aaa switzerland tour

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Best of switzerland.

An eight-day jaunt through the countryside and cuisine of Switzerland is the ideal way to see (and taste) all things Swiss. This small nation packs a punch with its mountainous landscapes, glacial lakes, picturesque cities and food staples that are so tough to beat. Beginning in Zurich, travel in comfort by train to lakeside Lucerne, the stunning Swiss Alps and cheese-obsessed and chocolate-stuffed Bulle before finishing in the nation's quaint capital, Bern. Here, the outdoors has never looked so good and the chocolate has never tasted so smooth, so it’s time to sample it all yourself.

8 days, from

12 people max Traveling in a small group people gets you closer to your travel companions, your destination and its culture. Grab a few friends, then grab a few more, and if you get 10 friends together you’ll be traveling in an exclusive small group with a local leader and an incredible itinerary. Traveling in a small group people gets you closer to your travel companions, your destination and its culture. Grab a few friends, then grab a few more, and if you get 10 friends together you’ll be traveling in an exclusive small group with a local leader and an incredible itinerary.

ACTIVITY LEVEL

Countries Visited:  Switzerland Accommodation:  Hotel (7 nights) Transportation: Train , Public bus , Boat , Cable car , Cog railway Included Meals:

• 7 breakfasts

Group size: Minimum 1, Max 12

Find out why the Swiss are known around the world for their cheese and chocolate, with visits to producers of both in La Gruyere region.

Your local group leader will provide expert advice on how to make the most of your free time, as well as giving you orientation walks around each place so you can get your bearings.

Discover the Top of Europe in the Jungfrau region. With 2 free days to choose your own adventure, you can take the day as relaxed or as thrill-seeking as you want to explore this highland haven. Also your hotel here is surrounded by stunning mountain views.

Take in the breathtaking alpine views from the summit of Pilatus Mountain with your small group, reached via the steepiest cogwheel railway in the world.

With plenty of free time to explore at your own pace in Bern, you’ll discover why this city is considered as one of the most beautiful and laidback capital cities in the world.

Show Full Itinerary

Welcome to Switzerland, the land of the neutral that you'll only feel positive about. There is much to see and do in Zurich, so we recommend you book some additional nights prior to the trip's start. This afternoon meet your group at 5pm for an important welcome meeting. Afterwards take an evening orientation walk with your leader around Zurich to take in the river and lake front by night.

Spend a free morning in Zurich, then head towards St Gallen, arriving around lunch for a chance to taste a renowned St Gallen sausage. In the afternoon, you'll visit the famous Abbey of St Gall and its incredible library. The entire abbey precinct was declared a World Heritage-listed Site in 1983, and the Abbey Library hosts a collection of medieval texts and important documents dating back to the eighth century. What you do with your evening is up to you – a trip to the surroundings hills for a view of entire city is not a bad idea at all!

Travel by train to Lucerne – a small city known for its mountainous backdrop, located next to Lake Lucerne. The city is a popular destination for those visiting central Switzerland thanks to its proximity to many outdoor activities, its breathtaking natural beauty and historic architecture. Take a walk past 15th-century frescoed houses and quaint wooden bridges and climb to the top of the medieval towers along the city walls for spectacular views of this picturesque city and its surroundings. In the tiny streets of the old town (Altstadt), there’s often a craft market and dozens of shops full of unique handmade goods. Perhaps you'd like to book in on a sunset canoeing tour – a fantastic way to see the town from a different perspective (not available in summer).

It's tour time! Hop on the Golden Pilatus tour – a trip taking you to the most spectacular spots on Mt Pilatus, including its summit, by boat, cogwheel railway, aerial cableway and gondola. The trip starts in Lucerne with a boat trip on the lake before heading to Alpnachstad, where you'll board the steepest cogwheel railway in the world, which takes you to the summit at 2132 metres. Buy yourself some lunch with a panoramic view of the alps, before descending via the aerial cableway and gondola. Return to Lucerne and spend the rest of the day at your leisure. Naps, strolls along the lake, cheesy food and beer are always a good way to go.

