Country Roads of Switzerland
Experience Overview
See Switzerland in all its natural splendor during this 2-week guided tour that whisks you from snow-capped mountain peaks to floral valleys. Outside Lucerne, complete with wooden bridges and baroque churches, zip to the top of Mount Stanserhorn, a pinnacle so tall you can see France and Germany. Take in beautiful Bern and its Catherdrals with a Local Expert followed by a stop in Gruyeres. Glide along the Glacier Express, a glass-topped train that will carry you through the Oberalp Valley and to Grindelwald, an idyllic alpine village set to the backdrop of winding rivers and towering waterfalls. In St. Moritz, a mountain railways pass will allow you to traverse the alpine village’s cable cars, funiculars and chairlifts. Then taste the freshest cuisine in Switzerland during an intimate farm-to-table dinner experience, including cheese.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 5 Dinner (D)
- 13 Breakfast (B)
Additional Included Highlights
- Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
- Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
- We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
- From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
- Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
- If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.
Authentic Dining
- Lucerne: Join your Travel Director and fellow travelers for your dinner served with wine. Zermatt: Choose between fine local restaurants for your Dine-Around evening, with the chance to indulge in traditional fondue.
- Zürich: Raise your glass and enjoy a delicious dinner featuring Swiss classics at a local restaurant.
Insight Experiences
- Lake Geneva: Visit Chillon Castle with the Head of Collections to discover the artefacts, treasures and history of the chateau.
- Bellinzona: Explore the stunning town of Bellinzona with your Local Expert. Julie will passionately share with you her insights into the three marvelous castles, and her personal stories about how she fell in love with this city and decided to move to the area.
Make Travel Matter
- Stanserhorn: Journey to the top of Mount Stanserhorn on a panoramic, open-top cable car powered by solar energy, and enjoy spectacular views from the summit. Walk along beautiful scenic pathways, keeping an eye out for marmots and other native animals, with the chance to hear a conservation talk by a Swiss ranger, to learn about local wildlife and flora. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 7 & 15: Affordable and Clean Energy & Life on Land.
- Lake Geneva: Visit a family-run winery overlooking Lake Geneva. Enjoy a tasting, and learn how the family is preserving the estate for future generations. Savor delicious farm-to-table fare, made from locally sourced produce. Alongside using sustainable agricultural practices, they source majority of their good locally. They have strict procedures about waste reduction and any waste from the production is being re-used as fertilizer or food for their animals. This experience advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Production and Consumption.
Top Rated Highlights
- Stanserhorn: Journey to the top of Mount Stanserhorn on a panoramic, open-top cable car powered by solar energy, and enjoy spectacular views from the summit.
- Lucerne: See the emotive Lion Monument, Jesuit Church and Chapel Bridge.
- Bern: Your exploration with a local historian through Switzerland's capital includes seeing the floral displays, Cathedral of St. Vincent, Federal Palace, clock tower and Ogre Fountain.
- Gruyères: Travel along valley floors covered with rich meadowland, to the pretty town of Gruyeres. Your Travel Director leads an orientation tour where you will see the main street and 13th century castle.
- Montreux: At the foot of the Alps this town boasts one of the most beautiful walks along Lake Geneva, join your Travel Director for an orientation before there is free time to explore.
- Geneva: With your Travel Director you'll discover the Jet d'Eau and the Floral Clock.
- Lake Geneva: Enjoy first-class seats as you cruise on the serene waters of the King of Lakes, inspiration to the early Romantic movement.
- Martigny: View the Roman Amphitheater during your orientation.
- Sion: Your Travel Director will show you the two fortress-churches, the cathedral and Old Town Hall.
- Zermatt: Ride the shuttle trains of the Matterhorn Gotthard Railway up to the traffic-free Alpine resort. Should weather permit, you may even see the majestic peak of the Matterhorn.
- Zermatt: Your Travel Director will lead you on an orientation of this picturesque village, high in the mountains.
- Lugano: With your Travel Director discover the lakeside city.
