Breathtaking tour of Switzerland – Magical vacation

Switzerland at its best! Enjoy 8 days of majestic mountains, green meadows, eternal ice and snow, impressive views, glamorous resorts, most famous railway in the world and more.

DAY 1: Zürich airport – Zürich

Train transfer to Zurich from the airport (15 min) – included in your Swiss Travel Pass tickets. Rest of the day at leisure for individual exploring.

Explore Zurich on your own: Discover the spectacular sights of Zurich, one of most vibrant Swiss city. Cruise past legendary landmarks like the sophisticated Bahnhofstrasse and admire the shimmering surface of Lake Zurich. See, too, the sacred St Peter’s Church and the charming Old Town, and then ride the Dolderbahn railway to the undulating hills of the Zurichberg district.

Tip of the day (you can add this to your itinerary):

ZURICH FOOD TOUR: On the Zurich Food Tour, gourmets visit on foot restaurants and bars that are particularly popular among the locals. The tour provides an insight into the eating and drinking culture of Zurich’s inhabitants. Beside tasty appetizers made from vegetables, meat, fish or seafood, a selection of alcoholic beverages are served – including freshly brewed Zurich beer.

RESTAURANT SUGGESTIONS IN ZURICH:
– DIDIS FRIEDEN; Black & white dining room with big windows & terrace, for imaginative cordon bleu & veal dishes.
– DIFFERENTE (in hotel Krone); using only high-quality, seasonal and local produce for its dishes. Enjoy in Mediterranean dishes and Swiss specialties.
– RESTAURANT GUSTAV; Mediterranean cuisine with modern interpretation of culinary classics with an Italian touch.
– KRONENHALLE; Gourmet regional cuisine in century-old restaurant, with art masterpieces lining wood-paneled walls.
– PANORAMA RESTAURANT FELSENEGG (20 km out of Zurich); Traditional menus are served at this lively Swiss restaurant with a terrace & 120-year-old stove, overlooking Lake Zurich.

Overnight: Zürich

DAY 2: Zürich – St. Moritz

Train transfer to St. Moritz, one of the world’s most famous holiday resorts. Chic, elegant and exclusive. At leisure.

Explore St. Moritz on your own: St. Moritz is a luxury alpine resort town in Switzerland’s Engadin valley. It has hosted the Winter Olympics twice, has the Cresta Run, a world-championship bobsled run made of natural ice, and an outdoor Olympic ice rink. Its frozen lake hosts polo, cricket and even horse racing on ice. Ski and snowboard areas include Corviglia, Diavolezza and Corvatsch, and there are a lot of well-groomed cross-country ski trails, as well as fantastic Viewpoints with great restaurants.

Tip of the day (you can add this to your itinerary):

BOB RIDE ADVENTURE: The Olympia bob run St. Moritz-Celerina is the only natural ice bobsleigh track in the world. Bobsleigh taxi rides are offered daily following training sessions and/or races. The 1,722-metre-long track only takes around 75 seconds to complete. At «horseshoe» corner you’ll experience a centrifugal force of up to 4.5 G, and before the Martineau corner you’ll reach top speeds as high as 135 km/h. Weather permitting, the bob guest rides are offered almost every day throughout the winter season.

SAVOUR A SLICE OF ENGADIN WALNUT TART: Engadin walnut tart is the ultimate guilty pleasure. Generations of local confectioners have continued to refine this speciality filled with cream, caramel and chunky walnuts. The result is today’s renowned Engadin «tuorta da nusch engiadinaisa» – a baking tradition that international visitors have carried back to all corners of the globe. It is available from various patisseries, such as Conditorei Hanselmann and Confiserie Hauser.

ENJOY A DROP OF WHISKY: Hotel Waldhaus am See boasts the world’s most extensive whisky bar. Called Devil’s Place, this in-house bar stocks 2,500 types of whisky. The impressive collection has made it into the pages of the Guinness Book of World Records on numerous occasions.

