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14
Days / 13 Nights Swiss Panorama
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Highlights
- Discover:
Zürich or Schaffhausen, Appenzell, Lugano or Mendrisio,
Bellinzona, Valle Verzasca or Ascona, Lucerne or Como (Italy), Davos,
Lenzerheide, St Moritz or Engadin villages, Müstair, Flims,
Maienfeld, Feldkirch (Austria), Vaduz (Liechtenstein), St. Gallen.
- Attractions:
-
lunch at a restaurant that was once an arsenal
- prettiest small town in Switzerland
- queen of the north-eastern Swiss Alps for a view of 5 countries
(optional)
- balcony of Italy - to see the highest & lowest points of
Switzerland and the southern Swiss Alps
- factory outlet shopping with 160 factory shops, including designer
labels
- boat ride across the largest lake in Germany (optional)
- Saturday morning market
- lunch picnic at castle compound
- Swiss cultural show
(optional)
- Heidi village
- lunch in the knights' or hunters' room of a castle
- horse carriage ride through the villages in the beautiful countryside
(optional)
- rodel toboganning on the world's longest toboggan run on rails
(optional)
- mountain visit for a 360° panorama view of the Swiss Alps / a
view of a thousand summits (optional)
- Top of Switzerland mountain visit to see ice-packed mountains and
glacier (optional)
- various outdoor and indoor mountain spring mineral thermal pools
(optional)
- 6th smallest country in the world
- lunch BBQ Swiss style on a lovely hill, overlooking a beautiful valley
- unique UNESCO World Heritage library
- Bernina Express UNESCO World Heritage train ride
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| Day
1 |
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Arrival
and pick up at
Zürich airport / Zürich main train station / hotel in
Zürich. Proceed to a charming medieval town in the northern
part of Switzerland, also known as 'the prettiest small town in
Switzerland' situated at the River Rhine. Next, go to Zürich.
After lunch, walk along elegant Bahnhofstrasse - a shopping stretch -
and visit a very pretty chocolate-cum-confectionery shop and a very
well-known chocolate boutique-cum-café. After that, walk
through narrow lanes in the Old Town area where the largest clockface
in Europe awaits you just around the corner. Then take a walk up one of
the twin towers of the Grossmünster and have a bird's-eye view
of the city of Zürich (optional).
A scenic drive along the Lake of Zürich, Lake Walen and the
majestic Churfirsten mountain range to the Holiday Corner of
Switzerland. Welcome to the land of 150 valleys, 615 alpine lakes and
937 mountain peaks. Pass the Heidi World, THE Pinot Noir region of
Switzerland and the oldest city in Switzerland. Continue to drive
through Graubünden, the most diversified and largest but the
least densely populated canton of Switzerland, known for her widely
untouched landscapes and home to three of the four cultures of
Switzerland.
Drive into the valley of castles & ruins before checking into
your hotel embedded at the foot of an inner alpine valley, also known
as the ‘Orchard of Graubünden'. Here, in the
geographic heart of the Alps, is the crossroads of the high and ancient
alpine passes. Complimentary welcome drink during dinner.
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(Note:
If you have been to Zürich, it might be replaceable with Rhine
Falls (largest waterfall in Europe) and Schaffhausen where you discover
the rare beauty and cultural diversity of this charming town with its
delightful countryside, situated along the River Rhine next to Germany.
The houses of the Old Town are richly decorated with 171 oriels and
valuable murals. Narrow streets invite the visitor to stroll and shop,
and if the weather is warm enough, the streets of the car-free town
centers are transformed into pocket-size Parisian boulevards. These
historical treasures date back to the Middle Ages. Optional: a visit to
a majestic 16th century fortress.)
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| Day
2 |
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Appenzell: visit this lovely
canton known not only for her beautiful countryside landscapes but also
for her specialties like cheese, milk, sausages, beer etc. The
town is yours to admire - typical Appenzeller houses that are
beautifully painted. (Optional: A gondola ride to the queen of the
north-eastern Swiss Alps, for a spectacular view of the Alps
in 5 countries or a breath-taking vista of a sea of clouds over the
valleys. Or visit another nice nearby mountain. All depending on
weather conditions.)
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| Day
3 |
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Take a
scenic drive along Lake
Lugano. On a clear day, if the snow-capped Monte Rosa group of
mountains of the Alps can be seen, including the highest mountain in
Switzerland, Dufourspitze, we make a photo stop. Then either1) visit
Lugano,the largest city in the Italian-speaking canton of Switzerland
and third most important banking & financial centre in
Switzerland. Here is where the fashionable go to see and be seen. OR 2)
visit a large shopping centre with 160 factory outlet stores which
includes international designer labels and 250 important brands. And/or
try your luck at a casino with 150 slot machines in the next building.
Optional: take a cog-wheel train ride up tp one of the mountains in the
southern Swiss Alps for a gorgeous top-down view of the
Italian-speaking part of Switzerland and on a clear day, even to Milan
in Italy (optional).
