Where should I go with my girlfriend of 5 years who is interested in italy and switzerland

Italy and Switzerland together is one of the great travel combinations, and you have a lot of options depending on what kind of trip you want. My honest take: don't try to cover too much ground. Pick a home base in each country and settle in rather than racing between cities.

For Italy, Tuscany is the obvious answer and it's obvious for good reason. Base yourself somewhere in Chianti and you have everything within reach: Florence, San Gimignano, Siena, and some of the best eating and drinking in the country. If you're going to make one meal a proper pilgrimage, get yourselves to Panzano in Chianti and eat at Antica Macelleria Cecchini. Dario Cecchini is a genuine legend, and the whole experience, equal parts theater and substance, is something you'll be telling people about years later. For a base, the Ludlow crowd aside, a well-chosen agriturismo in the hills will beat any city hotel for romance.

For Switzerland, skip Zurich and Geneva for this kind of trip and go directly to Ticino, the Italian-speaking southern part of the country that most tourists completely overlook. The light is different there, the pace is slower, and it has a character that's neither quite Italian nor quite Swiss, which makes it fascinating. Ascona in particular is genuinely special: a small lakeside village with real soul, excellent food, and some wonderful places to stay. The Art Hotel Riposo there is one I know personally and it's the kind of place that makes you extend your trip. Stunning rooftop views over Lago Maggiore, live jazz on weekends, and a team that actually cares. It punches well above its price point. From Ascona you can also dip easily into the Italian lakes, which makes the whole itinerary feel wonderfully connected.