2027047 Alpine Swiss Villages & Rails

Day 1

OVERNIGHT FLIGHT
Today board your overnight flight to Europe.

Day 2

ARRIVE IN ZURICH, SWITZERLAND ..LUCERNE
Upon arrival in Zurich, Switzerland meet your Premier World Discovery Tour Director. Travel to Lucerne, situated in the geographical heart of Switzerland and poetically described by Alexandre Dumas as "a pearl in the world’s most beautiful oyster". This evening enjoy a Welcome Dinner.

Day 3

LUCERNE .. WENGEN
Today enjoy a Lucerne Walking Tour featuring the famous Lion’s Monument, the historic wooden Chapel Bridge and a walk along shores of beautiful Lake Lucerne. Later travel up into the massive Swiss Alps and arrive in Lauterbrunnen with its towering cliffs. Say good-bye to the motorcoach for a few days as you begin using your included Berner Oberland Regional Rail Pass which gives access to rail, cable car, bus and boat. Travel by Cog Railway up to the enchanting alpine village of Wengen, your home for the next 5-nights. Wengen is a picturesque small village in the Jungfrau region and could represent the Swiss Alps on postcard as it features no cars, mountains all around, green meadows and forests surrounding the village.

Day 4

LAUTERBRUNNEN VALLEY..
GIMMELWALD .. MURREN .. ALLMENDHUBEL
This morning board the Cog Railway for anexcursion to the glacier-carved Lauterbrunnen Valley and take a cable car up to Gimmelwald, a small traffic free village in the Bernese Oberland. Then continue to Murren to enjoy sometime at leisure in this car-free village noted for hiking paths surrounded by bellringing cows, waterfalls and wildfl owers.Ride the funicular up to Allmendhubel (altitude 6,200 ft.) for the view, or take the Schilthorn Cable Car up to the summit Piz Gloria (altitude 9,700 ft.). The panoramic revolving restaurant at the summit was featured in the 1969 James Bond movie On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
Later return to Wengen where dinner is included this evening with your fellow travelers.

Day 5

JUNGFRAU OPTIONAL .. GRINDELWALD
This morning is at leisure to relax or maybe join the half day Optional Jungfraujoch Mountain Rail Excursion, referred to as the Top of Europe, a place where the highest railway station in Europe is located (11,300 ft.). This afternoon travel via Cog Railway to enjoy the included visit to the resort village of Grindelwald to
explore, shop and maybe visit a local cafe. You may choose to continue on to "Summit in First" via the Grindelwald-Männlichen Gondola Cableway, Europe’s longest cable car to an altitude of 7,600 ft. Later return to Wengen for an evening at your own pace.

Day 6

ROSENLAUI .. AARE RIVER GORGE ..MEIRINGEN
Today travel by Cog Train along the sheer walls of the Swiss Alps back to nearby Grindelwald. Then board a famed yellow Postbus and travel through the most remote portions of Switzerland for explora.. on of the Rosenlaui Glacier Gorge which features waterfalls, natural whirlpools and fantastic rock formations. Later descend out of the mountains to the amazing 600 ft. deep Aare River Gorge, carved over thousands of years by the Aare River. Travel through the village of Meiringen known for being the home of the tasty Meringue and the site of Sherlock Holmes’ final case. This afternoon ride the panoramic Express Train along
Lake Brienz to Interlaken, then the Cog Train up to your hotel in Wengen. This evening enjoy dinner with your fellow travelers.

Day 7

DAY AT LEISURE .. ZERMATT OPTIONAL
Today, enjoy free time in Wengen to shop, hike and explore with your travel pass. Maybe join the optional day trip to the famous car-free ski resort village of Zermatt situated at the foot of the majestic Matterhorn, one of the world’s most famous mountain peaks. In Zermatt, enjoy a brief orientation walk of the village before having time to explore, hike, shop and dine on your own. Perhaps peruse the luxury boutiques and shops or enjoy a meal in a ski lodge. If you choose, and the weather is good, ride the cogwheel train up to the Gornergrat Summit (altitude 10,134’) for stunning views of the Matterhorn and incredible views of 29 of the highest peaks in Europe. After an amazing day in one of the world’s most famous ski villages head back to Wengen and enjoy the evening at leisure.

Day 8

WENGEN .. BERN .. ZURICH
This morning descend on the now familiar Cog Railway and board your motorcoach for the first time in days. Travel to Bern, the beautiful capital city of Switzerland featuring cobblestone streets under medieval arches making it one of Europe’s most picturesque cities & registered as a UNESCO historic site.
See the Rose Garden, one of the most beautiful parks in Bern off ering an unrivaled view over the rooftops of the historic Old Town. Also see the impressive Zytglogge (Glockenspiel), a landmark medieval tower built in the early 13th century, it has served the city as guard tower, prison, and clock tower. Continue to
Zurich and visit the Old Town and the upscale shopping district, the Bahnhofstrasse. Later, check in to your hotel for your final night. This evening join your fellow travelers for a Farewell Dinner.

Day 9

ZURICH .. HOME
Transfer to the Zurich Airport for your flight home filled with wonderful memories of your Alpine Swiss Villages & Rails Tour.

B=Breakfast, D=Dinner