Compare Europe: from North to South by Europamundo Vacations vs Switzerland & Central Europe in 18 days - Enchanting Alps & Central Europe - CHARM BY BUS by Exoticca

Day 1: Berlin

Today’s Highlights: Arrival. Transfer to the hotel. Welcome to Europe!!!. On arrival at the airport we shall be waiting to transfer you to the hotel. You can enjoy free time until your tour starts, information about the meeting place and start time can be found on the information boards in the hotel reception area.

Day 2: Berlin

Today’s Highlights: City tour of Berlin. We visit the Holocaust Me­morial and the Berlin Wall Museum. Ease your way into the local culture with a guided visit of Germany’s incredible capital, Berlin. We shall visit the historic centre, Museum Island, the Reichstag, the Brandenburg Gates and the city’s magnificent parks. We continue our visit by stopping at the Holocaust Memorial and the Berlin Wall Museum. This visit helps us to understand the difficult situation the city experienced during the Twentieth Century. Time to explore the city. Enjoy an evening in the lively area of Kantstrasse, a district that offers different types of ethnic restaurants to dine in (Indian, Oriental, Italian, German, and so on).

Day 3: Berlin - Dresden - Prague

Today’s Highlights: Dresden. Evening transfer in Prague. We journey through forests towards Dresden, a city which, due to its exceptional architectural and artistic heritage, has become one of the main tourist destinations in Germany. Time to explore some of the impressive palaces and to have lunch at one of its many restaurants and coffee shops. Later, we depart for the Czech Republic. Prague – Arrival. We will make our way to the Old Town Square. This central location provides a great introduction to Prague, full of energy and touristic activities. You can take your dinner at one of the restaurants offering international cuisines, including Czech, Chinese, Indian and Italian. Return to hotel.

Day 4: Prague

Today’s Highlights: City tour of Prague. Visit to Castle. Boat tour along the river. Today we will visit the capital, Prague, the Baroque jewel of Europe. Our local expert will provide an informative city tour, which will include outstanding monuments. During the visit we walk through Prague Castle (admission included). Subsequently, we shall take a boat tour on the Vltava River. In the afternoon enjoy some free time to explore the city. In the evening, we will enjoy more time in the historic city centre and there will be an opportunity for you to take dinner. Return to hotel.

Day 5: Prague - Munich - Innsbruck

Today’s Highlights: BMW Welt and Old Town Innsbruck. We will leave early and travel to Bavaria, arriving in Munich at midday where we will visit the futuristic BMW Welt. Situated next to the Olympia park, the BMW Welt has fascinating architecture for multi-use exhibitions of BMW cars. After that, time for lunch and a stroll in the historic centre. In the afternoon we will continue to Austria. Arriving to Innnsbruck in the evening, we will have time for dinner in the Golden Roof area at the Old Town.

Day 6: Innsbruck - Zurich

Today’s Highlights: Visit to Swarovski Museum. Breath taking landscapes. Journey by train. Begin your day by discovering the Swarovski Museum, the renowned home of crystals. We shall visit its impressive gardens and learn how the pieces of crystal are produced. Then, time to stroll before leaving to Zurich, an enjoyable journey through wonderful sceneries. In Zurich, enjoy an evening in the historic centre next to the lake, where you can dine at your favorite restaurant (Indian, Oriental, Italian, International, Swiss, etc.). Note: in some cases the journey from Innsbruck to Zurich may be done by train.

Day 7: Zurich - Lucerne - Zurich

Today´S Highlights: Admire the fantastic landscapes. Cable car included to Grindenwald first. Lunch included. Today´s journey has beautiful landscapes with high mountains and lakes. Breath taking scenery in the region of Interlaken. We will stop in Grindelwald where we will have time for a coffee before taking the cable car up to mountain. We will walk along the winding path which will lead us to the "footbridge over the empty". Dare to walk along the bridge amongst the fantastic scenery enjoying glaciers all around us. We will take lunch up the mountain (included) before heading back down. We continue to Lucerne, one of the most beautiful cities in Switzerland. In the evening we have time to stroll around, enjoying the city and taking dinner before we return to the hotel in Zurich.

Day 8: Zurich - Burglen - Lugano - Morcote - Milan

Today’s Highlights: We will know the town of William Tell. Pictoresque villages as Morcote. Shores of Como. In the morning we will travel to Burglen, the tiny village where William Tell was born, we will visit the chapel of the XVI century with paintings illustrating his life. Afterwards continue to the enchanting little town of Morcote, with its houses made of stone and covered with flowers. Next, we enter Italy and make a stop in Como, on the shores of a lake. The city highlights a Gothic Cathedral. On to Milan, where our guide will take you to the impressive Duomo Square. Time for dinner at one of the restaurants offering a wide range of international cuisines. After dinner, transfer back to the hotel.

