Lakes & Alpine Cities Tour

 Day One:  Zurich

Arrive in Switzerland by plane.  We will be there at the airport to ensure you find your way to the hotel.  After checking into your 4 star hotel in Zurich we will hop on a train headed for the city center.  You will see the beautiful city of Zurich, Switzerland.  Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland. We will start this day with a ferry ride down the River Limmat, the ferry will glide down the river that winds through the city and out onto Lake Zurich.  After our ferry ride we walk from the lake into the city where we will see 3 major cathedrals; Grossmunster, Fraumunster, and St.Peters.  We will walk the quaint back streets of Zurich which offers a glimpse into the local life of Zurich.  We will end our day with a dinner at the Zeughauskeller Restaurant on the famous Bahnhofstrasse.  We will do our best to stay awake and beat the ever present, jet lag!

Zurich Day One

Day Two:  Interlaken

We will say goodbye to the large city of Zurich and hop aboard a train headed for the Swiss Alps.  This 2 hour train ride will show off some of Switzerland's majestic countryside.  Our destination is Interlaken, a small village situated between two emerald green lakes and at the foot of the Alps.  Here we will check into our individual vacation apartments, this will be the last time we will have to deal with our luggage until the tour is over (thank goodness!).  After checking into our apartments we will do a little grocery shopping at the local market so we can have some food in the cupboards and the fridge.  Grocery shopping on vacation?  Having an apartment gives you a full kitchen to cook in if you desire, plus shopping is an adventure in Europe with so many different foods and products.  After a quick trip to the market we will see the village of Interlakem and Unterseen.  We will walk along the Aare River and marvel at the numerous flowers that seem to spill out of the Swiss Chalet windows. We will stroll through the village of Interlaken and see a few Cathedrals, the Japanese gardens, and a wide open green field that frames in, the famous Jungfrau Joch.  The evening will be given to you to enjoy the atmosphere of this quaint village.

Day Two Interlaken

Day Three:  Berner Oberlands

Today is Sunday and also August 1st!  The Swiss National day.  For those who would like to start this day by attending church we will head off in the morning.  The rest of the day will be spent soaking up real Swiss Culture.  The entire day will be filled with parades, jodlers, alphorns, traditional foods, and of course fireworks in celebration of their national day.  This day will give you a great glimpse into Switzerland culture and age old traditions.  We will eat together at a traditional Swiss restaurant that has a little fun with its Swiss heritage, the name of the Restaurant is Bebbis of Interlaken.  After dinner we will watch a parade of children and end the evening watching the beautiful fireworks.(Day description for July-August Tour. Other tour dates will spend day in Grindelwald.)

Day Three: Swiss National Day

Day Four:  Schilthorn 

 We will venture up our first real alp on this day.  We will hop on board the BOB train headed toward the village of Lauterbrunnen.  We will then take a Cable Car ride to the cliff side village of Murren.  We will stroll through this village without cars perched atop the Alps to the next Cable Car ride. This will take us to the top of Schilthorn!  This Alp is famous for its 360 degree views of the Alps and the beloved Jungfrau Joch.  It is also known for the James Bond movie "Her Majesties Royal Secret Service" filmed here.  We will spend time on the top of this mountain and take in the amazing views.  For those who are willing and daring enough can join me on a hike from the top of Schilthorn to the next station of Birg.  We will slowly take our time back and enjoy the surrounding scenery.  The evening will be left to your own leisure. 

Day Four Schilthorn

Day Five: Bern 

 On this day we will head to the Capitial of Switzerland, the city of Bern.  For those on the tour who are LDS you will have the option of attending the Temple in Zollikofen.  We will be busy on this day taking in all the sights of the Capitial.  From the Parliament building, Kindlifresser Fountain, Switzerland's largest Cathedral, Zytglock, the Aare river, and the Bear viewing area.  For those who would once again like a little adventure we can join the locals and jump into the Aare river that runs directly through the city center.  After a full day of events we will eat at Molino's Pizzeria of Bern.  After dinner we will head back to Interlaken.

Day Five Bern

Day Six:  Village of Zermatt & Matterhorn

We are off to one of the most famous Swiss Alps known world wide, Matterhorn is our place of destination.  We will leave early in the morning on a train heading through the beautiful mountain pass south towards Italy.  We will arrive in the village of Zermatt, set at the foot of the mighty Matterhorn.  We will take our time as we stroll through this village without cars on our way to the cable car headed to the top of the Matterhorn and the Glacier Paradise.  From the top of this station we will be almost 14,000 feet high and have views into Italy, France, Austria, and Switzerland.  We will also go through the Glacier Paradise,  a giant room carved into the glacier of Matterhorn boasting numerous ice sculptures.  We will head back down the cable car and finish our day with a walk through Zermatt.

Day Six Matterhorn

Day Seven:  Lake Thun 

We will spend most of our day on the lake of Thun.  We will begin by boarding a Ferry in Interlaken headed for the city of Thun.  The ferry will crisscross the lake with stops at several lakeside villages that seem to hug shoreline at the base of the Alps and start of the lake.  We will make stops at the village of Spiez and Oberhofen.  Here we will see castles and cathedrals boasting both age old history and immaculate museums.  Our final stop will be the city of Thun, this medieval city has it all, castles, cathedrals, culture, shops, and a river running straight through it.  For many who have taken this tour Thun has quickly become a favorite.

Day Seven Lake Thun

Day Eight:  Luzern

Considered one of the most beautiful cities in Switzerland, Luzern is certain to take your breath away.  This charming Swiss city is found in the heart of Switzerland.  After arriving in Luzern we will stroll down the Chapel Bridge, visit the Lions monument, enter several Cathedral, and lastly take in the beauty of Lake Luzern.  We will end our day with a final dinner at a restaurant in Interlaken, after which you can finish your last minute souvenir shopping.

Day Eight Luzern

Day Nine: 

Say our goodbye to Switzerland as we catch a morning train to the airport.  Thanks for the memories and Auf Wiedersehen!!