Swiss Spell
August 5 – 22, 2008
18 days - $2777 * + air
 

Using a Swiss rail pass, we will explore the most beautiful places in Switzerland. Perfect for everyone - families, walkers, slow movers. Sketch, photograph - enjoy!   Here's the plan: AUGUST 5 Leave U.S. for Switzerland. Perhaps go a few days early or stay longer for more treats. AUGUST 6 Easy afternoon arrival in Zurich. After our arrival we will transfer into town and our pleasant hotel in the Old Town. Their restaurant offers great local specialties so you can make your own choice. ZURICH - AUGUST 7 Morning tour with local guide, lunch, then off to the station and train to St. Gallen where we will spend some time exploring one of the best city centers in Switzerland. The Collegiate Library will interest most with its beautifully etched manuscripts and opulent interior. Then we take the little red train for an hour train ride to Appenzellerland! Rolling green hills, farm houses dotting the landscape, cozy villages filled with gaily painted houses. Paths and trails right out our door to explore and our Swiss Rail Pass will be useable throughout the tour. Family run hotel is right in the middle of Appenzell’s easy charms which will seduce you. B - D APPENZELL AUGUST 8 Today is beginning of their special “Landlerfest” festival with singing, dancing, costumes, beer garden, musical instruments special to this region. You will love the costumes, music, singing, dancing, horn blowing….everyone from young to old, is involved in this celebration! Much local music in the evening - very cheerful and refreshing. The perfect place to begin our Swiss visit. Alp horn, dulcimer music, crafts….great cheese, food… APPENZELL B - AUGUST 9 The festival continues today and tomorrow but if you like, by train or on foot, visit other villages. Gondolas will lift you to mountain tops - sit there forever or hike down to valley. You can explore on your own but we will decide within the group which places we want to visit together. Appenzell’s excellent tourist office will supply all needed information of their excellent and varied trail system to explore with walks for those who want to go easy and hikes for the hardy ones. Far off in the peaks is Mt. Santis to visit by gondola. Perhaps a dairy visit and cheese making demo at local museum where they demonstrate how dotted swiss is made. APPENZELL B - AUGUST 10 Lots of choices. Up to mountain tops, walk the barefoot trail, relax by large outdoor pool enjoy more of the festival or perhaps a spectacular hike beginning at the end of a valley, hiking up into the mountains to Seealpsee, a reflective lake surrounded by mountains and if you like, you can spend the night in a modest inn. Take time to walk around the lake, taste frrrrresh milk at the tiny dairy, boat on the lake, sketch, photograph, enjoy the beauty and the peace. Maybe we will hear some locals yodeling or local music in the evening. APPENZELL B - D AUGUST 11 Today we must leave, but a pleasing journey thru the Appenzeller hills looking down into Austria then following the valley past Leichtenstein. We follow the advice of an avid walker who said, “you must go to Arosa” and so we will. Transfer in Chur to open train car going up to Arosa following valleys and mountains sides. Cameras will be clicking. Higher and higher into the mountains, we arrive in this paradise (for walker’s, sketchers, photographers, everyone) and are met by our delightful host with a glass of welcoming champagne. AROSA B - D AUGUST 12 Walks and hikes of all levels. Over 125 miles of groomed paths for easy walking! Walk the flats or go straight up, lifts will carry you down. Don’t want to hike? Just relax and enjoy. There’s golf, ice skating and perhaps some hang or para-gliding! Or there are trains going to Italy - Poschiavo is magical! Maybe we’ll find a place you have never heard of or perhaps check out the resort towns of Davos and St. Moritz. At dinner time, we’ll take you to a quaint inn that serves fantastic cheese fondue. AROSA B - AUGUST 13 Lots of options but perhaps a wonderful hike up to a mountain summer village for lunch –we’ll see what the group wants to do. A fairy tale spot come true. So many options on how you spend your time, walking, hiking, swimming, riding the lifts and train … AROSA B - D AUGUST 14 14 Heard of the Glacier Express? We follow the great route but it is much more fun to take the “local” train stopping at each village as we head for Zermatt. On it’s journey from Chur, this train crosses 291 bridges, goes through 91 tunnels and climbs 6,000 ft. over of the passes. Takes all day - but what a day! Our family run hotel is in the center of town with easy access to gondolas, trains, trails and local activities. Three nights sleeping under the shadow of the Matterhorn. ZERMATT B - D AUGUST 15 We sit humbly at the feet of this magnificent giant - the view from our balcony is incredible. You may not want to leave! Take a gondola ride that will take your breath away....up to the glacier with view to the Matterhorn, great spot for lunch. ZERMATT B - AUGUST 16 Ride the highest cog railway in the world to the top of the world! A helicopter ride is worth considering too. Find the old section of Zermatt with its picturesque wooden, weathered huts. Hike in the valleys, start at