Today, travel to Jungfrau region and enjoy a couple of free days in this picturesque mountain paradise. You might like to head down to the town of Interlaken or catch a short train ride to Lauterbrunnen village and explore the stunning valley in which it's nestled. Or why not take a train ride up Jungfraujoch to what's known as the Top of Europe. If you're feeling fit and keen to get out there, there's also the option to tackle some of the trails around the monumental Eiger Mountain. There are plenty of trails to choose from, from flat and easy to certified heart-pumpers – just be sure to wear your good shoes and bring some wet-weather gear as mountain weather is notoriously unpredictable.Your hotel tonight sits in the heart of the mountain region so make sure you take in the stunning mountain view around you here.

This morning, catch another train to Bulle, located in La Gruyere district. Bulle is the town of your medieval dreams and, yes, it’s the home of the cheese too. Lush green fields dotted with dairy cows and mountain peaks stretch as far as the eye can see. Tonight it's your choice – you might want to stroll the quaint streets of Bulle and sample some cheese.

Today head out of town to visit La Gruyere cheese factory to learn more about this world-famous cheese and how it is produced. Then its time for another iconic Swiss product. You’re off to a chocolate factory! If you haven't heard, Swiss chocolate is the real deal and one of the most delicious of all the chocolates. Take a tour of a local chocolate producer and learn some of their secrets – with some samples, of course – before a free afternoon to relax. You could head down head down to Lake Gruyere for some fresh air and some happy snaps with the mountainous backdrop. Or return to Bulle for a stroll around town and to continue tasting the local cheese.

Travel to Bern – Switzerland's capital and arguably one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. After checking into your hotel, grab a quick lunch and follow your leader on an orientation walking tour. Head to the Old Town, explore the area where Einstein lived and developed his Theory of Relativity at the start of the 20th century, stop to check out Parliament House. Visit the famous Zytglogge - Bern Clock. Examine the gears and the apparatus of the old clock, watch the figurines closely and don't miss out on the panoramic view of the old Bern from the top. In the evening, why not get some of your crew together to explore the food and drink scene in Bern – from typical Swiss dishes to world-wide cuisine, Bern is a great place for dining.

With no activities planned for today, you are free to leave any time after breakfast. That doesn’t mean your adventure has to come to an end! If you would like to spend more time in Bern, we’ll be happy to organise additional accommodation (subject to availability).

AAA Magazines

Soaking in europe’s many cultures on the grand tour of switzerland.

By Roy M. Wallack

May 05, 2021

Ah, Locarno.  La bellissima cittá!  I gazed in wonder at this sun-kissed town on the ancient crossroads to Milan. After driving past palm-lined, sailboat-dotted Lago Maggiore, I strolled onto the Piazza Grande, which was framed by plunging mountainsides and pastel-hued restaurants. Dining on steaming dishes of risotto alla milanese in this balmy, perfetto paradiso , I thought, Surely, this is what they mean by la dolce vita , the sweet life. Locarno is truly the best of Italy .

Except this ain’t Italy.  

Locarno and the surrounding Italian-speaking Ticino canton are in Switzerland. 

Italian-flavored Locarno on Lago Maggiore, Switzerland. | Photo by Boris Stroujko/stock.adobe.com

In fact, this famously neutral nation of 8.6 million—the rare country formed by choice, not conquest—is home to four distinct ethno-linguistic groups: German is spoken by about 63 percent of the Swiss, French by 23 percent, Italian by 8 percent, and Romansh, a Romance language descended from Latin, by 0.5 percent.

“We’re different, but we all feel Swiss,” my German-Swiss guide Maria Sägesser had told me in Zurich, after I’d flown into the country a few days earlier. “And we all have a positive effect on one another.”

I wanted to learn more about the country’s different ethnicities and how they coexist. So, being a lifelong cross-country road-tripper, I rented a Volkswagen Touareg in Locarno and drove a portion of the Grand Tour of Switzerland , a 994-mile route that loops around the country, directing drivers to major points of interest, including 31 Instagram-friendly photo spots.  

Stop 1: Aletsch Arena

The Aletsch Arena is the Alps' longest glacier. | Photo courtesy Switzerland Tourism

Leaving Locarno, I drove westward on a highway of flawless, butter-smooth asphalt that seamlessly flowed over bridges and into ingenious open-sided tunnels sculpted into cliffs.

