Switzerland Cool Switzerland - Itinerary
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Day 1: Geneva - Arrivals and Old Town Walk Welcome to Switzerland! On your arrival at Geneva airport, you will be met by our chauffeur for a private transfer to your modern luxury hotel in the center of Geneva. In the afternoon, we'll meet our local guide and set out for a leisurely walk through Geneva's Old Town, to get an insight into the history of the city at the center of the Reformation. We'll start with one of Geneva's most famous landmarks, Jet d'Eau, the emblem of the city, then we'll continue to St. Pierre Cathedral, where the Protestant Reformation in Switzerland started. We will then head to the United Nations headquarters, Palais des Nations and its surrounding park notable for its architectural and historical significance. The park is filled with sculptures, monuments, and gifts from member states, reflecting the spirit of international cooperation. In the evening, we'll enjoy a welcome dinner of traditional Swiss cuisine, as we get to know each other and join in a light-hearted discussion about Switzerland's history and present. Day 2: Lausanne After a traditional Swiss breakfast, we'll take a train journey to Lausanne, the capital of the canton of Vaud and known for its vibrant culture, picturesque scenery, and significant international presence. Situated in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, on the northern shores of Lake Leman, Lausanne is built on a series of hills, giving the city a distinctive topography and stunning views of the lake and the Alps. We'll meet our local guide and tour the city's Flon District followed by a visit to the Olympic Museum and its renowned Collection de l'Art Brut, a unique museum dedicated to outsider art, before enjoying a lakeside lunch. We'll return to Geneva in the afternoon, and the evening will be free to pursue individual interests in this photogenic international city. Day 3: Geneva to Wengen, Chateau de Chillon Today, we'll leave Geneva, and head for the Swiss Alps, in the cinematographic Jungfrau region of the Bernese Oberland. Our journey will follow one of the most scenic Swiss driving routes, through the land of Wilhelm Tell and the Swiss army knife. Half way through the journey, we'll stop on the shores of Lake Leman to tour the fairytale, turreted, medieval fortress, Château de Chillon, which has inspired writers and artists for centuries. After touring the castle, we'll enjoy a lunch at the castle's Cafe Byron and have time for individual exploration of the castle grounds and lakeside gardens. Then, we'll continue to Lauterbrunnen Valley, carved by an ancient glacier, almost two miles deep and lined with a staggering 72 waterfalls. From here, we'll take a mountain train up to the postcard-perfect mountain village of Wengen, sitting on a protected sunny terrace, and surrounded by some of the tallest peaks in the country. Day 4: Jungfrau: the Top of Europe After a hearty Swiss breakfast, we'll set out to experience the true Alpine Wonderland, as we board a mountain gondola to take us up a mountain range, where we'll set out for our Alpine hike. We'll follow the easy Panorama Trail, leading along a ridge with some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the world. The hike features breathtaking views of the Eiger, the Mönch, and the Jungfrau peaks above, and down below, the flower-laden Alpine meadows rolling down to the bucolic Grindelwald Valley. The hike will end in the village of Kleine Scheidegg, where we'll board a mountain train to Jungfraujoch, the Top of Europe. The track leads past the famous mountains of Eiger and Mönch, up to magnificent panoramas of the surrounding peaks and the Aletsch Glacier. Once we reach the top, there will be plenty of time to tour the space-age-like Sphinx weather station and the Ice Palace, chiseled painstakingly with an ice ax and saw by hand, play in the snow, sled down the mountain, and admire the stunning panorama of the Bernese Oberland Alps. In the afternoon, we'll return to Wengen and enjoy a cozy mountain chalet dinner overlooking the Alps and the Lauterbrunnen Valley. Day 5: Schilthorn Summit This morning, we'll journey to explore the other side of the Lauterbrunnen Valley, with the iconic Schilthorn Mountain Summit of James Bond fame. We'll travel by a mountain train, a post bus, an aerial gondola, a cable car, and a cogwheel train, and we'll also take another scenic, yet easy, 2 miles, Alpine hike through a magnificent mountain forest that opens up to meadows bisected by Alpine streams, with the imposing mountain views as the background. En route to the Schilthorn summit, we'll explore