Discover Switzerland

Discover spectacular Switzerland, Austria and Bavaria on a tour featuring 4-night stays in two cities.
Hotel Name: Hotel Bern

Your journey begins in Bern, the capital of Switzerland. This UNESCO World Heritage site rests in the Swiss countryside. The cobbled Old Town section is so well preserved that residents who lived here 500 years ago would still find it familiar today. This evening, join your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner featuring local cuisine.
Dinner Included

Visit Area: Bern
Bern, the capital of the Swiss Confederation, has a population of about 660,000 in the metro area. It is located in west central Switzerland, in a bend of the Aare River. Legend says that the city got its name from the first animal the founder, Berchtold V, Duke of Zahringen, saw when he was hunting: a bear. In honor of this legend, bears are kept in an enclosure in the city center. The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with its beautifully preserved medieval buildings, and the major sights are the bear pit, the Cathedral and the Zytglogge (medieval clock tower).

Explore delightful Bern on a panoramic sightseeing tour, led by a local guide, featuring the Bundeshaus (the Swiss Parliament), the famous Bear Pit, the Rose Gardens and the gothic cathedral which dominates Old Town’s skyline. The remainder of the day is yours to explore independently. Perhaps you’ll take a ride in the red carriages of the Gurtenbahn funicular railway, climbing Gurten Mountain to an altitude of 2,574 feet (858 meters) for impressive views of Bern, the surrounding towns and mountains.

Breakfast Included

Admittance: Alphorn Maker

Today, depart Bern and head to the small mountain village outside of Interlaken – Habkern. Boasting classic postcard imagery of Switzerland, enjoy a tour with a local workshop owner learning how the alphorn is made, and even entertain your musical side by playing one. After, explore the world of yodeling through a professional demonstration. Perhaps you’re a natural and never knew. Finish your afternoon with a fondue lunch at a local restaurant before heading back to Bern. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon at leisure.

Breakfast Included
Lunch Included

Admittance: Yodeling Demonstration

Set out for Lucerne, the “Swiss Paradise on the Lake.” Enjoy a leisurely paced Altstadt (Old Town) walking tour, exploring the hidden treasures of this 800-year-old city such as the covered Chapel Bridge (1333); the famous Water Tower, which has served as a prison, watchtower and treasury; the Renaissance-style Town Hall; the baroque Jesuit Church; and the Lion Monument, carved from natural rock to commemorate the heroic Swiss Guard. Tonight, dine at one of Bern’s great restaurants.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included
Hotel Name: Hotel Innsbruck

Admittance: Fondue Lunch

En route to Innsbruck, make your way through Liechtenstein, the smallest German-speaking country in the world and the only country to lie entirely within the Alps. Upon arrival in Innsbruck, it’s your choice! Select one of two leisurely walking tours: join a local guide as you discover the city’s history, culture and popular attractions including Maria-Theresien-Strasse, the Hofburg and the “Golden Roof" -OR- you may embark on a tour focusing on Innsbruck’s unique architectural structures including its famous ski jump.

Breakfast Included

Visit Area: Lucerne
This city of 80,000 people is in north-central Switzerland in the canton of Lucerne and sits on the shores of Lake Lucerne. The town began with a Benedictine monastery in the 8th century and gained importance from its location on trade routes. The most famous sights in Lucerne are the wooden Kapellbrucke (Chapel Bridge) across the Reuss River, the Hofkirche (Church of St. Leodegar) and the Swiss Museum of Transport. The city celebrates Carnival every year beginning the Thursday before Ash Wednesday. Mt Pilatus, with the world’s steepest cog railway, is visible from Lucerne.

Travel through the picturesque Austrian countryside to Salzburg. Enjoy a walking tour featuring Mirabell Gardens (seen in The Sound of Music), the quaint Getreidegasse (birthplace of Mozart), and many other highlights of this beautiful city. Complete your afternoon with a delightful lunch at the 1,200-year-old St. Peter’s Restaurant, the oldest in Austria and still owned by the monks.

Breakfast Included
Lunch Included

Visit Area: Austrian Alps
This Alpine region covers much of western Austria, and contains some of the highest peaks in the Alps, such as the 12,370 ft/3770 m Wildspitze. The city of Innsbruck is in the heart of the Austrian Alps, and Salzburg is in the foothills on the northeastern end of the mountains. Other well-known destinations in these mountains are Zell am See, St. Anton am Arlberg and Saalbach, and skiing and mountaineering are the most popular activities here.

Savor a free day in this beautiful city. You may stroll through Old Town and shop at many of the city’s outstanding stores or you may just relax and breathe in the mountain air while enjoying a beverage in one of the many cafés that dot this charming city. Later, experience the rich musical tradition of mountainous Austria during a Tyrolean folklore show hosted by a well-known local musical family.

Breakfast Included

Admittance: Cultural City Tour or Architectural Tour
Today in Innsbruck, you have the choice between two activities. First you may choose to embark on a cultural tour to discover the city’s history and popular attractions, including Maria Theresien Strasse, the Hofburg, and the Golden Roof. Your other option is to embark on an architectural tour focusing on Innsbruck’s unique architectural structures, including its famous ski jump. Cultural City Tour Activity Level 2: Travelers will need to walk for 30 minutes at a time. Architectural Tour Activity Level 2: Travelers will need to walk for 30 minutes at a time.

Tour Linderhof Palace, the only palace - out of three - that King Ludwig II lived to see completed. Walk the extraordinary halls that were modeled after Versailles with an expert guide and bask in the luxury of past royals. After, make your way to the Ettal Abbey* – a Benedictine monastery founded in 1330 by Louis IV. Here, you’ll tour the Basilica followed by a brewery tour complete with tastings. Next, return to Innsbruck. Tonight, you are treated to a farewell dinner at a traditional Tyrolean restaurant.

Breakfast Included
Dinner Included

Visit Area: Innsbruck
This is the capital of the state of Tyrol in the Alps of western Austria. Innsbruck is famous as a winter sports center and was the site of the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics. It is beautifully situated in the valley of the Inn River, and its most famous sights are the Golden Roof (a structure made from 2,800 gilded copper tiles that was added in 1500 to a building to celebrate the marriage of Emperor Maximilian I), the beautifully preserved city center with buildings covered in traditional Christmas decorations in the season, and the surrounding mountains.

Your tour comes to an end in Innsbruck.

Breakfast Included

Visit Area: Salzburg
The name of this city means “Salt Fortress” and it comes from the custom of taxing salt shipments down the Salzach River. It is the 4th largest city in Austria, and the capital of the state of Salzburg. The baroque Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the city sits in a valley surrounded by the Alps. Mozart was born here in the 18th century, and the city was the setting for “The Sound of Music”. Salzburg became part of Austria in the early 19th century, given by Bavaria. Some of the important sights are the Salzburg Castle, Salzburg Cathedral, Mirabell Gardens, the birthplace of Mozart and sites associated with “The Sound of Music.”