Train Verona → Montreux

It would be a tragedy not to visit "Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, from ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean." Shakespeare has immortalized Verona in the first line of Romeo and Juliet, and the city holds the claim to having the houses of perhaps the greatest young lovers in history. Fact or Shakespearean fiction, the story has "made" Verona and brings hundreds of thousands of tourists to see the Casa di Giuletta – or Juliet's House. From the courtyard you can see Juliet's Balcony. This is supposedly the very same balcony where the tragic heroine cried out to Romeo. Don't be surprised to see a line of girls waiting to stand on it and call out to their betrothed below. It's touristy and slightly cheese-ball, but ultimately, fun and memorable. The highlight of the house may be the bronze statue of Juliet in the courtyard. The myth goes that if you rub its right breast, you'll have good luck. (Don't be surprised if the left isn't nearly as shiny !) Inside the house you'll find a small museum filled with 16th and 17th century antiques, all related to Shakespeare's play. If you're a cynic or simply unromantic, then perhaps, this stop isn't for you. But that's not to say that Verona isn't without other charms. Built in 30 AD, the Verona Arena is a Roman amphitheater, one of the best preserved ancient structures of its kind. Back then, the theater could hold over 30,000 spectators who came to see the ludi – shows and games. Today (that's right, it's still in use), that number has been scaled back to 15,000 who come to see spectacular productions of popular operas and other music events. Learn more about Verona

A city of sophistication, sweets and beautiful music "We all came out to Montreux, on the lake Geneva shoreline ; To make records with a mobile, we didn't have much time." And so goes the Deep Purple song, "Smoke on the Water" which documents a fire at the Montreux casino caused by a flare thrown on the stage during a Frank Zappa concert. Music, it seems has always been a part of Montreux. Known worldwide for its jazz festival, Montreux is more than home to music. Lying on sparkling lake Geneva in the heart of the Swiss Riviera, the city is said to be the most beautiful lake promenade in Switzerland. Dotted with palm trees and surrounded by vineyards, the setting has inspired artists and writers, including Delacroix and Courbet, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Lord Byron. The writer was inspired to pen "The Prisoner of Chillon," a château just four minutes by train from Montreux. The most visited historic sight in all of Switzerland, it was originally built to allow residents to collect a toll from people passing between Italy and the rest of Europe on the road north of the St. Bernard Pass. Located on a small island in lake Geneva with a 1,000-year history, the location is magical and glorious (even though it holds a dungeon.) Learn more about Montreux