- St Moritz: See the spa quarter and glacial lake of this charming alpine resort.
- St Moritz: If you think there's no such thing as a free ride, you'd be mistaken! With your inclusive pass, travel on 13 cable cars, funiculars, chairlifts and select public transport options (when available). The crisp Alpine air is included in the deal.
- St Moritz: Travel along the route of the world-famous Glacier Express, through looping tunnels and dizzying viaducts, in the scenic heart of the Swiss Alps, on a regional train fully powered by hydroelectricity.
- Lauterbrunnen: Enjoy your orientation of the village that takes its name from 'many fountains,' referring to the 72 waterfalls that are within the surrounding valley.
- Staubbach Falls: In the Valley of the Waterfalls, witness these magnificent falls that plunge 300 meters.
- Grindelwald: Explore this famous glacier village with your Travel Director. Embedded in a unique Alpine landscape at the foot of the Eiger north face, Grindelwald is one of Switzerland’s most beautiful Alpine towns.
- Brienz: Learn the history of woodcarving at the Jobin Swiss Woodcarving Center.
- Zürich: During your orientation of the city, your Travel Director will show you the Grossmünster, Fraumünster and elegant Bahnhofstrasse.
Well-being
- Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
- Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.
Trip Details
Product Code: 19598
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Deluxe
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Family, 55+, Luxury
Tour Operator:
Insight Vacations (CA)
Supplier Code: 42.109A
Starts: Zurich, Switzerland
Finishes: Zurich, Switzerland
Duration: 14 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $8,283 ($592 /day)
Itinerary
Welcome to Switzerland, a land of snow-capped summits and romantic lakes that has attracted poets, musicians and travelers for centuries. Arrive into Zürich airport and transfer to your hotel in Lucerne. Meet your Travel Director and travel companions for a pleasant dinner at a local restaurant.
Accommodation: Astoria Lucerne
Meals: Dinner
Explore Mount Stanserhorn on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, as an open-top cable car powered by solar panels takes you up the summit. Admire unrivaled views of the surrounding mountains and, on a clear day see as far as Alsace in France and the Black Forest in Germany. Walk along beautiful scenic pathways, keeping an eye out for marmots and other native animals, with the chance to hear a conservation talk by a Swiss ranger, to learn about local wildlife and flora. Return to the beautiful 14th century city of Lucerne to see its storybook wooden bridges, Baroque church and sorrowful Lion Monument. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon at your leisure to walk along the lake or perhaps shop for a special timepiece or chocolate.
Accommodation: Astoria Lucerne
Meals: Breakfast
In Bern, your Local Expert, a local English teacher, shows you the Cathedral of St. Vincent, Federal Palace and floral displays. Gather at the clock tower to watch the mechanical procession of painted figures before viewing the Ogre Fountain. Your travels continue into the wide, green valleys of the Vaud Alps with snowy summits filling the horizon. Continue through vineyards and alpine meadows to the fortified town of Gruyères, that gives its name to the well-known cheese. Enjoy time on your own to explore the pretty main street and 13th century castle. From Montreux, travel along the shores of Lake Geneva to visit a winery. Admire the stunning panorama overlooking the lake and savor a tasting of tantalizing, local wines. Delight in a delicious Farm-to-Table light dinner, made from locally sourced produce, and learn how the family that owns the farm is preserving the estate for future generations on this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience.
Accommodation: Eden Palace Au Lac, Montreux
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
On the western bay of Lake Geneva, visit Chillon Castle for a special tour of the former home to the Dukes of Savoy, immortalized by Lord Byron's 'Prisoner of Chillon.' Keep a look out for where the writer is rumored to have left his mark. Return to Montreux where the rest of the day is free for you to explore on your own or relax as you wish at your quayside hotel.
Accommodation: Eden Palace Au Lac, Montreux
Meals: Breakfast
Follow the shores of the lake to the international city of Geneva, seeing the Jet d’Eau and Floral Clock. Next, relax in first-class comfort on the waters of Lake Geneva during a highlight cruise. This evening, enjoy time at leisure on the promenade of your lakeside resort.
