Tour: 6025 - 2012 (6025) - 2012 / 2013

Itinerary

Day 1Arrive in Zurich, Switzerland

Check into your hotel in Zurich. The rest of the day is free for you to explore this exciting city. Tonight, meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers. (Dinner)

Day 2Zurich–Appenzell–Liechtenstein–St. Moritz

A sensational drive today through some of Switzerland’s most famed cantons. By way of the market town of Herisau, stop in Appenzell to see the Old Town center with its Town Hall. Further east to the minute Principality of Liechtenstein for a visit to its tiny capital Vaduz. A scenic drive through “Heidiland” to the Rhine Valley before starting the ascent of mighty Julier Pass. Soon you’ll be in the heart of Switzerland’s largest canton, the Grisons. Here, see some of the world’s best Alpine views before arriving in St. Moritz. (Breakfast)

Day 3St. Moritz–Bernina Express Train to Tirano, Italy–Lugano, Switzerland

Enjoy the highlight of the whole tour and a wonderful way of crossing the Alps. One of Europe’s most spectacular train rides begins in St. Moritz and takes you across the lofty Bernina Pass via the Swiss Poschiavo area to Tirano in the Italian Valtellina. Here, rejoin your coach for the journey to the shores of Lake Lugano. (Breakfast)

Day 4Lugano–Lake Maggiore–Täsch

Morning break in sub-tropical Lugano. Afterwards, return to Italy to savor the luminous atmosphere of Lake Maggiore. Time for an optional visit to Isola Bella, a magnificently located palace and garden island. Then, back into Switzerland via scenic Simplon Pass. Overnight in the village of Täsch. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 5Täsch–Zermatt–Lausanne Area

This morning, an excursion by train to Zermatt, the famous resort beneath the Matterhorn. In the afternoon, motor through the vineyards and apricot groves of the lower Rhône Valley to Lake Geneva before arriving in the Lausanne area on its northern shore. (Breakfast)

Day 6Lausanne–Gruyére–Berne–Interlaken

Stop awhile in Gruyère to visit a local cheese factory. Then, on to Switzerland’s beautiful capital, Berne, a charming town with arcaded shops, carved fountains, and towers. Included sightseeing features the Bear Pit and the monumental Federal Palace. Then, by way of the shores of Lake Thun, to Interlaken, staying at the Chalet Swiss Hotel for the next seven nights. (Breakfast)

Days 7-12Interlaken. Jungfraujoch Excursion

It’s all pure picture-postcard. Interlaken has just about everything you could want on a vacation. It lies beneath the towering Jungfrau and between two sparkling lakes. The undoubted highlight of your stay is the included train journey to the Jungfraujoch—“the top of Europe.” Start the train journey from Interlaken and travel through breathtaking Alpine scenery with views of some of Switzerland’s best-known peaks. Closer to the summit, go through the Eiger Mountain by tunnel to reach the world’s highest rail station at an altitude of 11,332 feet. Now you are in a world of glaciers, and on a clear day you can see as far as the Vosges Mountains in France and the hills of the Black Forest in Germany. The view from the Sphinx Terrace—the highest one in Europe—spans nearly the whole of Alpine Switzerland. You also have the opportunity to view the longest glacier in Europe, the Grosser Aletschgletscher. It really is a unique and unforgettable experience. (B daily)

Day 13Interlaken–Lucerne

(Breakfast)

Day 14Lucerne–Zurich

Today, visit Lucerne, one of Switzerland’s finest cities, nestled amid its snowcapped Alps, surrounded by its lake, and embellished by the clear mountain waters of the River Reuss. Your visit takes in the main highlights. A grand selection of optional activities completes the day. The most popular option is an excursion to the Stanserhorn. In the late afternoon, an easy drive back to Zurich for an overnight. (Breakfast)

Day 15Zurich

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (Breakfast)