Montreux Jazz Festival

We will travel by train from the Geneva Airport to Montreux. Our base for the next six nights will be the Glion Institute in Montreux, where breakfast will be provided at the hotel. Montreux, on Lake Geneva, is famous as the home of many writers, including Rousseau and Nabokov. It was near here that Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron, and Mary Shelley spent several nights, and where Mary wrote Frankenstein. Montreux was also a haven for Catherine Barkley and Lt. Frederic Henry in Ernest Hemingway's classic, A Farewell to Arms. The Chateau of Chillon provides a marvelous view of the entire Lake Geneva and can be easily accessed via bus, walk, or boat. The region around the town is famous for its wines, many of which are available in the local stores. Some of the numerous small villages around Montreux include La Tour-de-Peilz, Clarens, Territet, and Villeneuve. During our Tour, we will have our own Montreux Riviera Cards that will allow us to use the public trasportation system (Bus, Train, Ferry, etc.) in this region of Lake Geneva for free.

We will enjoy a Walking Tour of the town and the lakeside that locals refer to as the “Swiss Riviera.” This is one of the most beautiful walks you can take along the lake, stretching from Villeneuve all the way towards Vevey. The main square of the town, Place du Marché, features a statue of Freddie Mercury (of the band Queen) facing Lake Geneva.

Next, we will head over to The Montreux Jazz Festival. The Montreux Jazz Festival was formerly called El Festival de Jazz Montreux and Festival International de Jazz Montreux. Montreux Jazz Festival is a annual multi-day event that is held annually in early July on the Lake Geneva shoreline in Montreux, Switzerland. Tonight, dinner will be provided at Glion.

Today, we will have the option to explore the region using our Montreux Riviera Cards. If we choose, we can visit Chaplin's World via the train and bus. Or, we can travel to visit Chillion Castle via the ferry. Or, we can go visit the town of Vevey. Or, we can have some free time.

Attend and participate in the Montreux Jazz Festival. Begun in 1967 to foster creativity and collaboration, the festival has brought together famous artists from differing backgrounds presenting ticketed and free programs. Workshops are also offered to encourage growth in aspiring artists. Dinner will be on your own this evening.

Today, we will have the option to explore the region using our Montreux Riviera Cards. If we choose, we can visit Chaplin's World via the train and bus. Or, we can travel to visit Chillion Castle via the ferry. Or, we can go visit the town of Vevey. Or, we can have some free time.

Attend and participate in the Montreux Jazz Festival. Begun in 1967 to foster creativity and collaboration, the festival has brought together famous artists from differing backgrounds presenting ticketed and free programs. Workshops are also offered to encourage growth in aspiring artists. Dinner will be provided at Gilon.

Excursion to Zermatt, or Remain for Montreux Jazz Festival Zermatt, in southern Switzerland's Valais canton, is a mountain resort renowned for skiing, climbing and hiking. The town, at an elevation of around 1,600m, lies below the iconic, pyramid-shaped Matterhorn peak. Its main street, Bahnhofstrasse is lined with boutique shops, hotels and restaurants, and also has a lively après-ski scene. Enjoy some free time in Zermatt

Today, we will have the option to explore the region using our Montreux Riviera Cards. If we choose, we can travel to see the Chaplin's World via the train and bus. Or, we can travel to see the Chillion Castle via the ferry. Or, we can travel to go visit the town of Vevey. Or, we can have some free time.

Attend and participate in the Montreux Jazz Festival. Begun in 1967 to foster creativity and collaboration, the festival has brought together famous artists from differing backgrounds presenting ticketed and free programs. Workshops are also offered to encourage growth in aspiring artists. Dinner will be on your own this evening.

Today, we will have use of a private coach, where by we can use our Montreux Riviera Cards to visit chocolate and cheese museums up in the mountains behind Montreux.

We will travel by train from Montreux to Geneva airport. Our incredible tour comes to an end as our tour director leaves us at the airport. Or, continue on to Zürich. Today, we will travel to Zürich. Most groups will use a private coach but smaller groups (if they prefer) can take the scenic Golden Pass Express (which does take longer but it is a great way to see the beautiful and monumental Swiss Alps). The River Limmat divides the city of Zürich into two distinct halves. It makes more sense to speak about the two banks rather than the new town/old town split. Niederdorf, on the east bank, is full of shops and cafés, but also home to the twin towers of the Grossmunster and the grandiose architecture of the university. The west bank is the old part of town, which is centred around the Lindenhof area where the streets are characterised by fashion outlets and offices. The beautiful spires of St. Peters Church and Fraumunster church, decorated by Marc Chagall, are nearby as well. The curving Bahnhofstrasse follows the course of the ancient city walls and is one of Europe’s most prestigious shopping streets. As Switzerland has cultivated stability and neutrality during both World Wars, the country has built up a reputation for its banking system, which for decades has been one of Zürich’s biggest industries. It is also for these reasons that today the stock market in Zürich is the fourth biggest in the world. Our centrally-located Zürich hotel will be our home for the next two nights. We will have breakfast at the hotel daily. After dinner, attend a show at the Workshop for Improvised Music

We will begin this morning by taking a walking tour of the Altstadt (Old Town) of Zürich. The Alstadt of Zürich features cobblestone streets, small stores and restaurants, and religious landmarks. Visit the Romanesque and Gothic cathedral Grossmunster, which, according to legend, was founded by Charlemagne when his horse bowed down, marking the spot of the graves of three early Christian martyrs. Stroll the Bahnhofstrasse, the main shopping street in Zürich that runs parallel to the river Limmat. Enjoy a performance or watch a concert at JazzBaragge. Afterward, you'll have the opportunity to have some free time in Zürich. Eat dinner at a local restaurant and then attend a live jazz performance at Widder Bar and Hotel.

Our rewarding and enjoyable tour comes to an end as our Tour Director accompanies us to the airport on our final day.