My first stop was the 14-mile-long Aletsch Arena , the Alps’ longest glacier, which looks like a gargantuan, white parking lot ramp wrapped around a mountain. 

You may also like:  Friends fulfill a dream of hiking the Swiss Alps

Stop 2: Nufenenpass

Nufenenpass is Switzerland’s second-highest pass. | Photo by Alessio/stock.adobe.com

Next, at the insistence of my German-Swiss guide Nadine Blatter, I departed from the Grand Tour route to drive up 8,130-foot-high Nufenenpass , the country’s second-highest pass traversed by a paved road. An hour later, I was alone—freezing in a snowstorm—in an empty restaurant parking lot next to a 10-foot-tall snowdrift. I stood transfixed by the sight of the wild switchback I had just zigzagged 4,000 feet up from the tiny valley below.

Stop 3: Sierre

Traditional Swiss melted raclette cheese on diced boiled or baked potato. | Photo by beats/stock.adobe.com

That night, after getting lost while driving yet another pass and disappearing into a seemingly endless tunnel, I arrived 90 minutes late for dinner in the French-Swiss town of Sierre . I was concerned: In Zurich, a German-Swiss tour guide had scolded me when I was just a few minutes late to an appointment. But my guide here, Benoît Caloz, wasn’t a bit upset when I arrived at the Château de Villa restaurant.

“We French are more laid-back,” he explained, as we sat down to a raclette dinner, a sampling of five brick oven–melted cheeses. One was salty; one had a savory, woodsy essence; one, Bagnes from the Verbier region, was so creamy it seemed to melt on my tongue. 

While the German- and French-Swiss delight in aiming little zingers at each another—for example, “the French vote liberal and are too willing to spend a sunny afternoon in a café,” while the Germans “vote conservative and need to relax”—they fully agree on the merits of cheese (more than 450 Swiss varieties) and chocolate (the Swiss eat more of it than anyone, 22.9 pounds a year).

Stop 4: Geneva

View of Geneva from Cathedral of Saint-Pierre and the Jet d'Eau fountain in the distance. | Photo by Alexander Demyanenko/stock.adobe.com

The next day, I again detoured from the Grand Tour to drive into France along the south side of Lake Léman. As I headed into Geneva , a 460-foot-tall waterspout came into view. The city’s landmark  Jet d’Eau , a former safety valve for a hydraulic power network that authorities turned into art 100 years ago, exuded a whimsical, carefree quality I hadn’t felt in businesslike, German-speaking Zurich. As I sat on the fountain’s long concrete pier watching a young mom wait patiently for her soaked 10-year-old son as he gamboled back and forth through the artificial rain, it all seemed so amazingly ... French.

Stop 5: Cailler-Nestlé chocolate factory

Hot chocolate served in the café of the Cailler-Nestlé factory museum. | Photo courtesy Nestlé

Leaving Geneva, I took another detour from the Grand Tour route to the tiny village of Broc for a pit stop at the Cailler-Nestlé chocolate factory museum (currently only the store and café is open). Chocolate-maker Daniel Peter and his neighbor Henri Nestlé, a condensed-milk and baby-food manufacturer, invented milk chocolate nearby in 1875. Determined to experience everything, I overdid it, sampling every variety—dark, white, nut-filled, and milk chocolate—several times. 

 In the morning, groggy from my food coma, I cruised through undulating, snowcap-framed farm country in mountain valleys painted with greens, whites, reds, and yellows so vivid that they evoked computer animation, and I entered German-speaking cantons. No stranger to lengthy Alpine tunnels, I now experienced something new: numerous short passageways earth-wormed straight through 100-foot-tall grassy hills—sometimes so close to farms on the surface that I could see the color of a farmer’s beret as he tended his cows. 

At that moment, I understood why Swiss tunnels, bridges, and switchbacks had been designed so creatively and were so ubiquitous. They had to be; Switzerland had to master them to meld its mountain-and-valley isolated cantons—now 26 of them—into a nation.

