Day 1 - Thursday - Aug 8, 2024
Welcome to Zurich, the heart of Switzerland. Framed by alpine mountains at the confluence of Lake Zurich and the Limmat River, this scenic-rich city is known for the extraordinary quality of life it offers to its citizens. It's also Switzerland's largest city and its commercial and cultural center. After checking into your luxurious hotel, you will join a local guide for an afternoon tour of this fascinating city. Zig-zag through the Old Town's winding streets, the medieval square of Niederdorf, wander across bridges over the peaceful Limmat River, and admire the 9th-century Fraumunster Church, with its renowned stained-glass windows created by legendary artist Marc Chagall. Please book your flight to arrive into Zurich prior to 1:30 PM.
Day 2 - Friday - Aug 9, 2024
| Gotthard Panorama Express Train Travel, Italy |
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| Lugano, Switzerland, Switzerland |
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This morning, you will take a short train journey to Lucerne, a city nestled at the foot of the Alps and on the shore of its namesake lake. Here, you will enjoy a tour of the city, including the famous wooden Chapel Bridge that spans Lake Lucerne from the New Town to the Old Town. Built in the 14th century, the bridge is adorned in flowers and 17th-century paintings that depict the history of both city and country, and is home to the octagonal water tower built around 1300. You'll also visit the 17th-century Baroque Jesuit Church of Saint Francis Xavier and the Lion Monument, a detailed sculpture that commemorates the Swiss guards who were massacred during the French Revolution, followed by free time to have lunch and to explore on your own. After lunch, you will be transferred to the town of Fluelen to board the Gotthard Panorama Express, which winds through picturesque scenery to Lugano, where you will spend two nights.
Day 3 - Saturday - Aug 10, 2024
| Lugano, Switzerland, Switzerland |
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Located on the shores of Lake Lugano and surrounded by impressive mountains, this city is a sight to behold. Although in Switzerland, the city has a unique Mediterranean flair, with its culture and language influenced by its nearest neighbor, Italy. Its historic town center is resplendent with Italianate Lombardy-style architecture. Your local guide will lead you through the city's lively squares and the Old Town, which is a series of winding hillside stairways and terraces. You will also wander along the promenades that trace the glacial lakeside, where citrus and cypress trees grow thanks to the temperate climate. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore further; enjoy an Italian-influenced lunch in a casual lakeside restaurant or take the funicular from Paradiso to the top of the 900-meter peak, Monte San Salvatore, for a panoramic view of the lake and city below.
Day 4 - Sunday - Aug 11, 2024
| Lugano, Switzerland, Switzerland |
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Today, we take a scenic motorcoach ride through the Swiss countryside, stopping in the quaint Northern Italian town of Tirano, where Italian and Swiss cultures combine. Tirano is also known as a terminus for the Bernina Express, a panoramic train journey that has been taking passengers through Switzerland since 1908. On arrival to Tirano, you will board this train for a journey to St. Moritz, passing through pristine alpine landscapes. Glamourous St. Moritz is known as the birthplace of alpine winter tourism and has twice hosted the Winter Olympics, but before snow pursuits put it on the global map it was a coveted spa destination due to the mineral springs that bubble underneath its surface. You will spend the evening in this luxurious town, which is a spectacular sight year-round.
Day 5 - Monday - Aug 12, 2024
Today will be one to remember, as you board the Glacier Express for one of the world's most scenic rail journeys from St. Moritz to Zermatt. Relax in your first-class seat and enjoy lunch while you soak up views of snow-capped mountains, peaceful alpine meadows, rushing mountain streams and valleys. This full-day journey will take you through 91 tunnels and across 291 bridges, including the impressive 65-meter-high Landwasser Viaduct, towards the beautiful mountain resort of Zermatt. You will spend the next two nights in Zermatt, nestled at the foot of the world's most famous mountain, the 4,478-meter Matterhorn, a craggy triangular peak standing sentinel in the Alps. The village of Zermatt looks as though it has been plucked from the pages of a fairytale. When the landscape is blanketed in thick white snow, visitors flock here for exhilarating winter sports, and in summer they come to hike more than 100 trails that weave around its valleys, lakes, and ridges.
Day 6 - Tuesday - Aug 13, 2024
Zermatt is located at the north end of a hanging valley with breathtaking views of surrounding peaks and this morning you will bear witness to some of the most spectacular views as you ascend the Swiss Alps by boarding the historic Gornergrat Bahn. For 125 years, this cog railway has been taking passengers to 3,100 meters above sea level, with mountains and glaciers as far as the eye can see, and the magnificent Matterhorn present at every moment. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure to explore Zermatt. Wander along the Bahnhofstrasse, its main street, where you'll find everything from souvenirs to jewellery to traditional food mongers selling baked goods, cheeses, and chocolates.