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| Day
4 |
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Bellinzona
- capital of the
Italian-speaking canton Ticino in the southern part of Switzerland,
designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its city walls and 3 famous
castles enclosing a picturesque vineyard. Experience the Saturday
morning market and feel a different ambiance. Next, visit the castle(s)
or do some shopping. If the weather permits, have a lunch picnic at the
castle compound. Then visit the famous medieval bridge in a valley
where the opening scene of James Bond 007
‘Goldeneye’ was filmed or go to a beautiful
lakeside town situated at the foot of the southern Swiss Alps.
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| Day
5 |
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Visit
Lucerne in the heart of
Switzerland. See the Chapel Bridge or walk along the Musegg Wall to
have a bird's eye view of this picturesque city. Swiss cultural show
(optional). Collect your free souvenirs. Visit Mt Titlis if the weather
permits (optional).
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(Note:
If you have been to Lucerne, it might be replaceable with a visit to
Como (Italy), a lakeside fashion city where fashion merchandisers go to
take a look at the latest fashion which is 2 seasons earlier than that
in your country. Here at Lake Como is also where Hollywood stars like
George Clooney have their villas.)
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| Day
6 |
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Chur
– situated at
the crossroads of the River Rhine which is one of the longest rivers in
Europe, this capital of canton Graubünden and oldest
city in Switzerland was where traders and merchants
flocked. Interesting shops: crystal shop, household products
shop with a wide range of interesting knives, and gourmet shops
offering specialties from the region like pear bread, air dried meat,
honey, cheese, beverages etc are available here. If you are
interested in alpine nature (e.g. alpine animals, alpine forests,
alpine rocks, etc), the Nature Museum is worth a visit. Next, go across
the nearby border to Austria to the city of Feldkirch. Then hop across
another close-by border to Liechtenstein and visit the capital city of
Vaduz. A good range of cuckoo clocks is available here.
OR
If the weather permits, do an optional tour: a panorama
train ride on the Bernina Express
which got inscribed on the
UNESCO World Heritage List
on 7 July 2008 for being a masterpiece
of engineering amidst
panoramic landscapes and cultural diversity. Enjoy riding the most
famous train in the Alps on board the Rhaetian Railway panorama coach
whose north alpine route is a 145-km stretch that cuts through
Graubünden, boasting the most beautiful railway routes in the
world. During the trip over the Bernina pass, the train reaches an
altitude of 2.253 m (7.390 ft) and masters gradients of 70%. The
Bernina Express runs without cogwheels, on the highest long-distance
railway transversal in the Alps over up to more then 200-metre long and
90-metre high bridges, through winding tunnels, past raging mountain
torrents, glaciers and a rich array of alpine flowers to southerly
Valposchiavo, over the spiralling viaduct at Brusio and on to Tirano in
Italy.
Note: If the weather is not suitable for train ride today, you still
have the opportunity to do it another day.
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| Day
7 |
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Visit a
town, a Swiss secret which
fortunately not many from other countries know about. Let us impress
you with another of our picturesque 'backyard'. If the weather permits,
we take you to a very lovely place on a hill for a memorable barbecue,
Swiss style. Opportunity to walk in the little woods beside the BBQ
ground.
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| Day
8 |
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Today we
visit the eastern part of
Switzerland, St. Moritz, in the Upper Engadin Valley where the wealthy
go to enjoy their riches and where the Alpine Ski World Championship
2003 as well as the Winter Olympics 1928 & 1948 were hosted.
The town is yours to explore. Optional: A visit to one of the mountains
in the eastern Swiss Alps for a very impressive 360° view of
the Alps including a close view of the Bernina range, the highest
mountain range in the Eastern Alps, as well as the Morteratsch glacier.
On a clear day, depending on the sun's rays, 7 or 8 layers of mountain
ranges can be seen from here! Graubünden has the most number
of mountain peaks in the Alps exceeding 3000 m, making it the highest
region in the Alps and earning it the name "the roof of Europe". Quaint
village stay.
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(Note:
If you have been to St. Moritz, it might be replaceable with visits to
quaint villages in the Lower Engadin Valley where people go to see
typical Engadiner sgraffito-painted houses with huge doors and sunken
in funnel-like windows decorated with flowers. Optional: Take dips in
various outdoor & indoor mountain spring mineral thermal pools.)
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| Day
9 |
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Go to
the easternmost village of
Switzerland to see a 1200-year-old UNESCO World Heritage church from
the Carolingian era.. Then go to the German-speaking part of Italy on
the Reschenpass to see the church tower which sticks out of a lake.
Next, enter into Switzerland again and go to the only duty-free oasis
in Switzerland. After that, take dips in various outdoor &
indoor mountain mineral spring thermal pools (optional) or take a
stroll in a quaint village to see typical Engadiner sgraffito-painted
houses with huge doors and sunken in funnel-like windows decorated with
flowers. Quaint village stay.