Stop 6: Gstaad 

St. Nicholas Chapel stands out on the promenade of Gstaad. | Photo by Bogdan Lazar/stock.adobe.com

Before long, I arrived at the posh ski resort town of Gstaad . Think Beverly Hills with gondolas. While strolling among storefronts emblazoned with names such as Cartier, Givenchy, and Louis Vuitton, I ran into a 74-year-old vacationing German-Swiss man who’d emigrated from Switzerland to Australia in the 1960s. As we talked, he groused that things had changed in Switzerland—for the worse.

“When I was growing up, it was formal,” he said in his Aussie-German twang. “You shook hands when you met and called them Mr. and Mrs. But now, it’s first names, hugs, kisses—so ... Latin.” As a joke, I shook his hand goodbye, then feigned a kiss on his cheek. He recoiled, to the glee of his huggy 40-year-old Swiss-Aussie niece.

The final stop: Bern

The Zytglogge Clock Tower in Bern illuminates the night. | Photo courtesy Bern Tourism

After a 30-minute hike near Interlaken that stretched to three hours because of a surprise photo op with an ibex, I arrived in Bern two hours late, which earned me a lecture from my latest guide, Nicole Schaffner. After dinner, she walked me down to the 16th-century  Zytglogge Clock Tower or, as she put it, “the only World Heritage site where you can do your business,” noting the fenced-off urinal at its base).

At the Parliament building , she explained that every word and bylaw is listed in the four official languages, which are spoken in their regions, taught in schools, and printed on Swiss franc bills.

Bidding me auf Wiedersehen, Nicole moved in close. She planted three alternating kisses on my cheeks—right, left, right.

“Three?” I said. “You guys learned this from the French and the Italians—and they only do two.”

“I know,” she said. “We German-Swiss are very competitive.”

This article is reprinted from the January/February 2018 issue of Westways magazine in memory of Roy M. Wallack, who died late last year. He was a frequent contributor to AAA magazines.

You may also like: Reasons to visit Europe this year

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Discover Switzerland, Austria & Bavaria

Bern, Gruyères, Montreux, Gstaad, Lucerne, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Bavaria

OUR PRICES STARTING FROM

10 Days, Guided, 12 Meals

Prices reflect land-only rates.

Exclusive Benefits for AAA Members

Not a AAA Member? JOIN NOW

Journey through spectacular mountain scenery and picturesque cities as you experience three Alpine countries. Spend four nights each in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Bern and the charming Alpine city of Innsbruck. Ride the legendary GoldenPass Panoramic Train from Montreux to the Alpine ski resort of Gstaad. Explore Lucerne, the "Swiss Paradise on the Lake." Visit Mozart's birthplace and the Mirabell Gardens, featured in "The Sound of Music," during your time in Salzburg. The hills are alive on this enchanting journey across Switzerland, Austria and Bavaria.

• DAYS 10 Days, Guided, 12 Meals
• MEALS 8 breakfasts, 4 dinners
• 8 nights accommodation
• On some dates additional accommodations may be used
• Services of a tour manager
• All on-tour transportation and related fees
• Hotel-to-hotel baggage handling
• Round trip home to airport sedan service provided when you purchase airfare through Member Choice Vacations. One transfer per person, per reservation. (Restrictions apply)

transportation--generic Day 1 - Overnight Flight

Discover spectacular Switzerland, Austria and Bavaria on a tour featuring 4-night stays in two cities.

transportation--generic Day 2 - Bern, Switzerland - Tour Begins

Savor a dinner featuring local cuisine such as traditional cheese fondue.

Hotel Bern, Bern or Hotel Ambassador, Bern or Hotel Baeren am Bundesplatz, Bern

Your journey begins in Bern, the capital of Switzerland. This UNESCO World Heritage site rests in the Swiss countryside. The cobbled Old Town section is so well preserved that residents who lived here 500 years ago would still find it familiar today. This evening, join your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner featuring local cuisine in a traditional Swiss restaurant. Today dinner will be included.

transportation--generic Day 3 - Bern

Explore delightful Bern on a panoramic sightseeing tour, led by a local guide, featuring the Bundeshaus (the Swiss Parliament), the famous Bear Pit, the Rose Gardens and the gothic cathedral which dominates Old Town's skyline. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore independently. Perhaps you'll take a ride in the red carriages of the Gurtenbahn funicular railway, climbing Gurten Mountain to an altitude of 2,574 feet (858 meters) for impressive views of Bern, the surrounding towns and mountains. Today breakfast will be included.

transportation--bus Day 4 - Bern - Gruyères - Montreux - Panoramic Train Ride - Gstaad - Bern

Glimpse into the cheese production of Gruyères and sample these dairy delights. Ride the GoldenPass Panoramic Train from Montreux to Gstaad.

