Jungfrau Express All Inclusive

Meeting our travelling companions and Tour Manager at London St Pancras, we travel by Eurostar to Paris. From the French capital, we change trains and continue by rail to the attractive Alsace city of Strasbourg for the first night of our holiday.

Due to its location, Strasbourg has a blend of French and German history which is reflected in its eclectic architecture. There's time to look around this attractive city after checking in to our hotel and you could explore one of its two UNESCO World Heritage sites. The historic centre of La Grande-Île contains bustling squares, the majestic cathedral and the charming Petite France area with its half-timbered houses and cobblestoned streets beside canals. Built in the late 19th-century during the German Reichsland period, the neo-Renaissance palaces and Art Nouveau buildings of Neustadt seem a world away from the medieval atmosphere of Petite France but provide an elegant glimpse into the city's more recent history.

This evening, we enjoy our first dinner together at a local restaurant.

Please Note -  For certain departures we will travel out via Colmar staying at the Grand Hôtel Bristol Colmar

For departure 6th October, we will travel out via Mulhouse staying at the Du Parc Mulhouse.

• Dinner

With a free morning to discover Strasbourg after breakfast, you could watch the city come to life from its main square, Place Kléber, or stroll to the soaring Gothic cathedral before we make our way to the station.

Travelling by train into Switzerland, the scenery becomes more dramatic as we journey south. Look out for the shimmering turquoise waters of Lake Thun before we reach our destination for a wonderful six-night, all-inclusive stay. Wilderswil is a quaint village in a pretty alpine valley surrounded by the impressive Mönch, Eiger and Jungfrau mountains. It's the perfect base to explore the enchanting villages and landscapes of the Bernese Oberland.

Our family-run hotel is a traditional Swiss chalet-style hideaway, nestled in the heart of WIlderswil. The friendly owners are Richard, a chef, and Yvonne, a wine specialist. As you'd expect, the pair know all about regional specialities and their hotel is highly rated by its customers, especially for food.

Our all-inclusive stay includes breakfast, a picnic lunch and dinner each day in Wilderswil, with selected wine, beer and soft drinks from 7-9pm each evening.

• Breakfast, Dinner

This morning, there is time to explore nearby Interlaken by rail after breakfast. With a picnic lunch provided by our hotel, you can uncover the delights of this attractive resort town at leisure. Set between two sparkling blue lakes - Lake Brienz and Lake Thun - with an alpine backdrop of snow-dusted mountains, Interlaken buzzes with life and contains a variety of cafés, bakeries and shops. The town's historic centre is compact, so it's easy to discover the medieval monastery, castle and ancient square on foot.

Interlaken is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts, so whether you're looking for an adventure or just a peaceful stroll, there's something for everyone. Maybe take the funicular railway to the top of Harder Kulm for panoramic views of lakes and peaks or enjoy a peaceful boat cruise on Lake Thun. Your complimentary Swiss Travel Card gives you a 50% discount on this and other boat tours, as well as for most trains and mountain railways.

Returning to Wilderswil this evening, dinner with selected drinks is included as they are every day.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

On departures from mid June, we take a scenic journey on the Schynige Platte Railway. With restored 19th-century carriages hauled by a vintage electric locomotive, the railway has a nostalgic Belle Époque feel. At the top of the mountain, there's plenty of opportunities to enjoy panoramic views from what is considered the best place to see the Jungfrau! There's also a café with a lovely terrace as well as the beautiful Botanical Alpine Garden with hundreds of species of alpine flowers, including edelweiss, and entry is included.

On departures from April to mid June, we explore the lakeside town of Lucerne. On this scenic rail journey, our train travels next to shimmering Lake Brienz, climbing over the stunning Brünig Pass. Lucerne has an attractive Old Town with stunning medieval architecture, including the 14th-century Kapellbrücke. Walk along the waterfront for fabulous views of mountains and crystal-clear Lake Lucerne or explore one of Lucerne's museums and art galleries.

Whichever excursion you join, you'll be provided with a picnic lunch. At the end of the day, we return to our hotel for dinner and drinks.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

You have the chance to take things at your own pace today. If you'd like to take it easy, take a walk around the quintessentially Swiss village of Wilderswil or watch the world go by from a traditional café.

If you're feeling more adventurous, you could use your Swiss Travel Card to uncover the villages of the beautiful Lauterbrunnen Valley. The fairytale village of Grindelwald has great views of the north face of the Eiger and the popular mountain resort of Wengen sits beneath the Jungfrau with fantastic views of the valley. Alternatively, head to the quaint village of Mürren and take a cable car trip to the top of the Schilthorn mountain, one of the highest peaks in the Jungfrau region. From the Schilthorn's viewing platform, you can view Switzerland's three most iconic mountain peaks - the Eiger, Mönch and the Jungfrau - and visit the famous Piz Gloria revolving restaurant, featured in the James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

However you decide to spend your day, you can look forward to dining at our hotel this evening.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

A journey on the legendary Jungfrau Express to the 'Top of Europe' is an unsung gem of Swiss mountain railways and one of our favourites. This unforgettable experience awaits us after breakfast today.

Setting out on the Bernese Oberland Railway, we arrive at Kleine Scheidegg and join the cogwheel Jungfrau Express for the incredible journey to the continent's highest railway station. Our route takes us through a tunnel dug into the rocks of the Eiger mountain before arriving at Jungfraujoch - entering a wintry world of eternal snow, whatever the season. Here, you're free to admire the countless awe-inspiring mountain peaks from the Sphinx observatory, be wowed by the endless Aletsch Glacier, enjoy your picnic lunch in jaw-dropping surroundings or maybe head to Lindt Swiss Chocolate Heaven to see how Swiss Chocolate is made. You could also visit the Alpine Sensation exhibition which uses projected images and music to pay tribute to the miners who built the railway more than 100 years ago.

We return to our hotel at the end of the afternoon and have time to relax before dinner.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today, we take the train to Interlaken for a scenic cruise aboard a traditional boat on Lake Brienz. As we set sail on the lake's glacier-fed waters, we're encircled by magnificent mountains and vivid green forests. Tiny villages are dotted along the shoreline, with traditional Swiss church spires and colourful flower gardens adding to the idyllic scenes.

You'll also have a chance to see the lake's many natural wonders and waterfalls which spill down the mountainside. On arrival in the village of Brienz, there's some free time to have a look around. Brienz is known for its wood carvings, and you'll notice several wooden buildings here with intricate details, and shops display examples of this artisan craft. A stroll down the picturesque, cobbled Brunngasse alley reveals historic wooden chalets bedecked with colourful flower boxes.

We take the train back to Interlaken after lunch, and you're free to do some final sightseeing or shopping in this town surrounded by impressive peaks before returning to our hotel at your leisure. This evening, we enjoy our final dinner at Hotel Alpenblick.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After our last breakfast in Switzerland, we pick up our picnic lunch and take the local train to Interlaken Ost. From here, we continue by rail via Bern to scenic Lausanne, skirting the shore of glistening Lake Geneva as we travel onwards to Paris.

In the French capital, we board the Eurostar back to London St Pancras. Enroute, we can look back at the stunning Swiss sights we have enjoyed from our chalet-style hotel in idyllic Wilderswil. Surrounded by mountains, our village location allowed us to bask in views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau and we experienced an unforgettable journey to the 'Top of Europe' on the Jungfrau Express. With free time to explore at our leisure, the Bernese Oberland was ours to discover, and we also cruised along the emerald waters of Lake Brienz to admire the scenery from a different perspective on this excellent Swiss holiday.

• Breakfast, Lunch