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| Day
10 |
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If the
alpine passes are open,
Either
1) Visit the highest city in Europe. This is where 2000 of
the world's most elite people (politicians, business leaders,
celebraties etc) go to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) every
winter.
OR
2) Drive over an alpine pass which cannot be driven over by coaches.
Take a hike around a lake
which is said to have a second lake
beneath it. If weather
permits, have a lunch picnic by the
lake.
Otherwise,
drive over the Julier Pass, mentioned by travel magazines as one of the
most beautiful passes in the world.
Then take a drive back to your hotel embedded in the holiday
corner of Switzerland and the rest of the day is yours.
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| Day
11 |
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The
story of the little girl, Heidi,
originates from a village in the Swiss countryside. Visit Heidi village
to see the Heidi house with Heidi's room, attic, living room, cellar,
kitchen etc like it was over 125 years ago. Then go across the nearby
border to Austria to the city of Feldkirch. Next, hop across another
border just around the corner to Liechtenstein and visit the capital
city of Vaduz. A good range of cuckoo clocks is available here. If you
are interested in alpine nature (e.g. alpine animals etc), the
Liechtenstein National Museum is worth a visit.
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| Day
12 |
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Visit a
chocolate factory. Then go to
St. Gallen city - the metropolis of Eastern Switzerland is justly proud
of its prestigious past which you'll encounter with every step as you
stroll through the attractive old town. Discover the world-famous oriel
windows, narrow lanes and lively squares with inviting street
cafés. The prestigious past has given way to a blossoming
present. St. Gallen is a modern and cosmopolitan city, watched over by
the imposing baroque Cathedral in the heart of the stunning
"Stift” district. This beautiful district has been awarded
World Cultural Heritage Status and is under the protection of UNESCO.
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(Note:
If you have been to St Gallen, it might be replaceable with a visit to
a German city just across the border which is located at Germany's
largest lake, also the 2nd largest freshwater lake in Europe. Freetime
to visit the new shopping
centre, the majestic gothic Münster
church, Sea Life Centre (at the yacht harbour), the old city
with beautiful lowrise buildings. (Optional: a boat
ride across the largest lake in Germany to a charming little town with
terraced streets lined with flowers and half-timbered houses.)
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| Day
13 |
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Visit a
winter & summer
sports resort where ex-British Prime Minister, Mrs Margaret Thatcher,
took her twins to learn skiing. Here, you have various optional tours
to choose from: (1) Horse carriage ride through the villages in this
picturesque countryside, passing by lakes where families go to enjoy
the summer with their children (2) cable-car/chairlift ride up to one
of the mountains of the largest and highest canton of Switzerland,
Graubünden, for a stunning 360° panoramic
view of the south-eastern Swiss Alps or a view of 1000 summits (3)
rodel tobogganing on the world's longest toboggan run on rails at 3.1
km long. Decide your own speed!
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| Day
14 |
| Hotel
check-out. Scenic ride to Zürich airport / Zürich
main train station / hotel in Zürich. Please do NOT schedule
your flight to depart Zürich airport before 10:45 am. |
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Note
1) As we would very much want our travellers to get the most out of our
tours, the sequence and/or parts of the content of the above itinerary
are subject to changes depending on weather conditions, forthcoming
special events and unforeseen circumstances.
2) Some tours are included as optional tours because travellers MUST
have the choice not to choose them in case of bad weather. In
Switzerland, views from the summit of mountains are not always
visible. Sometimes there is ZERO visibility due to low or
heavy clouds. If the optionals are included in the
tour price, then the mountain visit is a must-do even when the weather
is not suitable for a mountain visit. This would be unfair to
the unaware traveller and it would be a wasted
trip. We always check the weather one day before and
advise our travellers if the scheduled mountain
visit would be good or not. Otherwise, we either
shuffle the itinerary and do the mountain visit another day when the
weather is good (as per forecast) or advise them not to do it at all
when the next days are not suitable for mountain visits. For other
optional tours like horse-carriage rides, thermal pools, etc, some
travellers might not want to do them for some reason or some may have
done them before.
3) It might be possible to change above itinerary to an all-Switzerland
holiday. Please write to us at switzerlandtours @ hotmail.com.
4) If you have been to a few of the above-mentioned places but would
like to visit other not-to-be-missed places or experience some
interesting activities, we might be able to do some alteration. Do
write to us.
What's included:
- Transfer
to and fro Zürich airport / Zürich main train station
/ hotel in Zürich.
(Transfer to Zürich on last day not included for budget tours.
Top-up applies.)
- 13 nights hotel accommodation in
countryside town and quaint villages.
- 13 Swiss buffet breakfasts. (Not
included for budget tours)
- 12 Swiss dinners. (Not included for
budget tours)
- 1
driver-guide.
- 1
tour guide.
- 1 touring vehicle
Tour
Schedule & Booking | 7
Days Swiss Autumn |
7 Days Swiss Harvest | 10
Days Swiss View
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