Day 9: Milan - Pisa - Rome

Today’s Highlights: Coast of Liguria, Leaning Tower of Pisa. Today we continue our journey towards Pisa. On a little tourist train we will travel to the Piazza Dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles), where there will be time to admire one of the most alluring and beautiful art complexes in Italy, including the well known Leaning Tower of Pisa. Then, we continue to Rome, arriving at the end of the afternoon.

Day 10: Rome

Today’s Highlights: City tour of Rome. Roman Coliseum and Vatican City. Evening transfer. In the morning, we will have a tour of the city, which will be a great introduction to “The Eternal city”. We enter the tiny state of the Vatican. The Vatican City is a principal centre of Christianity in the world. You will be able to visit St. Peter’s Basilica. We will also enter the Roman Colosseum (admission price included), the principal symbol of Rome. This impressive con­struction dates back 2,000 years and will transport us in time so that we can learn about ancient society in the Roman Empire. In the evening we will transfer you to the Via Cavour area, where you will find many interna­tional restaurants to enjoy your dinner at. After dinner return to the hotel.

Day 11: Rome - Madrid

Today’s Highlights: Flight Rome – Madrid. Evening transfer to the Gran Via District. After breakfast a transfer takes you to the airport to take your flight at around 11.00hrs to Madrid. Upon arrival we shall be waiting to transfer you to your hotel. Towards the end of the day, we provide transfer to the Egyptian Debod temple, Plaza de Es­paña and Gran Via; a vibrant district where you can dine at your preferred restaurant: Indian, Chinese, Spanish and Middle Eastern are some of the options.

Day 12: Madrid

Today’s Highlights: Madrid city tour. Stroll through the Retiro Park. Visit to the Plaza de Toros de las Ventas bullring. Night transfer. The morning starts with a comprehensive tour through the centre of Madrid including Paseo del Prado, Cibeles, Neptuno, the Gate of Alcalá, Plaza de Colón and Plaza Mayor. We then visit to Retiro Park, an oasis in the city centre, where we will see the lake and the Glass Palace. A visit to Las Ventas Bullring (admission included) is next, this is one of the most famous bullrings in the world where we will learn about the tradition of “corridas” in the Bullfighting Museum. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure. At sunset we provide a transfer to Plaza de Oriente, opposite the Royal Palace, an elegant and bustling area with many restaurants serving different cuisines such as local Spanish food, international, and Chinese. Enjoy a pleasant dinner of your choice, then return to hotel together.

Day 13: Madrid - Zaragoza (Saragossa) - Poblet - Montserrat - Barcelona

Today’s Highlights: Monastery of Poblet, rack train to Montserrat. In the morning we leave for Aragón over the lands of Castile. In Zaragoza we stop briefly to see the Pilar Basilica. We continue to the Monastery of Poblet, surrounded by its walls in a beautiful site that is one of the best-preserved medieval monasteries in the world (entrance and guided tour included) . We then proceed to the Monastery of Montserrat where you will go up the mountain on a rack train to see its fantastic scenery. Following this we will continue to Barcelona, arriving in the late- afternoon. Note: In the winter months, from November to March, due to the shorter days, we will not visit the Monastery of Poblet in order to reach Montserrat in the daylight.

Day 14: Barcelona

Today’s Highlights: Barcelona city tour. “Spanish Village” visit and evening transfers to Las Ramblas district. Today we will explore Barcelona, an impressive city right on the Medi­terranean Sea. Starting with an informative city tour with a local expert (note: If the group has fewer than fifteen people, explanations can be given by our guide). We also visit the city’s historic central area with its Gothic neigh­bourhood dating back to the Middle Ages. We will visit the area where the Olympic Games took place. We will get the chance to see La Sagrada Fa­milia Basilica; the masterpiece designed by the architect Gaudí. Following this, we include the entry ticket to visit ‘Poble Espanyol’ (meaning ‘Spanish Village’). This open-air architectural museum is situated in one of the most emblematic areas of Barcelona. Enjoy Spanish craftsmanship and discover the architectural styles, traditions and folklore of the different communities in Spain. Take some free time to explore the city on your own. In the evening we provide transfers to Las Ramblas and Plaza Cata­lunya area for dinner, where you can select from a great variety of restaurants. Return to hotel.

Day 15: Barcelona

After breakfast, end of our services.

Day 1: US - Night on board

Ready to discover the spectacular cities and landscapes of Switzerland? Arrive at your departure airport, ready to catch a flight to Zurich.* Night on board. * If either your outbound or inbound flights depart in the early hours (before 4:00 a.m.) you must arrive at the airport the night before the indicated departure day.

