Lake Thun Zurich
DAY NINE In Lugano Use your time in Lugano to explore this cultural lakeside town, which is quintessential of the Ticino region. Lugano’ s Old Town will be one of the highlights of your stay here, with its relaxed café culture influenced by both the Italian border and the prominent Swiss towns to the north. Lake Lugano is perfect for a final sweeping boat trip, or for sampling the local water sports. The peak of nearby Monte Bre can be reached by funicular railway from Casserate, from where you can take in the sublime views, seek out the forested beauty spots, and embark on a hiking trail.
DAY TEN Lugano to St Moritz on the Bernina Express coach and train You depart Lugano by yet another mode of transport: the Bernina Express coach. The Bernina Express bus from Lugano to Tirano in Italy leaves at around 10am, arriving three hours later and passing Lake Como and the picturesque villages of northern Italy on its way. Then, embark on the final part of your Bernina Express journey, ready to arrive into St Moritz two hours later. Before arriving into St Moritz, you will pass two of the most famous sights on this railway: the Montebello Curve and the Morteratsch Glacier. Arrive into St Moritz in Switzerland, perhaps using your time here to reach the best viewing point of the Suvretta Mountain by cable car, or to visit Lake Sils, Lake St Moritz, or the windy Lake Silvaplana.
DAY ELEVEN St Moritz to Zurich via Chur We recommend spending the morning in St Moritz and then departing by rail around lunchtime to Zurich via the oldest town in Switzerland: Chur. Change to a direct train to Zurich, which takes just over an hour and skirts around Lake Walen and Lake Zurich on the way. Stay in a luxury Zurich hotel, perhaps taking a river or lake cruise, enjoying a drink in a Badi-Bar on the lakefront, and climbing to the top of the Karlsturm, one of the Grossmunster Church’ s two iconic towers.
DAY TWELVE Zurich to London On your final day, enjoy a relaxing morning at your choice of hotel before heading to Zurich International Airport for your return flight or to the station for your rail journey home.
Hotel Angleterre et Residence
What’ s included
• Scheduled flights from the UK to Geneva and Zurich to the UK or rail travel from London to Switzerland and back via Paris
• 8-day Swiss rail flexi pass
• 2 nights’ bed and breakfast in a Superior room at the Hotel Angleterre et Residence, Lausanne
• 2 nights’ bed and breakfast in a Standard double room at the Romantik Hotel Schweizerhof, Grindelwald
• 3 nights’ bed and breakfast in a Classic double room at the Wilden Mann, Lucerne
• 2 night’ s B & B in a Comfort double room at the Hotel Lugano Dante, Lugano
• 1 nights’ B & B in a Corviglia double room at the at the Hotel Schweizerhof, St Moritz
• 1 night’ s bed and breakfast in a Classic double room at the Hotel St Gotthard, Zurich
• Concierge service and Expressions Holidays regional helpful hints
What’ s not included
• Personal holiday insurance. Cover should be in place from when you book the holiday.
• Local tourist tax, usually between Swiss Francs 1 and 3 per person per night, and payable locally to the hotel
• Transfers in Switzerland station to hotel unless offered by your hotel
• Transfers in Paris if travelling from London to Switzerland by train
PRICES
Prices are per person based on two people sharing a double or twin room and including standard class rail travel From £ 3,345 Supplements
• Standard premier / first class £ 360 per person
Romantik Hotel Schweizerhof
Holiday code CHBR08
To speak to our specialist rail holidays team telephone 01392 441250 or see www. expressionsholidays. co. uk 81