Mountains and Metropolises of Germany & Switzerland

Welcome to Germany! Upon arrival, head through customs and collect your luggage. You will be met by a personal driver who will escort you to your centrally located hotel. If your rooms are not yet ready, your hotel will hold your bags so you can start exploring this stunning city!

Berlin has a rich and complex history. It was founded in the 13th century and has been the capital of various kingdoms, empires and governments throughout its history. Berlin played a significant role during World War II and was divided into East Berlin (controlled by the Soviet Union) and West Berlin (controlled by the Allies) during the Cold War. Berlin has a very interesting energy due to its past. You will discover this first hand over the next few days!

Overnight in Berlin

This morning, meet up with your guide for a walking tour of the city!

Experience Berlin’s past and present on this half-day guided walking tour through the city’s Mitte district. Visit landmarks from the city’s Prussian, Imperial, Nazi, Cold War and modern eras, offering insight into the evolution of this fascinating German capital. Stroll along the iconic Berlin Wall and follow Unter den Linden to the Brandenburg Gate. Then check out the rebuilt Reichstag and the Holocaust Memorial and hear the amazing stories of Cold War Berlin at Checkpoint Charlie.

After the tour, you have the afternoon to continue exploring on your own with your Berlin Welcome Card – All inclusive, a pass that offers unlimited travel on public transportation within the city, including buses, trams, trains and the U-Bahn (subway). In addition to transportation, the card includes a 1-day Hop-on Hop-off bus tour and free entry to more than 30 Berlin highlights.

Highlights (included): Berlin Welcome Card

Overnight in Berlin
(Breakfast included)

Today, there is nothing official planned, but you have the Berlin Welcome Card to explore at your leisure. Perhaps visit Museum Island, a compact space filled with history and art. You could also visit the Berlin Television Tower for fantastic views over the city. 

If you want to explore outside the city, use your Berlin Card on public transportation to travel to Potsdam. Here, you can visit the magnificent Sanssouci Palace, a magnificent Rococo palace built as a summer retreat for Frederick the Great. It is renowned for its stunning architecture, beautiful gardens, and its association with Prussian history. 

Highlights (included): Berlin Welcome Card
Highlights (optional): Potsdam excursion

Overnight in Berlin
(Breakfast included)
Tenon Recommends: 5-Star Rubens at the Palace Hotel 

Time to say goodbye to Berlin and head south to Heidelberg! A private driver will meet you at the hotel to take you to the Berlin train station where you will board the train to Frankfurt, then one more to Heidelberg. Once in Heidelberg, a driver will transport you to your hotel. 

Heidelberg, an old town on the river Neckar, is the epitome of German Romanticism, filled with majestic cityscapes and a palpable historic atmosphere. It is home to the country’s oldest university, The University of Heidelberg, and Heidelberg Castle, one of the most popular castle ruins in Germany.

Take a walk through the Baroque-style Old Town and view the historic stone bridge, built in the 1780s. Or take a stroll along Philosophers’ Walk, a famous ramble along the banks of the Neckar where Heidelberg’s philosophers and professors came to contemplate their high-minded ideas.

With your Heidelberg Card, you can take a relaxing boat tour along the Neckar River. Marvel at the picturesque views of the city and its surroundings from the water. 

Highlights (included): Heidelberg Card

Overnight in Heidelberg
(Breakfast included)

This morning meet your guide for a fun walking tour to get to know the town! In the Old Town, dreamy squares are linked like beads on a necklace, with people of all ages and from around the world meeting in the many small cafes and pubs.

Then in the afternoon, visit the Heidelberg Castle! The Heidelberg Card includes: Castle ticket, which combines a funicular railway trip and a one-time admission to the castle courtyard, the barrel cellar and a visit to the Germany Pharmacy Museum. Make sure to visit the castle gardens for a fantastic view of the city. 

