Switzerland Lakes & Mountains Lake Lucerne, Lake Geneva, Montreux, Lausanne, Glacier Express. Saturday 7th to Saturday 14th August 2021 DIRECT from the Channel Islands 8 day / 7 night, fully escorted tour £2078pp based on 2 sharing Single supplement £500 Day 1: DIRECT from Jersey via Guernsey (same plane connection) to Zurich and onto Lucerne Jersey clients will be met in departures at Jersey Airport by their Bontour Tour Manager who will escort the tour throughout. (Departure to Zurich via Guernsey 09:50 – 13:55. You will remain on the plane in Guernsey for approx. 20 minutes). Guernsey clients will board the flight direct at Guernsey Airport at 10:35 joining the rest of the group on-board for arrival into Zurich at 13:55 with Blue Islands. From Zurich we will be collected by coach to begin our journey through some of Europe’s most beautiful scenery. A comfortable drive of around an hour will see us arrive in the picturesque and tranquil lakeside holiday resort of Lucerne in time to check into the 3* Waldstätter Hotel and unpack before enjoying a welcome dinner together. 01534 496687 | bontour.co.uk Version 1: 12th October 2020 Day 2: Mount Rigi, Queen of the Mountains After a hearty buffet breakfast, we will depart the hotel with our Tour Manager and take a relaxing cruise on Lake Lucerne to nearby Vitznau. From here we will board the historic Vitznau-Rigi cogwheel railway, which having opened in 1871 is the oldest in Europe. With cameras at the ready we’ll enjoy a slow and scenic ascent to the peak of Mount Rigi, 1798m above sea level and offering breath-taking 360-degree views across the surrounding lakes of Lucerne, Zug and Lauerz, and the beautiful Swiss countryside beyond. We will enjoy some time to soak in the scenery and perhaps enjoy a hot drink or bite to eat in the mountain top restaurant before we return to the railway and begin our descent towards Arth-Goldau. Collected by private coach from the mountain railway station, we will make the short journey to the village of Einsiedeln and its cheese factory. Here we will be treated to a private guided tour, which of course includes a tasting! Returning to Lucerne by coach at the end of an exciting first day, we will once again take dinner together as a group in the hotel; a chance to get to know each other better and compare notes on a wonderful first day in Switzerland. Day 3: Glacier Express This morning we can enjoy a leisurely breakfast, and perhaps a stroll around delightful Lucerne, before checking out of our hotel and departing by coach for our next adventure. Arriving in the Alpine city of Chur, we will have ample time to have lunch at our leisure in this pretty car-free municipality before joining back together as a group, and along with our Tour Manager boarding the incredible Glacier Express – the slowest express train in the world! After departing Chur we will fall even deeper in love with Switzerland during this slow paced panoramic train ride. The journey to Brig takes a little over 4 hours, during which time we will pass by untouched mountain peaks, delightful valleys, through green meadows dotted with wild flowers, under tunnels and over bridges. On arrival in Brig around 18:45 our private coach will be waiting to whisk us to the 4* Hotel Eden Palace waterside hotel in Montreux, where a late dinner will await us. 01534 496687 | bontour.co.uk Version 1: 12th October 2020 Day 4: Chillon Castle and Lake Geneva After a long day yesterday, today we start off slowly. Breakfast in the hotel is at your leisure and the morning will be spent discovering the traditional resort town of Montreux. Nestled on the banks of Lake Geneva, Montreux is home to the world famous jazz festival each July and has been a magnet for the rich and famous since the 19th century. Each guest will be given a Montreux Riviera Card on arrival at our hotel, which allows free or discounted access to all transport, attractions and museums in the town. This afternoon we will take the short train journey together to Chillon Castle, which like a scene from a fairy-tale juts out into the lake on its own small island. The most visited monument in Switzerland will today boast us as its latest guests, as we take a guided tour of the castle followed by a tasting of the exclusive ‘Clos de Chillon’ wine. Taking the train together back to Montreux, this evening is at leisure to enjoy your choice of Montreux’s many excellent restaurants. Day 5: Cheese and Chocolate! No visit to Switzerland would be complete without trying some of the country’s most famous exports. A light breakfast