And the answer is, Yes! Switzerland is close indeed, about 30 minutes by car to the Sempione Pass to the north or about an hour to Locarno by car along the lake. But if you don't have a car, or if you want the convenience of relaxing with an organized tour, here are three excellent options for seeing Svizzera, one by train, one by boat, and one by bus.

By Bus
Tomasucci Travel in Stresa runs their Zermatt/Matterhorn tour each Monday:

Zermatt and the Matterhorn
The Ossola Valley winds its way gracefully up towards the Alps and away from Lake Maggiore, leading you to the famous Simplon Pass. At the highest point of the Pass, the Belvedere View Point, there are unbeatable 360° panoramic views of the Swiss and Italian Alps. Onwards and upwards through Brig (with its Stockalper castle), Visp and along the Matter Valley leading you further into the heart of the Alps.

At Taesch you will take the rack and pinion railway up to Zermatt itself. Situated at 5,315ft above sea level, Zermatt is surrounded by some of the most famous peaks in the Alps: the Matterhorn, Monte Rosa, the Gornergrat and no less than twelve “4,000’s” – peaks over 4,000m.

Zermatt is the most picturesque of the Alpine villages and is completely pedestrianised. Experience a journey up into the mountains in the cable car or take a tour of Zermatt in a traditional horse-drawn carriage. Or enjoy your free time exploring Zermatt and basking in the dramatic splendour of the Matterhorn.

Towards the end of the day, you can admire the many rich colors cast by the setting sun on the surrounding mountains.

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From the beauty of the Borromean Bay take a relaxing cruise up the magnificent blue waters of Lago Maggiore passing many different lake and hillside villages on your way to a magical area: Admire the beauty of the Italian town of Cannobio, where classy architecture from golden times still remains very much alive. Top all this off by visiting the marvelous Gardens at the Isole di Brissago. Before you cross the Swiss border for a stop in Ascona (top left) where many famous artists and anarchists set up residence at the beginning of the 20th century.

Price: €57 per person (includes private boat, picnic lunch and entrance to the Brissago Gardens)
Tour Day: Thursday
Duration: Full day

For more information, and for the 2011 operating dates, contact:

http://www.maggiorediscovery.com/tour_north.html

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You will travel in Ticino, the southern part of Switzerland, and in Italy. For an hour and a half you will cross a wild and romantic region with the Centovalli railway through the Centovalli/Valle Vigezzo (one hundred valleys): meadows alternate with daring bridges, streams of the purest water, vineyards, chestnut forests with villages clinging to mountain slopes. You will navigate across the Lago Maggiore for three hours, to admire the Borromeo Islands, the Cannero castles and the Brissago Islands; a beautiful shoreline with quaint villages and picturesque bays. You will discover villages as well-known pleasure resorts as Stresa, Ascona and Locarno. You will have the opportunity to have lunch on board (please reserve before leaving) or in a nice little restaurant of your choice. Let yourself impress of the Mediterranean charm of the Lago Maggiore and the Centovalli.

The Lago Maggiore Express offers you an unforgettable journey by train and ship. The daily round trip can be started in several places, and you can choose from these ticket options:

2011 prices are: One day: 32 euro/adults; 16 euro/children Two days: 40 euro/adults; 20 euro/children

Tickets can be purchased at any train or boat station, including those in Stresa. For more complete information on the Lago Maggiore Express tour and contact information, visit the site:

www.lagomaggioreexpress.com/Inglese/index.

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Passports
Regarding the question of passports, the answer is yes, if you are planning to visit Switzerland from Italy, you should absolutely bring your passport with you. And yes, your passport should be sufficient identification, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to have on hand a second form of ID, such as a credit card or driver's license. Having said that, I will tell you that I have never once been asked for any identification upon entering or leaving Switzerland, but I will continue to always bring the ID with me.

Currency
Another thing to keep in mind when traveling into Switzerland is that their currency is the Swiss Franc, not the euro. In Ascona I was able to use euro; shops made the conversion for me into Swiss Francs (shown as CHF often); but in some other locations euro were frowned upon and I was required to obtain some Francs from an ATM.