Accommodation: Eden Palace Au Lac, Montreux
Meals: Breakfast
Journey into the upper Rhône Valley to Martigny to view the Roman Amphitheater. Continue to the town of Sion, dominated by two rocky peaks, each crowned with episcopal fortresses, and see the cathedral and Old Town Hall. Complete your journey via cogwheel train to the traffic-free mountain resort of Zermatt. This evening, take your pick from a selection a local restaurants for your Dine-Around evening, with a chance to delight in traditional fondue.
Accommodation: Resort Alex, Zermatt
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Zermatt in the summertime offers many leisure possibilities: try swimming, hiking or relaxing in the fresh alpine surrounds. Perhaps take a trip to the Klein Matterhorn, see the Matterhorn from the church bridge or sample the delicious cakes known as Kuchen?
Accommodation: Resort Alex, Zermatt
Meals: Breakfast
Travel to Täsch for a scenic drive to Brig, where you'll commence your ascent of the Simplon Pass, taking in magnificent views over the Alps from the 2,000-meter summit. Cut through northern Italy, stopping along the shores of Lake Maggiore. The afternoon is at your leisure. Perhaps join an experience to the stunning Isola Bella?
Accommodation: De La Paix, Lugano
Meals: Breakfast
Journey to the three Fortifications at Bellinzona to meet your Local Expert, for a fascinating insight into this UNESCO World Heritage Site. These castles are enchanting examples of fortified medieval architecture of the Alps. Your travels continue through the Grisons Region, traveling via San Bernardino and the town of Tiefencastel, as you follow the young Rhine River. Head east towards the Julier Pass and the glamorous resort of St. Moritz, set in the Engadine Valley with the majestic Grisons Alps towering above.
Accommodation: Crystal, St. Moritz, Steffani, St. Moritz
Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy a day at leisure to jostle with the jet-setters in this elegant resort or perhaps take an exciting train journey over the Bernina pass. To help you make the most of your day, your Travel Director will provide you with a mountain railways pass, offering free travel on all cable cars, funiculars and chairlifts (when available) in Engadine St. Moritz.
Accommodation: Crystal, St. Moritz, Steffani, St. Moritz
Meals: Breakfast
Step aboard the Glacier Express to experience one of the world’s great railway journeys. Cross the Landwasser Viaduct before heading down through the Oberalp Valley to rejoin the coach at Andermatt. Drive through the dramatic Schöllenen Gorge passing the Devil's Bridge. Marvel at the Wetterhorn Peaks as you travel along the Grindelwald Valley. Follow the sparkling Lütschine River to Lauterbrunnen, at the head of the Valley of Waterfalls, and see the Staubbach Falls plunge 300 meters from the plateau above.
Accommodation: Romantik Schweizerhof, Grindelwald
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Enjoy a full day at your leisure to explore Grindelwald, a charming village nestled in the Bernese Alps. Perhaps take a cogwheel train ride to the summit of the Jungfrau mountain, where you can marvel at the panoramic views of the surrounding alpine splendour. The Jungfraujoch, known as the "Top of Europe," offers stunning vistas and a chance to explore the Ice Palace and the Sphinx Observation Deck. Alternatively, hike one of the many trails that wind through the lush valleys and up into the high mountains, where the diverse flora and fauna are a delight for nature enthusiasts. If you prefer a more relaxed pace, spend your day shopping in the quaint village shops or simply soaking in the serene beauty of the area.
Accommodation: Romantik Schweizerhof, Grindelwald
Meals: Breakfast
Take in the spectacular lake views, as you journey to Brienz, famous for its woodcarving traditions. Visit the Jobin Swiss Woodcarving Center to trace the history of the trade back to the early days of the 19th century. Continue over the Brünig Pass and drive alongside the lakes of Lungern and Sarnen to return to Zürich. See the Bahnhofstrasse, Grossmünster, River Limmat and Frauenmünster on an orientation of the city with your Travel Director. Join your travel companions at a local restaurant. Your dinner is accompanied with wine - raise your glass to toast to your adventures.
