Swiss Highlights with Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe

We leave Zurich at 8.00 a.m. for an unforgettable Alpine tour to the majestic world of the Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe at 3’454 m /11’333 ft. A guided coach tour takes you to the magnificent mountain world of the Bernese Oberland. In Lauterbrunnen, we board the cogwheel train for the most interesting mountain train trip via Kleine Scheidegg at the foot of the famous Eiger North Face to Jungfraujoch – Europe’s highest railway station. Today’s highlights include the beautiful Ice Palace, the Sphinx Observation Hall overlooking the Aletsch Glacier (Switzerland’s largest glacier) and the snow-capped peaks of the neighbouring countries. In the late afternoon check-in at your hotel in Interlaken. Overnight at a first-class hotel.

Today’s day is at your leisure. Interlaken is located between the lakes of Thun and Brienz, at the foot of the towering trio of the Eiger, Moench and Jungfrau. A perfect place to relax, or to do some sightseeing and shopping along the Höhenstrasse, the boulevard street in Interlaken with nice restaurants, elegant Fashion, Watch and Jeweler shops. Interlaken is ideally located for many excursions. Enjoy a leisurely cruise on a modern motor or one of the renovated stately steamers on Lake of Thun, or visit Ballenberg Open-Air Museum (near Brienz) a unique museum offering a fascinating insight into Swiss rural dwellings and lifestyles dating back several centuries with some 90 buildings to be visited. At about 6 p.m. meet with your guide in the lobby, for the coach tour starting the following morning. Overnight at a first-class hotel. Meals: B

We leave Interlaken in the morning and drive along beautiful Lake of Thun to the Swiss capital, Berne. The city is attractively set on a steep-sided curve of the River Aare and backed by the majestic Alps. A city tour to the Old Town includes the Clock Tower, Kramgasse, and the 15th-century Cathedral of St. Vincent. A drive south takes us to the scenic dairy farmlands, to Gruyeres. A beautiful hilltop town, preserved against time, which could be the magical setting for fairytales with its impressive, medieval Castle. An informative visit to a factory of delicious milk products is a further highlight of our day. We continue our drive to the Vaud Riviera and reach Geneva, the most cosmopolitan city in Switzerland. Overnight at a Superior Tourist Class hotel. Meals: B

We start with a city-tour of Geneva this morning. We will show you the beautiful parks along the lake, the unique town-hall and the European seat of the United Nations. In the late morning, we leave Geneva and drive to Lausanne and Montreux. We pass by Chillon Castle, the 13th-century fortress made famous by Lord Byron’s poem. Time for lunch in Montreux. In the afternoon we proceed through the Valais, the valley of the river Rhone with its orchards and vineyards. At Täsch we will board a cogwheel train that takes us to the mountain resort of Zermatt at the foot of the mighty Matterhorn. Enjoy dinner and overnight at a first-class hotel. Meals: B, D

Morning at leisure in Zermatt – admire the quaint old farmhouses and barns in their unique style, do some shopping, relax or take an optional cogwheel train up to Gornergrat for a spectacular view of the surrounding snow-covered peaks. Afternoon board the train to Täsch where our bus is waiting to take us over the breathtaking Nufenen Pass to Airolo. Return to Zurich by bus or train. Arrival in Zurich at approximately 6.30 p.m. Meals: B