Alpine Adventure, Bernina & Glacier Express

This Scenic Switzerland by Train tour is the perfect way to see Switzerland’s breathtaking mountains, charming mountain resorts, fascinating old towns, and beautiful lakes—all while you relax in first-class aboard Switzerland’s famous trains. You’ll overnight in Zurich, the Lucerne area, Lausanne, Zermatt, and St. Moritz. One of the highlights of this Switzerland train tour is the train journey aboard the Glacier Express from Zermatt, a picturesque cluster of rustic chalets beneath the majestic Matterhorn, to glitzy St. Moritz, one of the world’s most famous resorts. From your carriage windows, marvel at the thundering waterfalls, impressive snow-capped peaks, glacial ice fields, lush meadows, and picture-perfect villages. Another highlight of this Switzerland train tour is the journey aboard the Bernina Express from St Moritz to Tirano, Italy. Travelling on the highest railway across the Alps, you’ll witness glistening glaciers, stunning mountain streams, and alpine scenery, and you’ll travel through tunnels and over bridges that are engineering masterpieces! But that’s not all…in Zermatt, you’ll also experience the Gornergrat open-air cog railway, Europe’s highest. You’ll journey over remarkable bridges, through tunnels, and past rocky ravines and beautiful lakes. The views of the Matterhorn from the top are nothing short of spectacular! Other train journeys you’ll experience on this tour through Switzerland are the Montreux-Oberland Bernois Panoramic train to Montreux, situated on the shores of Lake Geneva and known as the “Swiss Riviera.” You’ll feel like you are immersed in the landscapes passing you by. Stunning scenery and thrilling train rides…there’s no better way to see scenic Switzerland! So grab your camera and get ready for an amazing, value-minded holiday!

Your escape to Switzerland begins in the dynamic city of Zürich, where you’ll meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers for a welcome dinner served at your hotel. Your stay in Zürich includes an orientation of the Old Town. Your first stop on your guided tour of Switzerland is the picturesque, watch-making town of Biel, also called Bienne, at the foot of the Jura Mountains. You’ll take a scenic drive to lakeside Neuchâtel with its impressive castle and medieval cathedral. Stroll along the lake promenade before venturing to Montreux—situated on the shores of Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps, and famous for its annual Jazz Festival. Your Swiss Escape includes a visit to the stately capital of Berne. Enjoy a guided tour of the city to see Bear Park, a panoramic view from the Rose Garden, the Old Town’s Clock Tower with its painted figures, and the flowered-adorned fountains. In lovely Lucerne, be captivated by the Lion Monument, dedicated to the fallen Swiss Guards of the French Revolution, as well as the ornate patrician houses of the Old Town. Cross the famous covered Chapel Bridge to Lucerne’s Jesuit church. Drive through the magnificent Swiss Alps via the famous St. Gotthard tunnel to the Italian-speaking area of Switzerland, home to the lakeside town of Lugano. Enjoy a full day to relax or explore this beautiful setting, before a farewell dinner on your last night in Switzerland. The wonderful memories of your Swiss Escape are made all the sweeter by the absence of high-season crowds on your stunning Switzerland escorted vacation.

This budget-minded, faith-based vacation offers the opportunity to discover genuine alpine pilgrimage sites in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. Travelling through spectacular alpine scenery, you’ll appreciate the gift of nature and life and reflect on the greatness of Creation, while visiting such inspirational sites as the baroque Benedictine Abbey of Einsiedeln—one of Switzerland’s most important pilgrimage resting sites on the Way of St. James. See the marble, black Madonna gracing the baroque monastery and chapel with the opportunity to join in Divine Office Vespers and the Salve Regina. Visit the Bavarian town of Oberammergau—site of the famed Passion Play, performed once-a-decade since 1634 and returning in 2020. Stay overnight in Altötting, a spiritual focal point of Bavaria for more than 1250 years. In Austria, visit the 17th-century Salzburg Cathedral, the magnificent Benedictine Abbey in Melk, and Vienna’s stunning Cathedral of St. Stephen. The historic and visually stunning sites of Alpine Europe are sure to inspire spiritual joy and reflection on your affordable European vacation in some of the world’s most renowned religious locations.