Day 2: Zurich

Touch down in Zurich, famous as a global center of finance on the north shore of beautiful Lake Zurich. Transfer to the hotel, get settled in and enjoy the remainder of the day at your leisure. Overnight stay in Zurich.

Day 3: Zurich - Bern - Thun - Interlaken

After breakfast at the hotel, a 2-hour walking tour of Zurich with a professional guide. Explore the atmospheric Old Town, see the 12th-century Grossmunster cathedral and stroll down bustling Bahnhofstrasse. Discover Paradeplatz, the 11th-century Fraumunster Church and stroll along the river banks at Limmatquai. Afterwards, set off for the Swiss capital of Bern, a small city known for its medieval old town. Upon arrival, enjoy a 2-hour guided city tour with a professional guide. Pass through the old town where you can admire the Zytglogge medieval clock tower, the beautiful Rose Garden and Parliament Square. See the Gothic-style Bern Cathedral and visit Bear Park, named after the brown bear which is the symbol of the city.Later on, pass through Thun before continuing to Interlaken, a traditional resort town in the mountainous Bernese Oberland region. Get settled at the hotel and enjoy the breathtaking mountain scenery and charming alpine architecture. Overnight stay in Interlaken.

Day 4: Interlaken - Zermatt

Breakfast at the hotel. Take a short panoramic tour with your driver through Interlaken this morning, one of Switzerland's most important resort towns. Later, transfer to Zermatt, in the shadow of the famous Matterhorn mountain! This car-free resort is a natural paradise where you can soak up the tranquillity of the Swiss mountains. Overnight stay in Zermatt.

Day 5: Zermatt

Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a day at your leisure in Zermatt. Admire the majestic silhouette of the Matterhorn or soak up the charming atmosphere of this Alpine town as you wander through its pretty streets, flanked by wooden architecture and chocolate-box style lodgings. One of the best ways to enjoy the beauty of the famous Matterhorn is to take the Gornergrat Cogwheel Railway, which reaches a maximum height of 3,100 metres above sea level for spectacular views of the mountain and surrounding scenery!* Overnight stay in Zermatt. * Tickets for the Gornergrat Cogwheel Railway can be purchased at the destination. Timetables for the service are available locally.

Day 6: Zermatt - St. Moritz by Glacier Express

Breakfast at the hotel. Prepare for an exciting day ahead as you set off on the famous Glacier Express, one of the most scenic train rides in the world! Journey through the inspiring landscapes of the Alps as you travel from Zermatt to St. Moritz, an unforgettable journey of around 7.5 hours. Pass through 91 tunnels, across 291 bridges and climb as high as 2033 meters as the Glacier Express crosses the Oberalp Pass. The journey includes a three-course meal and the panoramic windows ensure ample opportunities to kick back and take in the views! Arrive in St. Moritz and transfer to the hotel. St. Moritz is the most luxurious alpine resort in Switzerland so be sure to get out and explore the upmarket eateries and glamorous streets. Overnight stay in St. Moritz. *The possibility to upgrade your seats to first class is available in the next step of the booking process.

Day 7: St. Moritz - Davos - Klosters - Bad Ragaz

Breakfast at the hotel. Free morning to explore St. Moritz at your leisure, famous for hosting the Winter Olympics twice and one of the most prominent ski resorts in Europe. Afterwards, head off to Davos, the highest town in the Swiss Alps. Enjoy this unique town, famous for holding the annual World Economic Forum before heading to Klosters which has a more laid-back atmosphere and boasts plenty of pretty wooden Alpine architecture. Afterwards, head to Bad Ragaz, one of Switzerland's most famous spa resorts. Spend the remainder of the day at your leisure. We recommend a visit to the Tamina Therme, a spa oasis that harnesses the healing properties of the thermal waters of Bad Ragaz. Overnight stay in Bad Ragaz.

Day 8: Bad Ragaz - Lucerne - Zurich

Breakfast at the hotel. Leave beautiful Bad Ragaz behind you today as you depart to Lucerne, an enchanting Swiss city filled with medieval architecture. Take in the views of Lake Lucerne and see St. Peter's Chapel, the Jesuit Church, the Lion Monument and the Chapel Bridge as you enjoy a 2-hour guided city tour, accompanied by a professional guide. Afterwards, continue your journey back to Zurich. On arrival, get settled at the hotel and enjoy your final evening in Switzerland. Overnight stay in Zurich.

Day 9: Zurich - Berlin

Breakfast at the hotel. Bid farewell to the charming culture and unforgettable landscapes of Switzerland. At the indicated time, transfer to the airport for a flight to Berlin.* Touch down in Berlin, the stylish and historic German capital. Get settled at the hotel and, if time allows, get to know the city at your leisure. Overnight stay in Berlin. * Depending on the return flight schedule and the hotel breakfast service, you may not be able to enjoy the included breakfast.