Accommodation: Hyatt Regency Zurich Airport
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Your Swiss adventures come to an end this morning as you depart from Zürich airport.
Meals: Breakfast
Similar Tours
Tour Operator
Insight Vacations (CA)
Part of The Travel Company (TTC) family of brands, Insight Vacations began operations in 1978 and is based in Cypress, CA. Journeys are featured to destinations, such as the U.S. and Canada, Europe, Latin America, North Africa, Asia, the UK and Ireland. The company offers are a variety of tours under the classifications of Regional Journeys, Country Roads, Discovery Journeys, Easy Pace trips, and Special Interest tours. Insight is the ideal name for the tour operator, as the journeys provided by Insight Vacations allow travelers to gain further insight into whatever destination they wish to explore. For example, Discovery Journeys are the ideal choice for first-time visitors to Europe. Itineraries include Dine-at-Home or Farm-to-Table experiences so travelers can learn more about how locals live and dine. Regional Journeys allow trip-goers to see a specific location in Europe that they have always wanted to see – Poland, Switzerland, Italy, etc. The carefully planned trips enable customers to immerse themselves in one specific region or country and to become acquainted with its culture, traditions, and people. For anyone seeking travel off the beaten track, Insight Vacations offers Country Roads – trips that lead travelers off the well-tread tourist trail to explore hidden gems where visitors can savor the local produce with Farm-to-Table dining. Some trips are offered under the Easy Pace travel style – the ideal trip choice for trip-goers who wish to slow their pace during their vacation. During these tours, vacationers stay at least 3 nights at each destination, giving them some additional time to explore a place and enjoy it. Regardless of the travel style, many of the vacations offered by Insight Vacations begin with Relaxed Starts – giving travelers time to sleep in a little, spend more time at breakfast, or explore an area on their own. The tour company prides itself on providing business class tours that features luxury coaches with 40 seats. While most coach touring operators provide vehicles with 53 seats, Insight Vacations has re-configured its motor coaches to hold up to 40 guests. This gives passengers extra leg room while traveling and offers them more space and privacy.
In Business Since 1978
Reviews
Ronald Hoogenakker - Traveled, May 2024
Great customer service provided Saw everything we expected and much more at a slower pace.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/23/2024
Kerri Higgins - Traveled, May 2024
Our TD was excellent and made our trip both exciting and knowledgeable safe but adventurous. Our optional tours were well thought out having beautiful views of Switzerland and learning the history of the area. I would have liked a few more days in both Zermatt and Grindelwald Beautiful scenery and history of Switzerland. I would have liked more time at some of the optional tours to wander about the venues at leisure. I also would have liked more time at Zermatt and Grindelwald
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/31/2024
Alan Ryan - Traveled, May 2024
Excellent team. Easy paced. But still saw all highlights
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/31/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, May 2024
Yes I would recommend them. This is my second tour with Insight Vacations. The itinerary was well lay out and planned very well.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/31/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, May 2024
Really well run, great itinerary and excellent guide and driver Really saw country, not just cities.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/31/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, May 2024
Well organised good tour guide Great having 2 and 3 day stopovers well paced.tourguide was very professional
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/31/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, May 2024
Better food for dinners that Insight provide, tour director should cater for the age of the group. We selected this Itinerary
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/25/2024
Barbara Hartje - Traveled, June 2023
This tour was a WINNER! Our tour leader, Martinwas extremely knowledgeable and made the tour. Hotels and food were 5 star and our driver, Werner was the best. We felt very safe on those difficult mountains roads because of his expert driving. I would recommend this tour to everyone. #1 all the way. Take this tour, you won't regret. Scenery was unbelievably beautiful!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/23/2023
Anonymous - Traveled, June 2023
Visited interesting places and places of natural beauty with knowledgeable tour director and safe and experienced driver Nice places visited wonderful scenery comfortable accommodation and both a historical and cultural learning experience
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/30/2023
