Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

There simply is no way to tour Europe & not be awestruck by its natural beauty, epic history & dazzling artistic & culinary diversity. Once you have ticked off the great Museums, panoramic vistas & energetic Nightlife, what's left? A chance to indulge in a Culinary adventure to beat all others, that's what!

Switzerland has so much to offer, everything you could want from A to Z. It evokes images of snow-capped mountains, palm trees, lakes & rivers & tap water that is as clean as the natural springs it comes from as well as historic Castles & Alpine villages that beg to be explored. Not to mention the hand-crafted Watches that have withstood the test of time & of course, the abundance of world-famous Chocolatiers who have transformed a noble ingredient into a piece of edible art. Experience Switzerland’s soul-stirring scenery & spirit-lifting culture, It is Europe at its most exotic.

Self-confident & prosperous, Zurich is the blueprint of Swiss perfection, with its banking muscle, alpine backdrop & love of good living. Blessed with pure air, dazzling Lake Zurich & a walkable Altstadt district full of fine Boutiques & Restaurants, it is little wonder the locals look so pleased.

Welcome to Switzerland. Arrive in Zurich, a global center for Banking & Finance, which has been the stage for a lot of world history, that lies at the north end of Lake Zurich in northern Switzerland.

After you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? - Zurich International Airport, subsequent to Immigration & Customs, you will be welcomed by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel.

If, for any reason you are unable to make contact with our representative within 30 minutes of waiting, please call the local Emergency telephone # listed on your Contact List. Please follow the advice given by our 24 / 7 Duty Officer.  Please do not exit the Airport & make your own way to the hotel.

Reach the hotel & Check-in.

*Check-in time is 02.00 pm. For earlier arrivals in the morning, we will request the hotel for a complimentary early Check-in but cannot be guaranteed unless reserved & paid for ‘immediate occupancy’.

Balance of the day is at leisure. *There is no “Guided” sightseeing or any services envisaged in today. However, we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements for Optional activities, if required.  

Avant-Garde Culture | Urban Edge | Lyrical Landscapes

Located in the heart of Europe, boutique city of Zurich offers all the modern amenities of a cosmopolitan city, without sacrificing its natural side & has for years been ranked among the world’s top cities in terms of quality of life.

Whether or not you are a Swiss Bank Account-holder, this leader of the financial world has a lot more going on than just Banks & high-end Watch shops. Zurich is home to Roman ruins, religious history, natural beauty & of course, their famous Chocolate.

Self-confident & prosperous, Zurich is the blueprint of Swiss perfection, with its Banking muscle, Alpine backdrop & love of good living.

Zurich is abuzz with activity day & night with its countless events, diverse Museums & Switzerland’s most vibrant nightlife. And if you are after rest & relaxation, you can be in the Swiss mountains in less than an hour. Little wonder, the locals look so pleased.

Long known as a savvy, hard-working financial center, Switzerland's largest & wealthiest Metropolis has also emerged in the 21^st century as one of Central Europe's hippest destinations, with an artsy, post-industrial edge that is epitomized in its exuberant summer Street Parade. It offers everything that it implies, albeit in small & exquisite format.

Although, the city is Switzerland's economic leader known worldwide for its financial district, other innovative sectors flourish here, too. Zurich has established itself as an important center for ICT, Life Sciences, Cleantech as well as creative industries & Tourism.

Culturally vibrant, efficiently run & attractively set at the meeting of river & lake, the cosmopolitan city by the water combines creative urban life with nature in all its glory. Yet Zurich has also wholeheartedly embraced contemporary trends, with the conversion of old Factories into Cultural Centers & creative new living spaces. Nowhere is that clearer than in Zuri-West, the epi-center of the city’s nightlife. Here, the flagship Freitag store stocks its entire range of the hippest messenger bags.

Much of the ancient center, with its winding lanes & tall Church steeples, has been kept lovingly intact. The picturesque lanes of the walkable central Altstadt (Old Town) on either side of the Limmat River, full of fine Boutiques & Restaurants, reflect its pre-medieval history. Waterfront promenades like the Limmatquai follow the river toward the 17^th century Rathaus (Town Hall).

The Altstadt is a cultural, social & historical melting pot & let visitors experience Zurich's multi-faceted past. Medieval houses, picturesque contorted, narrow cobblestone alleyways, Guild & Town Halls from the Renaissance period offer an attractive backdrop for world-class entertainment, which turns into a living history of characteristic buildings & the people who lived out their lives in them.

