Swiss Alpine Christmas Markets

Your tour commences this evening in cosmopolitan Munich. Shopping is always excellent in Munich – particularly around the town hall and the decorated wooden Christmas Market stalls. Before your Bavarian style buffet dinner enjoy a welcome drink in the hotel.

Driving into the Bavarian Alps we enjoy a brisk walk uphill to visit ‘Mad’ King Ludwig’s romantic Neuschwanstein Castle. Our guided tour will take us through the King’s apartments, staterooms, halls and throne room all reminiscent of a Wagner operatic saga. Lunchtime will be in the delightful old town of Füssen. Stretches of the original Roman defensive walls are still in place, and the cobblestoned, pedestrianised centre of town is filled with shops, restaurants and historic houses, many elaborately painted. Later we cross into the Austrian Tyrol and Innsbruck where we stay two nights.  After checking into our centrally located hotel, explore the Old Town on your doorstep. Make sure you enjoy the picture perfect Christmas Markets in the old medieval square beneath the famous ‘Golden Roof’.

Your morning is completely free – ‘My Time’ in Innsbruck’s old town. In the afternoon we will visit Swarovski ‘Kristallwelten’ (Crystal Worlds)... a weird and wonderful crystal experience, and ancient Hall.  The oldest town in the Tyrol, Hall is also considered perhaps the prettiest. You will discover Christmas Markets in the unspoiled, narrow medieval alleys and period townhouses. Back in Innsbruck, your evening is free to relax in the picturesque Christmas Markets!

Crossing the mountains and valleys of Austria we visit the city of Vaduz, capital of the Principality of Liechtenstein, a tiny country on the border of Switzerland. Mountains soaring all around us,  we continue to the exclusive ski resort of Klosters, where we stay the next two nights. 

We will spend the morning in historic Luzern. A local guide will join us for a short walking tour through the old town, with its Christmas Markets and covered wooden bridges. After lunchtime at leisure, we drive over the Brünig mountain pass to Meiringen. Famous for inventing its culinary namesake, we have of course, included some delicious meringue and coffee.  We are now deep in the heart of the Bernese Oberland and as a finale we drive along the shoreline of picturesque Lake Brienz to Interlaken, where we stay the next four nights.

This morning we visit Bern, Switzerland’s capital city set on a spectacular bend above the River Aare, and a UNESCO World Heritage landmark. Here we have included a short, guided walking tour through the medieval cobblestoned streets with their sheltered arcaded shopping ways, the Christmas Markets and the famous ‘Bärengraben’ bear pits. Lunchtime is at leisure in Bern. Your afternoon and evening are free back in Interlaken. ‘My Time’. Nestled between two lakes, and surrounded by soaring peaks, Interlaken is an absolute joy during the run up to Christmas. The shopping is excellent and the Christmas Markets at dusk are an absolute pleasure, with its lines of wooden chalets and stalls, buzzing with festive cheer, and surrounding two enormous ice-skating rinks. Maybe try your hand at Ice Curling - somewhat like lawn bowls, only on ice! 

Passing through the delightful village of Lauterbrunnen, flanked by 300 metre (1,000 ft) high, sheer cliffs, we take the cable car from Stechelberg up the rockface to the pretty village of Mürren. From here we are whisked further up to the glass floored observation deck of the Birg restaurant. Around the entire peak is the Skyline Thrill Walk – a metal walkway suspended over a sheer drop below. Thrilling indeed! Then onwards and upwards by another cable car, suspended between two peaks, to the Piz Gloria, a revolving restaurant set on top of the Schilthorn summit. With astonishing 360 degree views we have included a 007 buffet lunch. This was also the setting for the evil Blofeld’s secret mountain hideout in the James Bond film ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’. There is a James Bond museum and the 007 toilets are…. memorable! Your evening is at leisure in Interlaken. 

Following the shoreline of Lake Thun, we reach the old town of historic Thun, with its Christmas markets and excellent shopping. Later we make a stop in lake side Spiez before returning to Interlaken. The rest of your day is free - ‘My Time’. This evening we have included dinner and a Swiss Folklore show.

This morning we have included a ride on the Gornergrat funicular train (cog railway) up to the highest open air railway station in Europe – the Gornergrat. At 3,100 metres (10,170 ft) the view from the top across the Alps is beyond belief.  We have also included a warming hot drink on the terrace of the Kulmhotel restaurant, surrounded by one of the great vistas of the world – the mighty Matterhorn and the 28 other 4,000 metre high peaks that surround you. The rest of the day is free to relax in the crisp, alpine air. Perhaps play in the mountains, go for a walk on the 70 kilometres of  winter trails along the valley, or explore this fascinating mountain retreat, from its cafés and boutiques to the little winding streets still lined with traditional stone and slate hamlets and cottages. 

Crossing over the dramatic Simplon Alpine Pass we enter Italy, and the stylish city of Milan. On arrival there will be time at leisure amongst the fashion shops of the luxurious Golden Triangle and in the square beside the giant Duomo. This evening we will enjoy a farewell dinner in a local Milanese restaurant.