Overnight: St. Moritz

DAY 3: St. Moritz – Glacier Express train ride – Zermatt

Full-day scenic train ride to the car-free village of Zermatt, set on the foot of the mighty Matterhorn. The Glacier Express is the most famous railway in the world. It travels from Zermatt to Davos or St. Moritz in around seven hours. It is a day trip through untouched mountain landscapes, glamorous health resorts, deep gorges, delightful valleys, 91 tunnels and across 291 impressive bridges.

Upon arrival the rest of the day at leisure.

Tip of the day (you can add this to your itinerary):

CBD SPA VISIT: Breathe in herbal aromas. Feel the tingle of water and hot air against your skin. Give free rein to your thoughts, and be entirely in the moment: here in our new 630 m2 SchlossSpa, you will experience the art of deep relaxation. To accompany the hemp sauna –the only one of its kind in Zermatt – they offer massages and treatments involving the natural product cannabidiol. Also available: classic saunas, steam baths and much more.

Overnight: Zermatt

DAY 4: Zermatt – Matterhorn Glacier Paradise – Zermatt

Ascend by cable car to the top of Matterhorn glacier, set on a high plateau and surrounded by mountains 13,124 feet high. Fantastic highest viewing platform in Europe (3883 m) – one of the best views I have ever seen in my life! The Matterhorn and Switzerland are inseparably linked to each other. The pyramid shaped colossus of a mountain, which is very difficult to climb, is said to be the most-photographed mountain in the world. The Klein-Matterhorn (“Little Matterhorn”) which you reach by cable car, lies adjacent to the Matterhorn. During Summer you can hike or during Winter ski on the glacier.

Rest of the day at leisure in Zermatt, famous because of the best view of the impressive Matterhorn. The rural village with the dark sunburned wooden houses is inviting for shopping and fine eating.

SOME RESTAURANT SUGGESTIONS IN ZERMATT: Zermatt is widely regarded as having the best mountain restaurants in Europe.
*THE «SPYCHER»; flambé and grill restaurant with traditional dishes of Switzerland, as well as exquisite meat dishes of the finest quality
*CHEZ VRONY (on Sunnegga – only for lunch); large terrace which boasts stunning view of Matterhorn. Vrony’s 100 years of family traditional serving of food is based only from organic sources or meat that has grazed on alpine grass, so get into real mountain experience.

Overnight: Zermatt

DAY 5: Zermatt – Interlaken

Train transfer from Zermatt to Interlaken. Free time to enjoy both lakes.

Tip of the day (you can add some of these activities to your itinerary):

– VISIT OF THE TRÜMMELBACH WATERFALLS: The Trümmelbach Falls are the world’s only glacier waterfalls that are accessible underground by lift, galleries, tunnels, paths and platforms. They are part of the Lauterbrunnen Valley’s 72 waterfalls, among them also the imposing Staubbach Fall. The hiking tour on mainly flat land leads from Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg, past water gushing from vertical rock faces that are several hundred meters high. Ticket of 11 CHF/person payable on the spot!

– BOAT RIDE ON THUN LAKE: A cruise on the clear, blue waters of Lake Thun amid the mountains of the Bernese Oberland is an unforgettable experience. During the unhurried two-hour trip between Thun and Interlaken, you can indulge in fine cuisine while casting admiring gazes at the castles on the banks and the mountains beyond.

– PARAGLIDING IN INTERLAKEN: Enjoy spectacular views of mountain panorama and lakes as you glide with Twin Paragliding from one of the peaks down to the centre of Interlaken. View the Eiger, Monch, Jungfrau, Schilthorn, Titlis and the crystal clear lakes of Thun and Brienz. You will fly over the Aare river and land in the centre of Interlaken on the Hohematte park.

– TOP OF INTERLAKEN – HARDER KULM viewing platform. If Interlaken had a king, he would reside on the Harder Kulm. From the viewing platform at 1,322 metres above sea level he would graciously look down upon Lake Brienz and Lake Thun, or admire the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. In fact, the Harder Kulm Panorama Restaurant is reminiscent of a castle.

– KAYAK TOUR: Experience the beauty of mountain lakes from an awe inspiring perspective and learn your first moves in this fantastic environment. Tours run regularly each week and on weekends through the Summer in the mornings, afternoons and evenings and are suitable for all levels. Tours start in Bönigen on Lake Brienz and offer an insight into the area’s natural beauty. Experience the grandeur of the surrounding mountains, the 13th century castle of Ringgenberg, the beautiful cliffs and the calmness of the incredible turquoise lake.

