Into the alps

Day 1  Overnight flight

Day 2  Munich

Day 3  Munich – Neuschwanstein Castle – Munich  

Enjoy the scenery while travelling to Hohenschwangau where you will visit Neuschwanstein Castle. The Fairy Tale Castle on which Walt Disney based the Castle of the Sleeping Beauty was built by King Ludwig II in 1868, who lived here only for 170 days, as he was dethroned in 1886. In the Castle you will see the influence of the operas of the composer Richard Wagner, which inspired the King.  You will see the distinctive rooms, the rich decorated sitting room, the minstrel’s room and many more. Travel back to Munich, where you will arrive mid-afternoon. Time at leisure to explore this interesting city on your own. Munich is the capital of beer. Interested in the story of beer? Visiting the Bier- und Oktoberfest museum is a must. This evening you will have dinner together at the famous Hofbräuhaus.
Overnight in Munich.

Day 4 Munich – Tratzberg Castle – Swarovski Crystal World – Innsbruck   

Today you will travel from Munich to Innsbruck. Your first stop along the route is Tratzberg Castle. Perched on a hilltop between Jenbach and Schwaz high above the Inntal Valley, this beautifully decorated castle was first mentioned in a historical document in the 13th century. Take the Tratzberg Express up to the castle. A guide of the castle will show you around  the Gothic Fugger Parlour, the King’s Room and the impressive arcaded courtyard. Travel onwards to Wattens for a visit to the Swarovski Crystal World. Visit the exposition, the installations, sculptures and paintings by renowned artists such as Brian Eno, Jim Whiting, Keith Haring and Salvador Dalí. You will be led through a sparkling labyrinth where dream and reality seem to merge. At the end there is time to buy a nice souvenir in the shop. The trip continues to Innsbruck, where you will arrive in the late afternoon.
Overnight in Innsbruck.

Day 5  Innsbruck

This morning, enjoy a guided walking tour of Innsbruck, also known as the ‘Jewel of Tyrol’. Stroll through the alleys of the old town where your local guide will show you hidden courtyards and architectural details. You will see the Imperial Palace and ‘das Goldenes Dachl’ a roof of gilded copper shingles, once built in as a royal balcony. The afternoon is at leisure. For example, you can go shopping for the famous crystal of Innsbruck or take the cable car up to Nordketten mountain. This mountain is part of Austria’s largest nature park, the Karwendel Nature Park. The breathtaking 360° view leaves a lasting memory.
Overnight in Innsbruck.

Day 6  Innsbruck – Brenner Pass – Lake Braies – Bolzano – Trento

This morning you will depart the Tyrolean Alps and travel cross the imposing Brenner Pass into the Dolomites also known as the Italian Rocky Mountains. Your first stop will be Lago di Braies also known as Pragser Wildsee. The lake is a magical place of outstanding beauty situated in the UNESCO nature heritage listed Prags Dolomites. You will have time to walk around the lake, take stunning pictures and to have lunch. Afterwards travel to Bolzano (Bozen), a particularly beautiful city with German, Italian and Austrian influences. Leisurely time to explore the bustling Waltherplatz, the Gothic church of Our Lady of the Assumption and the Via Portici (Laubengasse) with its traditional shops. Continue your way to Trente (Trento). Enjoy a free evening in this charming town with its Duomo, Piazza, Neptune Fountain and Buonconsiglio Castle. Overnight in Trente.

Day 7  Trento – Lago di Garda – Lago di Como – Como  

Enjoy a relaxing start in Trente. Leave the mountains behind and depart for the famed Italian Lakes. You will first visit the charming village of Sirmione on Lake Garda, which is the largest Lake of Italy. A local guide will take you on a walking tour to see some historical monuments like the Scaliger Castle and Grotto di Catullo. Scaliger Castle is built in the 13^th century to defend Sirmione against intruders it guards the only footbridge into town. Grotto di Catullo, now ruins of a Roman villa built at the beginning of our era and situated on the north end of the Sirmione peninsula. Afterwards enjoy some time at leisure for sightseeing and shopping. Travel onwards to Lake Como, nestled at the foot of the Alps, Lake Como provides one of the most picturesque sceneries in the world. 
Overnight in Como.

Day 8  Lago di Como

Today you will enjoy a roundtrip Lake Como cruise. View the waterfront with palm trees and elegant pastel-colored villas, crowned by snowcapped mountains. Lake Como is the third largest Lake in Italy after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore and a popular retreat for wealthy people since Roman times; several famous people had or have homes on the shores of Lake Como. During the cruise you will disembark in Bellagio, the Pearl of Lake Como. Cruise back to Como where you will arrive in the late afternoon. Remainder of the day at leisure in Como.
Overnight in Como.

