Grand Tour Switzerland: Matterhorn, glaciers, Alpine villages

Eight days through the Alps in a luxury car with a local guide who knows every stop

An 8-day Grand Tour of Switzerland with a local driver-guide in a Mercedes-Benz, covering eight stages from Zurich to Bern with overnight stays in 3-star hotels. You visit Matterhorn and Gornergrat Railway, Chillon Castle, Pilatus Railways, St. Beatus Caves, three UNESCO sites, and pass through villages like Appenzell, Maienfeld, and Lucerne. The itinerary is flexible: you can adjust each day's program with your guide.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Zurich and Surroundings Tour

• Walk along Limmat riverbanks
• Visit Grossmünster Cathedral and climb towers
• Walk Bahnhofstrasse to Lake Zurich
• Explore Lake Zurich shores and cruises
• Visit Rhine Falls and take boat ride
• Walk Schaffhausen old town and Munot Fortress
• Stroll Stein am Rhein old town
• Visit Abbey of St. Gallen and library
• Visit Napoleon's castle museum by Lake Constance

Day 2: Appenzell and Alpine Heritage

• Explore Appenzell traditions and decorated houses
• Observe geological thrust site near Elm
• Visit Heidi's house in Maienfeld
• Discover Chur old town and cathedral
• Stroll Guarda village and admire graffiti
• Visit Swiss National Park and Zernez Centre
• Tour Val Müstair convent UNESCO site
• Enjoy views from 2456m mountain

Day 3: Engadine and Alpine Landscapes

• Explore St. Moritz luxury town
• Visit historic park with castles and villages
• Walk through Viamala Gorge
• Discover Splügen village and pass history
• Observe wildlife in the park

Day 4: Bellinzona Castles and Alpine Passes

• Visit Bellinzona's three medieval castles
• View Rhone Glacier near Hotel Belvedere
• Explore Jungfrau-Aletsch UNESCO region
• Visit Ernen mountain village
• Drive Gotthard Pass and Tremola road
• Discover Andermatt village and Victorinox store

Day 5: Zermatt and Lake Geneva

• Explore Zermatt alpine village
• View Matterhorn mountain
• Take cog train to Gornergrat Peak
• Visit Glacier 3000 and enjoy activities
• Tour Chillon Castle with audio guide
• Drive through Lavaux vineyards and photo stops

Day 6: Lausanne and Neuchâtel Highlights

• Visit Lausanne Notre-Dame Cathedral
• Tour Olympic Museum with audio guide
• Explore Lausanne old town views
• Discover Yverdon-les-Bains spa and museums
• Visit Le Creux du Van rock circus
• Walk Neuchâtel old town and castle

Day 7: Bernese Region and Cultural Towns

• Visit Neuchâtel old town and lakeshore
• Stroll Morat old town and taste Niedelkuchen
• Explore Fribourg and climb cathedral tower
• Visit Gruyères medieval village and cheese
• Walk Gstaad pedestrian street and palace
• Try tandem paragliding in Interlaken
• Tour St. Beatus Caves

Day 8: Bern and Lucerne Sights

• Visit Bern old town and landmarks
• Tour Emmental cheese factory and make cheese
• Explore Lucerne city and Chapel Bridge
• Ride Pilatus rack railway and enjoy views
• Visit Guillaume Tell chapel frescoes
• Relax at Rigi-Kaltbad Mineral Baths & Spa

The experience

A Mercedes-Benz and a local guide who speaks your language. That's the core of this tour. Over eight days, you move through Switzerland stage by stage, staying in 3-star hotels and covering the country's most recognizable landmarks and hidden villages. The guide drives and narrates, so you watch the landscape change without switching drivers or navigating. Each day runs roughly eight to nine hours, but you can reshape the stops and timing as you go. The route is set, the sequence within it is yours.

