19D18N France – Switzerland – Italy
Day 01 – PARIS CHARLES DE GAULLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT – PARIS
On arrival at Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport, your driver will meet you at the arrival hall and drive you to your hotel in Paris, capital of France.
Day 02 – PARIS [B]
Paris, an
UNESCO World Heritage Site, has much to offer beyond its proud heritage. Apart from being a fashion capital, as a city it has the second highest number of Michelin-star restaurants in the world (second only to Tokyo). Iconic landmarks include the
Eiffel Tower, the
Louvre Museum, the
Arc de Triomphe and the
Notre-Dame Cathedral. Paris is best enjoyed at your own pace and most of the iconic landmarks like the ones mentioned earlier are within walking distance.
Day 03 – PARIS – DIJON [B]
Train from Paris to
Dijon on one of France’s high speed trains. Dijon is a town that is easy to explore on your own and on foot. The medieval and Renaissance building architecture of Dijon is quite remarkable.
Day 04 – DIJON [B]
Beyond its renowned heritage in gastronomy and mustard production – yes,
Dijon Mustard! – Dijon has a rich medieval history with numerous well-preserved buildings from the Ducal period and home to the Dukes of Burgundy and many distinguished and wealthy owners. To assist visitors as they explore the town, Dijon has ingeniously marked pavements leading to attractions with a small owl in brass. Attractions include the
Palais des Duces (a fortress turned palace with several stages of construction done over the centuries including the latest done by the creator of the Palace of Versailles just outside of Paris – a must-see attraction), the
Musee des Beaux-Arts (a rich collection of paintings, sculptures and antiquities housed in the 14th century Palace of the Dukes), the
Eglise Notre-Dame, the “
hotels particuliers” (splendid mansions with grand facades along the old Ducal Quarter belonging to the Dukes and wealthy owners),
Musee de la Vie Bourguignonne,
Saint Benigne Cathedral,
Puits de Moise (the Well of Moses), the
Eglise Saint Michel,
Hotel de Vogue,
Place Francois-Rude (a charming square in Dijon decorated with splendid old half-timber houses), and many more medieval houses and buildings. Also visit the huge
Les Halles food market and the
La Boutique Maille (shop selling the famous Dijon Mustard since 1845). Whilst in Dijon, remember to satisfy your gastronomical cravings and try out the classic dishes of Dijon such as
beef bourguignon and
cog au vin, paired with some of the world’s finest pinor noir and chardonny from the local vineyards.
Day 05 – DIJON – LUCERNE [B]
Head to
Lucerne and visit the
Chapel Bridge and the
Alstadt (old town) at your own pace.
Day 06 – LUCERNE [B]
Take a ride on the
world’s steepest –
45-degree ascend –
cogwheel railway on specially constructed tracks to the summit of
Mount Pilatus (2,132m), a mountain massif overlooking Lucerne, and treat yourself to a panoramic view of more than 70 peaks and 5 lakes. Descend the mountain on
The Dragon Ride – an
aerial cableway described as such thanks to full-height glass windows that makes you feel like you are in flight! – and a gondola. Another mountain massif of the Swiss alps near Lucerne is the unique
Mount Rigi which is almost fully surrounded by 3 lakes –
Lake Lucerne,
Lake Zug and
Lake Lauerz. Take a scenic mountain railway train up to
Rigi Kulm (the summit at 1,798m) and enjoy a breathtaking view across the alps, 13 lakes and the entire Swiss Mittelland to Germany and France. For a different view and experience, descend Mount Rigi on a different route and enjoy a cruise across
Lake Lucerne.
Day 07 – LUCERNE – INTERLAKEN [B]
Head to
Interlaken, a resort town that lies in the narrow valley between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, and well positioned with easy access to the presiding mountains of
Eiger (3,970m),
Mönch (4,107m) and
Jungfrau (4,158m). This area of impressive valleys is best experienced by visiting
Lauterbrunnen, situated between gigantic rocks and mountain peaks. In Lauterbrunnen (where the name means “many fountains”), see the
Staubbach Falls plunging 300m from the face of an overhanging rock and no wonder therefore that it is the most famous waterfall amongst 72 thundering waterfalls in this valley. With its 10 glacial waterfalls inside the mountain, made accessible by tunnel lift, the
Trümmelbach Waterfalls in Lauterbrunnen are truly unique in Europe and are in fact Europe’s largest subterranean waterfalls. Trümmelbach alone drains the enormous glacial walls of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau at a rate of up to 20,000 litres of water per second!
Day 08 – INTERLAKEN [B]
Visit the car-free alpine village of
Murren, a village perched
1,650m up the side of
Mount Schilthorn (of James Bond fame Рyes, Mr Bond skiing down its slope!) and with a so-close-you-can-touch-it view of the magnificent trio of Eiger, M̦nch and Jungfrau! From Murren, you may wish to ascend to the summit of
Schilthorn (2,970m) and visit the Piz Gloria revolving restaurant and enjoy the magnificent 360-degree summit view of the – yet again – domineering trio of Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau, and in the distance the highest peak in the European Alps – Mont Blanc.
