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14
Days / 13 Nights Swiss Experience
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Highlights
- Discover:
Zürich or Schaffhausen, Heinzenberg, Lenzerheide, Bellinzona,
St Moritz, Engadin villages, Müstair, Samnaun, Lucerne or
Constance, Appenzell, St. Gallen, Flims, Vaduz (Liechtenstein),
Feldkirch (Austria).
- Attractions:
- lunch at a restaurant that was once an arsenal
- lunch picnic at and/or swimming in an alpine lake
- alpine hiking
- queen of the north-eastern Swiss Alps for a spectacular view of 5
countries (optional)
- 'balcony of Italy' to see the highest and lowest points in
Switzerland plus splendid view of the southern Swiss Alps and its lake
districts below
- factory outlets shopping with 130 factory stores, including
international designer labels
- Saturday morning market
- UNESCO World Heritage medieval castles and its city walls
- lunch picnic at and/or swimming in a lake which is the lowest point
of Switzerland
- eating at a grotto (where people from the region stored food before
the refrigerator was invented)
- Top of Switzerland to see the highest ice-packed mountains of the
eastern Alps & glacier (optional)
- only duty-free oasis in Switzerland
- summer toboganning on the world's longest toboggan run on rails
(optional)
- horse carriage ride through villages in the picturesque countryside
(optional)
- mountain visit for an impressive 360° panoramic view of Swiss
Alps / view of 1000 summits (optional)
- BBQ Swiss style
- Heidi village
- lunch in the knights' or hunter's room in a 600-yr-old caslte
- 6th smallest country in the world
- Swiss National Day - 1 Aug brunch on an alp - prepared by farmers,
their wives and children (if this tour falls on 1 Aug)
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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
Schaffhausen where you a 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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Picnic
and/or swim at an alpine lake.
Lie, read or simply relax by the lake while the more energetic and
adventurous take a short hike (approximately 45 min) to a nearby hill
which overlooks the beautiful Safien valley. Opportunity to see
charming alpine flowers of various shapes, sizes and colours, including
the much-loved dandelions. Next, visit a remoted hamlet to see how a
Swiss alpine organic farmer makes a living in the high-up countryside.
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| Day
3 |
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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
4 |
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Either
1) visit a lookout point known
as 'the balcony of Italy' for a splendid view of the southern Swiss
Alps including the massive Monte Rosa range where the highest mountain
in Switzerland, Dufourspitze, is, villages in the mountains and cities
or towns by the lakes below or 2) visit a very large centre with 160
factory outlet stores which includes also international designer
labels. And/or try your luck at a casino with 150 slot machines in the
next building. Optional: take a cog-wheel train ride up to 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
5 |
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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 here. Next, visit the
medieval castle(s) or do some shopping. A choice of a lunch picnic at
one of the castles or at the lowest point of Switzerland, where people
go to with their private boats. 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. For
dinner, go to a grotto* to try south-eastern Swiss cuisine. (* where
people from the Swiss south valleys stored their foodstuff before the
refrigerator was invented)
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| Day
6 |
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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
Constance, the largest city situated at the largest lake in Germany,
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 pretty little town with
terraced streets lined with flowers and half-timbered houses.])
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| Day
7 |
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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 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. 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'. Stay a night in a quaint village.
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| Day
8 |
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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. Next, take dips in various outdoor & indoor
mountain mineral spring thermal pools (optional) or take a stroll in a
quaint village in the Lower Engadin Valley to see typical Engadiner
sgraffito-painted houses with huge doors and sunken in funnel-like
windows decorated with flowers. Stay a night in the quaint village.
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| Day
9 |
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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
10 |
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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 woods beside the BBQ ground.
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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) or history,
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 winter & summer sports resort where ex-British Prime
Minister, 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
13 |
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On this
Swiss National Day, we visit
an alp, to take what we call a 1st August Brunch, cooked or prepared by
the local farmers and their wives. (An alp is a place higher up in the
mountains where the cows go to for their "summer holidays".) Next,
visit a glacier and see ice that has not melted since the ice age which
ended about 10,000 years ago.
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If this tour does not fall on the Swiss National Day (1 Aug) when the
1st August Farmers' Brunch would take place, then we do 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. This optional tour is weather permitting. This optional tour is
weather permitting.
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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 Switzerland 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 the above itinerary to an
all-Switzerland holiday. Please write to us at tours
@ tour168.ch.
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.
- 12 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 Discovery | 7
Days Swiss Hiking |
10 Days Scenic Switzerland | 10
Days Swiss Graubünden Special | 10
Days Swiss Mountain Explorer
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