Switzerland, Alsace & the Black Forest

12 days  |  14 days with Rhine Valley extension

Overview             Itinerary              Flights             FAQ

Alpine vistas, charming towns, and enchanting forests await.

From Switzerland’s mountainous landscapes to Germany’s mystical Black Forest, impressive views are around every corner in this breathtaking region. See the iconic Matterhorn up close at Gornergrat, wind your way through Colmar’s charming streets in Alsace, then venture out into an ethereal land known for its fairy tales and decadent Black Forest cake.

Your tour package includes
  •  10 nights in handpicked hotels
  •  10 breakfasts
  •  4 dinners with beer or wine
  •  8 sightseeing tours
  •  Expert Tour Director & local guides
  •  3 train rides
  •  Private deluxe motor coach
Included highlights
  •  Lake Lucerne
  •  Chillon Castle
  •  Gornergrat open-air cog railway
  •  The Matterhorn
  •  Glacier Express train ride
  •  Bern
  •  Petite France
  •  The Black Forest

Select tour date

Itinerary

Overnight Flight

Day 1: Travel day

Board your overnight flight to Zurich today.

Lucerne Region

Day 2: Arrival in Lucerne via Zurich

Included meal: Welcome dinner

Welcome to Switzerland! After arriving in Zurich, transfer to your hotel in the Lucerne region to meet your fellow travelers at tonight’s welcome dinner.

Day 3: Sightseeing tour of Lucerne

Included meal: Breakfast

With your guide leading the way, get to know lakeside Lucerne, the most populous city in Central Switzerland.

  • Pass hand-painted facades along the cobbled streets of the Old Town.
  • View the Lion Monument, a tribute to the Swiss Guards who sacrificed their lives in Paris during the French Revolution.
  • See the Jesuit Church, the first large Baroque building of its kind to be built in Switzerland north of the Alps.
  • Cross the iconic Kapellbrücke, a covered wooden footbridge spanning the Reuss River, and view the Water Tower.

Enjoy a free afternoon to explore the Lucerne region on your own or add an excursion.

Mount Pilatus(From $135 per person)

Zermatt

Day 4: Zermatt via Montreux & Chillon Castle

Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Pass through the scenic foothills of the Alps today, stopping to visit Chillon Castle and Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva. Then, make your way to the car-free mountain town of Zermatt. Upon arrival, follow your Tour Director on a short orientation tour and take in views of the iconic Matterhorn.

Later, sit down to an included dinner with your group.

Day 5: The Matterhorn Region

Included meal: Breakfast

Set out to explore the mountainous landscapes surrounding the Matterhorn today. Stop along the way to visit Gornergrat, a ridge overlooking the Gorner Glacier.

  • Board Europe’s highest open-air cog railway for a ride to the summit.
  • Take in spectacular panoramic views of the Matterhorn.

Interlaken

Day 6: Interlaken via the Glacier Express & Andermatt

Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Board the Glacier Express, a famed train with cars specially designed for scenic viewing, and travel north through the Alps to Andermatt. Then, make your way to Interlaken, the gateway to the region’s towering mountains and pristine lakes.

Sit down to an included dinner with your group this evening.

Day 7: Free day in Interlaken

Included meal: Breakfast

Enjoy a full free day in Interlaken or add an excursion.

Jungfraujoch: The Top of Europe(From $229 per person)

Alsace Region

Day 8: Alsace region via Bern

Included meal: Breakfast

Before crossing the border into France, make a stop in the Swiss capital of Bern for a sightseeing tour led by your Tour Director.

  • Cross the Aare River and head to the iconic Bern Bear Park, home to a community of brown bears.
  • Stroll through the UNESCO-recognized Old Town, making your way past the Cathedral of Bern.

Then continue on to the Alsace region of France, known for its storybook villages and sprawling vineyards.

Day 9: Sightseeing tour of Strasbourg

Included meal: Breakfast

Explore the Alsace capital city of Strasbourg on a tour with a local guide. Then, take to the river for a short cruise.

  • Make your way through the Grande Île neighborhood, passing by Place Gutenberg, Cathédrale Notre-Dame, and Palais Rohan, known as a miniature Versailles.
  • Continue your tour by boat, admiring the Petite France neighborhood, Barrage Vauban, and Ponts Couverts from the water.

This afternoon, enjoy free time to continue exploring Strasbourg on your own or add an excursion.

Alsace Wine Tasting & Dinner(From $115 per person)

Black Forest Region

Day 10: Freiburg via Colmar

Included meal: Breakfast

En route to the Black Forest region, stop for a guided sightseeing tour of the charming city of Colmar, known for its impeccably preserved old town.

  • Discover “Little Venice,” an area known for its canals.
  • Walk through the famous old town, seeing Maison Pfister, the Bartholdi Museum, and Saint Martin Church.

Continue on to the German town of Freiburg, known as the entry point into the fabled Black Forest. Here, you’ll set out on an orientation of the town with your Tour Director in the lead.

  • Enter the Gothic Freiburg Minster cathedral, built during the 13th century.
  • Pass by the Historisches Kaufhaus, City Hall, and Martinstor city gate.

Day 11: Black Forest region

Included meals: Breakfast, Farewell dinner

Set out to explore more of the Black Forest region today.

  • Visit the Black Forest Open Air Museum to learn about the region’s history, culture, and traditions from a local guide.
  • Try a slice of Black Forest cake, named for the tart cherry liquor that gives it its signature taste.
  • Marvel at regional artifacts inside the Black Forest Museum during free time.
  • Admire the world’s largest cuckoo clock, built using traditional blueprints at 60 times the original scale.

Later this evening, join your fellow travelers for a farewell dinner.

Flight Home

Day 12: Departure

Included meal: Breakfast (excluding early morning departures)

Transfer to the Zurich airport for your flight home or continue your trip to explore the Rhine Valley.

Flights

Round-trip flights are one more thing we handle to make your journey as smooth as possible. Our team of travel experts will find the best flight itinerary for you at a competitive rate, thanks to our partnerships with top airlines.

Add our airfare and you’ll get:

  •  Round-trip flight for your tour
  •  Airport transfers at your destination
  •  A great price locked in today
  •  24/7 support from our dedicated service team
  •  Options for arriving early, staying longer, or requesting an upgrade
  •  Flexible rebooking options if your tour itinerary changes

FAQ

  •  In order to enter the United Kingdom, France, and Italy (plus Spain on the tour extension), U.S. and Canadian citizens need a valid passport with an expiration date extending at least six months beyond the date of reentry.
  •  We recommend having at least one blank passport page for entry stamps.
  •  Beginning in 2025, U.S. and Canadian passport holders must register for an ETIAS travel authorization in order to enter many European countries.
  •  In order to enter the United Kingdom, France, and Italy (plus Spain on the tour extension), U.S. and Canadian citizens need a valid passport with an expiration date extending at least six months beyond the date of reentry.
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  •  Beginning in 2025, U.S. and Canadian passport holders must register for an ETIAS travel authorization in order to enter many European countries.
  •  In order to enter the United Kingdom, France, and Italy (plus Spain on the tour extension), U.S. and Canadian citizens need a valid passport with an expiration date extending at least six months beyond the date of reentry.
  •  We recommend having at least one blank passport page for entry stamps.
  •  Beginning in 2025, U.S. and Canadian passport holders must register for an ETIAS travel authorization in order to enter many European countries.
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