The first day takes you through Zurich's old town and along Lake Zurich, then to Rhine Falls, Europe's largest waterfall, before heading northeast to Appenzell. From there, the route climbs into the Appenzell Alps and the Säntis region, passes through Maienfeld (where Johanna Spyri set her Heidi stories), and reaches St. Moritz in the Engadine valley. Day three crosses into the Italian-speaking south through the Viamala Gorge and the Splügen Pass, ending in Bellinzona with its three UNESCO-listed medieval castles. Day four heads south to Zermatt, where the Matterhorn dominates the valley. If weather permits, you can take the Gornergrat Railway up to 3,089 meters for the clearest views of the peak. The route then swings west through the Aletsch Glacier region and the Gotthard Pass, a cobblestone monument in itself, before dropping into Lausanne on Lake Geneva. From Lausanne, you visit the Olympic Museum and follow the Lavaux wine terraces (another UNESCO site) toward Neuchâtel. The final two days move through the medieval towns of Morat and Fribourg, the cheese village of Gruyères, and the Interlaken region with its St. Beatus Caves, before returning to Zurich via Bern and Lucerne, where Pilatus Railways offers the world's steepest rack-and-pinion climb.

The tour comes in two options: transport and guide only, or all-inclusive except meals. The all-inclusive version covers entrance tickets to every attraction named in the itinerary, overnight stays, parking, and the Mercedes-Benz with driver. WiFi is on board. The guide is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and one additional language. Pickup is included in at least one option, so confirm which one you choose at checkout.

What’s included

• Entrance tickets to all attractions (in the all-inclusive option).
• overnight stays in 3-star hotels (in the all-inclusive option).
• air-conditioned Mercedes-Benz luxury vehicle.
• local driver-guide in your choice of five languages.
• parking fees.
• WiFi on board.
• pickup included in at least one option.

Options for this experience

2 options

Covers transport and a local guide onlyGuide in 5 languages · 09:00Pickup is included

Everything is included apart from food and drinksGuide in 5 languages · 09:00Seven nights in 3-star hotels, at the end of each stage, based on two or more people per room, meals not included. All the activities mentioned are included in the tour. Travel with the guide in a luxury Mercedes-Benz vehicle. Pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to1d before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePets welcome

Operated by Swisslimos

Is this one for you?Choose the all-inclusive option if you want entrance fees and hotel stays handled upfront. Choose transport and guide only if you prefer to book accommodations yourself or skip certain attractions. The fixed eight-day route and overnight locations mean this tour suits travelers who want a structured itinerary through the full country rather than a flexible stay-as-long-as-you-like journey.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German and Portuguese.

What is the Gornergrat Railway and why would I take it?

The Gornergrat Railway is a cog train that climbs from Zermatt to Gornergrat Peak at 3,089 meters: the highest open-air rack railway in Europe. From the top, you get the clearest and most photographed view of the Matterhorn, especially on clear days. The journey itself passes through alpine meadows and rock formations.

Can I change the itinerary or the order of stops during the tour?

Yes. The tour is divided into eight stages, one per day, but you can make changes to each day's program with your driver-guide. The overall route and overnight locations stay the same, but the stops within each stage and their timing are flexible.

What are the St. Beatus Caves and how much walking is involved?

St. Beatus Caves are limestone caverns above Lake Thun, well-lit and equipped for visitors. About one kilometer of the fourteen-kilometer underground network is open to the public. You'll walk into the caves themselves, and the temperature inside stays between 8 and 10 degrees Celsius year-round, so bring a warm layer. The caves are reached by a paved road and asphalt path, not a difficult hike.

Does the tour include meals?

Meals are not included in either option. You choose where and what to eat each day. The itinerary passes through towns and villages with restaurants, and some stops (like Gruyères) are known for regional specialties such as fondue and raclette.

What is included in the "All inclusive except F&B" option?

This option covers entrance tickets to all the attractions mentioned in the itinerary, overnight stays in 3-star hotels, the Mercedes-Benz, the driver-guide, parking fees, and WiFi on board. Food and beverages are not included.