Day 10: Berlin

Tuck into a hearty German breakfast at the hotel and set off on an exciting panoramic city tour of East and West Berlin, to uncover the history and sights of the capital! Take an iconic photo at the majestic Brandenburg Gate, visit the poignant Holocaust Memorial and stroll along the leafy Unter den Linden Avenue. Discover Museum Island, the Red Town Hall, the Nikolai Quarter. Trace the turbulent history of the city at Checkpoint Charlie and see the fragmented remains of the Berlin Wall, noticing the contrasts between the different sides of the city. See the Forum of Culture and the idyllic Tiergarten Park. Potsdamer Platz shows you a modern side of the city before you spend the remainder of the day at your leisure. It's time for a well-deserved German beer after a day of sightseeing! Overnight stay in Berlin.

Day 11: Berlin

Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a day exploring Berlin at your leisure. Why not visit the brilliant amazing cultural treasures at Museum Island or spend the day exploring the flower gardens of the Tiergarten. Overnight stay in Berlin.

Day 12: Berlin - Prague

Breakfast at the hotel. Self-transfer to the bus station to catch a shared bus to the Czech capital of Prague, a journey of around 5 hours. Arrive in Prague, known for its fairytale old town, lively nightlife and nicknamed the 'City of a Hundred Spires'. Self-transfer to the hotel and spend the remainder of the day exploring at your leisure. Alternatively, enjoy an optional excursion to Kozel Brewery, the home of the most famous Czech beer! Overnight stay in Prague. * Optional Kozel Brewery Excursion: A must for beer lovers, visit the Kozel Brewery, the home of the Czech Republics most famous beer. Learn about the brewing process and take the opportunity to sample the freshly brewed finished product! Please note: this optional excursion cannot be booked in advance at the moment. If you would like to take any optional excursions, you can confirm at the destination.

Day 13: Prague

Breakfast at the hotel. Set off on a city tour of Prague, nicknamed the 'Golden City'. See the famous Powder Tower and explore the Old Town. Reach Old Town Square home to the famous Astronomical Clock, one of the most popular sights in Prague, and the Church of Our Lady Before Tyn. Finish the tour at the iconic Charles Bridge. The remainder of the day is free at your leisure to explore the sights and sample the local cuisine at your own pace. Overnight stay in Prague.

Day 14: Prague - Vienna

After breakfast at the hotel self-transfer to the bus station to catch a shared bus to Vienna, a journey of around 5.5 hours. Travel through the beautiful landscapes of Bohemia and Moravia towards Austria and its capital, Vienna. Arrive in Vienna, an imperial city famed for its artistic legacy and for being the home town of Mozart and Beethoven. Self-transfer to the hotel and spend the remainder of the day exploring at your leisure. We recommend heading to the historic centre to enjoy the charming atmosphere. During the summer the riverbanks come alive with lively bars and restaurants, so be sure to check this out if the weather is pleasant. Overnight stay in Vienna.

Day 15: Vienna

Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a day at your leisure, soaking up the cultural sights of Vienna at your leisure. Overnight stay in Vienna

Day 16: Vienna - Budapest

Breakfast at the hotel. Catch a bus this morning to travel to Budapest, the capital of Hungary, a journey of around 3 hours. After enjoying the changing landscapes of the Danube Delta arrive in Budapest and self-transfer to the hotel. The city is famously divided in two by the River Danube Buda and Pest, each with its own distinctive atmosphere. Spend the afternoon at your leisure. Overnight stay in Budapest.

Day 17: Budapest

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, set off on an enthralling guided tour of Budapest, beginning with Heroes Square, the largest and most impressive in the city and an emblem of Pest's Golden Era. Next, see the National Opera Theatre and the amazing Parliament building, a true icon of the city on the banks of the Danube. Continue the tour across the river, in the Castle District, where you can enjoy the sweeping views from Castle Hill and the amazing architecture of the Fisherman's Bastion. Cross Margaret Bridge to visit the Király Baths before ending the tour at the oldest and most photographed bridge in the city, the glorious Chain Bridge. Spend the remainder of the day at your leisure. Overnight stay in Budapest.

Day 18: Budapest

Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a day at your leisure in Budapest. Why not take in the views from Fisherman's Bastion or stroll along the riverside promenade. Overnight stay in Budapest.

Day 19: Budapest - US

Breakfast at the hotel.* It's time to bring your journey through Switzerland and Central Europe to an end. At the indicated time, transfer to the airport for a flight back to the US.** Arrive in the US and end your trip. * Depending on the return flight schedule and the hotel breakfast service, you may not be able to enjoy the included breakfast on the last day. ** If your return flight departs in the evening, your arrival in the US will be the following day and the total duration of your trip will be 20 days.