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Day 9  Como – Stresa – Täsch – Zermatt

Your journey today goes from Italy to Switzerland via the west banks of Lago Maggiore. In mundane Stresa you will have plenty of time to visit the botanical gardens of Parco Villa Pallavicino. Other suggestions would be; taking the cable car up to Mount Mottarone for a panoramic view over the Po Valley and the Alps or make a boat trip to the enchanting Boromean Island, Isola Bella. You will travel onwards, along National Park Val Grande, cross the elevated Simplon Pass and through a stunning environment with majestic mountains to Täsch. You will travel from Täsch up to Zermatt by shuttle train. Due to closure to traffic, Zermatt is the domain of horse-drawn carriages. Almost from every spot in Zermatt you will have a splendid view of the Matterhorn, rising majestically into the sky.
Overnight in Zermatt.

Day 10 Zermatt – Gornergrat – Zermatt

Leisurely morning in Zermatt. Stroll through the old village, past the many ancient buildings which show the traditional building style of the original Walser residents. The barns and grain stores, up to 500 years old, are a piece of living history and reveal how the mountain farmers of Zermatt once lived. In the afternoon you will take the cog railway, the Gornergrat Bahn from Zermatt station (1.620 metres) to the summit of the Gornergrat (3.089 meters). The panorama from the summit of the Gornergrat is amongst the finest in the world. The views take in the Monte Rosa massif, the Gorner Glacier and the Matterhorn in all its glory. Travel back to Zermatt, remainder of the day at leisure.
Overnight in Zermatt.

Day 11 Zermatt – Täsch – Veytaux – Broc – Spiez

This morning you will travel from Zermatt to Lake Geneva. You will make a stop in Veytaux where you can marvel the romantic Chillon Castle which is built in Lake Geneva. The water castle was for nearly four centuries the residence and profitable toll station of the Counts of Savoy. You will have a typical Swiss lunch in a local restaurant before you continue to Broc, the village famous for its chocolate. Discover the process of chocolate manufacturing and the odors that come from it in the famous Maison Cailler Nestlé chocolate factory in Broc. During an interactive tour, you will discover the secrets of chocolate manufacturing. The visit ends with tastings of Cailler’s main products and you will have the possibility of taking the delicious products with you from the factory shop. Afterwards you will travel to Spiez, where you will stay the coming two nights.
Overnight in Spiez.

Day 12 Spiez – Jungfrau Railway – Spiez

Today you will make a trip with the Jungfrau Railway; an unforgettable trip to the high-Alpine wonderland of eternal ice and snow is a true ‘highlight’ of your visit to Switzerland! At an amazing 3454 meters, Jungfrau is Europe’s highest-altitude railway station. This unique round trip by modern cogwheel train starts at Kleine Scheidegg at the foot of the notorious Eiger North Wall. From here the Jungfrau Railway climbs to the station at Eigergletscher. The trip continues through the Eiger tunnel to the stations at Eigerwand and Eismeer. Enjoy spectacular sightseeing through large observation windows hewn in solid Alpine rock. And then the arrival on the Jungfraujoch, in the heart of a glorious glacier world; the very roof of Europe! Superb views extend as far as the Vosges Mountains in France and the Black Forest in Germany. In Jungfrau you will have free time and lunch on your own. The train will take you back to Lauterbrunnen where your coach driver will be waiting to take you back to Spiez. Overnight in Spiez.

Day 13 Spiez – Trümmelbach waterfall – Brienz – Lucerne

This morning you will leave Lake Thun, your first stop will be at the Trümmelbach Falls. These glacial waterfalls drain the melting water from the Eiger, Jungfrau and Monch, with up to 20,000 liters per second rushing through the caverns. On your way to Lucerne, you will stop in Brienz, located at the eastern end of turquoise-coloured Lake Brienz. Probably the most romantic part of Brienz is the Brunngasse which is awarded ‘the most beautiful street in Europe’. Brienz has a long tradition in wood processing. To this day the city houses a school for carving and violin-making. Upon arrival in Lucerne, enjoy a guided walking tour of the city on the magnificent Vierwaldstättersee. Your walk starts at the famous Lions Monument. Walk through the old town and cross the so well-known covered Chapel Bridge (Kappelbrücke) spanning river Reuss. From here you  can see the Jesuit Church, one of the oldest and most beautiful Baroque buildings in Lucerne. Tonight you will enjoy a Folklore farewell dinner together. Overnight in Lucerne. 

Day 14 Departure

After breakfast departure to Zurich Airport for you flight back home.