The Classic Self-Drive

GRAND TOUR OF SWITZERLAND

12 DAYS / 11 NIGHTS

DISCOVER THE BEST OF SWITZERLAND ON YOUR OWN
DAILY DEPARTURES FROM APRIL 1 TO OCTOBER 31, 2022

This route leads you through 1600 kilometers of the country’s most beautiful regions. You will travel through four linguistic regions, over five Alpine passes, to eleven UNESCO World Heritage Sites and two biosphere reserves and along 22 lakes.

St.Gallen / Davos / Lugano / Zermatt / Montreux / Interlaken/ Lucerne

INCLUSIONS

• 11 night accommodation with breakfasts in 3*, 4* or 5* hotels based on your preferences
• Rental Car for 12 days with pick‐up and drop‐off at Zurich Airport
• Free parking at all hotels (except in Zermatt/Täsch)
• Train ticket Täsch – Zermatt – Täsch in second class
• Grand Tour of Switzerland Road Map
• Grand Tour of Switzerland Travel Guide
• Swiss coupon Pass

Not included: Flights – meals other than breakfasts – excursions – city tax to be paid locally – extra car insurance to be paid on spot- anything not mentioned in the ‘’inclusions” section

NOTES

All other activity mentioned on this tour that are not listed in the “Inclusions” section, are for suggestion only and not included
Book the Swiss Half Fare Card and save up to 50% for most trains, buses, boats and mountain railways as well as public transport in 75 Swiss towns and cities.
Additional days of rental or car categories on request.
Possibility to rent a Tesla (on request) with your e-car you save more than CHF 350 of gas cost
Itinerary bookable in reverse
Open Jaw is possible

REGULAR RATES PER PERSON IN $CAD, IN DOUBLE OCCUPANCY – LAND RATE 2022
	3* hotels And Volkswagen Golf 5 (CDMR) or similar	4* hotels And Audi A3 Manual or similar	5* hotels And Audi A3 Sportback Automatic or similar
01 – 30 Apr; 01 – 31 Oct	$2,739	$3,685	–
01 May – 30 Sept	$2,849	$3,829	–
15 Jun – 13 Sept	–	–	$5,399

*Prices advertised on our site are valid if you purchase services in one single session. If you disconnect from our site, prices could be different in your next session. The prices indicated exclude the contribution to the Customer Compensation Fund of $3.50 per $1,000 of tourism product or service purchased from a travel agent in Quebec.

DAY 1 ZURICH – ST. GALLEN

Upon arrival, pick-up your car at the airport and start driving from Zürich, Switzerland’s largest city on the banks of the lake with the same name. Your route takes you through historic Winterthur and, further along, past the Rhine Falls, the biggest waterfalls in Europe! Stop here for lunch before continuing to Schaffhausen with its Renaissance era architecture lining the streets. Drive along the banks of Lake Constance to St. Gallen. This historic city known as the gateway to the Appenzell Alps, is ideal for an afternoon exploring. The most famous of all the landmarks in St. Gallen is the Baroque cathedral with Abbey Library, home to 160,000 documents, some hand written and over a thousand years old. The entire Abbey precinct, including the Rococo Hall, was declared a UNESCO world heritage site and is well worth a visit in the afternoon. Accommodation: St. Gallen for 1 night

DAY 2 ST. GALLEN – DAVOS (approx. 160km)

Breakfast at the hotel. Today your route takes you from St. Gallen through the famous Appenzell landscapes and into Liechtenstein before heading to the old town of Davos. Your day starts with a stunning scenic drive through the rolling hills of the Appenzell region. Take a trip up to Mt. Säntis for views over the whole region! Make your way through the principality of Liechtenstein, one of Europe’s smallest countries, before returning to Switzerland. Stop off in Maienfeld for lunch and discover Heidi’s Village, taking you through the inspiration for the world‐famous Swiss novel Heidi In the afternoon continue to Davos, a destination renowned for its mountain holidays and sports activities, with traditions stretching back hundreds of years.(B) Accommodation: Davos for 1 night

3-4

DAYS 3 & 4 DAVOS – LUGANO (approx. 160km)

Beautiful landscape in Switzerland (Lake Lucerne)

Today’s drive takes you through the wild and beautiful Graubünden region, starting off with one of the most spectacular roads in Switzerland: the Flüela Pass. Rising up through a beautiful alpine forest, the road suddenly bursts out above the tree line, approximately 1800m above sea level, with views over the Alps of Graubünden. Wind back down through the main valley and along the National Park border to world‐famous St. Moritz. Stop here for lunch on the lake and soak up the glamour of this world‐famous holiday resort! Your afternoon continues along the Julier Pass, a spectacular mountain route connecting the Engadine Valley with the rest of Graubünden, and through glorious scenery to the San Bernardino Pass into the Mediterranean influenced Ticino. Stop in Bellinzona in the afternoon and explore the Three Castles: medieval fortresses, protected under UNESCO and perfect for exploring on foot! Continue on to Lugano, where you stop for the night. Try out one of the local grotto with their traditional Ticinese fare… (B) Accommodation: Lugano for 2 nights

