I was extremely fortunate to come across “Magic Switzerland” on the internet several months ago while shopping around for a reliable and affordable agency which could accommodate our small group of eight travelers!
Thanks to Pepe and “Magic Switzerland”, we had an amazing 10 day (+2 day air travel) tour of Switzerland!
We arrived on October 10th 2013 in Zurich. Soon afterwards, we were whisked away by a van to Lucerne to the “Hotel des Alpes”, which served as our home base for five nights. Accommodations at this hotel were just perfect, as we had the advantage of a central location and everyone sharing a view of the Reuss River and the wooden Chapel Bridge from their room! Each day of our tour provided us with a new and exciting adventure via transportation in a small, comfortable coach and “equipped” with a pleasant and good Swiss driver!
Some of the many highlights of our trip for our first few days included: Very informative city tours of Lucerne and Berne, stops in Gruyeres and the “Cailler Chocolate Factory” in Broc (a definite must indulgence stop)! One evening brought us to the folk show/dinner at the Stadtkeller in Lucerne. I highly recommend this place, as the ambiance provides an introduction to many Swiss folk traditions….not to mention the great food, fun and laughter we contributed!
The next few days brought us to the Bernese Oberland which included Brienz, Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald and ended in Interlaken. There, we could admire the magnificent view of the Jungfrau- the “Queen of the Alps”! The following day brought us to the capital of the smallest canton of Switzerland – Appenzell, which simply has a charm of its own with its idyllic setting and colorful painted houses throughout the town…truly works of art! We also had the chance to visit the Appenzell cheese factory to watch the production of the famous Appenzeller cheese and enjoy some tastings! On our way to Appenzeller, we stopped in Vaduz, the capital of the Principality of Liechtenstein and one of the smallest of the European states. Our guide and tour was most interesting and we had the chance to drive up to the castle where the Prince and Princess reside.
After having been based in Lucerne five days, we transferred to Zermatt (via coach and beautiful drive) and thoroughly loved our 2 night stay at the “Hotel La Couronne” which overlooked the Matterhorn. We took the cogwheel train to the top of the Gornergrat and enjoyed breathtaking panoramic views! If you can visit the “Alpine Museum” in Zermatt, it is well worth the time. Great exhibits and documents which bear witness to the first ascents of the mountains around Zermatt.
Our adventure continued with coach transportation to Lugano where we spent one day and enjoyed a lake cruise to the picturesque lakeside village of Gandria. Given that it was mid-October by then, we really lucked out with beautiful weather!
Our last two days were delightfully spent on Lake Como in Italy. Our hotel (Hotel Barchetta Excelsior) was situated on the lake right in the center of Como. Again, all of us were able to enjoy lake-side views from our rooms with large balconies! While in Como, I would recommend taking the Brunate Funicular which rises from the lakefront to more than 1000 meters altitude and provides stunning views of the lake and mountains!
Our final day was spent in the delightful paradise resort of Bellagio on Lake Como. Boats from Bellagio back to Como run fairly frequently, however, it was hard for us to hurry back and leave this pretty old town, with its steep narrow streets, lakeside piazza, and beautiful gardens!
All in all, I would highly recommend the services of “Magic Switzerland”. Working with Pepe Strub was a delight! I can guarantee that he will help you put together a memorable trip for you to Switzerland or wherever you are dreaming to go!
Marie