Switzerland, the Matterhorn and the Glacier Express

8 days - Escorted Tours

Spectacular mountain scenery, awe-inspiring views of glaciers and summits, gentle valley slopes, and lush meadows - this is Switzerland at its most wonderful. Switzerland is renowned for its cleanliness, efficiency, and friendly people, along with its stunning Alpine landscapes. This tour also explores Italy, visiting Lake Maggiore and the charming resort of Stresa, where you can follow in the footsteps of 19th-century aristocracy. Our train tour offers a perfect balance of organised visits with knowledgeable guides and free time to explore. Experience the iconic Matterhorn, either from a café in Zermatt or via the cog railway to Gornergrat. The Centovalli Railway takes you through picturesque valleys, while a private launch cruise on Lake Maggiore offers unforgettable views. The Glacier Express whisks you 120 kilometers through breathtaking mountain scenery. Plus, you can enjoy leisurely walks along lakeside paths or relax in the famous ski resort of Klosters.

Highlights

Visit Zermatt and the iconic Matterhorn, probably the world’s most instantly recognisable peak.
Travel on the Glacier Express, twisting its way through breathtaking alpine scenery and one of the world’s greatest rail experiences with a train ticket included.
Enjoy an included trip on the Bernina Express, another world-class railway journey.
Visit Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva, known as the ‘Swiss Riviera’, and Italy's fabulous Lake Maggiore and the delightful town of Stresa.
Enjoy an included visit and guided tour of Isola Bella on Lake Maggiore.

Inclusions

The price of this multi center European holiday is per person based on two people sharing a twin room. Single rooms are subject to availability at the relevant supplement. The price includes:
Return scheduled flights
Seven nights in three-star and four-star accommodation
Daily breakfast and five dinners (including one at a local restaurant)
Return transfers
All touring as mentioned
All airport and local accommodation taxes
The services of a Riviera Travel tour manager
Included excursions are train journey from Tasch to Zermatt, standard class journeys on the Glacier Express and Bernina Express, Borromean Island boat cruise with guided tour of Isola Bella and visits to Montreux, Zermatt, Locarno, Lake Maggiore and Stresa.
Please note that in Switzerland twin beds are often one bed base with two mattresses and individual bed linen.

1

Arrival in Brig - This evening enjoy dinner at the hotel on arrival.

2

Zermatt & The Matterhorn - Our first day trip takes us up the Mattertal Valley. Climbing upwards, the scenery becomes ever more spectacular. Lush meadows covered with wild flowers and studded with tiny shepherds’ shelters give way to dense forests, crowned by snow-capped mountains that glisten in the sun. As the road traverses towering viaducts and jaw-dropping precipices we admire the finesse of Swiss engineering. We pass countless torrential mountain streams and tumbling waterfalls before arriving at legendary Zermatt, nestling at the foot of the mighty and instantly recognisable Matterhorn. Zermatt is a car-free jumble of typical Swiss chalets, hotels and ancient wooden farm huts strewn along the valley floor. Dramatic cable cars and soaring footpaths weave ever upwards to the majestic amphitheatre of the surrounding lofty summits. The Matterhorn is the ultimate Alpine peak. Yet it’s remarkably shy until you reach the end of the village, turn a corner, and the Swiss national symbol is revealed in all its unrivalled glory. This is truly one of life’s ‘wow’ moments. Should you wish to gain an even better view, there is the possibility to take the cog railway up 10,000 feet to Gornergrat, this can be arranged locally with your Tour Manager for an additional cost. An absolutely awe-inspiring mountain wonderland of glaciers and summits awaits you. If you prefer, you can relax in one of the many delightful cafés.

3

Lake Maggiore - This morning we travel over the Simplon Pass, to the warm sunshine of Italy, the peaceful shores of Lake Maggiore and its most attractive town, Stresa, which owes its origin to the days of the ‘Grand Tour’ when Europe’s 19th Century aristocracy crossed the border from Switzerland and experienced their first taste of Italy! Unmistakably Mediterranean in character, its shores, lined with oleanders and palms, backed by classic belle époque hotels create an ambience of classic gentility. Arriving in Stresa you will have some free time to wander around the cobbled streets, you’ll find them lined by a wealth of thriving traditional shops, bakers and butchers displaying a mouth watering variety of cakes, salamis, hams and a host of other delicacies. The Italians do this so well - and they make ideal ‘goodies’ to take back to friends at home. Relax in one of the many cafes in the main square and partake in the Italian pastime of people watching, whilst enjoying a real Italian coffee. Literacy enthusiasts can relax at the bar of the Grand Hotel, featured in Hemingway’s ‘A Farewell to Arms’ also frequented by George Bernard Shaw and Charlie Chaplin amongst others. Later we cruise across central Lake Maggiore to take in one of the real gems of northern Italy – the Borromean Islands. Pride of place goes to the amazing Baroque palazzo on Isola Bella and you’ll tour the fascinating and elaborate interior in the company of a knowledgeable expert. The resplendent rooms feature refined furniture, sculptures and paintings, with intricate parquet flooring and elegant pastel-covered plasterwork. Even more impressive are the exquisite grounds featuring overlapping terraces imaginatively planted with orange and lemon trees, magnolias and a host of other fragrant and colourful shrubs and plants. This evening, we have included dinner at a local restaurant so enjoy the local cuisine surrounded by new friends.