5-6

DAYS 5 & 6 LUGANO – ZERMATT (approx. 215km)

Today you depart Mediterranean Ticino, heading north to cross the famous St. Gotthard Pass and Furka Pass before moving down to Täsch, where you will drop off your car before continuing to Zermatt. Your drive takes you through awe‐inspiring valleys and towering mountain peaks on a gently winding route over the St. Gotthard Pass on your way to Andermatt. Stop for lunch in this lovely traditional village, nestled between snow‐capped mountain peaks, and explore the area! Discover the Devil’s Bridge or take a cable car up the Gemmstock before you continue. Your afternoon route takes you along the breathtaking Furka Pass, with wonderful views over the Rhone Glacier as you descend. Stop to visit the Glacier Grotto. Via Brig you reach Täsch, where you will drop off your car for the next 2 days, while you stay in the car free village of Zermatt. A quick train journey takes you up to the world‐renowned resort, dominated by one of the most famous peaks in the Alps, the Matterhorn. (B) Accommodation: Zermatt for 2 nights

DAY 7 ZERMATT – MONTREUX (approx. 145km)

Breakfast at the hotel. A morning trip up the exhilarating open‐air Gornergrat railway is not to be missed. Back in Täsch your route begins with a stunning drive up through the Valais, heading through Sierre, Sion, Martigny and Aigle. Continue along the shores of Lake Geneva to Montreux. (B) Accommodation: Montreux for 1 night

8-9

DAYS 8 & 9 MONTREUX – INTERLAKEN (approx. 145km)

Breakfast at the hotel. Take a walk along the lakeside in Montreux this morning; the picturesque town is nestled on the shores of Lake Geneva, surrounded by vineyards and against the breath taking backdrop of snow‐covered Alps. The long, flower‐bordered lake promenade which links Vevey and Montreux going all the way to Château de Chillon, is simply asking to be strolled along before you start on your way to Interlaken. Driving up into the golden vineyards of the Lavaux, you wind your way up around the local mountain Rochers‐de‐Naye and through lovely Chatel‐St Denis towards Gruyères. Stop in Gruyères for lunch. Do not miss the local dairy showcasing the methods of making Gruyere cheese! From here, why not take a quick detour up to Broc to explore Maison Cailler, the Swiss chocolate factory? Discover one of the most famous Swiss exports and indulge in delicious Swiss chocolate! You enter the Bernese Oberland along the Jaun Pass, then along Lake Thun you reach Interlaken. Interlaken is the gateway to the Jungfrau region, with plenty of activities in and around the town. Take a late afternoon stroll around the town centre and marvel at the imposing mountain peaks. (B) Accommodation: Interlaken for 2 nights

View on the mundane village of St. Moritz on the slopes of the Albula Alps. Sailboat with white sails sailing on the lake in summer. St. Moritz, Upper Engadine, Grisons, Switzerland

10-11

DAYS 10 & 11 INTERLAKEN – LUCERNE (approx. 215km)

Breakfast at the hotel. Today you have two options: Bern or Brübug Pass. Option Bern: Depart Interlaken this morning along the shores of Lake Thun, climbing first up to Beatenberg then following the lake, with views down into the villages below. A scenic drive through lush green forests and nature reserves takes you to the capital city of Bern, with its protected covered arcades and imposing architecture. Onwards this afternoon, through the Emmental region, home to the delicious Emmental cheese known the world over. Visit a working cheese dairy here and find out how the famous Emmental cheese is made before winding your way towards historic Lucerne. Option Brünig Pass: The Brünig Pass is a shorter route, leaving you more time in Interlaken or to stop along the way. En route you can stop in Meiringen, site of the Sherlock Holmes Museum and the Reichenbach Falls, before continuing to the open air living museum Ballenberg, demonstrating the various regions of Switzerland. In the afternoon you reach Lucerne. Surrounded by famous peaks and set on the unusual lake of the same name, Lucerne is often seen as quintessential Switzerland. The romantic old town is perfect for a late afternoon stroll. Don’t miss the Chapel Bridge, with paintings in the eaves dating back to the middle ages, or the charming shops and restaurants along the lakeside. (B) Accommodation: Lucerne for 2 nights

LUCERNE – ZURICH (approx. 140km) ‐ DEPARTURE

Breakfast at the hotel. You will spend your last days in one of the most beautiful cities in Switzerland. One of the highlights of Lucerne is the Chapel Bridge. Drive back to Zürich airport for your rental drop‐off and return journey.