the peaceful village of Murren, perched on a cliff above the Lauterbrunnen Valley, and the adrenaline-pumping aerial balconies suspended over the cliffs of the Brig Summit. Once we reach Schilthorn, we'll have ample time to admire the 360 degree view of the Bernese Oberland Alps, visit the James Bond World or have lunch at the iconic, rotating Piz Gloria Restaurant. We'll be back in Wengen in the late afternoon and enjoy another intimate dinner with a view of the Alps. Day 6: Interlaken Today, we'll explore the town of Interlaken, photogenically set against the Alps and between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. We'll skip paragliding, instead spending our time at this adventure capital of Europe by taking a guided walk of the town's best sights, before visiting a boutique chocolatier to learn some of the closely guarded secrets of chocolate making and will try our hand at mixing, pouring and shaping the exquisite Swiss chocolate. As we indulge in all-senses-satisfying chocolate making and tasting class, we may get quite messy or overeat on chocolate, but as this is Switzerland, it's expected. Afterwards, we'll take a cable car to Harder Kulm with its suspended observation platforms above the two lakes and below the Alps to admire the stunning mountains from yet another viewpoint. In the afternoon, we'll enjoy having some time for individual exploration of Interlaken, before taking the train back to Wengen. Day 7: Wengen to Zurich via Lucerne After breakfast today, we'll leave the Bernese Oberland and travel to Zurich, stopping half way in Lucerne, a picturesque ancient city, defined by its covered bridges and the colorful Old Town. We'll start with a guided walk through Lucerne's Old Town, exploring its notable medieval landmarks like the Chapel Bridge, one of Europe's oldest covered bridges, decorated with a series of 17th century paintings, and the painted merchant houses lining the cobbled streets. We'll then enjoy a scenic cruise on Lake Lucerne, a vast expanse of water with fjord-like inlets that hide small towns and fishing villages surrounded by the mighty mountains. We'll disembark in Burgenstock, where a funicular will transport us to a spot with spectacular mountains and lake views. Here, we can take an optional cliff walk, the famous Felsenweg or enjoy this traditional Swiss village and the Alpine resort. In the afternoon, we'll arrive in Zurich, and enjoy a locally sourced, gourmet dinner. Day 8: Zurich City Tour: Lindt Chocolate Factory In the morning, we'll enjoy an immersive experience into the world of Swiss chocolate, complete with interactive exhibits, a behind-the-scenes look at the production process, and the opportunity to indulge in some of the finest chocolates crafted by Lindt at Zurich's Lindt Chocolate Factory. After lunch, we'll meet our guide and set out for a leisurely walk through Zurich's Old Town, to get an insight into the history of the city of chocolate, money and watches. We'll start with the quaint Niederdorf district filled with eclectic boutiques and coffee houses, continue to the famously austere Grossmunster Church, where the Protestant Reformation in Switzerland started and to the Fraumünster, famous for the beautiful Marc Chagall stained-glass windows that adorn its interior, and end with a stroll along Bahnhofstrasse, a glitzy shopping street, lined with historical buildings and high-end boutiques. The evening today will be at leisure to enjoy the city according to your individual interests. Day 9: St. Gallen and Appenzell After breakfast, we'll set out on yet another Swiss adventure. We'll board our coach and travel to the charming town of St. Gallen, nestled between Lake Constance and the Appenzell Alps, where we'll tour the beautifully preserved Old Town, adorned with colorful oriel windows, and the baroque Abbey of St. Gall, a masterpiece of architecture that houses one of the world’s oldest and most exquisite libraries. After some time to explore the town, we'll continue to the bucolic Appenzell region, famous for its cows and its cheese, the strongest in Switzerland. Here, we'll tour the cheese-producing facility to learn about the Appenzell dairy traditions. We'll conclude our cheesy adventure with a classic Swiss fondue farewell dinner, before our last night in Switzerland. Day 10: Departures Today, we'll have to say good-bye to Switzerland, as we take our flights back home, richer in Swiss experiences and discoveries and the new friendships that this adventure allowed us. We will have arranged for your private transfer to Zurich International Airport according to your flight's departure time.
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