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Switzerland Italian Lake Maggiore Italy Tour Itinerary

The Best of Switzerland 2013
Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Sites Old City of Berne and Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch

DAY 1- Arrive in Zürich, Switzerland
Welcome in Zürich! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel. (Dinner)

DAY 2 – Zürich–Kaltbrunn–Vaduz, Liechtenstein–St. Moritz, Switzerland
Enjoy an orientation walk of Zürich’s OLD TOWN, Switzerland’s center of banking and commerce. Next, a scenic drive following Lake Zürich. Stop in Kaltbrunn for a visit to a Globus Local FavoriteGlobus Local Favorite traditional CHOCOLATE CONFECTIONARY for a true taste of Switzerland. Continue along Lake Walen and through the high Alps to the tiny Principality of Liechtenstein. After a break in its capital, Vaduz, ascend the Rhine Valley into the mountainous Grisons, a canton where three of the country’s four languages are spoken. The 7,504-foot Julier Pass, an important Alpine road since Roman times, leads to the Engadine. This valley is considered by many as the most beautiful mountain area in the world, with deep-blue lakes, airy larch forests that turn golden in the fall, mountain peaks exceeding 12,000 feet, and quaint villages with massive white stone houses in the characteristic Grisons style. Afternoon arrival in ritzy St. Moritz. (Breakfast, Dinner)

DAY 3 – St. Moritz–Lake Como, Italy–Lugano, Switzerland
A gradual change of scenery as you descend towards the enchanting shores of Italy’s Lake Como and continue on to the southern tip of Switzerland. The vegetation south of the Alps is Mediterranean: chestnut groves, vineyards, and olive and fig trees make you forget that earlier today you were within walking distance of glaciers. Afternoon arrival in the popular subtropical resort town of Lugano allows time for shopping under the arcades of Via Nassa, an espresso on flower-festooned Piazza Riforma, or a stroll along the lake. (Breakfast)

DAY 4 – Lugano–Stresa, Italy–Zermatt, Switzerland
From Lake Lugano to the Italian shore of Lake Maggiore for a break in elegant Stresa. An optional boat ride to enchanting Isola Bella can be arranged. On over lofty Simplon Pass into the Swiss Valais, an area renowned for its excellent wines and great mountain resorts. To reach the most famous of them, leave the coach behind in Täsch and board a MOUNTAIN TRAIN to climb the last few miles up to car-free Zermatt, a picturesque cluster of rustic chalets beneath the Matterhorn. (Breakfast, Dinner)

DAY 5 – Zermatt–Lake Geneva
Enjoy another true Swiss experience: ride Globus Local FavoriteGlobus Local Favorite Europe’s highest rack railway to 10,272-foot GORNERGRAT for a breathtaking panoramic view of the Alps. A GROUP PICTURE will be taken with a real St. Bernard dog, with the Matterhorn towering above you in the background, a true Swiss icon. Next, motor through the vineyards and apricot groves of the lower Rhône Valley, and arrive at beautiful Lake Geneva for your overnight stay. (Breakfast, Dinner)

DAY 6 – Lake Geneva–Berne–Interlaken–Lucerne
In the stately capital of Berne, your guided tour starts at the BEAR PARK, followed by a panoramic view of the city from the Rose Garden. Next, enjoy a walking tour through the beautifully preserved medieval Old Town. Witness the hourly parade of painted figures at the Clock Tower and take your pictures of ornate, flower-adorned fountains. Highlight of the day is a Globus Local FavoriteGlobus Local Favorite special lunch at a traditional Swiss WORKING FARM, to give you a chance to see how many people in Switzerland live in the mountains. Continue to Interlaken and take pictures of the Jungfrau massif with its group of three famous peaks: the Jungfrau, the Mönch, and the Eiger. Over Brünig Pass to picture-book Lucerne. An optional dinner excursion to a folklore party with yodeling and alphorn blowing is available for a first-hand impression of Alpine merrymaking. (Breakfast, Lunch)

DAY 7 – Lucerne
On your walking tour this morning, admire Thorwaldsen’s impressive LION MONUMENT, dedicated to the Swiss Guards who protected the Royal House of France during the French Revolution, and ornate patrician houses of the walled Old Town, then cross the famous covered CHAPEL BRIDGE to the Jesuit church. Afterwards, shop for watches or climb a mountain by cable car. Tonight, a special farewell dinner with wine awaits you at a local restaurant for a proper Auf Wiedersehen. (Breakfast, Dinner)

DAY 8 – Lucerne–Zürich Airport
Morning transfer to Zürich Airport in time for homebound flights leaving no earlier than 10 am. Extra nights are available in Zürich, not Lucerne. (Breakfast)

Submit form or call us today 800-227-1577 to book your

Switzerland and Italian Lake Como Italy Tour