The twin Towers of the Grossmunster (Great Minster) Church are Zurich's landmark. According to legend, Charlemagne built the Towers at the location where the graves of the city saints Felix & Regula were discovered. The view from the Karlsturm Tower is simply breathtaking. Just a stone’s throw from here, is the medieval Fraumunster (Minster of Our Lady) Church, rising gracefully above the Limmat River, known for its world-famous exquisite stained glass windows by Marc Chagall & Giacometti.

Anyone wanting to enjoy a bit of Art & Culture will not be disappointed by what Zurich has to offer! There is an abundance of Museums & Galleries, such as the Rietberg Museum, Museum Haus Konstruktiv & Museum fur Gestaltung & Swiss National Museum, with its unique collection on the cultural history of Switzerland. The Kunsthaus is Switzerland’s largest Art Museum housing one of the largest Collections in the country, featuring Art from the 13^th century to the present day. It presents major Exhibitions with works by internationally renowned Artists like Monet & a peerless Alberto Giacometti. The new expansion designed by Chipperfield Architects Berlin brings fans of Architecture from around the world to Zurich. Cabaret Voltaire, birthplace of the World War I Dada movement, gives insight into the rebellious Swiss psyche.

Zurich was already a prosperous Centre of Commerce in the Early Middle Ages. The 1519 Reformation gave the economy such a boost that the city rapidly became Switzerland’s financial centre. This has remained unchanged to the present day & that is why you will find the Swiss National Bank in Zurich here.

Blessed with pure air & dazzling Lake Zurich, the ritzy Alpine Metropolis, largest city in the country, overdelivers on culture, nightlife, art & is a major contemporary Art & Shopping destination. World-famous Bahnhofstrasse & Niederdorf, are 2 of the most luxurious shopping strips where you will find luxury labels, as well as young brands. Trams rumble past stately 19^th century Department Stores & Boutiques where luxury lovers shop for Tiffany diamonds, Swiss-made Beyer watches & the latest Louis Vuitton luggage. An affordable indulgence is a gift-wrapped box of Confiserie Sprungli's Chocolate Truffles or feather-light Luxemburgerli macaroons, Zurich's best since 1836.

Zurich’s inhabitants don’t just eat Bircher muesli & “Zuri Gschnatzlets” (sliced beef). They are veritable cosmopolitans & love sophisticated delicacies from across the globe. They do their utmost to embrace trends immediately - with creativity & delight. And this earns them awards: Zurich has one of the highest numbers of Michelin-starred Restaurants per inhabitant in Europe. The city’s rustic Pubs, street food festivals & pop-up Restaurants in empty factories are also enjoying a great degree of popularity. All the city’s culinary offerings - & a lot more besides - can be sampled by the way at the annual Food Zurich festival. Take in the breathtaking views of Lake Zurich, go shopping on the Bahnhofstrasse & enjoy lunch at a centuries old Beer Hall, all in the same day.

Down by the river, the Altstadt's historic lanes attract a lively crowd with a mix of Pubs, Jazz Bars & pavement Cafes. Foodies revere the Menus that read like culinary poetry at the smart lakefront Restaurants; book weeks ahead for the Michelin-starred Rico's Kunststuben. For a flavor of the Alps, take comfort in gooey cheese fondue & crisp rosti potatoes at a wood-paneled Tavern. Guinness comes with poetry at the mahogany Bar in the James Joyce Pub, featuring the original Victorian interior of Jury's of Dublin mentioned in Ulysses. Champagne cocktails in the sublimely Art Nouveau Cafe Odeon are the perfect prelude to Concerts at the neo-classical Opera House. Scene is more diverse in Zuri West's hip Lounge Bars & high-octane Clubs provide late-night partying as diners tuck into good-value Turkish kabobs, authentic curries & Italian food.

And Zurich has a truly magical atmosphere throughout Advent & at Christmas. Alongside fairytale Christmas Markets, events & light installations, Christmas here is also urban, chic & modern: quirky pop-up Bars, Design Markets & festive sounds of Christmas carols filling the air make Zurich’s Advent season feel so unique.

