2015 Tour Itinerary
Sept. 11 - 23
Friday: September 11 USA - MUNICH
Depart USA for the Franz Josef Strauss International Airport in Munich, Germany, our tour starting point, where we will all meet for the first time as a group. Some tour participants may depart for Munich at an earlier date, but we will still all meet as a group at the airport.
Saturday: September 12 MUNICH – ROTHENBURG
Upon arrival at the Munich Airport, you will be met by Wayne Barton and your Swiss Tour Guide for the next 12 Days. On board our private deluxe motor coach, we will travel along the romantic road to Rothenburg with its cobblestone streets and houses dating back to the 16th century. After check-in at the hotel, the afternoon is free to sleep off your jetlag or exploring this charming medieval town. In the evening we will all meet for our first dinner and overnight at the Hotel Eisenhut.
Sunday: September 13 ROTHENBURG
No need to pack your bags this day. This morning we will meet our local guide and explore this walled city with its fortifications, gateways, towers and storied history. Included is a visit to St. James Church which contains the world famous alter carved by the renowned late gothic master Tilman Riemenschneider. In the afternoon we will have a short drive through the countryside and quaint villages to Criglingen for a visit to Herrgottskirche which contains another of the famous remaining high alters carved by Tilman Riemenschneider. If you have already conquered your jetlag, you should have enough time to stroll through the shops before our joint dinner. Not to be missed is the famous night watchman’s tour in the evening. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Eisenhut.
Monday: September 14 ROTHENBURG – APPENZELL
We will begin our day by traveling the romantic road to Switzerland, passing through little medieval towns such as Dinkelsbuehl and Noerdlingen, surrounded by ancient walls and towers. We will make a short stop at the Neresheim Monastery to enjoy its magnificent baroque cathedral. The rest of the day’s journey will take us through the festival city of Bregenz in Austria and on to our destination for our overnight in Appenzell, Switzerland. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Hecht.
Tuesday: September 15 APPENZELL
No need to pack your bags. Today we will visit the culturally rich city of St. Gallen with a local guide for a leisurely walking tour which will include a visit to the world renowned Benedictine Library with its literary treasures and hand-written documents dating from the 4th century. In the afternoon we will make a short trip to Flawil for a tour of the Maestrani chocolate factory to discover how Swiss chocolate is made. There will be time for shopping afterwards. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Hecht.
Wednesday: September 16 APPENZELL – MURTEN
Today after breakfast we will travel to Werdenberg, the smallest town in Switzerland. So close to Lichtenstein, we will make a short detour there to view the prince’s castle above the capitol Vaduz before going on to Zurich, Switzerland’s largest city. A tour with our coach is the best way to view this bustling metropolis mixing the old and the new. There will be time for lunch here and shopping. Enjoy strolling along one of the world’s most famous and exclusive streets for shoppers, the Bahnhofstrasse. Our journey continues to the charming walled medieval town of Murten in Canton Fribourg for our dinner and overnight at the Hotel Schiff am See.
Thursday: September 17 MURTEN
This will be another day of not having to pack our bags. After breakfast we will enjoy a short, leisurely ride to Bern, the capital city of Switzerland for a guided city tour which will include the famous clock tower, the gothic cathedral begun in 1421, embassies and the parliament buildings. There will be plenty of time to shop under more than four miles of arcades at your own pace. You may want to explore more of the town of Murten upon our return for dinner and overnight at the Hotel Schiff am See.
Friday: September 18 MURTEN - MONTREUX
Time to brush up on your French. Our first destination today is just down the road for a visit to Avenches, once the Roman capitol of Switzerland. We will have a guided tour of the main Roman sights still existing and excavations dating back two thousand years. Traveling on through the lovely French Swiss countryside, we will enjoy a special traditional Swiss meal for lunch within the fortified walls in the ancient town of Gruyere, famous for its cheese. Our final destination will be along Lake Geneva in the town of Montreux, known as the Swiss Riviera. Dinner and overnight at the Eurotel Riviera.
Saturday: September 19 MONTREUX - INTERLAKEN
From our hotel you’ll be able to see our morning visit to the famed medieval fortress, the Chateau de Chillon immortalized by Lord Byron. This architectural jewel has over a thousand years of history inspiring artists and writers for centuries. Leaving the shores of Lake Geneva, we will travel on through beautiful, breathtaking vistas of mountains and Alps to Gstaad, a major ski resort and popular destination for the international jet set. Here we’ll have lunch and free time. Continuing on we will travel through the scenic Simme Valley to our final destination of Interlaken. Dinner and overnight at the Eurotel Riviera.
Sunday: September 20 INTERLAKEN
After a hearty breakfast this morning we will enjoy a guided tour in the delightful and most interesting open air museum of Ballenberg. Over 100 original buildings of architectural significance have been moved here from all over Switzerland. In addition, there are demonstrations of traditional rural crafts, techniques and cheese making. We’ll have lunch here and free time to explore on your own. This evening we will have a fun dinner with Swiss music and entertainment. Overnight at the Hotel Interlaken.
Monday: September 21 INTERLAKEN – STEIN AM RHEIN
Our adventure continues this morning as we travel to Brienz, the woodcarving center of Switzerland where we will enjoy a guided tour through the woodcarving studio and shop of Huggler-Wyss and the carving museum of this town nestled on the shore of Lake Brienz. It’s only a short ride further to the bustling city of Luzern where we will have time for lunch and shopping. We will continue on to the quaint little town of Stein am Rhein with its charming, frescoed buildings on the Rhein River. Dinner and overnight at the Hotel Cholosterhof.
Tuesday: September 22 STEIN AM RHEIN
This morning we will have a short drive to the quiet little village of Ittingen for a visit of the Carthusian Monastery founded in 1152 as a Benedictine Abbey. We’ll have a glimpse into time of the life of the monks who lived here centuries ago among woodcarving treasures. As we return to Stein am Rhein, we will have a visit to the spectacular Rheinfall. There will be free time for shopping and strolling through town and along the Rhein River upon our return to Stein am Rhein before we have a wonderful overnight and farewell dinner at the exclusive Hotel Closterhof.
Wednesday: September 23 STEIN AM RHEIN – ZURICH AIRPORT
It is time for the last trip on our motor coach to Zurich Airport in time for your flight home to the United States. There you will have time for duty-free shopping and one more opportunity to enjoy your Swiss experience.
TOTAL PRICE
All inclusive land arrangement …$3947.00
Single supplement……………….. $450.00
*Destinations and accommodations may be changed without notice.