Best of Switzerland

Flight departs from the US. Schedule your flight to arrive by 9:00 AM on September 7th.

Upon your arrival into Switzerland we will be there at the airport to ensure you find your way to the hotel. After checking into our hotel in Zurich we will have a brief orientation at 11:00 AM and then hop on a train headed for the city center. You will see the beautiful city of Zurich which is the largest city in Switzerland. We will start this day with a ferry ride down the River Limmat, the ferry will glide down the river that winds through the city and out onto Lake Zurich. After our ferry ride we walk from the lake into the city where we will see 3 major cathedrals; Grossmunster, Fraumunster, and St.Peters. We will head up to the top of Lindenhof hill where we can take in the views of the city. The quaint back streets of Zurich will offer us a glimpse into the local life of Zurich. We will end our day with dinner together and then stroll down the famous Bahnhofstrasse. We will do our best to stay awake and beat the ever present jet lag!

After our morning breakfast we will hop on a train headed for Eastern Switzerland and Konstanz, Germany. Our first stop will be the beautiful Unseco World Heritage city of St.Gallen. Here we will stroll through the amazing city center rich with history. We will visit the famous Abbey Library of Saint Gallus with a treasure of books dating back to the 8th century. After our visit to St.Gallen we will head to the historical city of Konstanz, Germany. This lakeside city gives us a chance to cross the border for the day and take in some real German culture. Konstanz is rich in historic significance for Europe and boasts one of the largest Old Towns considering the size of the city. We will visit several Cathedrals and view the beautiful art that is found throughout the city. After our full day in Germany we will head back to Zurich for dinner.

Today we will head to Lake Thun. Here we will visit either the castle of Oberhofen or the castle of Spiez depending on time allotment. The lake nestled below the Alps with its beautiful emerald green color creates the perfect Alpine scene. After our visit to the lake and castles we will head back to Wengen for a delicious dinner together. The late evening will then be free to stroll and shop around the village of Wengen.

Today we will start the morning with a session at the Temple and afterwards head to Lake Thun. Here we will visit either the castle of Oberhofen or the castle of Spiez depending on time allotment. The lake nestled below the Alps with its beautiful emerald green color creates the perfect Alpine scene. After our visit to the lake and castles we will head back to Wengen for a delicious dinner together. The late evening will then be free to stroll and shop around the village of Wengen.

Today we will hop on board the BOB train headed toward the village of Lauterbrunnen in the famous UNESCO World Heritage site of Lauterbrunnen Valley. We will then take a Cable Car ride to the cliff side village of Murren. We will stroll through this village without cars perched atop the Alps to the next Cable Car ride. This will take us down to the village of Gimmelwald! For those who are willing and daring enough can join me on a hike from the top of Murren to the next station of Gimmelwald. Here we will visit a small cheese factory and sample some local Swiss made Alp Cheese. We will enjoy the views of the Alps and the beloved Jungfrau Joch. Our final cable car ride will take us from Gimmelwald down the cliff side to the valley floor into the village of Stechelberg. We will slowly take our time back and enjoy the surrounding scenery. After a tasty dinner together the evening will be left to your own leisure.

Village of Zermatt & Matterhorn. We are off to one of the most famous Swiss Alps known world wide, Matterhorn is our place of destination. We will leave early in the morning on a train heading through the beautiful mountain pass south towards Italy. We will arrive in the village of Zermatt, set at the foot of the mighty Matterhorn. We will board the famous cogwheel Gornergrat train that will take us slowly up the mountain side and offers unparalleled views of the Matterhorn. From the top viewing deck we enjoy lunch and try to take in the beautiful surrounding scenery. We will again board the Gornergrat Cogwheel train and head back down into the village of Zermatt. Along the way down will be an option for hiking for those who would like a little adventure! Once back in the village we will walk through Zermatt and learn more about this old farming village and its rich history of becoming one of the world's most sought after vacation resorts. We will enjoy a tasty Swiss dinner that night and marvel over what we saw today! If the weather is not cooperating and Matterhorn is peaking out from the clouds we will replace our day trip to Zermatt with the famous train ride up the Schynige Platte.

Today we will head to the village of Brienz on the lake. Here we visit the outdoor museum of Ballenberg and learn more about the Swiss and their culture. After lunch we will head to Grindelwald, Switzerland. Here we will stroll through this quaint Alpine village offering views of the Eiger and two large glaciers. You can decide to finish up any souvenir shopping you may have or for a little more adventure you can either go down an Alpine Slide, ride a trotti bike, or take a Zip line down a mountain side. We will explore this beautiful valley and all that it has to offer. After a fun day spent together we will head back to the hotel for a scrumptious dinner!

Today we say goodbye to the Berner Oberlands as we make our way back to Zurich via the city of Luzern, Switzerland. Considered one of the most beautiful cities in Switzerland, Luzern is certain to take your breath away. This charming Swiss city is found in the heart of Switzerland. We will take the famous Golden Pass Train from Interlaken to Luzern, this two hour train ride will be sure to take your breath away. After arriving in Luzern we will stroll down the Chapel Bridge, visit the Lions monument, enter several Cathedral, and lastly take in the beauty of Lake Luzern. We will end our day with a dinner and prepare ourselves for our last full day together in Switzerland.

Say our goodbye to Switzerland as we catch a morning Shuttle bus to the airport. For those continuing on to the Best of Italy Tour we will catch a flight to Rome together. We will have a day and half between tours in Rome before the start of the Best of Italy Tour.