Best of Switzerland
Description
Summary
Description
Embark on an unforgettable 8-day journey through the breathtaking landscapes of Switzerland. This multi-day tour offers an immersive experience of Swiss culture, history, and natural beauty. From the vibrant city of Zurich to the picturesque mountain paradise of the Jungfrau Region, every day brings a new adventure. Explore historic cities, marvel at the precision of Swiss rail, and indulge in the country's world-renowned cheese and chocolate. Whether you're scaling the heights of Mt. Pilatus, wandering through the charming streets of Lucerne, or exploring the subterranean wonders of Trummelbach Falls, this tour promises a wealth of unforgettable experiences.
Included
7 breakfasts
vegetarian, vegan
All Intrepid group trips in Europe are accompanied by one of our local European group leaders. ’Local’ in this context means a leader who is European or lives in Europe. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced leader however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders. Your leader takes care of logistics, will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects.
At Intrepid we also aim to support local guides in the individual cities or locations we travel to. If you are interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your leader can recommend an optional local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.
Lucerne - Boat Cruise & Mt Pilatus Golden Circle Tour
Bulle - Cheese tasting in a local fromagerie
Bulle - Chocolate tasting in local chocolate shop
Bulle - La Maison du Gruyère visit
Bern - Leader-led orientation walk
Bern - Zytglogge (Clock tower) tour
The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.
Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.
OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION:
The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances.
TWIN SHARE BASIS:
Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multishare basis. We pair up solo travellers with another traveller of the same gender as per the gender marker on each of their passports. Please note there may be times where facilities will be shared rather than ensuite and rare occasions when you share a room with passengers travelling on different Intrepid trips than your own.
CHECK-IN TIME:
Throughout the trip we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination.
PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION:
If you've purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (if available), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights.
FACILITIES:
Your accommodation may not always have private en suite facilities or air-conditioning. European hotels generally don't provide kettles or fridges.
Hotel (7 nights)
hotel: 7 night(s);
TRANSPORT IN EUROPE:
Half the fun of travel is the travelling itself, that's why we like to travel the local way – whether that means mingling with commuters on a local train, watching the scenery roll by from the window of a long distance bus, arriving on a high speed train in the city centre of your next destination, or navigating each city's public transport system. In Europe, you are guaranteed to travel by genuine local public transport wherever possible, which puts you right in the centre of the action.
SWISS TRAINS:
On this trip you will be predominantly travelling by train. Swiss trains are most likely the best in Europe, clean, comfortable, and, you guessed it, punctual. Some of them will have restaurant carriages, but all of them have toilets. You will also be able to charge your phone or camera on the train as well (as long as you have the right adapter with you). And what is guaranteed, are the best views you can ever imagine.
Train , Public bus , Boat , Cable car , Cog railway
Destinations
Map
Attractions
Daily Itinerary
Day 1 – Day 1: Welcome to Zurich
- Zurich - Arrival day
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Begin your Swiss adventure in the vibrant city of Zurich. Meet your group in the hotel lobby at 5 pm for a welcome meeting. Afterward, join your leader for an evening stroll around Zurich, taking in the beautiful river and lakefront views by night.
Day 2 – Day 2: Journey to Lucerne
- Lucerne
- Zurich
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- Lake Brienz
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Today, we'll journey to the charming city of Lucerne, set against a stunning mountainous backdrop on the pristine Lake Lucerne. Join your leader on a walking tour through the city, exploring 15th-century frescoed houses, covered wooden bridges, and climbing medieval towers for breathtaking views. Don't miss the bustling craft market and unique shops in the old town.
Day 3 – Day 3: The Golden Pilatus Tour
- Zurich
- Lucerne
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- Mount Pilatus
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Embark on the Golden Pilatus tour, a roundtrip journey across Lake Lucerne to the summit of Mt Pilatus. Travel by boat, rail, and gondola, taking in the stunning views from the summit. Enjoy lunch at the panoramic viewing platform, and if you're lucky, witness a yodelling or alphorn demonstration. Return to Lucerne for an evening at your leisure.
Day 4 – Day 4: Discover the Jungfrau Region
- Lucerne
- Lauterbrunnen
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- Jungfraujoch
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Travel to the Jungfrau Region of the Swiss Alps and settle into the valley village of Lauterbrunnen. Spend the day exploring at your own pace, with a range of optional activities available. Take a cable car to breathtaking viewpoints, hike mountain trails, or visit the awe-inspiring Trummelbach Falls. You might also choose to ride the train to Jungfrauroch, the Top of Europe.
Day 5 – Day 5: More Adventures in the Jungfrau Region
- Lauterbrunnen
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- Jungfraujoch
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Enjoy another day in the stunning Jungfrau Region. Continue exploring the natural beauty of the area, with options to visit Trummelbach Falls, take a scenic train ride to Jungfrauroch, or hike through the picturesque landscapes. The villages of Wengen and Kleine Scheidegg, as well as the towns of Interlaken and Grindelwald, are also within easy reach for day trips.
Day 6 – Day 6: Cheese and Chocolate in Bulle and Gruyere
- Bulle
- Lauterbrunnen
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- La Passerelle de l'Utopie
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Travel by train to Bulle in the La Gruyere district. After lunch, take a short local train ride to Gruyere. Visit La Maison du Gruyère, a renowned cheese factory, and learn about the traditional methods of making the famous Gruyère cheese. Enjoy a tasting session at a local fromagerie, followed by a visit to a local chocolate shop for a delightful tasting of Swiss chocolates.
Day 7 – Day 7: Exploring Bern
- Bern
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- Zytglogge
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Travel to Bern, Switzerland's capital and one of Europe's most beautiful cities. After checking into your hotel, join your leader for an orientation walking tour. Visit the area where Einstein developed his Theory of Relativity, explore the Old Town, and check out Parliament House. Don't miss the Zytglogge - Bern's famous 15th-century clock. Enjoy the evening exploring Bern's diverse food and drink scene.
Day 8 – Day 8: Farewell to Switzerland
- Bern - Departure day
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Your Swiss adventure comes to an end today. After breakfast, you are free to depart at any time. If you wish to extend your stay in Bern, we can assist with additional accommodation bookings, subject to availability.
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