Zurich's oldest Christkindlimarkt is in Niederdorf, at the main Railway Station where you see locals & visitors alike come together to browse the countless enchanting Stalls for rarities & local products. At the "Wienachtsdorf" on Sechselautenplatz, against the backdrop of the Opera House, you feel like you are at home with St Nicholas. Children are delighted by the enchanting fairytale Tram. The scent of Cinnamon, Chestnuts, punch and mulled wine is everywhere. And you should enjoy a raclette or fondue while strolling through the city center.

Morning, at leisure for independent exploration or Optional activities (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Later in the afternoon by 12.00 pm, proceed (on your own) to reach Zurich Central Bus Station (Sihlquai Car Park) before 01.00 pm, to join a 4 hour “guided” Bus tour of the city.

The downtown is very compact & the old town of Zurich is mainly a pedestrian only area & can be easily navigated by Foot, Tram, City Bus, Boat. We suggest you visit the Tourist Office in the main concourse hall at the Bus Terminal (they can give you maps or advise on tours and walking routes).

Climb aboard a comfortable, air-conditioned Coach & embark on a panoramic sightseeing tour of the city. Receive a historical introduction to Zurich from the Tour-guide & direct your attention to landmarks such as the Swiss National Museum & the Zurich Opera House. Look out at Lake Zurich during a brief interlude & then cruise past monuments like the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology & the Art Museum.

Disembark for a leisurely stroll around Zurich’s charming Altstadt (Old Town) & admire quaint Houses & grand political centers. Capture photographs of the world’s largest clock face on St Peter’s Church & marvel at the prismatic stained glass windows that decorate Fraumunster Church & Bahnhofstrasse.. 

Re-board the coach for the short & scenic journey to Meilen, where you will board a Ferry for a tranquil crossing of the Lake Zurich. Arrive at Adliswil on the other end & board a Cable Car. Ascend to a dizzying height of 2,630 feet the vertiginous Felsenegg vantage point & absorb sweeping vistas of the snow-capped spires that surround.

Come down & board the Coach to return to the Bus station where the tour ends. Admire the affluent Gold-coast area on the eastern shore of Lake Zurich as you drive back.

Balance of the day is at leisure for independent exploration or for Optional activities (we will be happy to offer suggestions & arrange).

Morning, proceed on your own to reach Zurich Central Bus Station (Sihlquai Car Park) before 08.00 am, to join a full day 12 hour excursion to Jungfraujoch.

Depart by Coach for the scenic 2 hour journey south, travelling among the towering peaks of Bernese Oberland to Lauterbrunnen, where you will board the Cogwheel Train for a 50 minute ride that carries you up through the Kleine Scheidegg mountain pass in the Burnese Alps, to Europe’s highest-altitude Train Station, situated in a UNESCO listed Alpine wilderness.

Upon arrival at Jungfraujoch Top of Europe Station, situated at an elevation of 11,333 feet, disembark & head to the Alpine Sensation - a round-tour Subway opened to mark the centenary of the Jungfrau Railway. 

Jungfraujoch is a notable glacier saddle in the Bernese Alps, connecting the 2 Peaks of Jungfrau & Monch, on the upper snows of the Aletsch Glacier, at an elevation of 3,466 meters above sea level, situated on the boundary between the Cantons of Bern & Valais, halfway between Interlaken & Fiesch

Since 1912, the Jungfraujoch has been accessible to tourists by the Jungfrau line, a railway from Interlaken to Kleine Scheidegg, running partly underground through a tunnel.

The Jungfraujoch railway station, at an elevation of 3,454 meters is the highest in Europe & is dubbed as “Top of Europe”. It lies east of the saddle, below the Sphinx station & is connected to the building at the summit, also nicknamed as known as Top of Europe. Several tunnels lead outside, where secured hiking trails on the crevassed Glacier can be followed, in particular to the Monchsjoch Hut.

Sometimes on the Jungfraujoch you can't see the mountains for the clouds. However, this has nothing to do with bad weather - quite the opposite. Clouds are fascinating. Who has not dreamed of plunging into this soft cotton-like wonder? The Jungfrau panorama film shown in the “Top of Europe” building complex makes it possible. It provides a 360 degree panorama of the mountain world that you could never see otherwise - 365 days a year. Visitors race with the camera through clouds, sink into ice crevices or fall into heaps of snow. And this is regardless of what the weather is doing right now.

While On the Top, check out the shops inside.

