First-Class Glacier Express, Zermatt and Matterhorn

Our holiday begins at London St Pancras, where we meet to travel on the Eurostar to Brussels. From here, we continue by rail to the city of Cologne for an overnight stay.

• Dinner
• Eurostar Meal

Continuing our journey, we catch the train to Basel where we start our scenic climb through the Alps to St Moritz, set amidst majestic mountain peaks. We travel through countless tunnels and across numerous bridges, including the instantly recognisable Landwasser Viaduct. As the track clings to the mountainside, we wind our way above deep ravines and past rushing waterfalls, looping and spiralling through the rugged Engadine Valley to St Moritz. On arrival, we check into our hotel for a three-night stay.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Joining the UNESCO-listed Bernina Express in First Class today, we follow a route that takes us past dense evergreen forests, rushing mountain streams and wildflower meadows. Our ascent over the Bernina Pass elevates us over 7,000 feet above sea level, showcasing breathtaking views from panoramic windows as we travel to Tirano in Italy via the spiralling Brusio Viaduct. Stopping along the way at scenic Alp Grüm, we enjoy a chilled glass of Prosecco amid the captivating backdrop of the surrounding mountains. With free time in Tirano before making the return journey, enjoy the opportunity to look around this town set deep within an Alpine valley and perhaps sample some delicious Italian treats.

• Breakfast

You're free to explore St Moritz by cable car or go further afield today, making the most of your St Moritz and Swiss Travel Cards. We meet in the evening for a very special dinner. Nestled in the heart of the Alps, over 8,000 feet above sea level and boasting panoramic across the Engadine Valley, the Muottas Muragl Hotel is our destination for a sunset meal amid the mountains. Accessible only by its own private funicular railway, we ascend for pre-dinner drinks before taking our seats for a wondrous show by nature, accompanied by delicious local food.

Please Note: For departures 16/05/2023, 22/05/2023, 29/05/2023 and 05/06/2023 you will dine at the hotel this evening with a 4 course gala diner with drinks.

• Breakfast, Dinner

We take the famous Glacier Express to Zermatt, enjoying incredible views through the panoramic windows of our spacious First Class carriage. Leaving St Moritz, we descend towards the valley floor, crossing the famous Landwasser Viaduct and working our way along the upper Rhine Valley. A two-course lunch is served at during the journey as the train climbs steadily and steeply over the Oberalp Pass, the peak of the route, before crossing the spectacular gorge at Brig. From here we ascend once more, winding left and right on our approach to Zermatt, a tranquil mountain town nestled below the Matterhorn Mountain. We stay here for the next four nights.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Boarding the Gornergrat Mountain Railway which, since it opened in 1898, has held the title of the highest open-air cogwheel railway in Europe, we're transported to the summit of the Gornergrat, 10,134 feet above sea level. On a clear day, you can see an astonishing 29 mountaintops, including the jagged peak of the Matterhorn. After time to enjoy the views over the Gornergletscher, the second largest glacier in the Alps, we descend for a guided walking tour of beautiful Zermatt. The pretty resort is a car-free zone, with timbered buildings and an English church dating back to 1870, and is overlooked by Monte Rosa, Switzerland's highest peak. This has made it a climbing mecca for many enthusiasts and, during our tour, we learn more about the town's mountaineering history.

• Breakfast

We travel by cable car to Schwarzsee, also known as Lac Noir, the starting point of the Matterhorn glacier trail. With some free time, you might like to stroll down to the chapel by the lake, dedicated to the Lady of the Snows who supposedly helped two walkers to safety who were lost in thick fog. You could also take a gentle walk along one of the hiking trails, passing through wildflower meadows which dominate the south side of the Zmutt Valley, accompanied by the ever-present Matterhorn. Back in Zermatt, we sit down for lunch at a traditional restaurant to a meal of delicious Swiss rösti.

Please Note: For departure 22/05/2023 the Schwarzsee Cable Car isn't running, so you will visit the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

With a free day to take advantage of your included First Class Swiss Travel Card, perhaps climb the Kleine Matterhorn by regional cable car or journey 'across a hundred valleys' on the Centovalli Railway - a narrow-gauge line that winds over high bridges and past sleepy villages to the town of Locarno, on the shores of delightful Lake Maggiore. If you prefer to stay local, Zermatt's climbing museum is well worth a visit, chronicling the attempts, and tragic failures, of decades of mountain exploration in the area

• Breakfast

Boarding the train after breakfast, we travel to Basel via Visp. From here, we continue by train to Strasbourg for an overnight stay.

Please Note: For depature 11/09/23 you will overnight at the Mercure Dijon Centre Clemenceau Hotel in Dijon.

For departures 20/06/2023 you will overnight at the Hotel Du Parc in Mulhouse.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Returning to the station, we join the train to Paris. The final leg of our trip takes us on the Eurostar to London St Pancras.

• Breakfast
• Eurostar Meal