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TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Superb Services
- Luxury air-conditioned coach with onboard toilet
- All gratuities and tips on land portion of itinerary
- Expert locally guided sightseeing in major cities
- Complimentary arrival and departure transfer
- Special Scenic Tours travel kit including back pack, ticket wallet, touring information and luggage tags
Premium Highlights
- Walking tour of Zurich including the Bahnhofstrasse
- See Zurich’s Cathedral with its stained glass windows by Changall and Giacometti
- Orientation tour of Switzerland’s capital city of Bern
- Visit the famous Barengraben – the Bear Pit
- Visit the village of Gruyères
- See Swiss cheese being made in the Maison du Gruyère
- Visit the exclusive ski resort of Gstaad
- Cruise across Lake Geneva to the medieval village of Yvoire
- Excursion to Mont Salève
- Orientation tour of Geneva including the Reformation Monument
- See Geneva’s Red Cross buildings and the Jet d’Eau
- Private guided tour of Chillon Castle
- Scenic drive along the Rhone valley
- Ride a cog-wheel train to Zermatt
- Excursion to the Klein Matterhorn for views of France & Switzerland
- Scenic drive over the Simplon Pass
- Private cruise on Lake Maggiore
- Visit the Isola Bella and the palace of the Borromean family
- Visit the rustic fishermen’s’ island, Isola delle Pescatore
- Visit exclusive holiday resort town of St Moritz
- Ride the Glacier Express
- See the impressive Landwasser viaduct
- Ride the cog wheel train to the Jungfraujoch
- Walking tour of Lucerne
- Visit the Lion Monument and ornate Jesuit Church in Lucerne
Quality Dining & Highlight Meals
- Lunch in a mountainside restaurant on Mont Salève
- Visit the rustic fishermen’s’ island, Isola delle Pescatore, for a delicious lunch
- Fondue dinner and Swiss folklore show
FB - Full Buffet Breakfast,
HL - Highlight Lunch,
L - Lunch,
HD - Highlight Dinner,
D – Dinner
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$6,595 per person Twin Share basis.
2008 Dates
May 22, July 17, July 31, August 14
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DAY 1
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ARRIVE ZURICH
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You are met at the airport and transferred to your centrally located hotel.
Overnight Stay: Hotel Sofitel, Zurich |
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DAY 2
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ZURICH – BERN – GRUYÈRES – GSTAAD – MONTREUX (FB,D)
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A walking tour of the old part of Zurich highlights the luxury shops of the Bahnhofstrasse and the Cathedral with its stained glass windows by Chagall and Giacometti. On to the Swiss capital, Bern where the Old Town has been featured in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1983. We’ll admire the fine architecture, covered arcades, cobbled streets, fountains and decorated facades. We will also visit the famous Barengraben – the Bear Pit. We continue into the heart of the Fribourg Alps to the picturesque fortified village of Gruyères to see how the delicious Swiss cheese is made in the Maison du Gruyère. Finally on to Gstaad, the exclusive ski resort which lies at the junction of four gently sloping valleys. Set in the midst of a majestic mountain landscape, the village exudes a unique style with many chalets and traditional mountain farms. We arrive at our hotel in Montreux this afternoon.
Two Night Stay: Grand Hotel Suisse Majestic, Montreux |
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DAY 3
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MONTREUX – CRUISE TO YVOIRE AND GENEVA (FB,HL)
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| A relaxing cruise takes us across Lake Geneva to the French part of the lake and the medieval lakeside village of Yvoire with its fortifications, pepperpot turrets and winding streets. Boasting a 700 year history as a modest fishing village, it is one of France’s most beautiful villages. From here we travel up the Mont Salève where we enjoy a delicious lunch in a mountainside restaurant. Then into Geneva where we visit the Reformation Monument, see the Red Cross buildings and the Jet d’Eau. There is time for shopping before we return to Montreux by way of a spectacular drive along the shores of Lake Geneva. |
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DAY 4
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MONTREUX – CHILLON CASTLE – ZERMATT (FB,D)
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On our way to Zermatt we stop at nearby Chillon for a private guided tour of the castle and its terrifying dungeon. Then it’s up into the mountains and along the Rhone valley passing the town of Sion and acres of vineyards. We ascend a winding road to the village of Tasch, where we board our cog-wheel train to traffic-free Zermatt.
