After wrapping up our girls trip, Caroline and I took the train to Milan to meet up with John and the girls. After gathering everyone and stocking up on Paprika Pringles and BBQ Corn Nuts (a personal favorite!), we drove to Stresa, Italy, on Lake Maggiore. It’s like the local version of Lake Como, but the lake was much larger than I expected, with charming islands and towns accessible by ferry. John did an amazing job planning this part of the trip – it was such a treat to not have to worry about the details!

We stayed at the Grand Hotel Des Iles Borromee, a beautiful old hotel with a lot of history. Our first order of business was an al fresco lunch in town. The shopping was great, and while our lunch spot was just okay, they did have a fantastic roasted yellow onion filled with parmesan cream – I’m definitely going to try recreating that at home!

The rest of the first day was pretty relaxed, and we had a lovely dinner in the hotel’s formal dining room that evening. The next day, we took a ferry to Isola dei Pescatori, the smallest of the Borromeo Islands, for a spectacular lunch at Il Verbano. We spent the afternoon exploring the other lakeside towns and visiting Isola Bella, known for its stunning Baroque palace and gardens. After such a large lunch, we set out to find the best pizza in Stresa, and I think we succeeded at Il Faro e la Luna. It was clearly a local favorite with no English spoken, and despite our attempts to ask for a table in the back in our limited Italian, we were seated in the front. Every single bite of that pizza was incredible – I’m still dreaming about it! It was so good that I even considered getting it for our train trip the next day (which is saying something, as I usually don't like leftovers or eating the same thing twice!). It was like an elevated salad pizza with thinly sliced radishes, bresaola, a jalapeño oil drizzle, and radicchio.

Our next stop was Zermatt, Switzerland. It had just received a surprising 75 inches of snow for this time of year! Zermatt is the most charming, quiet, and clean little ski town I’ve ever seen, and the view of the Matterhorn was simply magical. John’s planning continued to impress as we checked into the perfectly Swiss Hotel Julen, complete with roaring fires, fondue, and raclette. Dinner at the hotel’s main restaurant that first night was alright, but not particularly memorable. The following day, we hit the slopes and skied all day. Skiing in Switzerland is quite different from the US – it’s about half the price, and the runs are much wider and less crowded. This was perfect for me as I’m not the most confident skier and love to leisurely make my way down the mountain feeling safe. The views were absolutely stunning – so different from the US with no trees, which was a plus since the girls were tracking their speed on their Apple watches! We spent the next two days skiing, enjoying incredible lunches with amazing views on the mountain. Dinner highlights included the fun, interactive fondue at Hotel Julen and a fantastic meal at Le Gitan. I also have some other highly recommended dining spots from friends (below) if you're ever in Zermatt. Our last day of skiing was our favorite. We skied over to the Italian side of the Matterhorn, had a great time there, and ate lunch at Chalet Etoile – highly recommended!  The grand finale was a train ride from Zermatt to Zurich for one night before our flight took us back to the US, and this was our first time in Zurich.

Our arrival in Zurich was fantastic, and we spent the entire day exploring the city on foot. After several days of skiing and train travel, it was the ideal way to conclude our trip with a vibrant city experience.

Knowing I wanted to experience a traditional institution, I had researched the best food options. We initially tried to reserve a table at the renowned Restaurant Kronenhalle, but as expected, it was fully booked. Never one to back down from a challenge, I emailed the restaurant explaining that it was our only night in Zurich and that our family was very keen on dining with them.

To my surprise, they responded promptly, stating they had no tables available during typical dinner hours. However, they offered us a reservation for 3:30 PM. Since I love an early dinner (or "linner"), we eagerly accepted. We were so glad we did! The venue, service, food, and overall atmosphere were impeccable. We started with a perfectly made martini while selecting our early dinner: white asparagus with hollandaise, pork schnitzel, and a lovely white merlot. It truly was the perfect way to end our trip.

An added bonus of dining early was that we didn't need another meal later. So, we strolled to a well-regarded spot I had read about, the Widder Bar, enjoyed a single drink, and were all in bed by 8 PM! It was a truly magical trip, and I've decided I only want to ski in Europe from now on, so we're already planning our next adventure!

Other highly recommended spots for dining in Zermatt:

1. Sonnmatten
2. Hotel Julen
3. Le Gitan
4. Omnia
5. After Seven (Michelin starred)

For lunch (in order):

1. Findlerhof (amazing spot)
2. Zum See
3. Chalet Etoile (in Italy)
4. Chez Vrony