Across the Gotthard

Try Zürcher Geschnetzeltes, sliced veal in a creamy mushroom sauce served with crisp rösti. For something sweet, the city's historic confectioners sell tiny macarons that make a good gift for the train.

In April the guilds parade through the old town for Sechseläuten, which ends with a snowman effigy set on fire to forecast the summer. In August the Street Parade fills the lakeside with music and dancing.

Order a Luzerner Chügelipastete, a puff-pastry vol-au-vent filled with veal and mushrooms that the city calls its own. Fish from the lake, such as perch or whitefish, is a lighter choice on a terrace by the water.

Lucerne's Fasnacht is one of the wildest carnivals in Switzerland, opening before dawn with a bang and brass bands in the streets. In summer the city hosts a world-class classical music festival in its concert hall by the lake.

Eat in a grotto, a rustic stone tavern in the woods, with polenta, local cheeses and a glass of Ticino Merlot. For dessert try torta di pane, a dense bread cake with raisins and nuts.

On the first of August, Swiss National Day, fireworks light up the lake and bonfires burn on the surrounding hills. Autumn brings chestnut festivals to the villages around Lugano, a nod to the food that kept the valleys going for centuries.

Milan's signature dishes are saffron risotto alla milanese and ossobuco, braised veal shank. In the early evening, join the locals for aperitivo, when a drink comes with a spread of small plates.

Milan's carnival follows the old Ambrosian rite and runs a few days longer than anywhere else in Italy. In April the design world arrives for Milan Design Week, when showrooms and courtyards across the city open to visitors.