DAY 1 ARRIVAL IN PARIS

Start your Paris to Munich & Swiss Alps Rail Tour by private transfer from Paris Int. Airport to your hotel in Paris. Paris- a city full of romance, culture and historic highlights. With your 2 Day Hop-on Hop-off Paris city tour pass you will get a nice overview of the beautiful city. You may want to hop off at the Musee du Louvre, originally a royal fortress, where you can spend several hours exploring the museum which houses 35,000 works of art, definitely a “must-see” when you are in Paris and have not visited the Louvre before. To walk through the Louvre is to walk through the history of France and into the heads of kings and revolutionaries. There is plenty to do all day and, when the day goes by, the Paris´ nightlife is legendary, of course! Overnight at Paris.

DAY 2 PARIS

Your tour continues with a full day of Sightseeing in Paris. With your 2 Day Hop-on Hop-off Paris city tour pass you can easily move around Paris – from the upper deck – you will enjoy great 360 degree panoramic views of Paris. The tour passes by Notre Dame Cathedral, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture built in 12th century, the Musee d’Orsay and the Galaries Lafayette, one of Paris’ premier department stores; after shopping do not forget to enjoy the great Paris city views from the terrace. The Hop-on Hop-off Paris City tour will also take you to the Avenue des Champs-Elysees, one of the most famous streets in the world, to the Arc de Triomphe and to the Grand Palais, where varying exhibitions present work of arts by famous painters, from Monet to Picasso.For a great view of the Eiffel Tower take the double decker bus across the river, you may want to hop off at Trocadero, site of the Palais de Chaillot. The hill across the Seine River from the Eiffel Tower is a great spot to take a photo of the world famous Paris landmark. You should hop off right at the Eiffel Tower. The iron lattice tower is the tallest building in Paris (1063 ft.). Many couples plan a visit of the tower during sunset – for a spectacular view of the “City of Lights”, as Paris is often referred to. If you do not want to tour Paris on board of the bus all day you may want to spend the afternoon joining a tour of trendy Marais, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Paris with many narrow historic streets and with an even larger number of shopping opportunities! You may want to register for the English-speaking walking tour through Paris. It is a free tour (you may want to tip the guide after the tour) and it focuses on authentic Paris lifestyle: private home architecture, sophisticated fashion shops and unique art galleries. As an alternative you may want to spend the afternoon by visiting one of the famous museums in Paris. Overnight at Paris.

DAY 3 HEIDELBERG

From Paris Est you will travel by rail to Heidelberg. From Heidelberg Central Station you will have a taxi transfer to your hotel which is located in the Old Town of Heidelberg. Heidelberg is a beautiful historic town located along the banks of the Neckar River and the most significant sight is certainly the ruin of Heidelberg Castle, which is towering above the city. Since your hotel is located right inside of the Old Town of Heidelberg it is easy to explore historic Heidelberg by foot. Your tour package will include walking tour suggestions for the Old Town. Along the walking tour you will see the Old Bridge from where you have a nice view of the Old Town and the Castle ruins above. You will also pass by the “Marktplatz” (market place) which is the main square of Heidelberg, the “Peterskirche” (St. Peter´s Church) and the historic University of Heidelberg. Heidelberg´s University was founded 1386 and it is the oldest University in Germany and with more than 30.000 students it is still one of the most important universities in Germany today. If you want to enjoy a view over Heidelberg and the Neckar River you may want to walk up to the grounds of the castle ruins or – for a small fee, take the historic funicular up and down Heidelberg Castle. The Castle ruins are towering above the city and from up there at Heidelberg Castle you have a great view of Heidelberg. Overnight at Heidelberg.

DAY 4 BERN

By taxi transfer you will get from your hotel located in Heidelberg Old Town to Heidelberg Central Station from where you take the Speed train to Bern. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote about Bern: “It is the most beautiful that we have ever seen”. Albert Einstein lived here from 1903 until 1905. Don´t miss to visit the Cathedral of Bern. It is Switzerland’s largest ecclesiastical building. Construction started in 1421, the spire was finally completed in 1893. At its portal you can see a depiction of the Last Judgment. Climb up Switzerland´s highest church to have a marvelous view over the city and into the Bernese Mittelland and the snow-capped mountains of the Bernese Oberland. The Old Town ob Bern is very scenic and it has a unique medieval character. The historic center, almost completely surrounded by the Aare River, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Very unique are the numerous arcades you will find in Bern. After a long day you may want to have something to eat at the Schwellenmätteli, a famous restaurant in Bern. Located on the banks of the River Aare you’ll feel like you’re on an island vacation. Overnight at Bern.

DAY 5 INTERLAKEN

In less than one hour the Speed Rail will take you from Bern to Interlaken. Interlaken (Latin for “between the lakes”) is nestled between two lakes: Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. It also affords a view of the worlds famous Icy Icons: the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. The Jungfrau – Top of Europe – can be reached by train. The tour does not include the tickets for the train journey up to the mountain since it will not be worth going up there if you have bad weather. Even in the summer time there can be days with snowfall and fog. However, if the weather is nice we recommend to go – this wonder-world of eternal snow and ice is absolutely stunning. Tickets can be bought right at the Interlaken West Station (where you arrived). Visit the Ice Palace and its sculptures or enjoy the breathtaking views from the Sphinx look-out terrace over the Aletsch Glacier, the longest ice stream in Europe, to the surrounding mountain peaks of the neighboring countries. Overnight at Interlaken.