Overnight: Interlaken

DAY 6: Interlaken – Jungfraujoch Top of Europe – Interlaken

Top of Europe Jungfraujoch: Enjoy a combination of cogwheel train ride and spectacular new tricable Eiger Express gondola ride through green meadows and the hard rock of the Mountain Eiger to Europe’s highest railway station at 11,333 ft: the famous Jungfraujoch (Top of Europe).

A visit to the Jungfraujoch is an unforgettable experience in a high-Alpine wonderland of eternal ice and snow and a true highlight of a visit in Switzerland. The Sphinx is the highest vantage point on the Top of Europe at 3,571 m. Once at the top you will have magnificent views of the longest ice stream in the Alps, the Aletsch Glacier. The mighty Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau massif soaring almost vertically up from the valley is also a sight to behold. This whole area is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The average temperature during the summer months varies from around -9c to 1.7c degrees.

Highlights:
– new Eiger Express tricable gondola ride
– Ice Palace
– Alpine Sensation
– Jungfrau-Panorama: A 360 degree panoramic mountain experience, with a film allowing you to enter the magical world of the Jungfraujoch as it changes through 365 days of the year.
– Lindt Chocolate Heaven
– Sphinx Viewing Platform
– Glacier Suspension Bridge
– Snow Fun Park
– Hike to Mönchsjoch Hut

You have a choice of restaurants here, from a quick snack in the self service cafeteria to a more leisurely lunch in the Crystal restaurant.

After returning to Interlaken the rest of the day at leisure.

RESTAURANT SUGGESTIONS IN INTERLAKEN:
*GOLDENER ANKER; pub-style restaurant provides a cozy ambience and great local food.
*HUSI BIERHAUS; they offer an abundance of choice with a wide range of high quality food and drink
*RESTAURANT TAVERNE (in Hotel Interlaken); Their focus is on Swiss cuisine, innovative dishes and regional products and they aim to serve guests nothing less than the best they can.
*RESTAURANT SPYCHER INTERLAKEN: This folklore restaurant is loved by locals and guests from all around the world. A popular meeting point for everyone who loves a touch of the rustic. Each evening at 7:15, there’s a folklore show.

Overnight: Interlaken

DAY 7: Interlaken – Lucerne

Morning train transfer to Lucerne. Free for individual exploring.

Explore Lucerne on your own: Lucerne ranks amongst the world’s prettiest cities, and there is so much to see. Contributing to Lucerne’s cityscape alongside the world-famous Chapel Bridge and Water Tower are the Musegg Wall, the Jesuit Church, the Mill Bridge, the Lion Monument and many more.

Tip of the day (you can add some of these activities to your itinerary):

– MT. PILATUS: Lucerne’s very own mountain, Pilatus, is one of the most legendary places in Central Switzerland. And one of the most beautiful. The mountain can be reached from Lucerne by gondola lift and aerial cable car, during the Summer world’s steepest cogwheel train will take you to the top – combined with boat ride on Lake Lucerne.

– CHOCOLATE MAKING & TASTING: First an exclusive tasting, followed by chocolate making. Chocolate experts will take you on a journey into the world of cocoa and share their knowledge about the quality and ingredients of our chocolate treats with you. During the chocolate tasting, you will enjoy 6 – 7 seasonal treats and afterwards, you will be able to pour chocolate bars and stamp truffles yourself. Available Mon-Fri. Duration: 90 min

– DINNER SWISS FOLKLORE SHOW IN STADTKELLER LUCERNE RESTAURANT: With outstandingly good food and the unique Stadtkeller atmosphere, you can enjoy carefree hours in the midst of original Swiss folklore. Traditional Swiss customs and usages, with alphorns, cowbells, national costumes, flag throwing and yodelling will make your visit to the Stadtkeller an unforgettable experience. The unique combination of good food, homemade beer, music and fun.

Overnight: Lucerne

DAY 8: Lucerne – Zürich airport

Train transfer from Lucerne to Zurich Airport (approx. 1h).