for the day: snow-covered roofs, colorful timbered houses, glittering decorations, and five different Christmas markets. We discover Alsace's "Little Venice," sampling vin chaud, cinnamon tarts, handmade cookies, and chocolates. We spend the evening wandering the illuminated streets.

Distance: 247 km. Driving time: 3 hours. Overnight: Montreux. Today's drive takes us along one of the most scenic stretches of the whole trip. Our first stop is Lausanne, a beautiful, youthful city built on the shores of Lake Geneva. Then we drive through the wintry vineyards of Lavaux, a UNESCO-listed landscape. From there, with the lake and the French Alps in view, we arrive in Montreux, the lake's most famous winter resort. Its Christmas market is one of the best in Europe, right on the water! Wooden chalets, a retro carousel, live jazz, and somewhere among it all, Freddie Mercury, who once lived here. We spend the evening soaking up Montreux's deliciously festive atmosphere.

Distance: 140 km. Driving time: 2 hours. Overnight: Brig. Zermatt is the crowning point of the alpine dream. We arrive in the morning by train, since the town is car-free and fully protected. Here the Matterhorn awaits us, the most iconic peak in the Alps. We stroll through lanes lined with traditional chalets and luxury hotels, and those who wish can take the cable car up to the Klein Matterhorn, reaching almost 3,900m. In the afternoon we descend and end up in Brig, a small town with a medieval center, an atmospheric market, and the perfect base to rest before the finale.

Distance: 260 km. Driving time: 5 hours. Overnight: Bergamo. Today we take the road back toward Italy, through the famous Simplon railway tunnel that runs beneath the Alps. As we emerge from the tunnel, winter softens, the Alps fall away behind us. We pass through familiar places again and reach Lake Como, where we'll see the villages of Bellagio and Nesso. Then we head to Bergamo for our final night. A chance for one last glass of wine, goodbyes, and hugs.

After breakfast we set out to explore Bergamo, with its wonderful old town perched on the hill. At midday we climb back into our vans and head for the airport and our return flight. Our suitcase carries a little gluhwein, a few snowy landscapes, laughter from the van, and moments that feel straight out of a film. The Gluhwein Roadtrip is over, but its memories will last far longer than the journey itself. The return isn't the end, it's the start of the next one.