Travel to Gruyères, famous for its creamy cheeses. Sample some of these delectable dairy treats during a cheese making demonstration. Later, enjoy inspiring Alpine views with a ride on the GoldenPass Panoramic Train from Montreux to Gstaad. Discover the delightful ambience of this world-famous Alpine ski resort with its numerous traditional wood chalets. Today breakfast will be included.

transportation--bus Day 5 - Bern - Lucerne - Bern

Enjoy a walking tour of Lucerne's Alstadt (Old Town).

Breakfast, Dinner

Set out for Lucerne, the "Swiss Paradise on the Lake." Enjoy a leisurely paced Altstadt (Old Town) walking tour, exploring the hidden treasures of this 800-year-old city such as the covered Chapel Bridge (1333); the famous Water Tower, which has served as a prison, watchtower and treasury; the Renaissance-style Town Hall; the baroque Jesuit Church; and the Lion Monument, carved from natural rock to commemorate the heroic Swiss Guard. Tonight, dine at one of Bern's great restaurants. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.

transportation--bus Day 6 - Bern - Innsbruck, Austria

Hotel AC by Marriott, Innsbruck

En route to Innsbruck, make your way through Liechtenstein, the smallest German-speaking country in the world and the only country to lie entirely within the Alps. Upon arrival in Innsbruck, it's your choice! Select one of two leisurely walking tours: join a local guide as you discover the city's history, culture and popular attractions including Maria-Theresien-Strasse, the Hofburg and the "Golden Roof" -OR- you may embark on a tour focusing on Innsbruck's unique architectural structures including its famous ski jump. Today breakfast will be included.

transportation--bus Day 7 - Innsbruck - Salzburg - Innsbruck

Spend a day exploring Salzburg's historic past and charming old town. Delight in dinner at the 1,200-year-old St. Peter's Restaurant, Austria's oldest.

Travel through the picturesque Austrian countryside to Salzburg. Enjoy a walking tour featuring Mirabell Gardens (seen in The Sound of Music), the quaint Getreidegasse (birthplace of Mozart), and many other highlights of this beautiful city. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure to independently explore and enjoy Salzburg's fabulous sights. Complete your day with a delightful dinner at the 1,200-year-old St. Peter's Restaurant, the oldest in Austria and still owned by the monks. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.

transportation--bus Day 8 - Innsbruck - Bavaria, Germany - Innsbruck

Witness the musical tradition of Austria during a Tyrolean folklore show.

Tour Linderhof Palace, the only palace - out of three - that King Ludwig II lived to see completed. Walk the extraordinary halls that were modeled after Versailles with an expert guide and bask in the luxury of past royals. Next, return to Innsbruck. Later, experience the rich musical tradition of mountainous Austria during a Tyrolean folklore show hosted by a well-known local musical family. Today breakfast will be included.

transportation--generic Day 9 - Innsbruck

Savor a free day in this beautiful city. You may stroll through Old Town and shop at many of the city's outstanding stores or you may just relax and breathe in the mountain air while enjoying a beverage in one of the many cafés that dot this charming city. Tonight you are treated to a farewell dinner in one of Innsbruck's traditional restaurants. Today breakfast and dinner will be included.

category--popular-destinations Day 10 - Innsbruck- Tour Ends

Your tour comes to an end in Innsbruck. Today breakfast will be included.

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CHECK OUT THE TOP 25 IMAGES IN OUR MOST COMPETITIVE CONTEST YET

April 29, 2024 | 5 min read.

Revealing the extraordinary in the ordinary. Illuminating tiny yet telling details. Catching the spirit of a moment nearly lost forever.

Those are just a few of the exceptional elements of the winning images in the 2023 AAA World Photo Contest, themed A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Dollars. This year’s contest, our 24th annual, saw a record-breaking 7,000-plus entries, which the AAA World staff pored over to narrow the field to 25 semifinalists.