Two Night Stay: Hotel Schweizerhof |
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DAY 5
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ZERMATT – KLEINE MATTERHORN EXCURSION (FB,D)
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| Today we take a short walk to the cable car station to experience Zermatt’s highest mountain ride, which will take us to view a brilliant panorama of the highest Mountain peaks in Switzerland, France and Italy. The rest of the day is free to relax in this magnificent alpine village of wooden chalets and luxury hotels surrounded by glacier fields and fragrant pine forests. |
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DAY 6
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ZERMATT – STRESA (LAKE MAGGIORE) (FB,D)
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We descend from Zermatt by railway to Tasch and continue our journey past a backdrop of snowy peaks, as we drive over the Simplon Pass to the Italian border near Domodossola. We descend to the largest of the Italian Lakes – Maggiore, where we stay in the elegant resort town of Stresa known for its streetscapes lined with palms, flourishing gardens and majestic facades.
Two Night Stay: Hotel Regina Palace, Stresa |
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DAY 7
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STRESA – EXCURSION TO THE BORROMEAN ISLANDS (FB,HL)
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| This morning we enjoy a cruise across the limpid waters of this glassy lake to the Borromean islands to visit the Isola Bella and the palace of the Borromean family. The stately residence contains priceless masterpieces - tapestries, furniture, and paintings by great masters. We then continue to the rustic fishermens’ island, Isola delle Pescatore, for a delicious lunch. Once back in Stresa you may stroll by the lake, wander in the town or simply relax. |
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DAY 8
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STRESA – LAKE COMO – MALOJA PASS – ST MORITZ (FB,D)
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A day of captivating scenery as we drive along the shores of Maggiore to Como, stopping in the towns of Tremezzo where Mussolini and his mistress were assassinated by partisans and Dongo, where they were captured in April 1945. On Via Chiavenna into the eye-catching Engadine region of Switzerland to the Maloja Pass which takes us to the “champagne climate” of St Moritz. Initially renowned for its curative mineral springs St. Moritz is now a chic and exclusive holiday resort.
Overnight Stay: Hotel Schweizerhof, St. Moritz |
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DAY 9
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ST MORITZ – GLACIER EXPRESS – INTERLAKEN (FB,D)
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After breakfast, we board our train – the Glacier Express – for one of the most amazing mountain rail journeys in the world. Settle back as we pass the unspoilt beauty of a landscape rich in ancient forests, peaceful Alpine meadows, rushing streams and mountain valleys, full of tradition and centuries-old culture. We travel through the Albula Gorge and over the impressive Landwasser viaduct to the Oberalp Valley and Andermatt where our coach and driver await. Then it is but a short distance to the resort, which lies between the lakes of Thun and Brienz – Interlaken!
Two Night Stay: Hotel Victoria Jungfrau, Interlaken |
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DAY 10
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INTERLAKEN – ASCENT OF THE JUNGFRAU (FB)
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| We take a short drive to the nearby ski resort of Grindelwald to take the train to the Jungfraujoch – the highest mountain resort in Europe to be served by rack railway. At the summit of the Jungfrau you can take a snack and enjoy unforgettable views at the perfectly located restaurant …an alpine panorama which has to be seen to be believed. You really can believe that here, you are literally on top of Europe. There’s time to visit the ice grotto before returning to Interlaken. |
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DAY 11
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INTERLAKEN – BRUNIG PASS – LUCERNE (FB,HD)
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Via Brienz and over the scenic Brunig Pass to the Lake of the Four Cantons – often called the Lake of Lucerne. A short drive along the lake brings us to Lucerne City itself, where we visit the Lion Monument to hear the moving story of the defeat of the Swiss Guard during the French Revolution in 1792. We also enjoy a walking tour of the city which shows us it’s many fountains, squares and medieval buildings. It also includes a leisurely stroll over the covered Chapel Bridge to visit the ornate Jesuit Church. There’s time to browse for last minute gifts and souvenirs. Tonight, it is time for us to enjoy a farewell meal before our Swiss adventure ends with a fondue dinner and wine at a local folklore show.
Overnight Stay: Hotel Palace, Lucerne |
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DAY 12
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LUCERNE – ZURICH (FB)
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| This morning transfer to Zurich for your international flight home. |
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