Premium GoldenPass: Switzerland’s Lakes & Peaks

With Switzerland's most evocative lakeside destinations ahead, your luxurious vacation begins today as your plane arrives at Zürich's airport. Using your First Class Swiss Travel Pass, board the local train to Lucerne, a journey of about an hour.

Situated on the shores of beautiful Lake Lucerne in central Switzerland, Lucerne has a stunning backdrop of mountains and a medieval center that is ideal for exploring on foot. As the train pulls into the station, make your own way to our central hotel for check-in, and then, if time allows, you are free to get to know Lucerne at your own pace. Strolling along the lakeside promenade is the perfect way to get your first look at the "City of Lights."

Returning to the hotel this evening, meet the Tour Manager and your group of fellow travelers before we enjoy a welcome dinner to celebrate our first night in Switzerland. Overnight Lucerne.

• Dinner

You can look forward to one of the many highlights of our Swiss vacation today as we experience the mighty Stanserhorn. We first travel to Stans by local rail before switching to the 120-year-old Stanserhorn Railway, whose open-air cars provide increasingly dramatic views as we climb to the midway station at Kälti. Here, we board the CabriO aerial cableway with our park ranger guide, traveling in enclosed carriages that also feature open upper viewing platform.

Arriving at the summit, the 360-degree panoramas of idyllic lakes and a mountain chain stretching 62 miles are just part of the allure. The Stanserhorn is an official plant protection area and is brimming with colorful blooms.

Our excursion continues with lunch at the summit's revolving restaurant, where we enjoy "alpmagronen," an elevated Swiss version of macaroni and cheese, before returning to Lucerne for a guided city tour that reveals famous landmarks and local favorites throughout the city center and Altstadt (Old Town).

Dinner is on your own this evening, and you could continue exploring authentic Swiss cuisine in a nearby restaurant. Overnight Lucerne.

• Breakfast, Lunch

Making our way to the shore of Lake Lucerne this morning, we step aboard a stylish, historic paddle steamer, the Gallia, for a cruise filled with exceptional cuisine, breathtaking views and unforgettable storytelling. Enjoy champagne and peeks at the villages that frame the lake, as well as scenes of Rütli Meadow and Tellskapelle. As we sail, actors tell the stories of this historically rich region, and we enjoy a five-course lunch in the ship's dining room with wine pairings complementing each course.

As our boat arrives back at the dock, we step ashore with the remainder of the day at leisure to unwind at the hotel or continue exploring Lucerne. You might enjoy a more in-depth look at one of the stops highlighted on yesterday's tour or wandering through the displays at the Swiss Museum of Transport. This evening brings another opportunity for you to explore Lucerne's cuisine independently, perhaps at one of Altstadt's restaurants. Overnight Lucerne.

• Breakfast, Lunch

Leaving Lake Lucerne behind today, we embark on an awe-inspiring rail journey aboard the Luzern-Interlaken Express. Taking our First Class seats, we watch spellbinding scenery emerge while climbing the Brünig Pass to an elevation of 3,287 feet. We then descend to Meiringen in the shadow of the famous Reichenbach Falls and take in dramatic alpine vistas as we travel along Lake Brienz to our next destination, Interlaken.

Arriving in the afternoon, we make our way to our hotel for check-in, and then you have some time at leisure to relax or find lunch in this idyllic city, nestled between Lakes Brienz and Thun. We reconvene in the late afternoon for an evening to remember at Harder Kulm.

The funicular railway leaves from the center of town and offers an unforgettable ride to the top, with beautiful views over the Interlaken region. At the summit, admire the most famous mountains in the Bernese Oberland - Jungfrau, Eiger and Mönch - from the viewing platform before enjoying a sunset dinner in the elegant restaurant and returning to Interlaken this evening. Overnight Interlaken.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Get ready for one of Switzerland's most iconic experiences today as we walk to Interlaken's station and begin our journey to the "Top of Europe," Jungfraujoch.

We first travel to Grindelwald by local rail and then continue toward Europe's highest railway station on the Jungfrau Express, cutting through remarkable mountain tunnels en route. As we travel, an expert guide tells us about the local mountains and geology and describes the history and construction of this remarkable line.

Reaching Jungfraujoch, the vistas from the Sphinx viewing platform, including those of the stunning Aletsch Glacier - a World Heritage wonder - are awe-inspiring. Our exclusive tour takes us into the interior of the Ice Palace, carved inside the glacier and adorned with striking ice sculptures, before we enter a special location not open to the public, the Ice Bar, where we enjoy a glass of wine, beer or glacial water.

Making our way back to Interlaken, the remainder of the day is yours to relax or have dinner, perhaps in a lakeside restaurant. Overnight Interlaken.

• Breakfast

Another vacation highlight lies ahead this morning as we travel from the dramatic lakes and peaks of the Bernese Oberland to the beautiful Vaud Riviera on the GoldenPass Express. This rail journey's incredible engineering, innovative technology and picture-postcard views make it a hidden gem amongst Switzerland's famous trains.

After walking to the station, we step aboard the Prestige Class train car, which we have exclusive use of for our trip. Picture windows line this panoramic carriage, and each of its 18 swiveling seats offers memorable views of the passing scenery. Enjoy an aperitif and wine served at your seat as the beauty of Lake Thun, the Swiss Highlands, and eventually, Lake Geneva unfolds.

We arrive in Montreux this afternoon and transfer to our five-star hotel, the Fairmont Le Montreux Palace. This Belle Époque hotel has been an icon of the Swiss Riviera since 1906 and boasts one of the top spas in Switzerland. With a free afternoon and evening, you could relax with a personalized spa treatment or explore your new surroundings. Overnight Montreux.

• Breakfast

Of the many things for which Switzerland is known, one of the most beloved is its chocolate. We learn how it is made this morning during a private chocolate workshop at Maison du Callier. A chocolatier teaches us the techniques for tempering chocolate, as well as the secrets of ganache-making, before we create chocolate masterpieces ourselves.

From here, we continue by coach to Gruyère for another memorable taste of Switzerland as we explore its famous Gruyère cheese. Our experience takes place at a local restaurant, where we enjoy a demonstration of the rich, nutty cheese and samples to taste, ahead of a fondue lunch.

Continuing to the day's final stop, we head to an iconic castle on its own island on Lake Geneva, Château de Chillon. A guide takes us through the 12th-century stronghold, revealing nearly 1,000 years of history in its well-preserved rooms. Our tour wraps up with a tasting of Clos de Chillon, a white wine produced from the grapes grown at the castle.

Returning to Montreux, we celebrate our Swiss journey with a farewell dinner. Overnight Montreux.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Glorious mountain peaks, picturesque lakes and truly inspiring train routes set a superb backdrop for this Swiss vacation. Following a route from Lucerne to Montreux, we explored from three beloved bases and experienced alpine beauty from multiple perspectives, including Prestige Class on the GoldenPass Express. Complete with five-star hotels and exclusive experiences not available to larger groups, this has been the best way to see Switzerland.

Your vacation comes to a close after breakfast as you check out of your hotel and begin your onward travels independently. Using your Swiss Travel Card, you could make your way to Geneva's airport, just over an hour away by train, or to Zürich, approximately three hours from Montreux, for your flight home.

• Breakfast