The following is just a suggested daily touring schedule focusing on the culinary wonders of Switzerland. You will have complete control over your daily schedule and may change your plans at any time by simply telling your guide. Your time in Europe is yours to enjoy as you like!
For custom luxury travel and tours to Switzerland, please contact one of our travel experts.
Download PDF itinerary here.
Please contact Exeter International for specific pricing and availability.
Arrival into Zurich, where you will be met by your driver for your transfer west to your hotel in Lausanne. Upon arrival, check in to your hotel and spend the rest of the evening at leisure.
Exeter Services: Arrival Transfer Zurich – Lausanne
Hotel: Beau-Rivage Palace
This morning, your driver and guide will meet you at your hotel for your day trip to Vevey and the Lavaux wine region.
Upon arrival in Vevey, you will head to Chaplin’s World, an adventure dedicated to Charlie Chaplin – the man and artist. Start off at the Manoir, where Charlie and his wife, Oona, lived. You will walk through the house and see things as they were when he was there. Next, head to the interactive studio before ending with a stroll in his impressive parks with unobstructed views of Lake Geneva and the Alps.
Afterwards, you may enjoy a visit to a Chocolate Atelier. The chocolatiers will show you the production process. You will also enjoy a tasting and will be able to make a delicious chocolate creation!
Before making your way back to Lausanne, you will stop in the beautiful Lavaux wine region. This area has been UNESCO protected since 2007 and it is the largest contiguous vineyard region in Switzerland. The lake’s sunny and warm shores produce small and artisanal batches of fantastic white wines, which are consumed entirely within the country. The hillside terraces offer breathtaking panoramic views of the Lake Leman – from St. Saphorin to Lutry, we select the most exclusive vineyards for you to taste these beautiful varieties while enjoying the picturesque scenery.
Afterwards, your driver will transport you back to your hotel in Lausanne.
Exeter Services: Vehicle, Driver & Guide (8 Hours)
Hotel: Beau-Rivage Palace
This morning, meet your guide and driver to explore the region inland. You will be transferred to the medieval town of Gruyères to get a taste of the beautiful countryside and its traditions.
Your guide will take you to visit La Maison du Gruyère in Pringy, which presents the famous Gruyère AOP cheese, and where visitors can observe the process of cheese making. Depending on the season and time of the day, we might be able to arrange a visit to an artisanal cheese producer in the mountains. Please note that Swiss law is very strict in terms of respecting the production schedule during visits to artisanal manufacturers.
Enjoy lunch, payable locally, at one of the local restaurants. Later, head to the town of Gruyères and enjoy a tour through the charming cobblestoned streets. You will visit the imposing castle, which has stood upon its hill since the 13th century offering unparalleled views over the valley and nearby mountains. Listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance, it was opened to the public in 1938, and it features pieces of antique furniture, precious stained-glass windows and a collection of landscapes painted by Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot.
Afterwards, return to Lausanne. Your guide will take you on a food walking tour through the different areas of the city while you make your way down to your hotel.
Exeter Services: Vehicle & Driver (7 Hours); Guide (8 Hours)
Hotel: Beau-Rivage Palace
This morning, you will meet your driver in your hotel lobby for your transfer to Lucerne.
After dropping off your luggage and time for lunch at the hotel (payable locally), take the public boat to the center of Lucerne. Meet your guide at the pier for an overview tour of the city. Your walk will take you through some of the beautiful town squares, lined with historic homes decorated with frescoes.
Make your way to the water, where you will cross the medieval Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge). The bridge, centerpiece of the city, spans the River Reuss where it meets the lake. Initially built in 1365, it is the oldest surviving truss bridge in the world. Your guide will show you some of the 158 paintings that decorate the interior frames of the bridge. Painted by local artist Heinrich Wägmann in the 17th Century, they depict events from Lucerne’s storied history. Halfway across stands the Wassertum (Water Tower), which predates the bridge by about 30 years. Throughout the years, the tower has served as a prison, a library, and now as home to the local artillery association.
From there, walk through the medieval cobblestone streets up to the Musegg Wall, also known as “Nine Towers”. As part of the rampart walls built in 1386, the Musegg and its nine towers soar high above the city, providing some of the best panoramic views of Lucerne, The Reuss and the lake. Today, four of the towers are open to guests, including Zytturm, home to the city’s oldest clock.
After this tour of the city you will be able to attend a cooking class where you will learn to create authentic Swiss dishes, such as fondue! Afterwards, take the public boat back to the Bürgenstock Hotel.
Exeter Services: Transfer Lausanne – Lucerne; Guide (2 Hours)
Hotel: Bürgenstock
Today, you will meet with your driver and guide for an exploration of Engelberg.
Located in a wide mountain valley, Engelberg spreads out beneath the looming Titlis Mountain (3,239) and Hahen (2,600m). As the largest winter and summer holiday destination in Central Switzerland, the town has a liveliness year-round with events and activities aplenty. It is here that you will explore the Benedictine monastery founded in 1120.
Engelberg Abbey forms the center of Engelberg and still has about 30 monks living and working there. Make sure to visit the impressive manor house and cheese factory after exploring the monastery. Optionally, you can take a guided tour of the dairy house and stay for a tasting. For further reading, the eponymous abbey and town were immortalized by William Wordsworth in his poem “Engelberg, the Hill of Angels”.
Exeter Services: Vehicle, Driver & Guide (7 Hours)
Hotel: Bürgenstock
This morning, you will be met by your driver and and transferred to the airport in Zurich to board your flight onward.
Exeter Services: Departure Transfer
