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Switzerland Sampler: A First-Timer's Tour
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Fly into: Zürich
Fly out of: Geneva
Total Duration: 14 days
Try the Switzerland Sampler for a taste of this tiny country's wares. From cosmopolitan Zurich and Geneva to the quaint charms of Luzern and Zermatt to Bern's sleepy appeal, this itinerary gives you a good sense of what's to be seen here.
- Natural Beauty
- Shopping
- Architecture
This Trip's Top Experiences:
Days 1-3
Ales Liska/shutterstock
1 Zürich
Switzerland's Commercial Heart
- See the Great Church, updated in a Gothic style in the late 1700s
- Cézanne, Manet, and Degas are in evidence at the Siftung Sammlung E.G. Bührele Museum
- Shop the Bahnhofstrasse's finest boutiques
Days 4-5
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2 Luzern
Lovely on the Lake
- Luzern is the home of the wooden Chapel Bridge, Europe's oldest
- Explore the surrounding "William Tell Country"
- Mount Pilatus is a beautiful hike just outside the city
Days 6-7
photobank.ch/shutterstock
3 Bern
Einstein's Arcades
- Bern's cathedral contains Switzerland's highest church tower, with wraparound views of the city
- The Paul Klee center has work by the artist in an impressive architectural space designed by Renzo Piano
- Stroll the city's iconic cobblestone arcades
Days 8-10
Interlaken Tourismus/swiss-image.ch
4 Lauterbrunnen and Environs
Many, Many Mountains
- Trek from Interlaken to St. Beatus-Höhlen's natural caverns and hillside pavilion
- See the view from Mürren, a village that's 5,413 feet up
- Explore the Grindelwald glacier, with an excursion up to the Jungfraujoch
Days 11-12
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5 Zermatt and the Matterhorn
Home of the Matterhorn
- You'll find the famed Matterhorn here, one of the wonders of the Western world
- Explore the town of Zermatt, the world's most famous car-free village
- Visit St. Peter's Church, established by Anglicans to tend to Brits consumed with the desire to climb the peak here
Days 13-14
ST/swiss-image.ch
6 Geneva
Switzerland's Lakeside Metropolis
- Learn about the history and influence of the Protestant Reformation
- Europe's tallest fountain is right here
- Walk in the parkland along Geneva's right bank or take a lake cruise for a prime view of Mont Blanc
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