Day 7 - Wednesday - Aug 14, 2024
| Lausanne, Switzerland, Switzerland |
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Today, you will depart Zermatt for the picturesque city of Lausanne, a French-speaking city set on the shores of Lake Geneva. Built on three hills, the city is surrounded by terraced vineyards where incredible wines are produced. It has also been the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee since 1914. This afternoon, you will take a guided tour through its Gothic old town, which dates to the Middle Ages and is dominated by the 13th-century Notre-Dame Cathedral. After your tour, enjoy free time to browse the town center's atmospheric alleyways or wander the tree-lined lakeside promenade.
Day 8 - Thursday - Aug 15, 2024
| Lausanne, Switzerland, Switzerland |
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Day 9 - Friday - Aug 16, 2024
| Lausanne, Switzerland, Switzerland |
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This morning, you will take a short journey via motorcoach to Montreux, a lakeside gem that has attracted the creative likes of Mary Shelley, Lord Byron, and Freddie Mercury. Here you will enjoy some free time to explore the city, which is home to the renowned annual Montreux Jazz Festival, the medieval Chateau de Chillon perched on the shores of Lake Geneva, and a scenic three-kilometer promenade walk. Board the Golden Pass train that will take you to the city of Interlaken in central Switzerland, passing lush green rolling hills, crystal-blue lakes, and soaring mountain peaks. Enjoy a two-night stay in a luxurious hotel in Interlaken, a city nestled between lakes Thun and Brienz, and the soaring peaks of three mountains, Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau.
Day 10 - Saturday - Aug 17, 2024
| Kleine Scheidegg, Switzerland, Switzerland |
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| Jungfraubahn Train Travel |
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| Jungfraujoch, Switzerland, Switzerland |
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| Jungfraubahn Train Travel |
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| Kleine Scheidegg, Switzerland, Switzerland |
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Today, you will get to enjoy the spectacular views from the peak of Jungfrau, known as the 'Top of Europe' at 3,454 meters above sea level. Board the cogwheel Bernese Oberland Railway to climb to the mountain's peak. First opened in 1890, this railway offers passengers breathtaking view of the mountains, valleys, and towns below. Return to Interlaken this afternoon for some free time before dinner. Perhaps you'd like to wander in the fresh alpine air along the Hoheweg promenade, lined with high-end stores and alfresco dining, with the dramatic mountain ranges as a backdrop.
Day 11 - Sunday - Aug 18, 2024
Today, we return to glittering Zurich for an overnight stay. Spend the afternoon browsing the stores on the exclusive Bahnhofstrasse, sip a hot chocolate at the legendary Cafe Sprungli, explore the city's former railway viaduct, now a hub of creativity and design, or if the weather is warm, flock to one of the 'Badis' (open-air swimming pools) as the locals do.
Day 12 - Monday - Aug 19, 2024
| Basel (Saxon), Switzerland |
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Transfer to Basel and board your Scenic Space-Ship.
Day 13 - Tuesday - Aug 20, 2024
Located between the Rhine River and the Black Forest, Breisach is a food and wine destination that shares its border with the Alsace region. It was almost destroyed during WWII but was meticulously rebuilt with its traditional cobbled streets and pastel houses. This morning, you will arrive at Breisach for a day of exploration.
Day 14 - Wednesday - Aug 21, 2024
The city of Kehl is the gateway to Strasbourg, the capital city of the Alsace region, where sherbert-colored, half-timbered houses heave together on the banks of a complex network of canals. On its central island, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Grande Ile, Petite France - named so for the 15th-century hospital that was built here for patients suffering from syphilis, the 'French disease' - was a medieval tanners' quarter. Its meandering cobbled laneways are lined with a medley of buildings with shuttered windows and bright flowerboxes. Your Scenic Space-Ship will depart for Mannheim this afternoon.
Day 15 - Thursday - Aug 22, 2024
Day 16 - Friday - Aug 23, 2024
Start your morning in Rudesheim, a pretty town surrounded by steep vineyards that have been cultivating wine for a staggering two millennia. The charming town center is filled with half-timbered houses lining cobbled streets, quaint shops selling trinkets such as traditional Christmas ornaments and cuckoo clocks, as well as a smattering of wine taverns and open-air beer gardens. Leaving Rudesheim, you will cruise along the spectacular UNESCO World Heritage-listed Rhine Gorge in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. This 65-kilometer stretch of the river is dotted with some 40 hilltop castles and fortresses that span a period of 1,000 years. Sailing down this section of the river is like being transported through the pages of a fairy-tale book. The Rhine is abounded in myths and legends; folklore that has been passed on for generations, including the story of Lorelei. This enchanting female was betrayed by her sweetheart and spent her days bewitching men. As her punishment, she was sent to a nunnery, however on her way she jumped to her death in the river. Legend has her spirit casting spells on sailors who passed the rock, where a bronze statue sits today.
