Out of Milan on day 5 (gladly) towards Alessandria to do some outlet shopping for Italian duds. The mall is at Serravalle www.serravalle.mcarthurglen.it, about 30 miles Northeast of Genova. You can get some great buys on alot of the big Italian brands. It's worth the trip esp. if you pack light and plan on wearing some of the stuff during your trip. Compared to prices on the same brands here at South Coast plaza, I would say it costs about 30 cents on the dollar for Loro Piana, Gucci, Prada, Valentino etc. Also, lots of cool Italian brands that we don't get here that are CHEAP!

Next morning went to Lugano and stayed at Hotel International Au Lac. Decent hotel in the best area that cost 199 CHF ($160)+$50 or so for parking and breakfast. The most unique thing about the hotel was that they had an elevator in the parking garage that you would drive your car into to get it up to the upper level. Very trick Swiss engineering bonus! (See photo)
Spent the day walking around a beautiful (albeit touristy) lakeside city. Lots of shopping, esp. watch shops. There were CASES of Breitlings and Rolexes that sat out ON THE SIDEWALK all day and night... ONLY in Switzerland!!!
Next night was spent in a hotel I highly recommend, Hotel De La Paix. Free outdoor parking in a secure lot (or indoors if you prefer for CHF's). We had a lakeview room with balcony on the top level and breakfast included for 235 CHF ($185). 4 stars and really, really nice!

Day 8 put us on the road to Lucerne on a pleasant drive through the alps with lots of tunnels. We stayed at Hotel Des Balances which is in the Altstadt section. 4 stars and really nice. I booked it for $245 night, breakfast buffet included. And what a breakfast it was. Tables were on a covered porch right on the river Ruess which flows out the NW corner of Lake Lucerne. Famous KappelBrucke (chapel bridge) is right there. We ate at the Rathaus Brewery which was 100m from the hotel. Their food is great and their beer is pretty damn good too. Hefe and Helles/Lager. Walked all over the city the next day and then had some Hacker Pschorr down by the river, and some fondue in town. I can't say enough good about this city...Pristine, beautiful, Alpine and quintessentially Swiss probably sum it up. GO THERE!

For beer lovers...they brew a beer near Lucerne called 'Eichhof'. It is a VERY good lager. Kind of reminded me of the Augustiner Edelstoff. Another very worthy Swiss product!