France and Swiss Alps

DAY 01 – PARIS

Upon arriving at the airport, we will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel. Check the information boards in the hotel reception area for details of the welcome meeting with your guide and fellow travelers.

Day 02 –  PARIS

We come into contact with the history of France in the immense Palace of Versailles with its beautiful gardens. After that, on our way back to Paris, we head to Montmartre and take a cable car to go up to this bohemian neighborhood known for its painters, artists, and cabarets. To contemplate the beauty of the impressive avenues and monuments of Paris, you will have a city tour with a local guide.

Day 03 – PARIS 

We go to the center of Paris, starting in the Eiffel Tower area. You will have the opportunity to go up to the second floor of this remarkable metal monument Then we enjoy a boat cruise along the River Seine, which divides the north of Paris from the south. Enjoy a free afternoon to explore as you choose.

Day 04 – PARIS – BURGUNDY – BEAUNE – LYON

Today we travel to the center of France, to the Bourgogne region, famous for its wines. We will visit BEAUNE, located in the center of the Bourgogne region, with its streets full of flowers, hospice and wine museum all points of interest. Continuing on, we will arrive to LYON in the afternoon, the capital of Roman Gallia on the banks of the Rhône (its historic center has been declared a World Heritage site). We include a cable car climb to Notre Dame de Fourvière, where we have a great view of the city. Enjoy some leisure time to walk around.

Day 05 – LYON – GENEVA – CHILLON CASTLE – GRUYERES – LEYSIN

We travel to Switzerland. GENEVA, arrival. We will see from the bus the Palace of Nations (the headquarters of the United Nations in Europe) and with our guide we will go to the pretty English Garden with its clock made of flowers and we can admire the “Jet d ́Eau”, the tallest fountain in Europe Through vignards landscapes we go on to CHILLON CASTLE, built in the waters of the lake. Admission is included to this fantastic medieval castle. After this, we will continue to the picturesque walled village of GRUYERES, known worldwide for its cheese. Nearby this area there are several of the main chocolate factories in Switzerland (NESTLE amongst them), and we visit the Cailler
chocolate factory, with a tasting included! We will continue traveling through smaller roads amidst bucolic mountain landscapes and very picturesque wooden villages.- Arrival in LEYSIN, a beautiful little holiday village with spectacular views of the Rhône plain and Mont Blanc, known for its winter sports resort or its hiking possibilities. Dinner included.

Day 06 – LEYSIN – INTERLAKEN – AARESCHLUCHT – CHIASSO

Today ́s stage has beautiful high mountain scenery. Don ́t forget your winter clothes, we climb to one of the most spectacular spots in Switzerland where you can see ice and snow all year round. We include the cable car ride up to GLACIER 3000, where you can walk on the suspended bridge in the gap between two mountain peaks, enter the Ice Cathedral or ̈play ̈ in the Fun Park. Stop in INTERLAKEN and time for lunch. Afterward we travel to the AARESLUCHT GORGES. We then take the Sutenpass, one of the most beautiful roads in Switzerland that runs between glaciers and takes us to Italian-speaking Switzerland. Overnight stay in CHIASSO, a Swiss town on the border with Italy

Day 07 – CHIASSO – LUGANO – BURGLEN – LUCERNE

We will visit LUGANO, the cosmopolitan capital of Italian Switzerland with its beautiful lake. Time to stroll. We continue on the highway, we cross St. Gotthard Pass. We stop in BURGLEN, the tiny village where William Tell was born, we shall see the chapel of the XVI century with paintings illustrating his life. If you want, you can also visit the Museum of William Tell. In the neighboring city of ALTDORF, we can also find traces of his history. Continue to LUCERNE, free time to explore this beautiful city by the lake that bears its name. We will suggest, optionally, to take the cruise along the Lake of the Four Cantons, considered one of the most beautiful lakes in Switzerland.

Day 08 – LUCERNE- EINSIEDELN – VADUZ – FELDKIRCH

We leave Lucerne driving along the Four Cantons Lake towards EINSIEDELN, its immense baroque abbey is the most important pilgrimage center in Switzerland. After that, we continue towards the East of Switzerland. MAIENFELD is the village that inspired Heidi’s story. In HEIDIDORF we will be visiting Heidi’s House (ticket not included. Entry to the facility is free), a picturesque place with beautiful landscapes that we will reach through a pedestrian path. Then we enter into the independent country of Liechtenstein, and its capital city VADUZ with its impressive castle. Time to stroll and have lunch. Subsequently, we go to the neighboring city of FELDKIRCH, in Austria, located next to the borders of Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Germany: a charming walled city with a genuine historic city center and a castle. Free time.

Day 09 – FELDKIRCH – ST. GALLEN – CONSTANCE – STEIN AM RHEIN – RHINE FALLS- ZURICH

We start our day heading to ST. GALLEN, whose center is part of the World Heritage List by UNESCO with a wonderful cathedral and its historic center. Afterwards, we will continue by Constance Lake, between Germany and Switzerland. We will have time for a walk at Constance’s center before visiting MAINAU Island (accessed by a pedestrian bridge) with its stunning botanic garden (entry included). Then, again in Switzerland, we will take a stroll in STEIN AM RHEIN, a typical village on the Rhine River with precious houses with painted walls. We will also visit the Rhine Waterfalls (entry included), the waterfalls with the most abundant flow in Europe. Arrival in ZURICH at the end of the day.

Day 10 – ZURICH

With our guide, we will have a tour of ZURICH, the most populated city in Switzerland, and the country’s financial and cultural capital. The city of the banks has twice been declared the city with the best quality of life in the world. Afterward, we will include a cruise of almost two hours on Lake Zurich. The boat makes brief stops to allow us to see the villages on the way. We get off in RAPPERSWIL is a picturesque little village overlooked by its medieval castle. We go back to Zurich by train and appreciate the efficiency and punctuality of the Swiss railways.

Day 11 – ZURICH

After breakfast, end of our services.