SWITZERLAND 2010
STEP INSIDE SWITZERLAND 2010
"The Best of Alpine Europe"
September 7 - 15, 2010
- Kandersteg, Switzerland Walk
$1,799 per person (twin) for land package
Single room supplement $275
We will assist you in finding a fare sale roundtrip Atlanta - Zurich.
Alpine pastures, fairytale villages, snow-capped peaks, savory cheeses, & sinful chocolate…Jawohl, das must be Switzerland! So, get out your walking shoes & practice your yodeling. We’re heading for Switzerland, home to Heidi, alphorns, & the world’s oldest democracy. Join Ann & Wendy, Certified Switzerland Specialists, on our wonderful small group getaway to Europe’s most enchanting alpine nation. It’s packed with folk traditions, friendly locals, heart-stopping train rides, free time to explore, tasty Swiss cuisine, & pristine mountain air.
On this relaxing & flexible adventure by train, steamer, & postal bus, we spend three nights in French-speaking Switzerland, right in the heart of alpine cheese country. Then, we relax for four nights in a stunning village in the Bernese Alps. Breakfast & dinner in our cozy three-star hotels & take day trips from our two home base villages to the corners of Switzerland few tourists see. Our daily excursions, using our group Swiss Rail Passes, highlight village life, rural handicrafts, great insider discoveries, & the picture-perfect Alps. Discover a special slice of old-world Europe. Sign up now for our “Step Inside Switzerland” getaway & enjoy the best of alpine Europe! Space is limited to just twelve travelers. Our unique Swiss trip includes:
* 7 Nights’ lodging in family-run Swiss alpine village hotel (with private facilities
* 7 Full breakfasts (B), 1 welcome dinner, & 4 additional dinners (D)
* Hosted daily excursions by scenic train, postal bus, & boat
* Swiss Rail 2nd class train pass valid for 8 days of unlimited travel
* Entrance fees to selected museums & sights – including 13th century Gruyères Castle, Folk Art/Traditions Museum, & Cheese Dairy
* Steamer boat ride on gorgeous lake from old woodcarvers’ village
* Tour of top Swiss chocolate factory with taste-testing & samples
* Sightseeing in Italian Switzerland with visit to 16th century monastery
* Village folk festival & walking tour of UNESCO World Heritage capital Bern
* Wine-tasting, with optional easy stroll through mountain valley, & more!
**Contact us for details on recommended Travelex travel insurance & optional airfare.
Daily Itinerary( may change due to weather for best scenery viewing)
Day 1 U.S.A. - Zurich Depart on your overnight transatlantic flight to Zurich. (D)
Day 2 Zurich – Château d’Oex Welcome to Switzerland! Meet Ann in KlotenAirport rail station. Then hop the train to French-speaking canton Vaud for a beautiful ride to the heart of the alpine cheese & wine region. Settle into our village hotel, our snug “home base” for the next three nights. Breathe in the clean mountain air, rest up from jet lag, or wander through the peaceful town. Later enjoy our welcome dinner.It’s early to bed tonight with dreams of edelweiss & splendid alpine scenery. (B/D)
Day 3 Château d’Oex - Gruyères After a relaxing breakfast, we travel by rail to one of Switzerland’s most photogenic villages, charming Gruyères. With its fairytale 13th century castle, Gruyères is a tiny
“one-street” village perfect for strolling. Later we head to Pringy visit to visit the world-famous cheese dairy, nestled in nearby mountain pastures. Back to Château d’Oexfor dinner on our own. (B)
Day 4 Château d’Oex – Fribourg Discover a cultural treasure trove from 1157, when a duke founded the lovely town of Fribourg on the River Sarine, linking French-speaking Switzerland with its German-speaking neighbors. From the gothic jewel St. Nicolas Cathedral to colorful old-town markets & ancient bridges, evocative “off-the-beaten tourist path” Fribourg is full of surprises. (B)
Day 5 Château d’Oex – Kandersteg Today one of the top rail rides on earth awaits us as our train chugs its way round jaw-dropping bends past flower-bedecked weathered chalets & lakeside vineyards. Passing stunning crannies & valleys, we gaze at magical scenery & wonder what it would be like to live in these gorgeous hideaways. Kandersteg, enchanting Bernese Oberland alpine village, is our home for four nights. Take in the breath-taking mountain scenery & traditional wooden houses. Our first Kandersteg dinner is tonight. Tomorrow we’re in for a real Swiss treat! J (B/D)
Day 6 Kandersteg – Lauterbrunnen - Brienz - Interlaken Today we catch the train to Lauterbrunnen, home of the famous Staubbach Waterfalls & Europe’s most dramatic valleys. Then proceed by rail to idyllic Brienz, a peaceful woodcarvers’ hamlet overlooking a crystal blue lake. Board a lake steamer for a spectacular boat ride to Interlaken, a stone’s throw from the 13,650 feet Jungfrau, world-reknown dramatic alpine peak. Enjoy time at leisure to shop or stroll through lively Interlaken. Return by train to tranquil Kandersteg. (B/D)
Day7 Kandersteg - Locarno Join Ann on a “HundredValleys” train trip to Italian Switzerland, a ride dipping into Italy & back into Switzerland. Past deep gorges, chestnut groves, streams, & hillside farms that are nearly vertical, we reach Locarno, snuggled along Lake Maggiore. Visit a 16th century pilgrimage church & monastery perched on a hill with glorious lake & mountain views. Supper at hotel. (B/D)
Day 8 Kandersteg - Courtelary - Bern Our insider’s encounter with the world of Swiss chocolate takes us to a modern factory in French-speaking Switzerland. After a special 90-minute tour, we savor samples of the exquisite Swiss treat known the world over. Next we go to Bern, romantic Swiss capital city & UNESCO World Heritage site. See the AareRiver with Ann’s Swiss “mother” Ruth as our guide & amble through the arcaded medieval center for a glimpse at the city’s cathedrals, “Clock Tower,” & colorful fountains. The “Bärengraben,” are the bear pits housing the playful animals for which Bern is named. Then we train it back to Kandersteg for a farewell dinner, (B/D)
Day 9 Kandersteg – ZurichAirport – U.S.A. It’s “widerluege” to Kandersteg & the Bernese Oberland as we head by train to Zurich for our flights home with memories of a lifetime. (B)
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