The Glacier Express and St Moritz

After meeting at our London St Pancras Departure Office, we
board the Eurostar to Brussels. We catch the high-speed train to
Cologne, where we stay for one night.

Continuing our journey on Day 2, we travel
by rail to Basel where we start our scenic climb through the Alps
to St Moritz, set amidst majestic mountain peaks. We travel through
countless tunnels and across numerous bridges, including the
instantly recognisable Landwasser Viaduct. As the track clings to
the mountainside, we wind our way above deep ravines and past
rushing waterfalls, looping and spiralling through the rugged
Engadine Valley to St Moritz. On arrival, we check into our hotel
for a three-night stay.

We join the historic Bernina Express today, a rail route that
takes us by deep-set evergreen forests, rushing mountain streams,
and flower-filled Alpine meadows. The line has UNESCO World
Heritage status thanks to the efforts taken to build the track, as
well as for the breathtaking scenery it passes. Our ascent over the
Bernina Pass elevates us over 7,000 feet above sea level,
showcasing panoramic views across snow-capped peaks and turquoise
glacial lakes as we travel to Tirano in Italy via the spiralling
Brusio Viaduct. You have some free time to look around and perhaps
sample some delicious Italian treats.

On Day 4, you're free to explore St Moritz
by cable car, or go further afield, making the most of your St
Moritz and Swiss Travel Cards.

Today we take the famous Glacier Express to Zermatt, enjoying
incredible views through the panoramic windows of our First Class
carriage. Leaving St Moritz, we descend towards the valley floor,
crossing the famous Landwasser Viaduct and working our way along
the upper Rhine Valley. A two-course lunch is served at during the
journey as the train climbs steadily and steeply over the Oberalp
Pass, the peak of the route, before crossing the spectacular gorge
at Brig. From here we ascend once more, winding left and right on
our approach to Zermatt, a tranquil mountain town nestled below the
Matterhorn Mountain. We stay here for the next four nights.

We board the Gornergrat Mountain Railway today. Opened in 1898,
it's the highest open-air cogwheel railway in Europe and climbs to
the summit of the Gornergrat, at 10,134 feet. On a clear day, you
can see an astonishing 29 mountaintops. After time at the top to
enjoy the views over the Gornergletscher, the second largest
glacier in the Alps, we descend and enjoy a guided walking tour of
beautiful Zermatt. The pretty town is a car-free zone, with
timbered buildings and an English church dating back to 1870, and
is overlooked not just by the Matterhorn, but also Monte Rosa,
Switzerland's highest peak.

On Day 7, we travel by cable car to
Schwarzsee, the starting point of the Matterhorn glacier trail.
With some free time, you might like to stroll down to the chapel by
the lake or take a gentle walk along one of the hiking trails. We
enjoy lunch at a traditional restaurant, the perfect chance to
savour some classic Swiss specialties.

Day 8 is free once again. Perhaps climb
the Kleine Matterhorn by regional cable car or use your Swiss
Travel Card to journey 'across a hundred valleys' on the Centovalli
Railway, a narrowgauge line that winds over high bridges and past
sleepy villages to the town of Locarno, on the shores of delightful
Lake Maggiore.

Boarding the train after breakfast, we travel to Basel via Visp.
Here we catch the train to Colmar, our home for the night.

Continuing our journey on Day 10, we
travel by rail through France to Paris, connecting with the
Eurostar service to London St Pancras.

Please note: One of the excursions on this tour
is at high altitude. If you have any medical conditions or concerns
that could impact this part of the tour, we recommend you seek
medical advice and talk to us. We want to make sure that any
holiday you book is right for you.