Day 17 - Saturday - Aug 24, 2024
A medieval gem resting on the banks of the Moselle River, Cochem will make you feel as if you are stepping directly into a fairy-tale. The traditional town is nestled on the riverbanks, with pastel-colored buildings, half-timbered houses, cobbled laneways, and an enchanting medieval hilltop castle surrounded by sloped vineyards. Spend the afternoon at leisure in this beautiful location before setting sail for Bernkastel after dinner.
Day 18 - Sunday - Aug 25, 2024
Another wonderfully preserved riverside town, Bernkastel is home to an atmospheric market square with buildings that date to the 13th century, one of the world's most famous Riesling vineyards, Bernkasteler Doctor, and the ruins of Landshut Castle sitting high above on a hill, where archeological remains from the 4th and 5th centuries were discovered in 2012.
Day 19 - Monday - Aug 26, 2024
| Cruising the Moselle River |
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Today, sail along the curvaceous path of the Moselle River past quaint half-timbered villages, vine-covered slopes, and hilltop castles that are perched proudly overlooking the river. Relax in the opulence of your suite, many of which have a window that converts into a Scenic Sun Lounge, allowing you uninterrupted views to watch a rolling tapestry of the Moselle Valley during this full day of cruising. This afternoon, you will be able to indulge in a Moselle Wine Degustation to sample local varieties.
Day 20 - Tuesday - Aug 27, 2024
Located where the Rhine and Moselle rivers meet, Koblenz is a melange of French and German cultures and one of Germany's oldest cities with a history spanning 2,000 years. Koblenz is surrounded by vineyards, forest, and mountain ranges and is also known as the gateway to the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, a picturesque section of the mighty river that is protected by UNESCO.
Day 21 - Wednesday - Aug 28, 2024
Your Scenic Space-Ship will arrive Dusseldorf this morning. Perhaps arrange for coffee delivered to your suite by your personal butler and enjoy a leisurely breakfast at Crystal Dining. Dusseldorf is an affluent city, which was dubbed 'Little Paris' by Napoleon. The city is filled to the brim with museums and galleries, one of the world's most luxurious shopping streets, an old town with around 260 pubs and bars, and a harbor precinct that blends the old with new: historic quay walls, warehouses, and silos neighbor striking architecturally designed buildings by the likes of Frank Gehry.
Day 22 - Thursday - Aug 29, 2024
The oldest city in the Netherland, Nijmegen has a long history that trace back to the Roman Empire. Combined with lush green parklands and beautiful landscape, Nijmegen is the perfect city to start your morning.
Day 23 - Friday - Aug 30, 2024
This morning, you will arrive in Belgium's second city, Antwerp. Full of historical and cultural contrasts, Antwerp has a melange of architectural wonders, a medieval center with cobbled streets, and Gothic buildings, many that were severely bombed during WWII, blended with architecture. It's also the diamond capital of the world, with 70 percent of the world's diamonds traded there. Your Scenic Space-Ship departs later this afternoon, which means you have free time to wander Antwerp at your own pace. Alternatively, return to your Space-Ship and take the time to unwind in the exclusive Salt Therapy Lounge, which provides natural anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial properties.
Day 24 - Saturday - Aug 31, 2024
You will arrive in Veere this morning, one of the Netherlands' prettiest villages whose historic harbor is filled with bobbing yachts. While its beginnings date to the 13th century, Veere flourished in the 16th century when it became an important port for Scottish wool. This prosperity lasted two centuries, and to this day Scottish ties are strong.
Day 25 - Sunday - Sep 1, 2024
This morning, you will arrive at Utrecht, a canal-lined city boasting a multitude of green space, lively streets, and hidden alleyways leaving you intrigued by what is around the next corner. This afternoon, relax on the Sun Deck as you enjoy the scenery rolling by while cruising towards your final destination, Amsterdam.
Day 26 - Monday - Sep 2, 2024
Your cruise will finish in Amsterdam. The capital city of the Netherlands is a treasure trove of architectural beauty, masterpiece-filled galleries, tranquil scenes of boats putting along 16th-century canals, narrow cobbled laneways filled with boutiques and cafes, and streets busy with cyclists criss-crossing their way about town. Often referred to as the Venice of the North, much of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed canal system exists today as it did hundreds of years ago, lined with well-preserved canal houses and intersected by charming bridges. This itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons such as high and low water. As such, the cruise may operate altered from that stated above.
