DAY 1, Friday - Depart for Switzerland
Depart for Switzerland
DAY 2, Saturday - Arrive in Basel
Arrive in Basel, located along the mighty Rhine River and transfer to your hotel. Balance of the day is at leisure. Your tour will begin with an orientation meeting with your Tour Manager at approximately 6 PM, followed by dinner. We recommend that you select flights which arrive no later than 4 PM
Overnight: Basel
Meals: Dinner
DAY 3, Sunday - Basel City Tour & Christmas Markets, Colmar Christmas Market
Begin your exploration of Basel's historic Old Town, and learn about the city's rich history. View the Münster Cathedral, Basel Historical Museum, City Hall, Münster Pfalz, and Tinguely Fountain. In the afternoon, head to the small town of Colmar, located in the Alsace region of France, with its half-timbered houses, narrow cobblestone lanes, and romantic canals. Explore the festive Christmas market with its plethora of wooden stalls selling original ware and festive treats, before returning to Basel
Overnight: Basel
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 4, Monday - Obernai, Strasbourg
This morning, head to the town of Obernai in France. Walk the medieval streets of the Old Town with its half-timbered houses, and view the Town Hall with its colorful façade. Enjoy the ambience before traveling to Strasbourg, the capital of Alsace. Stop at the Gothic Cathedral of Notre Dame, and continue to La Petite France district, and Place Kleber, a large historic square. Explore the Christmas market, taste the traditional cakes of Alsace called bredeles, and stroll the stalls filled with handcrafted wares. After dinner on your own, return to Basel
Overnight: Basel
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 5, Tuesday - Zurich Christmas Market, Lucerne
Depart Basel and travel to Zurich, Switzerland's financial center. Take an orientation walk through the Old Town. View Fraumunster Church, St Peter's Church, historic Limmatquai, and famous Bahnhofstrasse. Enjoy free time to stroll through the Christmas market. Sip on mulled wine as you browse stalls with handcrafted gifts. In the afternoon, head to Lucerne. Upon arrival, view the inspiring Lion Monument and check into your hotel. Before dinner, embark on an orientation walk of Lucerne. Visit the lively Christmas markets and view the medieval Chapel Bridge, forming the centerpiece of Lucerne's townscape
Overnight: Lucerne
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 6, Wednesday - Full Day in Lucerne
Spend the day at leisure, or join the optional Full Day Bern with dinner tour. Travel to Brienz in the Bernese Oberland region. During the orientation walk, view wooden chalets and sculptures dotted throughout the village, that serve as testimonials to the town's woodcarving tradition. Afterward, stop in Interlaken, a chic resort town with views of the snowy Jungfrau peak for lunch at leisure, before continuing to Bern, the capital of Switzerland. Stroll through the Old Town and view the Gothic Cathedral, the Muenster, with its stunning portal and its depiction of the Last Judgment. Witness the hourly parade of painted figures at the Clock Tower (Zytglogge). Explore the lively Christmas market with a variety of stalls full of decorations, holiday gifts, and gingerbread. Savor a fondue dinner before returning to Lucerne late evening
Optional: Full Day Bern with dinner
Overnight: Lucerne
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 7, Thursday - Travel to Lugano, Cruise on Lake Lugano
Spend the morning at leisure, or perhaps join the optional tour to Mount Pilatus. Board a cogwheel railway* which takes you to the summit of Mt. Pilatus at nearly 7,000 feet. Later, descend by aerial cableway. In the afternoon, depart for Lugano in southern Switzerland's Italian-speaking Ticino region. On arrival, enjoy a panoramic cruise on Lake Lugano followed by an orientation walk of Lugano with its mix of Swiss-Mediterranean cultures. Afterwards, check in to your hotel. Tonight at dinner, bid farewell to your Tour Manager
*From November to May and in the event of adverse weather, the cogwheel will be replaced by the aerial cable car.
Optional: Mount Pilatus Tour (AM)
Overnight: Lugano
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 8, Friday - Depart Switzerland
Transfer to the airport in Milan for your departure flight. Milan is approximately an hour and a half drive from Lugano
Meals: Breakfast
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