Highlights (included): Guided walking tour of Heidelberg, admission to the castle, barrel cellar and Germany Pharmacy Museum

Overnight in Heidelberg
(Breakfast included)

This morning, you will be greeted by a private driver who will take you to the train station to board your three-hour direct train to Munich. Upon arrival in Munich, your hotel is within walking distance of the train station.

Munich is a city where traditional and modern sit side by side like few places on earth. With approximately 1.5 million inhabitants, Munich is the third-largest city in Germany and the twelfth-largest in the European Union. Munich has everything to offer, from museums, to art galleries, to churches and parks, the opportunities are endless.

You won’t want to miss the Church of St. Peter offering some of the best views of the city from the top of the tower, or the Theatiner Church at Odeonsplatz, a major influence on the Southern German Baroque architecture. If you prefer to spend time outside, there are wonderful parks and gardens to meander through including the Flaucher (river bank), the English Garden, a 900-acre park best known for its beer gardens, and Olympiapark, with fascinating landscapes and lakes!

And, every visitor to Munich must go to Hofbräuhaus for a beer! One fun feature is that you buy your beer with prepaid beer tokens, just like during Oktoberfest. There’s an interesting gift shop on the premises, and the Hofbräuhaus prides itself on being open every day of the year, even Christmas day!

Highlights (optional): Church of St. Peter, visit to Hofbräuhaus

Overnight in Munich
(Breakfast included)

On your walking tour today, explore the dark side of Munich’s history as the birthplace of Nazism. Follow the growth of the movement from its first mass meeting at the Hofbräuhaus, to its failed attempt to seize power at the Feldherrnhalle. This tour covers all important facts and sites that played a role in the origin of this dark chapter, that ended with the beautiful city of Munich in ruins.

The afternoon is yours to explore at your leisure. 

Highlights (included): Guided walking tour of Munich

Overnight in Munich
(Breakfast included)

Time to see another castle, this time one that is not in ruins! Experience the most famous sights of Bavaria – Neuschwanstein Castle & Linderhof Palace. Both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and were built by Bavarian monarch Ludwig II. Get to know the history of both castles and be amazed by the beautiful architecture, gorgeous interior and magnificent gardens. Visit  Oberammergau, world famous for its Passion Play, performed every 10 years. Enjoy the special atmosphere, and perhaps shop for souvenirs. Today is sure to be a day to remember!

Highlights (included): Guided tour to Neuschwanstein Castle & Linderhof Palace including admission, visit to Oberammergau

Overnight in Munich
(Breakfast included)

Time to say goodbye to Germany and hello to Switzerland!

This morning, walk to the train station where you will board your first of two trains to Lucerne. The first train will be approximately three and a half hours. Then, change trains in Zurich to board the final one to Lucerne, which will take about 45 minutes. Upon arrival, you can walk to your hotel from the train station.

Lucerne is the perfect recipe for a gorgeous Swiss city: a cobalt lake ringed by mountains of myth, a well-preserved medieval Altstadt (Old Town) and a reputation for making beautiful music, then sprinkle with covered bridges, sunny plazas, candy-colored houses and waterfront promenades. Time to explore at your leisure. 

Overnight in Lucerne
(Breakfast included)

Visit the famous Mount Pilatus today! The massive mountain overlooks Lucerne and it’s easily accessible by a cogwheel train from Alpnachstad. The cogwheel train is spectacular: it’s the steepest one in the world, and it crosses a fierce landscape with impressive rock walls.

Begin with a boat trip on Lake Lucerne and a view of the surrounding mountains, then in Alpnachstad board the steepest cogwheel railway in the world to reach the summit. At 2,132 meters above sea level, you will be received with the inimitable Pilatus warmth. With multiple restaurants, the gastronomy team on the mountain is glad to fulfill your wishes. The breathtaking panorama and view of the Alpine massif and its mountain range do their part to make your stay unforgettable.

You will glide down to Kriens on the aerial cableway Dragon Ride and on the Panorama gondolas. From the valley station it is a five-minute walk to the stop for Bus No. 1 and a convenient ride to Lucerne. After a full day of exploration, return to Lucerne for a relaxing evening.