You cannot buy mountain air. You have to experience it. But who wouldn't want to take away a little bit of the Jungfrau Region? There are Top of Europe souvenir shops on the Jungfraujoch, Kleine Scheidegg & Grindelwald First. Victorinox pocket knives, all types of clothing, watches or hand-carved wooden figures represent a small, piece of happiness that you can buy at lofty heights as well as their bestselling magnets, key rings & snow globes. If the mountain air gets too much, you can also discover things in the shops: with warm hats, caps, gloves & sunscreen.

Inside, you will also see the Lindt Swiss Chocolate Heaven. The story goes that Rodolphe Lindt, the founder tried everything to make chocolate taste even better but it was all in vain. Frustrated, he left his factory on a Friday evening - and forgot to turn off his self-made stirring machine. When he returned on Monday, he was flabbergasted as the crumbly cocoa-sugar mixture had become a delicately melting creme. Lindt tried it & it seemed like heaven. Visitors to the Lindt Swiss Chocolate Heaven experience this key moment. They turn Lindt's mixing machine (optional - additional payment), learn from a virtual Lindt Maître Chocolatier how a chocolate bar is made & discover delicacies in the shop. Heavenly.

A shudder runs down the spine of whoever enters the 250 metre long corridor of Alpine Sensation between the Sphinx Hall & Ice Palace. Not only because of the frosty temperatures, but also because of the sacrifices made by the Miners to open up the Jungfraujoch to the railway. 30 memorial tablets bear witness to this. The music on the way also gives you goosebumps:  it brings back to life the beginnings of the Jungfraubahn, together with the images from the time of the tourism visionaries.  Even if visitors are more comfortable today than the Miners were - they feel relieved when, at the end of the experience, they can pose in front of the giant snow globe and say: I made it!

Then, head to the famous Ice Palace for a glacier walk. The more transient something is, the more beautiful it is. This is especially true of the Ice Palace & its treasures. Mountain guides created the aisles & halls in the 1930s with picks & saws in the middle of the Jungfraufirn. Today, Artists create the ice - with a great deal of flair. On a mirror-smooth tour through a frosty world, visitors will discover their works of art in nooks & crannies. An eagle, penguin or bear, as though they had just turned to ice, appear quite natural. Even at minus three Celsius, they are melting.

Continue on to Sphinx Observatory, one of the highest Astronomical Observatories in the world, for sweeping views of Europe's longest Glacier caled Aletsch Glacier. The Observatory houses one of the Global Atmosphere Watch's Research Sations, the Jungfraujoch Radio Relay Station, Europe's highest, which is not accessible to the public, is installed west of the Jungfraujoch, on the Jungfrau ridge

The Observation Deck at a height of 3,572 meters, reached by an ultrafast elevator at 108 metres in 25 seconds, from the Jungfraujoch, offers a 360 degree panorama of this winter wonderland draped in a breathtaking display of ice & snow. On a clear day, look beyond to the mountain peaks at neighboring Italy & France.

If you wish, purchase a snack or warm drink at the on-site restaurant (own expense) before the boarding the cogwheel train ride to ride down to Lauterbrunnen, where you will get on the coach for the drive back to Zurich.

Arrive at the Central Bus Terminal by 08.00 pm & find your own way back to the hotel.

Alas, like all good things, your short glimpse of this enchanting country comes to an end & it is time to say au revoir.

Check-out of the hotel by 11:00 am (if the departure time is later in the evening, we will request the hotel to allow the use of the hotel facilities & leave the luggage at the Bell Desk if you have the time to walk out). 

One of the most picturesque & beautiful country, famous for its Mountains, Clocks & Cuisine - especially Cheese & Chocolates, Switzerland is known as the Playground of Europe, in part because of its Ski & Resort destinations in the Alps. A harmonious tableau of beautiful images, a slideshow of epic proportions that is easy to step into & travelers have been seduced ever since the days of the Alpinism's Golden Age in the 19^th century.

With so much culture to explore & cuisine to taste in Zurich & beyond, spending 4 days here is bound to be a fantastic glimpse / experience but certainly not certainly enough do justice to the city or the country.

So, you see, you have much more to discover when you come back to mesmerizing Switzerland ‘again’ & we will of course, look forward to be able to facilitate that.

“Travel is a new experience that can transport you out of your everyday routine to create memories with the ones you love” - Brian Chesky

In time, you will be met by a Journeys Rep, who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to Terminal? - Zurich International Airport, for your onward journey.  B

***        End of Services      ***