|
|
 |
|
 |
This tour is suitable for both the experienced traveller who wants to look at Switzerland in depth and the first-time traveller who is attracted to the beauty and tradition of this unique country. The tour begins with your first night in Zurich and an orientation tour of the city, together with a welcome drink to meet your tour director and fellow passengers. The next day you travel through Berne and Murten and arrive in Villars for a three night stay. There is much to see and do in this area and while here you will visit the fortified town of Gruyeres and the ski resort of Gstaad as well as a spectacular cruise on Europe's largest body of fresh water, Lake Geneva. From Villars the tour takes you to Zermatt and the mighty Matterhorn. Drive through Brig and ascend the Simplon Pass taking in magnificent views over the Alps from the 2,000 metre summit. Cut through northern Italy, stopping on the gentle shores of Lake Maggiore before heading back into Switzerland to the lakeside resort Lugano. The next stop is the chic resort town of St Moritz in the Engadine Valley with the majestic Grisons Alps towering above. There is plenty of time to enjoy the elegant boutiques or take a horse drawn carriage through a nearby valley for spectacular views. One of the highlights of the trip is the Glacier Express, one of the world's great railway journeys on route to Interlaken a beautiful town between the lakes. From there to Lauterbrunnen at the head of the 'Valley of Waterfalls' and see the Staubbach Falls plunge 300 metres.
Last but not least, the final two nights are spent in Lucerne, a very popular but beautiful 14th century city, where you have the choice of just enjoying the city, browsing around the shops, sampling some superb chocolates or taking the cog-wheel railway to the summit of Mount Pilatus.
The tour ends with transfers to Zurich airport.
|
| Tour Operator: | Insight Vacations |
| Duration: | 14 nights |
| Pickup: | Zurich at 0:00AM |
| Drop-off: | Zurich |
| Meals Included: | Breakfasts - 13
Lunches - 0
Dinners - 4 |
| |
| |
| |
| Itinerary | Accommodation | Attractions |  |
Zurich
1 night |  Zurich is the largest city and the major financial centre of Switzerland. It is the capital of Zurich Canton and lies at the mouth of the River Limmat as it leaves Lake Zurich. It is a historic picturesque city which is split in two by the river with the modern area being mostly on the west bank a... |
| Bern |  Located on the Swiss plateau, Bern lies to the west of central Switzerland, surrounded by rolling hills and the River Aar, and backed by the beautiful Alps. The old city of Bern is known largely as a medieval city, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site due to the many sandstone buildings, h... |
| Murten |  Murten (French : Morat) is a small, well preserved, medieval town on the beautiful shore of Lake Murten, and is the capital of the three lakes district of Fribourg, which consist of Lakes Neuchatel, Biel and Murten, which are linked together by canals. This area is located in the western Mittelland... |
Villars
3 nights |  Villars, also known as Villars-sur-Ollon, is a charming and popular, but not touristy, mountain resort which lies in the Vaudois Alps of Canton Vaud in south western Switzerland. It is a neat, unpretentious resort which in the winter becomes part of the Villars-Gyron-Les Diablerets and the Glacier ... |
| Gruyeres |  Gruyeres is a small medieval town in the Canton of Fribourg and is known the world over for its cheese!! Home to 1500 residents, the town is built on an isolated hill in a valley of the Saane River, north of the Alps in the foothills of Mount Moleson. Dominated by the majestic towering ramparts of... |
| Gstaad |  Gstaad is a small Swiss resort village of approximately 1000 lucky residents, and lies at 1050 metres above sea level in the Bernese Oberland which is the southern part of the Canton of Bern. It is surrounded by the magnificent snow capped peaks of the Swiss Alps, and is known as one of the most ex... |
