Country Roads of Switzerland 14 Day tour from $2552  

an Insight Vacations luxury tour

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Tour Highlights

Hotels

Good selection of both modern and traditional hotels reflecting the local styles of the Swiss regions. Mountain resort traditional style for example in Zermatt & Villars with the Alpen Resort & Le Bristol; contrasting with the more sedate style of the resort hotels of Interlaken and Lausanne.

 Fellow Passengers

This tour attracts both the experienced traveller who wants to look at Switzerland in depth and the first time traveller who is attracted by the beauty and traditions of this unique country. A must for those who enjoy Alpine scenery!

Highlights

Everyday the beauty of the changing scenery is a highlight – whether it  be the magnificent lakeside scenery of Lake Geneva or the Alpine vistas from the  mountain passes. Perhaps, for many, their first glimpse of the Matterhorn in Zermatt  is the unforgettable highlight.

 Excursions & Sights

• See the Frauenmunster and elegant Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich
• See  the Clock Tower, bear pits, Federal Palace & Cathedral of St Vincent in Berne
• Visit the walled town of Murten and inner court of the castle for fine views of the lake
• See Geneva's Jet d'Eau, Floral Clock & Reformation Monument
• Guided visit of Chillon Castle set on an islet in Lake Geneva
• View the Roman Amphitheatre in Martigny
• See the two fortress-churches of Sion, Our Lady of Glarier Cathedral & Town  Hall
• Minibus and electric car transfer to traffic-free Zermatt
• See the majestic and awe inspiring peak of the Matterhorn from the resort of Zermatt
• See Bellinzona's three castles
• See the castle ruins in Misox Travel through the spiral tunnels  of the Abula pass and cross the Landwasser Viadict
• See the glaciers and rocky peaks of the 'Five Fingers' in all their scenic splendour
• See the Grindelwald Valley, visit Lauterbrunnen and the Staubbach Falls
• Visit a wood carving workshop in Brienz &  nearby Ballenberg open-air museum
• See Lucerne's Lion Monument and the reconstructed  Chapel Bridge
• Scenic Drives – Italian Lakes, Broye Valley, Simplon, Julier,  Brunig & Susten Passes

Guided City Tours

Orientation tours in Zurich, Berne, Geneva, Lugano, St Moritz, Interlaken & Lucerne

Insight's First Class Services

• Escorted by a professional Tour Director
• Luxury air-conditioned coach with onboard toilet
• First Class hotels with all service charges, taxes and porterage
• Complimentary arrival transfer on Day 1 and departure transfer on Day 14

Quality Dining

Highlight Dinner of typical Swiss cuisine in Zermatt

13 buffet breakfasts and 6 three course table d'hote dinners, or buffets, plus tea or coffee.

Tour Itinerary

Tour Pace

Well paced tour with two night stays in five of the eight cities and no excessively  long driving days. There is also the added bonus of travelling on the Glacier Express train to admire the scenery from a completely different perspective.

DAY 1 SUN - ZURICH AT LEISURE

Welcome to Switzerland! Upon arrival at Zurich Airport you may take the complimentary  shuttle to your tour hotel, where your Tour Director will be available to assist  with checking in. This afternoon, our orientation tour of the city includes the Fraumunster, with its stained glass windows, as well as the elegant Bahnhofstrasse.  This evening, join your fellow travellers for a Welcome Drink. Hotel: Movenpick  Airport.

DAY 2 MON - ZURICH - LAUSANNE

A short drive brings us to Berne where we see the Bear Pits, Cathedral of St Vincent, the Federal Palace and the floral displays and fountains. We gather at  the clock tower to watch the mechanical procession of painted figures, before viewing the grim Ogre Fountain. Next, we visit Murten with its ramparts, towers and yachts.  Here we see the main street with its arcaded houses and the 13th century castle, affording splendid views of the lake. Then we follow the Broye Valley along country  roads, on our way to lakeside Lausanne. Hotel: Alpha Palmiers. (BB)

DAY 3 TUE - LAUSANNE - VILLARS

We follow the shores of the lake to begin our exploration of Geneva. Our tour  shows us the Jet D'Eau, Floral Clock and Reformation Monument. Now we drive to Ouchy  to embark on a highlight cruise on Lake Geneva, alighting at Montreux to rejoin our coach. Nearby, we visit Chillon Castle, which sits on a rocky islet on the lake, immortalised by Byron's 'Prisoner of Chillon'. We then take the scenic road up into the mountains to the Alpine village of Villars. Hotel: Le Bristol. (BB,D)