DAY 6 “GOLDEN PASS” PANORAMA TRAIN RIDE THRU THE SWISS ALPS TO LUCERNE

In the morning take the Scenic-Panorama “Golden-Pass”-train ride thru the Swiss Alps from Interlaken to Lucerne. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and an important tourist destination due to its superb location along the shore of Lake Lucerne – within sight of Mount Pilatus and Rigi. The train ride will be an absolute highlight of your tour, the Swiss Alps Mountain Scenery is just beautiful! Visit the Chapel Bridge: it is a 14th century wooden bridge crossing the Reuss River in the Old Town. The Chapel Bridge with the octagonal water tower is a famous landmark of Lucerne. As you walk across the bridge you will also see the 17th century triangular painted roof panels lining the ceiling of this covered bridge, recounting important events from Swiss history and mythology. The bridge is the most photographed monument in Switzerland. Don´t forget to visit one of the world’s most famous monuments: the Dying Lion of Lucerne. It was carved out of natural rock by a renowned Danish/Icelandic sculptor and commemorates the hundreds of Swiss guards who were massacred during the French Revolution in 1792. Mark Twain says about the Lion of Lucerne that it is the saddest and most moving piece of rock in the world. Overnight at Lucerne.

DAY 7 ZURICH

In less than one hour you will be in Zurich. As a lifestyle capital located on the lake, Zurich offers the unique mix of discovery, pleasure, nature, and culture. The finest culinary highlights, unlimited shopping pleasure, over 50 museums and more than 100 galleries, Switzerland’s liveliest nightlife, numerous events and countless green oases in the center of the city tempt guests to linger and enjoy. If you want to have a glorious view of the Old Town, Grossmunster Church, City Hall, the Limmat river, the University and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Visit Lindenhof, a haven of peace and tranquility in the heart of the city. At the church “Fraumunster” you can find glass windows that have been created by Marc Chagall. If you want to do some shopping a visit of the “Bahnhofstrasse” is a must. The street runs from the Main Station right down to the lake. It is said to be among the most beautiful shopping areas in Europe and with its boutiques and stores it is also known to be one of the most exclusive and expensive shopping streets in the world. In Zürich, you might want to look for a new Swiss-made watch but you definitely have to try a piece of the Swiss Chocolate (Frey or Lindt). Overnight at Zurich.

DAY 8 MUNICH

The direct train/coach ride from Zurich to Munich Central Station takes a little over four hours. However, you should still have time for sightseeing in Munich that day. The price of your tour already includes admission to many sights in Munich (Munich Residence and Residence Museum, Treasury, Cuvilliés-Theatre, Hall of Fame and Statue of Bavaria, Nymphenburg Palace and Park, Marstallmuseum, Museum of Nymphenburg Porcelain). Along with your tour package you will receive walking suggestions for a self-guided walking tour through Munich City Center. Along this walking tour you will visit the Marienplatz with the New Town Hall (with the “Glockenspiel”), the Konigsplatz (King´s Square), cultural center in the 19th century and later, during the “Third Reich”, site of Nazi Party mass rallies and location of the Nazi Party headquarters in Germany. You will see the English Garden as well as the the State Opera House. And you will be able to visit famous churches like Munich Frauenkirche, “Dom zu Unserer Lieben Frau (Cathedral of Our Dear Lady), with a height of 325 ft. a Munich landmark, St. Peters Church, built in the 14th century and the Asam Church, which was built as a private chapel and integrated into an apartment building. The tour will also pass by the most famous Munich shopping streets (Kaufinger street and Neuhauser street) as well as by the “Viktualienmarkt”, a traditional farmers market (open every day except on Sundays). The tour will take you by the famous “Alois Dallmayr” luxury delicatessen and coffee store as well as to the Hofbrauhaus of course, probably the world’s most popular beer hall. This may be a great place to enjoy a hearty dinner and a fresh Mass of beer (one mug holds 33.8 US fl oz)! Overnight at Munich.

DAY 9 ESCORTED COACH TOUR TO THE ROYAL CASTLES

Another highlight of your tour will be a visit of the world famous Neuschwanstein Castle. You will be on an all-day escorted coach tour which will first take you to Oberammergau for a photo stop and you may want take a look at the Festival Hall where the Passion Play takes place every ten years. The coach tour will then take you to Linderhof Palace, the Royal Villa of King Ludwig II. Palace and Park were inspired by Versailles and the rooms are beautifully decorated and furnished. You will join an English-speaking guided tour through the most beautiful Palace. After a short drive through Austria you will get to Neuschwanstein Castle. The picture of Neuschwanstein is probably present in everybody’s mind – Neuschwanstein really seems to be taken out of a fairy tale! Again you will join an English-speaking guided tour which guides you through Neuschwanstein Castle. The tour of the interior, the Throne Hall, the Hall of the Singers, the Grotto and all of the private rooms which were built for King Ludwig II, is a true highlight! After the tour of the inside of Neuschwanstein Castle make sure to take some time to explore the castle grounds. The view of Neuschwanstein from the bridge behind the castle is like no other! Your luxury coach will then take you back to Munich where you will arrive in time for dinner. Overnight at Munich.

DAY 10 MUNICH/ MUNICH INT. AIRPORT

Depending on your departure time from Munich Int. Airport you may have some additional time for sightseeing in Munich. Your admission pass to visit the historic sights in Munich is still valid that day. And you are also holding a day pass for public transportation that day (which also covers your ride to the airport) which you may use for public buses, trams and subways that day. When you have to leave to go to the airport a direct train will take you from Munich Central Station to Munich International Airport, where your Paris to Munich & Swiss Alps Rail Tour ends.