| Villars | Villars, also known as Villars-sur-Ollon, is a charming and popular, but not touristy, mountain resort which lies in the Vaudois Alps of Canton Vaud in south western Switzerland. It is a neat, unpretentious resort which in the winter becomes part of the Villars-Gyron-Les Diablerets and the Glacier ... |
| Martigny |  The small town of Martigny lies within the Canton Valais on the floor of the Rhone River valley, at the point where the river makes a sharp change of course from its otherwise straight flow from the source at the Rhone Glacier ice face. This alteration follows the steep valley on its journey north ... |
| Sion |  Sion, known as Sitten in German, is the capital city of Canton Valais, and is centrally located on the flat, fertile, floor of the Rhone Valley. Sion is more of an economic and administrative hub and market centre than a tourist destination, although it is an alluring and attractive historic city a... |
| Tasch |  Tasch is a small traditional Swiss village within the Canton Valais, and stands besides the River Mattervispe, on the floor of the Mattertal Valley. The valley runs down from the Matterhorn and is the deepest valley in Switzerland and its steep rocky walls tower over this picturesque village which ... |
Zermatt
2 nights |  Once a small, quiet, rural community, Zermatt today is a very busy, pretty, tourist village with an alluring atmosphere created by its Swiss chalets and views of the Matterhorn!! It is the major mountain resort in the Canton Valais, Switzerland, and is busy all year round with skiers, hikers and to... |
| Lake Maggiore |  Baveno is a popular lakeside destination in the region of Piedmont, sometimes called the ‘Lakes District’ which lies in north-western Italy. Located on the western edge of Lake Maggiore, with views over the magnificent Alps and access to the Borromean Archipelago, the township has a vibrant charm a... |
Lugano
1 night |  Lugano is the largest city (130,000 pop.) in the Canton of Ticino and lies on the northern shores of Lake Lugano in southern Switzerland. This cosmopolitan city is often referred to as the ‘Monte Carlo of Switzerland’ and is a busy, bustling, lake resort. Its leafy lakeside promenades, many parks ... |
| Bellinzona |  |
St Moritz
2 nights |  Located in the far south-east of Switzerland in the Canton of Grisons can be found one of the world’s most famous ski resorts, St Moritz!! It lies on the southern side of the Alps in a valley region known as the Upper Engadine, in which flows the River Inn. The town is home to approximately 5500, ... |
Interlaken
2 nights |  Interlaken is one of Switzerland’s most popular and exciting tourist destinations. As its name implies, Interlaken lies between Lake Brienz and Lake Thun, with the River Aar flowing through town. Located in the heart of the Swiss Alps at the foot of the three famous peaks of the Eiger, Jungfrau an... |
Lucerne
2 nights |  Located roughly an hours drive from Basel and Zurich, Lucerne is in the centre of Switzerland and is known as the gateway to central Switzerland. It lies in an idyllic position on the western edge of Lake Lucerne and straddles the River Reusse, and is surrounded by stunning lakeside and mountain sc... |
Zurich
1 night | Zurich is the largest city and the major financial centre of Switzerland. It is the capital of Zurich Canton and lies at the mouth of the River Limmat as it leaves Lake Zurich. It is a historic picturesque city which is split in two by the river with the modern area being mostly on the west bank a... |
Moevenpick Airport Hotel
1 night | |
Hotel Du Golf
3 nights | |
Alpen Resort
2 nights | |
Hotel De la Paix
1 night | |
Monopol Hotel
2 nights | |
Hotel Royal St Georges
2 nights |  The Hotel is tasteful and in the art nouveau style. It is ideally situated near the town centre and the Interlaken Ost station. It has its own car park and large garden. The rooms are spacious and elegant, and some have access to a huge terrace. |
Hotel Astoria Lucerne
2 nights |  The Astoria Hotel is located in the city centre and just minutes from the Lake, It has a rooftop bar with views of Lucerne, as well as great restaurants.
