SAMPLE ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrive in Zermatt

Begin your holiday by travelling to Geneva, either by plane or train. Perhaps spend an hour or two exploring the city, home to fine watchmaking, the headquarters of the United Nations and the landmark ‘Jet d’Eau’ – the Geneva Water Fountain. Wander around the Vieille Ville, the largest Old Town in Switzerland, and visit St Pierre Cathedral.

From Geneva, board the train to Zermatt in the early afternoon. Change trains at Visp and arrive in Zermatt around 4 hours later. You will stay here for 3 nights.

Day 2: In Zermatt

Under the imposing stare of the Matterhorn, Zermatt is a charming Alpine resort immersed in Switzerland’s most sublime landscapes.

It is best known for its winter sports and a haven for elite sports visitors and the glamorous. The town centre is car free, so retains a real sense of peace and serenity, without sacrificing its sophisticated, exclusive feel. A peaceful village in the summer months, it is a wonderful place for food lovers, with many gourmet restaurants serving typical Swiss cuisine. Quaint boutique shops are found within the chalet houses in the village centre.

The icy Matterhorn is Zermatt’s main attraction. You can hike or take the cable car up to view the glacier from Europe’s highest viewing platform. The Matterhorn Museum on the slopes of the mountain is divided into 14 huts that mimic the style of the original mountain villages.

Day 3: In Zermatt

Your second full day in Zermatt provides the opportunity to take in more views of the Matterhorn and wander along some of the 400 km of scenic paths that vein the landscape around Zermatt, Tasch, and Randa - weaving between mountains, through valleys, around crystal clear lakes and past white glaciers. Nature lovers will also find themselves at home here, with exceptional examples of Alpine flora, fauna and panoramas in abundance.

You can also enjoy the sights from the smaller railways. Gornergratbahn, the world’s highest open air cog railway, takes you up from Zermatt to Gornergrat at 3,100m, from where you can walk to the Gorner Glacier and view the peaks of 38 surrounding mountains. The village of Gornergrat holds a great deal of historic significance, with a parish church containing intriguing murals, a collection of very old timber houses, a cemetery that is the final resting place of many mountaineers and the Alpine Museum.

Also consider visiting the famous Hornlihutte, where climbers have stayed for decades before advancing up the sides of the Matterhorn via the Hornli Ridge, the Zmutt Ridge, or through the north wall. To learn more of the intriguing history of the area you can visit the Zermatlantis Matterhorn Museum, an archaeological site that has been faithfully recreated.

Day 4: Zermatt to St Moritz, on the Glacier Express

After your final night in Zermatt, catch the Glacier Express to St Moritz at 08:52 in the morning, with a view to arrive at around 17:03. We include a three-course lunch served at your seat.

From Zermatt travel to the peaceful and enchanting village of St Niklaus, punctuated by alpine chalets, rustic houses with peaked roofs, and a smattering of golden and green trees. Next pass through Brig, where you can hope to glimpse Stockalper Castle, the largest 17th century private building in Switzerland and the emblem of Upper Valais. Enjoy views of the onion domes, monastery and Old Town.

Continue on through Fiesch and through the Furka Tunnel, part of the Furka Steam Railway that links Realp to Oberwald. This 2 hour stretch weaves its way through vast mountainside panoramas, passing wooden chalets, ice caves near the Rhone Glacier, wonky houses with moss-covered roofs and light stone walls, and the quaint river and bridge of Oberwald itself.

Your next stop will be in Andermatt, nestled in the indomitable Gotthard Pass, initially avoided by the Romans but conquered when the Scholenen Ravine, an important north-south connection, was established. Zigzagging roads are dug into and supported above the craggy rocks, overlooking flat agricultural plains and clusters of white houses.

To get from Andermatt to the next stop in Disentis, the Glacier Express takes you over the Oberalp Pass; a network of tunnels, viaducts, and winding roads and railway tracks. At its highest point, the Pass reaches 2,044m above sea level, affording passengers in the panoramic carriages unforgettable, breathtaking views of undulating green countryside. Disentis itself sits in the upper half of the Anterior Rhine, the Surselva. A large Benedictine monastery crowns the town, which is dominated by snow-capped chalets, mountain views, and is distinctive due to its proximity to the source of the Rhine in Tomasee.

From here, travel through the Ruinaulta, or Rhine Gorge, taking in one of the most picturesque landscapes in the Alps, which makes for a sensational experience. The winding river changes altitude beside the railway tracks, passing sheer white cliffs, hilltop towers and slinking under arched viaducts.

Next you will pass through Chur, the oldest city in Switzerland that is affectionately called the ‘Alpine City’, and the lowest altitude stop on this route. With wonderful Alpine flora and scenery, this is the land of Heidi and it still retains a chocolate-box feel with twisting streets, historic buildings, restaurants, bars, museums, galleries, boutiques and a pedestrianised Old Town, so you may wish to disembark for a night. If you wish to appreciate a selection of Alpine flora and more fantastic views, you can take the Dreibundenstein Panorama Path from Brambruesch to Dreibundenstein and Feldis. Nearby, thermal waters spring from the earth in Bad Ragaz, making this a very enjoyable spa destination. The waters reach their warmest, at 37 degrees, in the atmospheric Tamina Gorge.

The Glacier Express will then take you through the Domleschg Region, the area with the most castles and palaces in Switzerland. Some areas of this lush region resemble fairytale English countryside, with paths sheltered by trees and shady groves. Next pass through Thusis and Tiefencastel, the latter of which has ochre-fronted houses and stunning narrow stone bridges. It is crowned by a solitary tower.