DAY 4 WED - SWISS COUNTRY EXCURSION

We drive through vineyards and alpine meadows to the fortified town of Gruyeres, renowned for its cheese. We have time to explore its picturesque main street and  castle before returning to our hotel via Gstaad, one of Europe's most fashionable ski resorts. (BB,D)

DAY 5 THU - VILLARS - ZERMATT

Today takes us into the upper Rhone valley to Martigny, where we view the  Roman Amphitheatre. We continue to the town of Sion dominated by two rocky peaks, each crowned with episcopal fortresses. We see the Cathedral and old Town Hall.  The final stage of our journey to the traffic-free mountain resort of Zermatt is by mini-bus and electric taxi. Tonight we enjoy a highlight dinner of Swiss cuisine. Hotel: Alpen Resort. (BB,HD)

DAY 6 FRI - ZERMATT AT LEISURE

A whole day to relax in the clean mountain air. Perhaps take an excursion on the Gornergrat rack railway, (highest in Europe), or conquer a mountain by cable car? (BB)

DAY 7 SAT - ZERMATT - LUGANO

We descend to Tasch this morning where we re-join our coach. We drive through  Brig to commence our ascent to the Simplon Pass, with magnificent views over the  Alps from the 2,000 metre summit. On our way down we cut through northern Italy,  stopping on the gentle shores of Lake Maggiore. Back in Switzerland, we drive on to the lakeside resort Lugano. Hotel: Grand Hotel Eden. (BB)

DAY 8 SUN - LUGANO AT LEISURE

A day to enjoy the shaded promenades and splendid gardens of this elegant Swiss  resort with a decidedly Italian ambiance. Why not take an excursion to Italy to  enjoy a Sunday market, or just relax at a sidewalk cafe (BB)

DAY 9 MON - LUGANO - ST MORITZ

Today we head north, passing by the three castles at Bellinzona and high into  the Grisons region. We see the evocative Misox Castle, and travel via San Bernardino  and the town of Tiefencastel. Then we head east to the ancient Roman Julier Pass  and the 'jet-set' resort of St Moritz, set in the Engadine Valley with the majestic  Grisons Alps towering above. Hotel: Monopol. (BB,D)

DAY 10 TUE - ST MORITZ - INTERLAKEN

All aboard for the Glacier Express - one of the world's great railway journeys!  We ascend through the spiral tunnels of the Albula Pass, and cross the Landwasser Viaduct. Then it's down through the Oberalp Valley to rejoin our coach at Andermatt. We drive over the Susten Pass to admire the glaciers and rocky peaks of the 'Five Fingers' in the late afternoon light. Tonight we stay in the charming resort of Interlaken. Hotel: Metropole. (BB,D)

DAY 11 WED - THE 'VALLEY OF WATERFALLS'

A scenic feast of snowy peaks and rushing rivers today! We marvel at the Wetterhorn  Peaks as we travel along the Grindelwald Valley. Then we follow the sparkling Lutschine River to Lauterbrunnen at the head of the 'Valley of Waterfalls'. We see the Staubbach  Falls, plunging 300 metres, and have the opportunity to take the funicular up to  the tumbling Trummelbach Falls! (BB)

DAY 12 THU - INTERLAKEN - ENGELBERG

A delightful drive along the shores of Lake Brienz brings us to a wood-carving workshop. Then we experience Swiss rural life throughout the ages at the Ballenberg  Open-Air Museum. We continue over the Brunig Pass, to Lake Lucerne and up to the  sunny alpine village of Engelberg, surrounded by the Spannorter peaks and Mt.  Titlis. Hotel: Ramada Treff Regina Titlis. (BB,D)

DAY 13 FRI - MT PILATUS EXCURSION

This morning we take an excursion by cog-wheel railway to the summit of Mount  Pilatus, offering a stunning view of Lucerne, lakes, countryside and hills around. We descend and continue to Lucerne where we see the covered wooden bridge, together  with the famous Lion Monument carved from a limestone cliff. This afternoon is free to browse in the shops. (BB)

DAY 14 SAT - ENGELBERG - ZURICH AIRPORT

Our tour ends with transfers to Zurich Airport. (BB)