is suggested today, as this morning we depart the hotel by coach for a drive of around an hour to the medieval town of Gruyères. On arrival we will head directly for Maison du Gruyères, home of the cheese with which it shares a name. Here we will be able to visit the dairy and learn about how the cheese is produced, before we discover the different flavours produced during a guided tasting. With tummies full of cheese we will have some free time in Gruyères itself, where the charming cobblestone streets are lined with traditional Swiss chalets, watched over by the impressive and imposing 13th century castle. In the afternoon we continue by coach to Broc, home of famous chocolate factory Maison Cailler. During our visit we will learn about the art of chocolate production and the history of the oldest chocolate producer in Switzerland. It almost goes without saying that there will be ample opportunity for sampling, and the chance to pick up some gifts for family and friends (or yourself!) On our return to Montreux we will once again enjoy dinner as a group in the hotel. 01534 496687 | bontour.co.uk Version 1: 12th October 2020 Day 6: The Golden Pass Line and Glacier 3000 After a hearty breakfast at our hotel we will make our way to Montreux train station in ample time to board the morning Golden Pass Panoramic Train, which will immerse us in spectacular countryside on route to Gstaad, a journey of approximately 1.5 hours. At the end of our comfortable journey we will have time to wander in the glitzy resort of Gstaad, a long-time favourite haunt of Hollywood stars and traditionally home of some of the most decadent Christmas celebrations on earth at the famous Palace Hotel. After soaking up our fill of glamour in the heart of the village, we will be transferred by coach the short journey to Col du Pillon, where we will embark on a cable-car journey to the summit of Glacier 3000. Straddling the pass road between Gstaad and Les Diablerets, the lofty summit station offers out of this world views of no fewer than 24 snow-capped mountain peaks, including the Eiger, Jungfrau, the Matterhorn and even Mont Blanc. We will have ample time to absorb this spectacular feast for the eyes, and those with a head for heights may consider a stroll across the 107 metre long Peak Walk; the world’s only suspension bridge which connects two mountain peaks. After our visit to what feels like the top of the world, we descend back to Col du Pillon by cable car and transfer by coach back to Montreux. Dinner this evening is again at leisure to enjoy the delights of the resort. Day 7: Lausanne On last full day in Switzerland is certainly not the least. After breakfast we will depart our hotel by coach on a short journey around the lake to the ‘Olympic Capital’ of Lausanne. Caught between Lake Geneva and the rolling vineyard studded hills around it, Lausanne is the 4th largest city in Switzerland and gives Geneva a run for its money when it comes to eclectic vibrancy and sophistication, where original Gothic architecture sits shoulder to shoulder with both chichi designer boutiques and gritty warehouse nightclubs. We will have time to discover the chocolate-box medieval old town or elegant lakeside promenades of Lausanne at our own pace before paying a visit to the famous and fascinating Olympic Museum where a host of interactive displays tell the story of the Olympics from inception to today, alongside a tiered sculpture garden and top floor café with inspiring lake views. On our return to Montreux we will indulge in a farewell dinner together at our hotel. 01534 496687 | bontour.co.uk Version 1: 12th October 2020 Day 8: Return to Jersey (onwards to Guernsey) This morning we wave a fond farewell to Montreux and Switzerland, along with our travel companions, by now surely new friends. Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before being transferred back to the airport by coach. Your direct flight for Jersey departs Zurich Airport at 14.35 arriving at 15.55 with Blue Islands. Passengers travelling onwards to Guernsey will be accompanied to departures by our Tour Manager where they will check in for the 17:30 flight home. Please note: • The currency in Switzerland is the Swiss Franc however many places accept Euros. • Please bring suitable clothing and footwear as the mountain summits may be cold and wet. • We advise you should be able to walk for up to one hour at a leisurely pace to be able to enjoy this tour to the full. There may be some steady inclines / declines. This itinerary is subject to change without prior notice.