Highlights (included): Boat trip on Lake Lucerne, cogwheel railway, Dragon Ride cableway

Overnight in Lucerne
(Breakfast included)

Travel from Lucerne to Interlaken this morning; the journey is just under two hours. Once in Interlaken, walk to your hotel, drop your bags and begin exploring!

Interlaken means “between the lakes” and these lakes are Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. The town is the entry point to the world-famous Jungfrau area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Jungfrau mountain appears like a picture in a frame, even when viewed from the Höhematte Park in front of the legendary Hotel Victoria Jungfrau.

This afternoon, you have tickets to take the funicular up to Harder Kulm. It takes just eight minutes to travel from Interlaken to the Harder Kulm, Interlaken’s home mountain, where the restaurant, at 1322 meters above sea level, is reminiscent of a small castle. Enjoy the stunning views of the Eiger, Mönch & Jungfrau as well as Lake Thun and Lake Brienz from the “Two‐Lakes‐Bridge”. Harder Kulm is a fabulous place to watch the sunset. It is also the perfect starting point for several mountain hikes. 

Highlights (included): Harder Kulm dining experience

Overnight in Interlaken
(Breakfast included)

This morning you have free time to explore Interlaken and the area with your Swiss Travel Pass. Perhaps take a boat ride on either Lake Thun or Lake Brienz, or both, for a scenic cruise through the Swiss Alps. Or take the train to Grindelwald, a picturesque mountain village surrounded by the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau mountains.

This afternoon, you will take the Scenic GoldenPass Train to Montreux. This exceptional journey is from the majestic peaks of the Bernese Alps to the Vaud Riviera via the Pays-d’Enhaut. It really must be seen to be believed because it is so beautiful.

After witnessing some marvelous scenery, you will arrive in Montreux, the Pearl of the Swiss Riviera, and a town that is blessed with a very mild and wonderful climate, thanks to its ideal location on Lake Geneva and at the foot of the Alps.

Highlights (optional): Lake Thun and/or Lake Brienz cruise, visit Grindelwald mountain village

Overnight in Montreux
(Breakfast included)

Your third castle of the trip awaits!

Enjoy a visit to the Château de Chillon, entrance included with your pass. Occupying a stunning position on Lake Geneva, this oval-shaped 13th-century fortress is a maze of courtyards, towers and halls filled with arms, period furniture and artwork. The landward-side is heavily fortified, but the lakeside presents a gentler face.

Enjoy the rest of the day as you please.

Highlights (included): Admission to Château de Chillon
Highlights (optional): Audio guide (available to rent on location)

Overnight in Montreux
(Breakfast included)

Another fabulous day in Switzerland filled with wonder! Spend a delightful day traveling in the vintage 1915 Belle Époque carriages on the Swiss Chocolate Train from Montreux to Montbovon. From there, you will travel to Gruyère and Broc by coach. This excursion gives you the chance to sample two of Switzerland’s most famous specialities – chocolate and cheese.

Leaving Montreux, coffee and croissants are served on the train as you pass through the vineyards along Lake Geneva. In Gruyères, you will visit the cheese dairy farm producing the famous Gruyère cheese – La Maison du Gruyère. You will see the traditional cheese‐making methods and get the opportunity to sample the different cheese varieties. 

A shuttle bus then brings you to Gruyères itself where you have time to explore the picturesque village or the castle (entrance included for Swiss Travel Pass holders). Continue to Broc by shuttle bus for a visit to the Maison Cailler – the famous chocolatier. Learn about the production process on a tour of the factory and sample mouth‐watering Swiss chocolate, before traveling by chocolate bus back to Montreux. 

Highlights (included): Transportation via Belle Époque carriages, visit to La Maison du Gruyère, visit to Maison Cailler

Overnight in Montreux
(Breakfast included)

It’s time to say goodbye to Switzerland. Use your Swiss pass again this morning and for the final time to take the train from Montreux to the Geneva Airport, or extend your stay! 

(Breakfast included)