My wife and I recently got back from Switzerland's Tocino. It was wonderful! We stayed in the Checcetin apartments and Senora Checcetin was a great hostess. From what she and others said, July and August can be very hot, so April - June and September - October seem to be the best months down there.

The Swiss rail and bus system is awesome and the two week passes provided by Idyll got a LOT of use. One suggestion to anyone going to Switzerland: Learn how to use the bus and train schedule and national route map very, very well ASAP. Once you get onto them, travel is pretty convenient. And always on time.

We stayed in Orselino, a suburb of Locarno. Right across the street from the train station in Locarno, is the Manora Cafeteria. If you don't want to have a long, drawn out meal and want plenty of variety at reasonable prices, this is the place. Pasta, fish, and meat cooked to order. Make your own salads. Beer and wine from casks. We recommend it highly. Also the Bella Vista Restaurant in Orselino, overlooking the lake. Ask for Helena, the co-owner. She speaks passable English and is very friendly....as was almost everyone we met. The Grotto in Orselino was also good. If asked, all restaurants provide tap water instead of expensive bottled water. Just as good and much cheaper. Learn a few basic Italian greetings, be friendly, be flexible and there should be no big problems.

All in all, a great trip and we recommend Idyll in general and Tocino specifically very much. Now if we could only fly the Concorde and reduce that 8 hour plane ride!

The two events our Idyll "locals," Elizabeetah and Sylvia guided, were well worth the time.