|
| Staubbach Falls |  The stunning Staubbach Falls at almost 300 metres is considered to be one of Europe’s highest unbroken waterfalls. It is located approximately one kilometre from the village of Lauterbrunnen which lies at the bottom of the beautiful Lauterbrunnen Valley. The valley is steep sided and ‘U’ shaped an... |
| Mt Pilatus Cog Railway |  The Mount Pilatus Cog Railway, or Pilatusbahn, is the steepest cog, or rack railway in the world, and provides quick and exhilarating access almost to the summit of this popular mountain. The railway operates from the village of Alpnachstad, which can be found at the base of Mount Pilatus on the so... |
| Roman Amphitheatre |  The city of Martigny in south-western Switzerland contains several Roman ruins but none as important as the amphitheatre. The amphitheatre, which is surrounded by the beautiful scenery of this steep-sided valley area, was restored in 1978, and today is used for open air cinema, plays and has become... |
| Cathedral of Notre-Dame-du-Glarier |  The Cathedral of Notre Dame du Glarier in Sion, is located in the Rue de la Cathedral which lies close to the Hotel de Ville. The main part of the Cathedral was re-built in the 15th century in the late Gothic style, and features a Romanesque frontal belfry that was constructed in the 12th century. ... |
| Town Hall - Hotel de Ville |  The Hotel de Ville of Sion is located on the pedestrianised Rue du Grand-Pont at the heart of the Old Town, and is overlooked by the Chateau de Valere. The Town Hall was constructed, it is believed, on the foundations of a 4th century Roman building. The present structure dates from 1665 and was b... |
| Bahnhofstrasse | The busy and bustling Bahnhofstrasse is one of Europe’s most famous and prestigious streets. It is located in Switzerland’s largest city of Zurich and is the city’s main shopping street. The Bahnhofstrasse runs from the Bahnhofplatz near the Central Railway Station, or Hauptbahnhof, and passes Ren... |
| Fraumunster Church |  The Fraumunster, or Minister of Our Lady, is located on the western bank of the Limmat River and overlooks the lovely Munsterhof Square. The church boasts a prominent position where the Munsterbrucke joins the two halves of this major Swiss city and links the Fraumunster with the Grossmunster. Thi... |
| Jet d'Eau - Water Jet |  The Jet d’Eau is Geneva’s iconic landmark and dominates the skyline of this wonderful cosmopolitan city which is known as the ‘Capital of Peace’. It can be seen from almost every point within Geneva and is located in the southern bay of Lake Geneva close to where the lake empties into the River Rho... |
| Chapel Bridge - Kapellbrucke |  Spanning the beautiful waters of the Reuss River as it leaves Lake Lucerne, the attractively roofed Kapellbrucke, or Chapel Bridge, and the adjoining Wasserturm form the highlight of this historic medieval city. This wooden pedestrian bridge, which is recognised as the oldest wooden bridge in Europ... |
| Lion Monument |  Located in a small park just off the Lowenplatz in Lucerne, visitors will be surprised by the sensitive and graceful sculpture of the dying Lion of Lucerne, which is locally known as the Lowendenkmal. This impressive sculpture has been carved into an almost vertical wall of an old sandstone quarry ... |
| Three Castles of Bellinzona |  The Three Castles of Bellinzona are a group of historic fortifications which are located around the old market town of Bellinzona, at the foot of the Alps in the south-eastern Canton of Ticino. These extensive ruins have recently undergone a great deal of renovation and provide visitors with a pict... |
| Bear Park - Barengraben |  Standing on the banks of the River Aare in the city of Bern is the newly created Baren Park or Bear Park. The park was opened in 2009 and replaces the original Barengraben or Bear Pits that stand adjacent to the park and which are now considered to be historical monuments. Bears have for hundreds ... |
| Bern Munster - Formally Cathedral of St Vincent |  Boasting the tallest tower and spire of any cathedral in Switzerland the Bern Munster dominates the skyline of the Old Town centre. Located on a hilltop and almost encircled by a bend in the meandering Aare River the present Cathedral began construction in the 15th century on the site of a smaller ... |
| Clock Tower |  The medieval Clock Tower of Bern, or Zeitglockenturm, maintains an imposing presence at the very heart of the Old Town centre. The Clock Tower houses a clock, two bells which are located in the roof-top tower, and on the eastern side of the building, mechanical figures which include a bell ringing ... |
| Floral Clock |  Located at the edge of the Jardin Anglais, which can be found between the Quai de General Guisan and the Promenade du Lac, is the popular Horloge Fleuri or Floral Clock. The clock was created to celebrate Geneva’s importance as a major centre of the Swiss clock and watch industry. Built in 1955, t... |
| Reformation Monument |  The Mur de la Reformation, often referred to as the Reformation Monument, is a large and impressive monument which was built to honour the major contributors of the 16th century Protestant Reformation. This huge stone monument is comprised of statues, bas-reliefs and inscriptions which are part of ... |
|
|
|
|
| |