Day 09 – INTERLAKEN [B]
At your option, take a scenic ride on the
Jungfrau railway to
Europe’s highest railway station (3,454m) – Jungfraujoch (affectionately known as “Top of Europe”). The Jungfrau cogwheel train runs through a steep tunnel and offers a stunning view of the north face of the Eiger and at the summit are the ice palace and the viewing platforms “
Sphinx” and “
Plateau” sitting on the
Aletsch glacier – the largest glacier in the European Alps. This entire 2-hour long awesome alpine rail journey runs through the
UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Jungfrau-Aletsch Protected Area. Alternatively, you can head to
Schynige Platte, a plateau near Interlaken, at an altitude of
1,967m. The ride to get there is an attraction in itself: a narrow-gauge historical cogwheel train gets you up the mountain in 50 minutes, offering spectacular views along the way. At the top, you can enjoy wonderful views of the Jungfrau region, and if you walk a little, of Lake Thun and Lake Brienz as well.
Day 10 – INTERLAKEN – ZERMATT [B]
Train from Interlaken to
Zermatt and enjoy the highly scenic route! Zermatt, situated at
1,600m above sea level, is a beautiful alpine town at the foot of Switzerland’s iconic mountain
Matterhorn (4,478m). The town is a lively scene of boutique shops, restaurants, hotels and a ski centre. Next, you may wish to ride the
Gornergrat train through forests and meadows up to the summit
(3,089m) and enjoy the magnificent view of Matterhorn enroute. The Gornergrat train is an engineering marvel of the 19th century that made its maiden journey on 20 August 1898 and to-date the
Gornergrat train station is Europe’s highest outdoor train station.
Day 11 – ZERMATT – MILAN [B]
Head to
Milan, and upon arrival, enjoy Milan at your own pace.
Day 12 – MILAN [B]
Milan, a city of fashion, design and finance, is a bustling metropolitan city with a rich history of art and culture, and several iconic attractions including the Gothic
Duomo di Milano cathedral, the
Santa Maria delle Grazie convent (housing the mural “
The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci), the
Castello Sforzesco (15th century defensive fortress with large courtyards and massive walls), the
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II (impressive shopping building), the
Quadrilatero della Moda (Milan’s exclusive shopping district), the
Teatro alla Scala (opera house), the
Navigli Canals, and the beautiful Romansque
Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio.
Day 13 – MILAN – VENICE [B]
Train from Milan to
Venice on one of Italy’s high speed trains. An
UNESCO World Heritage Site, Venice is a city unlike any other – it is built on 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by bridges. Top attractions include:
Grand Canal, St Mark’s Square, Doge’s Palace and
Bridge Of Sighs. Enjoy Venice at your own pace.
Day 14 – VENICE [B]
Continue with your exploration of
Venice. You will certainly not be bored!
Day 15 – VENICE – FLORENCE [B]
Head to
Florence, the capital city of Tuscany and often regarded as the most beautiful city in Italy. In fact, the beauty of Florence places it among the most beautiful cities in the world. Its rich heritage is attested to by its accreditation as an
UNESCO World Heritage Site. Upon arrival, enjoy Florence at your own pace. One of Florence’s most iconic sights is the
Duomo – Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral, a cathedral with a terracotta-tiled dome and a bell tower (“Campanile”) by
Giotto. The
Galleria dell’Accademia houses
Michelangelo’s “David” sculpture. The
Uffizi Gallery is one of the world’s top art museums exhibiting art by
Leonardo da Vinci,
Michelangelo,
Botticelli and many other celebrated artists.
Day 16 – FLORENCE [B]
Continue with your exploration of
Florence at your own leisure. In addition to sites mentioned earlier, other attractions include
Santa Croce,
San Marco,
Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) and
Piazzale Michelangelo.
Day 17 – FLORENCE – ROME [B]
Travel from Florence to
Rome on one of Italy’s high speed train. Birthplace of the Roman Empire and home to
Vatican City, Rome is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Steeped in history with rich offerings of historical monuments, Roman architecture and works of art, Rome also has lots to offer in terms of food and fashion. No visit to Rome would be complete without visiting Vatican City, an independent city-state and HQ of the Roman Catholic Church. Within Vatican City is one of the world’s greatest museum complexes with a huge collection of highly-acclaimed Renaissance art. Not to be missed would be
Raphael’s Rooms and the
Sistine Chapel – home to Michelangelo’s “
The Last Judgement” fresco. Enjoy Vatican City (admission ticket included) at your own pace or join an optional guided tour.
Day 18 – ROME [B]
Spend your morning on a guided tour of Rome’s “
Centro Storico“, its
historical centre and an
UNESCO World Heritage Site. By coach and on foot, visit iconic sites like the
Piazza Navona,
Trevi Fountain,
Pantheon,
Colosseum and
Forum. Spend the rest of the day soaking in the charm and ambience of Rome with its ubiquitous Baroque churches, fountains and palazzos. And, don’t forget to eat a gelato .. or two!
Day 19 – ROME – ROME AIRPORT [B]
Transfer by private vehicle from your hotel to Rome Fiumicino International Airport for your flight home.
Whether you prefer the above itinerary “as-is” or have it customised, if you will indicate the start/end dates of your intended travel and provide your contact details, we will get in touch with you to discuss the itinerary on a no-obligations basis on your part.
