James & Kathie talk about their amazing vacation
I’ve spent enough time in Switzerland to know that I want to go back! I love this small, enchanting, mountainous country.
My clients James and Kathie Phillips have been dreaming about going on a Glacier Express train trip in Switzerland for over two years! We originally planned their 2-week getaway for 2020, then scheduled it for 2021, and finally they enjoyed it this year. This Glacier Express trip usually takes about a week, but the Phillips added some nights and I helped them customize it so they could see and do everything they wanted.
Their itinerary looked like this, with most of their travel through the Alps being on trains: the Golden Pass Line to Zermatt and the Matterhorn, the Bernina Express to Lugano, and the Gotthard Panorama Express Rail to Lake Lucerne. They stayed in centrally located, beautiful hotels the entire time, and were able to really immerse themselves in the nature and culture of these towns.
Zurich – 1 night
Interlaken – 3 nights
Montreux – 1 night
Zermatt – 1 night
St. Moritz – 1 night
Lugano – 1 night
Lucerne – 4 nights
Zurich – 1 night
I recently spoke with James and Kathie about the highlights of their trip. Some of their best takeaways included:
· They loved traveling by train and getting into some hard-to-access areas!
· In Zurich, a favorite discovery that the fountains in this clean city are drinkable! And the chocolate, of course.
· In the Interlaken area, they loved the hikes to Lauderbrunen, stubach Falls, and the caves. There was so much exploration and adventure in the Alps.
· Zermatt boasted a fun panoramic suspension bridge, and they loved taking the rail to see amazing views of the Matterhorn. The churches and river winding through this town were lovely.
· The Bernina Express took them into the Italian section of the Alps, where they enjoyed gelato, pizza, and admiring the local cathedrals and architecture.
· They traveled by boat to the Italian village of Lucerne, where they saw the Old Wall with its towers and bridges, and loved the architecture.
· On their final day in Zurich, I arranged a car rental for them so they could drive to Bern. There they enjoyed the fountains and the bear pit.
The Phillips also had some recommendations for anyone traveling to Switzerland and doing the Glacier Express train trip, or something similar.
· Travel as light as you can. Lugging heavy suitcases on and off trains can be a little cumbersome.
· If you’re traveling to Mt. First near Interlaken, arrive early to enjoy the excursions. They have scooters and trottibikes, and so many fun adventures to experience there.
· Enjoy the views. Enjoy the food.
· Enjoy the entire experience, because it’s amazing.
This is just a tiny part of the amazing experience that James & Kathie talked about! Watch the video or listen to the podcast so you can get all of the details from their wonderful vacation.
Let me know if you’re interested in going to Switzerland, or planning a similar trip. James took meticulous notes, and he’s happy for me to share them with anyone who would like specifics about a trip like theirs!