4

Montreux - Today we travel to Montreux on the sunny shores of Lake Geneva where you have a full day at leisure to choose what you’d like to do best. You could take a civilised cruise with lunch on board one of the many beautiful belle époque style paddle-steamers plying the lake. Or you could take the spectacular cog-wheel railway to the peak of Rochers de Naye that dominates the lake. Back down by the lakeshore, the famous 13th century Chateau de Chillon stands guard over the Rhône Valley just outside the town. It’s Switzerland’s most visited historical building, and the very essence of the romantic medieval fortress. Or perhaps you’d prefer to simply stroll along the charming lakeshore promenade, admiring the surrounding vine-clad terraces and the view of France’s snow-capped mountains of the Haute- Savoie on the opposite bank. For those who prefer to stay closer to Brig and like to walk in the fresh mountain air, there are some easy footpaths close by, just a couple of stops down the railway. From here a spectacular cable-car and gondola ride whisks you up to 8,684 feet to the Bettmerhorn from where you can enjoy an amazing panoramic view over the Aletsch glacier, Europe’s longest and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Please note for your comfort that this day may operate in reverse. Signature Experience (2025 only) - Today we drive through the Mont Blanc range, winding down the many hairpins to the fledgling River Rhone, before crossing into Switzerland to Chateau Chillon on Lake Geneva – inspiration for Byron’s “Prisoner of Chillon”. Almost perfectly preserved, this medieval castle is Switzerland’s most visited monument with a host of original features, including coats of arms, iron fireplaces and much of the original wooden structure and interior decoration. This being Switzerland, the castle’s medieval clock still works! Signature Experience (2025 only) - No visit to Switzerland is complete without sampling a fondue, a sumptuous dish with humble beginnings which date back to the 18th century. During the harsh winter months when fresh food was not available, Alpine farmers would combine leftover cheese and wine to make the dish that is so well known today. Experience all the flavours and tradition at a private fondue evening in a hand-picked local restaurant.

5

The Glacier Express - Today we take the legendary ‘Glacier Express’ – one of the most spectacular railway journeys in the world and which for many will be the highlight of the holiday. It’s an absolute joy to travel on this specially designed train with its large panoramic windows, and to experience its several changes of locomotive that are needed to cope with the varied gradients. The four hour journey, travelling just 120 kilometres, winds and twists its way through ever more stunning scenery. We pass mountain ranges cascading waterfalls, forest-covered hillsides and ravines with torrential rivers. The railway seems to float over high viaducts and punch its way through mountain tunnels. The highest point on your journey is the Oberalp Pass at 6,700 feet, where you’re well above the tree-line. Snow can remain here well into June. Another highlight is the Upper Rhine Gorge, sometimes called the ‘Swiss Grand Canyon’, totally inaccessible until the railway was opened in 1903. After a relaxing journey, we arrive in Chur. From here, winding ever-upwards, our coach takes us up to charming Klosters, renowned as the Royal Family’s favourite ski resort. The village is a wonderfully appealing huddle of typical dark-wood chalets, surrounded by invigorating alpine peaks creating a charming and cosy atmosphere in which to immerse yourself. Our hotel for the next three nights with dinner is the four-star Silvretta Parkhotel, located in the village centre. It has a large indoor pool with whirlpool and fitness area, the Panorama restaurant where we take dinner, a lounge bar and spacious, well-appointed rooms.

6

Klosters - While in Klosters you have free/discounted access via the nearby cable cars and chair lifts to the surrounding peaks. You’ll enjoy a wonderland of stunning Alpine views linked by spectacular walks. The homely chalet-restaurants serve local specialities on their sunlit terraces.

7

The Bernina Express - Today, we enjoy a contrasting day of spectacular scenery and extraordinary Swiss engineering, taking the famous Bernina Express to Tirano just over the Italian border. This remarkable train twists upwards in an amazing sequence of spirals, loops, 55 tunnels and 196 bridges past the chic resort of St Moritz to the summit at Ospizio Bernina and at 7,400 feet, Europe’s highest through station. Here we’re surrounded by stunning vistas over the snow-clad peaks and ice-cold glacial lakes that strikingly mark the watershed between the Mediterranean and Black Sea river systems. The views will take your breath away. Next we wind our way down through pretty pastures and dense pine forests to Tirano. You have some free time here before we board our coach returning to Klosters via the stunning Upper Engadine Valley over the Fluela Pass (normally open late May to mid October). The Bernina Express railway and its surrounding countryside was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008. No surprise then that it’s acknowledged as one of the most scenic rail journeys in the world. Signature experience (2025 only) - From Tirano settle into your upgraded first-class seat in a spacious carriage, sit back and soak up the dazzling mountain views as you ride the legendary Bernina Express in style and comfort. This world-famous journey will be something special as you recline in luxury in extra spacious leather seats to stretch out and relax whilst admiring the stunning landscapes through the train’s panoramic windows – and free WiFi so you can share the views with your loved ones back home.