Jungfrau Express in Winter

We depart St Pancras International by Eurostar for Paris. We continue from Paris south through the French countryside to the delightful Alsatian town of Strasbourg where we enjoy dinner and stay overnight.

• Dinner
• Eurostar Meal

Enjoy a morning at leisure to explore the delightful streets and half timbered houses of Strasbourg, before we continue into Switzerland, to Basel. We continue on the efficient Swiss rail network past Lake Thun to Interlaken, where we change for the narrowgauge train to the small, charming town of Meiringen. Our hotel in Meiringen is the Hotel Alpbach, where we stay in well-appointed deluxe rooms for six nights and on arrival we enjoy hot mulled wine. The hotel is set against a magnificent backdrop of towering snow covered peaks and situated just a short walk from the town centre.

• Breakfast, Dinner

One of Switzerland's best-kept secrets, the town of Meiringen remains unspoilt and typically Swiss. The author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle loved the town and was so taken with it that he let his famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, plunge to his death at the impressive Reichenbach Falls nearby. This morning we take a cable car ride to the Alpen Tower where we experience dramatic panoramic views of the surrounding peaks from a height of over 7,300 feet (2,225m). In the afternoon there is time to visit the small Sherlock Holmes Museum, with its replica of the detective's study. You have some further free time to explore the town. Make sure you don't miss Meiringen's other claim to fame; the meringue, available in many varieties throughout the town.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Today's excursion is by mountain railway to the historic lakeside city of Lucerne, one of Europe's most charming cities. Our route takes us through some truly magnificent scenery, over the dramatic Brunig Pass and alongside the emerald green waters of Lake Lucerne. In Lucerne you have plenty of time to discover the cobbled streets lined with pretty, frescoed buildings, picturesque squares and the famous Kapellbrücke Bridge, a beautiful covered wooden bridge originally built in 1333, and containing many beautiful interior paintings dating to the 17th century. The Swiss Transport Museum, with its fascinating collection of artefacts relating to land, air and sea transportation, is also well worth a visit.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Our excursion today is one of the highlights of any visit to the Bernese Oberland, as we board the Jungfrau Railway to Jungfraujoch - Europe's highest railway station at 11,333 feet (3,454 m). On arrival at Jungfraujoch, there is time at leisure, before returning to Meiringen via Interlaken and Grindelwald. In Grindelwald, we enjoy a magical horse-drawn sleigh ride through the wintry landscape.

• Breakfast, Dinner

You are at leisure today in Meiringen, perhaps venture out into the nearby countryside or simply relax and enjoy the hotel's facilities.

• Breakfast

We leave Meiringen and travel to Basel, where we transfer to Paris for the Eurostar service back to London.

• Breakfast