Swiss Splendor: From City to Summit

Arrival
Welcome to the largest city in Switzerland - Zurich! Upon arrival, your driver meets you at the airport and transfers you to your remarkable hotel for check-in.

The rest of the day is free, so you can relax in your room, have dinner in a local restaurant, start exploring the nearby attractions or join our carefully planned optional tour.

Zurich City Tour
After breakfast, you meet your private guide in the hotel lobby and enjoy a perfectly-planned sightseeing tour around the most beautiful landmarks of Zurich.

Immerse yourself in the unique atmosphere of the Old Town for the following 3 hours, walking through its narrow cozy streets and exploring its breathtaking medieval houses, churches and town hall.

After the tour, you return to the hotel and have the rest of the day at your leisure.

Exploring Lucerne Region
Following breakfast, you head to the railway station to take a train to Lucerne. In about 50 minutes you meet your guide at the station of Lucerne.

Then you are invited to take an unforgettable trip with your private guide who shows you the magnificent views of Mount Pilatus and the Lucerne region. The tour starts with a cruise across the Lake Lucerne to Alpnachstad. There you board the famous cogwheel train that takes you across the world's steepest railway passing through lush Alpine meadows, spectacular rocks and sparkling mountain streams to the top of Mt Pilatus, the altitude of which is 2,132 m (6,995 ft).

For the return journey, you ride a cable car to enjoy the fantastic scenery once again. As the last part of your magnificent tour, you take a 20-minute bus from Kriens to Lucerne. Tickets* for a public boat cruise, cogwheel train, cable car, and bus are included.

Please note: boat and cogwheel train are available only from middle of May to September. The rest of the year they are replaced with cable car and bus.

After the tour, you take a train back to Zurich. The rest of the evening is free.

Departure
Following breakfast, you check out from the hotel, and your driver takes you to the airport for the departure.

Arrival 
Zermatt is famous not only for being a popular ski resort. This lovely village is located in the southern canton of Valais which is home to some of the world's most spectacular mountains, including Matterhorn.

Upon arrival, you walk to your hotel for check-in and have the rest of the day at leisure.

Day Trip to Gornegrat 
After breakfast you walk to the railway station, where you board a cogwheel train equipped with large windows which allow you to enjoy a journey across the highest open-air railway in Europe. The Gornergrat Bahn is the cog railway which was the first in the world to be fully electrified. Nowadays regenerative braking system of this eco-friendly railway generates electricity on the descent and so saves energy.

After about 45 minutes you reach the station of Gornergrat which is considered to be the highest open-air railway station of Europe at an altitude of 3, 090 m (10,135 ft). Gornergrat observation platform is accessible all year round and offers one of the finest panoramas in Switzerland. From there you have a glorious view of more than 20 four-thousand m (13,123 ft) peaks, one of which is Matterhorn. A truly unforgettable experience you cannot miss!

*Please, note: It is important to wear something warm and wind/rain protective when going to Gornergrat. The temperature there is usually lower than in the cities even in summer. In case you feel too cold you can always go inside the restaurant which is close to the observation platform. The trains to/from Gornergrat are heated well.

After some free time in Gornergrat you have a train ride back to Zermatt. The rest of the day is free.

Departure 
In the morning after breakfast you check out from the hotel, walk to the railway station and depart from Zermatt.

Arrival 
Welcome to Gstaad, a mountain resort in the Bernese Oberland region of the Swiss Alps. Upon arrival, you walk to your hotel for check-in and have the rest of the day at leisure.

Glacier 3000 Visit
In the morning you walk to the station and take a 30-minute bus to Col-du-Pillon, from where you can easily reach wonderful Glacier 3000. A popular destination, Glacier 3000 attracts tourists with breathtaking panorama onto the Swiss Alps and astinishing activities available both in summer and winter.

For your comfort we have booked a Col du Pillon – a Scex Rouge return ticket that includes exciting mountain activities. You first experience the adventurous peak walk by Tissot - the only suspension bridge in the world that connects two mountain peaks. Then you take a seat on the Ice Express chairlift that takes you to Scex Rouge and offers panoramic views on he way. Finally, you enjoy sliding in the Fun Park and make a fantastic glacier walk. 

After the tour you return to Gstaad by bus. 

Please, note: tour is not available from end of October to beginning of November due to installation maintenance.

Departure 
In the morning after breakfast you check out from the hotel and depart from Gstaad.

Arrival to Montreux
Welcome to the traditional resort town of Montreux located on the shores of Geneva Lake! Upon arrival, you walk to your centrally-located hotel for check-in and have the rest of the day at leisure.

Trip to Chillon Castle & Montreux Sightseeing
Following breakfast, you take a public boat cruise on Lake Geneva to reach the most recognizable historic monument in Switzerland - Chillon Castle which dates back to medieval ages. Its charming architectural style and rich history inspired such literary geniuses as Victor Hugo, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Lord Byron. First, you admire the exterior of this historical monument from water. Upon disembarkation, you have a private guided tour around the most spectacular parts of Chillon Castle.

Following Chillon, you head for Montreux where you meet your guide and have a private walking tour.  

You learn about the history and culture of charming 'Swiss Riviera' strolling along the lake shores where the summer Jazz Festival takes place. On the way up to the old town, you enjoy stunning views over the lake and pass by the oldest house in Montreux, dating back to the 16th century.

While you walk the little streets of this charming town, your guide shares with you the stories of the famous expats in Montreux such as Vladimir Nabokov and Freddie Mercury. You see the statue of Freddie Mercury and have a chance to visit the Queen: The Studio Experience exhibition located in the original Mountain Studios, part of the Montreux Casino. Queen recorded a total of seven albums here at Mountain Studios in Montreux, which the band owned between 1979 and 1996, including the final album Made in Heaven.

During the tour, you also find out how the fire at the Montreux Casino inspired Deep Purple's classic "Smoke on the Water." Since then the casino has been beautifully rebuilt, so have a great chance to visit it in the evening.

After the tour, you return to your hotel.

Day Trip to Geneva
Following breakfast, you walk to the train station for a 1-hour train to Geneva.  

Upon arrival, you meet your guide and start exploring the highlights of Geneva, the second-most populous city of Switzerland and the capital of Romandy, the French-speaking region. Being the European seat of the UN and headquarters of the Red Cross, Geneva is known as the «capital of peace».

You start discovering Geneva sights by the lakefront. You take a short water tram ride on lake Geneva and see one of the most famous landmarks, the Jet d'Eau fountain of 140 m (460 ft) and enjoy the view of the mountains.  

Then you proceed to the astonishing Old Town and see St. Peter Cathedral, the English Garden with Flower Clock, Ile Rousseau and Castle Tour-de-l'ile. Here you also see the city council building where the first Geneva Convention was signed, in the Alabama Room, as it is now called, and learn about the beginning of international Geneva. You also visit the grounds of the University of Geneva to see the Reformation Wall that features statues of the four Geneva luminaries and learn about the role Geneva played in the Reformation in the 16th century.

Finally, you have a short ride by public transport to view the international district of Geneva and its heart - United Nations Office located in the Palace of Nations.  

After the tour, you return to Montreux by train.

Departure
Following breakfast, you check out from your hotel and depart from Montreux.