Anonymous - Traveled, June 2023
Excellent service A very good overview showing plenty of the countryside
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/30/2023
Anonymous - Traveled, June 2023
The trip itself was amazing, but the tour director wasn't on top of her job. She was not very helpful with ideas for things to do when we had free time. I also think we had too much free time because there were things to see that I feel the actual tour itself should've covered. The tour director was too focused on her next trip and didn't focus enough on the trip we were on. I will not be using Insight Tours again because the value for money was not there and the Tour guide was not good at all. Value for money was not there, too much free time
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/23/2023
Anonymous - Traveled, July 2023
The trip had too much free time, not enough meals given and too many optionals. I thought the tour director was friendly but did not provide enough informational insight about the country. My husband needed to see the doctor. Faith did not arrange or follow up about his visit. I sent her an email and she did not respond. We were not informed about many things. Everyone on our tour were seasoned travelers and felt the same way. There were too many optional s experiences that were not given prior to our visit and we were told we had to decide before the end of our bus ride.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/26/2023
Russell Lloyd - Traveled, July 2023
Well organised but a fair bit of free time. Some towns spoilt by public holiday closures. Hotels varied from fair to excellent as did the breakfasts. Did not always get a fridge or tea/coffee I the room. Had a lot of twin beds and shower over the bath. Saw the essentials but you will have to pay an extra $1000 to do everything on the itinerary.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/31/2023
Donald Carry - Traveled, June 2023
Way to much free time and if you did not pay for extra tours Even more free time. If I wanted to do my own tour I would have organized that but I thought I was getting an tour organized by a professional Not all options were available as required numbers to make options did not happen
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/22/2023
William Jennings - Traveled, July 2023
A little too much free time and vey early transfer to airport on last night. We had Avery late flight home. Otherwise a great trip and our 16th with Insight. We saw every thing we expected in Switzerland. Beautiful scenery and very nice accommodation.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/26/2023
James Bagshaw - Traveled, July 2023
Included dining meals were a low standard. Excellent variety on all the tours
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/28/2023
Anonymous - Traveled, July 2023
Information provided by Tour Director basic. The trip and highlights amazing but too much free time. Loved the itinerary. I feel the tour was let down by the Tour Director that was not invested in her customers.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/27/2023
Donald Smith - Traveled, June 2023
We were pleased with all parts of our 2 week Country Roads of Switzerland tour. Our tour guide Faith was exceptional and her personality added to our tour experience. Everything was well managed and had a perfect balance of guided tours and free time. Our bus driver was exceptional and a master at maneuvering tricky mountainous and narrow roads. The hotels were excellent with good breakfasts every morning and were centrally located for easy access to town centers. During our tour the only road to Zermatt closed due to an accident and our guide and driver quickly reacted to get us on an unplanned train getting us to Zermatt on schedule. Thus was our first Insight tour and we would do it again. Read less Trip Rating****5 We picked this tour because we wanted to cover almost if not all of Switzerland in one trip. This trip had a perfect balance of seeing multiple locations and still spending 2 to 3 nights in many locations. Read less
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/30/2023
Anonymous - Traveled, June 2023
If customer service relates to booking the trip then it was fine, but I have other issues that made me give it 4 stars. This tour was overall very good, but there needs to be some work on the hotel room assignments. In almost every hotel we had a worse room than others in our group. We all paid the same price so this was NOT a good thing. This was an expensive tour with too many added extra costs that I feel should have been included.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/22/2023
Anonymous - Traveled, July 2023
Country Roads of Switzerland was our second tour with Insight Vacations, with a third in the United States booked for September this year. We found the content of these tours, as well as the dedication of the Tour Directors and Coach Drivers to be the best we've experienced. Most of the destinations selected had interesting aspects
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/26/2023
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