The train then takes a brief diversion east to Davos, which is beautiful both when covered with snow and when graced with summer sunlight. It lies on a flat area of land between domed mountains. Small chalets sit beside modern buildings, winter resorts and the tall narrow spire of its church.

From here the Glacier Express traverses the Bernina Railway Line, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the highlights of this stretch is the towering curve of the Landwasser Viaduct, built in 1901. This route takes you on through Filisur, gaining altitude via a series of loops, before entering the Albula Tunnel at 1,789m above sea level and heading towards Bergun, where you may wish to stop to visit the Bergun Railway Village, home to the Albula Railway Museum and the Railway Adventure Trail. Ensure you take in the sight of the crystal clear blue waters that run in the rivers.

From Bergun, the train continues on to Samedan, a small town hemmed in by lakes and the lower verdant banks of the mountains. Hurtle on towards St Moritz, passing the ‘Cresta Run’ in Celerina, one of the area’s most famous attributes. At 1,856m above sea level, on arrival in St Moritz you are welcomed by stunning views across the lakes of the Upper Engadine Valley and a refreshingly dry and clear Alpine climate. Transfers can be arranged from St Moritz station to your hotel, where you will stay for 2 nights.

Day 5: In St Moritz

At leisure to explore St Moritz, a chic ski resort situated in the south-east of Switzerland, in the stunning Engadine Valley. At 1,822m above sea level, it is easy to see why St Moritz is famous for its winter sports, but this altitude gives you access to breathtaking vantage points and high altitude rocky pathways. It also has three sublime lakes and a modern town centre, with Via Serlas as the main shopping street. With a population of only just over 5,000 people, St Moritz has retained its authentic Swiss character and peaceful atmosphere.

You can navigate the local peaks via railway. Piz Nair stands at 3,057m above sea level and its summit offers fantastic views of the lakes and valleys. It can be accessed by a three hour hike, or by funicular railway through Chantarella to Corviglia, where there are a number of gourmet restaurants, followed by a cable car ride. Piz Corvatsch is accessible via cable car from Surlej.

There is much to see and do in St Moritz. You can take a romantic carriage ride through Staz forest, and enjoy walking and hiking along over 120 km of trails. St Moritz has its own leaning tower, a landmark dating back to the 12th century that is a remnant from the destroyed church of St Mauritius. The Segantini Museum is dedicated to a local artist, and Engadine Museum will give you insight into regional architecture and history. Celerina is home to the famous Olympic Cresta Run, the oldest bobsleigh run in the world, and is just a 30 minute walk from St Moritz.

While staying in St Moritz, use this opportunity to enjoy another of Switzerland’s most iconic rail journeys, the Bernina Express. In one of the distinctive red trains, with their tall angular windows and comfortable, airy interiors, the Bernina Express rail journey takes you from St Moritz to Tirano on the Swiss-Italian border.

Less than 10km from St Moritz is Pontresina. It sits on a sloping mountainside terrace at the entrance to the Val Bernina, which adds to the village’s quaint majesty. The next leg of the journey passes two exceptional sights: the Montebello Curve and the Morteratsch Glacier. The curve itself has a minimum radius of 45m, turning a total of 180 degrees, and remains one of the most photographed sections of the track. After this brief descent, the Bernina Express gains higher ground - the highest ground, in fact, of the Rhaetian Railway, reaching 2,253m above sea level at Ospizio Bernina, your next stop. This secluded station is a beautiful sight, with soft light stone walls and distinctive red shutters on its windows. During the winter months, the building is often cloaked in a blanket of snow.

From here, move on to perhaps the most unique stop on the Bernina Express route: Alp Grum. This restaurant is the only restaurant that is exclusively accessed by rail. As a result, the dining experience is equally exclusive, with unrivalled views of the Val Poschiavo all the way to the Bergamo Alps. If you wish to dine here, this is best done on a day trip specially for this purpose.

The journey then takes you on to regal Poschiavo, a town surrounded by deep green vegetation, with a serene lake on one side. The train will stop in Le Prese, a small village captured in a bubble of peace and quiet, then the Bernina Express takes you through to Brusio. Though not a stop, this particularly unique viaduct stretch has a novel way of negotiating the changing altitudes. After coming along the mountainside, the track spirals back on itself, allowing passengers plenty of time to take in the views before they descend under the viaduct they have just passed over.

After passing orchards and vineyards, the Bernina Railway ends across the Italian border in Tirano, where the influences of Italy can be seen in the architecture of the townhouses lining the riverside. You have time for a brief stop in Tirano, before taking the Bernina Express back to St Moritz where you spend a second night.

Day 6: St Moritz to Zurich and flight home

If you depart from St Moritz in the midmorning, you will arrive in Zurich at around 1.30 pm, which leaves plenty of time to enjoy a few hours in the city before catching your flight home.

If you are catching a train from Zurich back to London, we recommend spending the night in Zurich before your departure.

PRICING

Price is based on two adults sharing en-suite accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis. This price includes flights from London and second class rail travel, with supplement for first class of about £605 per person.

We offer a choice of hotels at different prices, so please discuss your requirements with us. All hotels are subject to availability.

Before your departure, you will receive personalised holiday information, including full directions and suggestions on places to visit, to help you get the most from your trip.

It is essential that you have personal holiday insurance. The FCO should also be consulted.