From this selection, you, our members, voted for your top picks in five categories. We then crowned the grand-prize winner, who received a $1,000 Visa gift card, and awarded placements to the four runners-up, who each garnered a $100 Visa gift card.

Here, we celebrate the talented photographers and their prized images that give voice to untold stories through the prism of the camera’s lens. And, we sincerely thank everyone who entered their photographs, leaving us humbled, wowed and, as always, ever so inspired.

GRAND-PRIZE WINNER Susan Samuels of West Hartford, Connecticut, was on a group tour in central Greece last May when she and her family arranged to take a detour to Metéora, a collection of ancient monasteries perched on skyscraping cliffs. Hiring a driver and assisted by a local guide, they set out through the countryside and visited the Monastery of Great Metéoron, one of the country’s most historically significant and oldest monasteries, founded in 1340. It wasn’t the main monastery, however, but rather the neighboring Varlaám monastery that drew her photographer’s eye.

“The weather was bad the day of our tour, but when we came out of the monastery to wait for the van to pick us up, the clouds suddenly began to disperse,” says Samuels. “I was standing above the clouds, looking down on this architectural wonder.”

Using her iPhone, Samuels aimed to frame as much as she could of the vista as well as to convey perspective, including details like the cars and buses driving up the mountainside and people crossing a small bridge. The result: this beautifully ethereal image, which swept the Around the World category and the entire photo contest.

FIRST RUNNER-UP Jenna Louderback of Claremore, Oklahoma, loves the outdoors and the beauty of landscapes, especially at sunset. So, a family adventure to Grand Canyon National Park and neighboring Glen Canyon National Recreation Area last March was the perfect gift to celebrate her birthday. As a highlight of the trip, she had her heart set on photographing Glen Canyon’s iconic Horseshoe Bend, where a 270-degree bend in the Colorado River embraces an ancient sandstone escarpment.

“When I walked to the top of the Horseshoe Bend Outlook—being really careful not to get too close to the edges!—the sun was setting just right and you could see the reflection of the clouds on the water. And if you look closely, you can see boats in the water, too,” she says.It’s these dramatic features that helped Louderback’s artful composition land the number-one spot in the Iconic America category. 

SECOND RUNNER-UP Brent Guiliano of Philadelphia enjoys photographing views of his hometown skyline from the South Street Bridge, which spans the Schuylkill River west of downtown. But when he arrived at the popular pedestrian bridge one morning last April to shoot the sunrise over the city, overcast skies threatened to spoil his plans.

“I thought the opportunity was lost, when suddenly, the skies began to clear—but only for about two minutes,” says Guiliano. “In that window, I was able to get this shot, with the glow of the sun, the images reflecting off the calm water and just enough traffic to get light trails coming off the cars.”

It turns out that the hardest part of getting this postcard-perfect shot—winner in the City Life category—was finding parking, jokes Guiliano.

THIRD RUNNER-UP Darryl Holtman of Kent Island, Maryland, ventured on a small-group photography expedition in the wee hours of a frigid, foggy morning last New Year’s Day. Led by celebrated photographer Jay Fleming, the expedition took to the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, where the dual-span William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge (the Bay Bridge) stretches more than 4 miles, connecting Annapolis to Maryland’s Eastern Shore. “By the time we reached the bridge, the fog was lifting. I leaned over the side of the boat and began shooting—taking about 100 photos,” says Holtman, adding that his photos are raw images. “All the colors, reflections and water ripples in this photo—it’s all unedited.” Titled “First Light of 2023,” Holtman’s striking photo took the prize in the Great American Road Trip category.

FOURTH RUNNER UP William Johnson of Philadelphia looks forward to his family’s summer vacations in Ocean City, New Jersey, every year. On his vacation last June, despite the cloudy skies, he and his 8-year-old granddaughter, Keeva, went to the beach.

“Keeva loves jumping over the waves. With the not-good weather, no one else was in the water, so she had the whole ocean to herself,” says Johnson. “Watching her jump, I noticed little streams of water coming off her toes and the beauty of the clouds overhead.”

A retired newspaper photographer, Johnson skillfully captured the frisson of joy and the drama of the landscape, earning him top honors in the People category.

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