the top and work down, ramble, amble, sit, contemplate, sketch, photograph.....enjoy yourself in this impressive valley. ZERMATT B - AUGUST 17 Back to main line town of Brig by train, then a impressive journey through the mountains to Lake Thun, Interlocken and the Bernese Oberland. Continue up valley to Lauterbrunnen, switch to another cog train that pulls up the mountainside to Wengen, a car free village perched on a ledge high over the valley. Hikes and walks abound plus boat trips, museums, excursions - all abound in this Shangri-La. Paths, trails, trains, gondolas - all your Pied Piper! WENGEN B - D AUGUST 18 Our first treat is the gondola ride up to Mannlichen where choice of walks makes a tough decision. Or if you rather, ride down and go swimming, play golf, tennis, etc. If the weather is clear, go up to the unbelievable Junfraujoch at 11,000 ft.  - ice caves and views of the glacier just below. Enjoy the mountain view from your balcony. Tonight let’s find some traditional music with an alp horn.  WENGEN B - AUGUST 19 A glorious day for leisurely walk to Murren and then gondola ride to the Schilthorn for a top-of-the-mountain view (shades of 007!). Walk, train or use gondolas to reach other villages of Gimmelwald, Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald - much to discover. See dynamic Trummelbach Falls! WENGEN B - AUGUST 20 Good day for boat ride on Lake Brienz with visit to woodcarvers school and lunch on a lakeside balcony. Stop off in Interlaken for some shopping. Swiss knives anyone? Interlaken also boasts an outdoor theater performance of William Tell. There’s enough hiking, walking, train and gondola riding to keep you very busy. Try parasailing. Take a breathtaking helicopter ride past the face of the Eiger! Let’s try Swiss Fondue for our evening treat and hopefully music by locals to complete the day. WENGEN B - D AUGUST 21 Some morning time in Wengen, then train to Zurich for your overnight near the airport. The perfect ending to a perfect tour. From the hardy hiker to the kids to the slow moving granddad, a good time will be had by all! Swiss hospitality will have impressed you and you will be totally in awe of the beauty that has surrounded you for 17 days. ZURICH B - D AUGUST 22 Morning flight to USA, but your heart and head will be in these spectacular mountains. Stay on if you like in Zurich or continue on to explore some other areas in this beautiful country. We may go back to Appenzell or head for the Dolomites in Italy!   INCLUDED: • Preliminary group get-together in Seattle • Post-tour “pot luck” • All accommodations, 2 to a room (Single supplement available) • Breakfasts daily, 8 dinners • Swiss Rail Pass (gives us many extras & discounts) • Basic insurance package • ITN magazine for one year • Patty & Ron Price, escorts • Hand-outs, maps and brochures • As much fun and a feel for the country as we can possibly give you!               Please read Patty’s comments on costs and inclusions.   Not Included: • Airfare •  Airport taxes - Passport costs - Laundry • Balance of lunches & dinners • Liquor, soft drinks • Admissions not included in rail pass •  Extra “thank you” tips • Hiring of mountain guide for specific hikes (cost divided among group)  • Items not specifically listed   DEPOSIT: $250 to hold your place BALANCE DUE: June 5, 2008 There is no way I can tell about the delights of these four locations…..perfect for anyone…from the active youngster to the slow moving older person. AND you can choose how you spend your days. Each night there will be a discussion where Patty will suggest options and those with like preferences may join together.   Get up early and head out for a day’s walk or hike. Get up later, enjoy a great breakfast and then about 9-9:30 head for the station for a train ride that will get you to another village or where you can get on a gondolay and ride to the top of a view place. Walk or ride down…..visit a vast folk park to see who the Swiss live in other parts of the country. Visit a wood carving school, attend an open air presentation of “William Tell” complete with horses and cows. Visit Bern, Thun and its castle, boat ride on Lakes Thun and/or Brienz…..and on it goes.   In Appenzell, have fun during their music festival over the weekend – visit a dairy, several small museums, take train rides, go to the “big city” of St. Gallen.   Arosa is not well known and you will enjoy the areas of tranquility and scenery.  Easy walking, good hiking, lifts and even a golf course!  Then dynamic Zermatt has a reputation as a tourist place...but it is certainly more than that, not to be missed.  the Matterhorn rises up before you everywhere, and you can easily get to many viewpoints or just enjoy the village with all its activities and hidden places. Great food, wonderful cultural experiences, music that gets your feet tapping……gentle walking, hard core hiking or just sit and enjoy the view while your friend practices her sketching. And photographers can’t get enough shots!   I could rave on and on…..but just talk to me and you will get the picture!.  The perfect family vacation or for the single traveler.   And let’s put you in the picture too! Remember, on any tour, Patty is open to ideas and suggestions……   This is one tour that will rejuvenate the heart!