For mountain lovers, this vacation is a dream come true. Begin in German-speaking Zürich with a guided orientation of the Old Town and a chocolate factory visit. On to the Principality of Liechtenstein, then south over Julier Pass to St. Moritz in the Alps. South through Italy to beautiful Lake Como, then spend the night in Switzerland’s subtropical, Italian-speaking Lugano. Continue to Stresa and Simplon Pass to Täsch, where you’ll board the mountain train bound for Zermatt at the foot of the Matterhorn. Drive through the lovely Rhône Valley to Lake Geneva and Gruyères, where a cheese factory visit is included. Next, stop in the capital of Berne for a guided walking tour and in Interlaken for scenic alpine views. Your vacation ends in picture-perfect Lucerne, where you can admire the famous Lion Monument and Chapel Bridge.

Highlights Mountain train
Cheese factory
Gruyères town
Jungfrau massif
Lion Monument
Chapel Bridge

Transatlantic flight

Day 1: Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

Arrive in Zürich, Switzerland

Day 2: Time to rest or to discover Zurich’s attractive historic center and lakeside promenade. At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel.

Zurich – Vaduz, Liechtenstein – St. Moritz

Day 3: Enjoy an orientation walk of Zurich’s OLD TOWN, Switzerland’s center of banking and commerce. Next, stop for a visit of an original CHOCOLATE FACTORY before continuing to the tiny Principality of Liechtenstein. After a break in Vaduz, ascend the Rhine Valley into the mountainous Grisons, a canton where three of the country’s four languages are spoken. The 7,504-foot Julier Pass, an important Alpine road since Roman times, leads to the Engadine. This valley is considered by many as the most beautiful mountain area in the world, with deep-blue lakes, airy larch forests that turn golden in the fall, mountain peaks exceeding 12,000 feet, and quaint villages with massive white stone houses in the characteristic Grisons style. Afternoon arrival in ritzy St. Moritz.

St. Moritz – Lake Como

Day 4: A gradual change of scenery as you descend towards the enchanting shores of the Italian Lake Como and continue on to the southern tip of Switzerland. The vegetation south of the Alps is Mediterranean: chestnut groves, vineyards, and olive and fig trees make you forget that earlier today you were within walking distance of glaciers. Afternoon arrival in the popular subtropical resort town of Lugano allows time for shopping under the arcades of Via Nassa, an espresso on flower-festooned Piazza Riforma, or a stroll along the lake.

Lugano – Stresa, Italy – Zermatt

Day 5: From Lake Lugano to the Italian shore of Lake Maggiore for a break in elegant Stresa. An optional boat ride to the enchanting Isola Bella can be arranged. On over lofty Simplon Pass into the Swiss Valais, an area renowned for its excellent wines and great mountain resorts. To reach the most famous of them, leave the coach behind in Täsch and board a MOUNTAIN TRAIN to climb the last few miles up to Zermatt, a picturesque cluster of rustic chalets beneath the Matterhorn.

Zermatt – Lake Geneva

Day 6: Morning at leisure. A suggestion: ride Europe’s highest rack-railway to 10,272-foot Gornergrat for a breathtaking panoramic view of the Alps. Next, motor through the vineyards and apricot groves of the lower Rhône Valley and stop at beautiful Lake Geneva before continuing to the Gruyère area, where you will visit a CHEESE FACTORY in the picturesque town of GRUYÈRES.

Gruyère Area – Berne

Day 7: Travel along an excellent highway through some of the country’s best farmlands to its stately capital, Berne. Your guided walking tour features the beautifully preserved medieval Old Town. Witness the hourly parade of painted figures at the Clock Tower and take your pictures of ornate, flower-adorned fountains. Afterwards, continue to Interlaken and take pictures of the Jungfrau massif with its group of three famous peaks: the Jungfrau, the Mönch, and the Eiger. Over Brünig Pass to picture-book Lucerne. You may wish to sign up for a folklore party with yodeling and alphorn blowing for a first-hand impression of Alpine merrymaking.

Lucerne

Day 8: On your walking tour this morning, admire Thorwaldsen’s LION MONUMENT and ornate patrician houses of the walled Old Town, then, cross the famous covered CHAPEL BRIDGE to the Jesuit church. Afterwards, shop for watches and choose from our optional activities: climb a mountain by cable car or take a cruise on the fjord-like lake. Tonight, enjoy a farewell dinner to celebrate the success of your Swiss vacation.

Lucerne – Zürich Airport

Day 9: Morning transfer to Zürich Airport in time for homebound flights leaving no earlier than 10 am. Extra nights are available in Zürich, not Lucerne.