Highlights of the Swiss Alps & Italian Lakes

On a guided small group tour of the Alps, you can immerse yourself in the spectacular scenery and local cultures knowing all the details are taken care of. Nordic Visitor will arrange all your local transportation, accommodation and daily excursions.

You’ll be travelling with a knowledgeable local guide and a group of like-minded travellers. The itinerary will be pre-planned and booked for you before you arrive. This means you can land in Switzerland with peace of mind as all the hassle is taken out of your travel experience.

Ahead of your arrival, you’ll receive personalised information via email, including an itinerary and detailed Alps Travel Guide. During your tour, you’ll always be able to reach us by calling our 24/7 helpline.

Your tour package will include the professional service of an experienced tour guide.  They will travel with your group around Switzerland, Austria and Germany.

The tour guide will make sure everything runs smoothly and help you have the best possible experience. As an expert on the region, they’ll be a valuable resource for any questions you might have. Feel free to ask them anything you might be curious about.

Due to the nature of this tour and the activities included, it’s not recommended for families with young children. That said, it is suitable for active children aged 12 years or older. If in doubt, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

To make sure you and your fellow travellers have a comfortable journey, we need to limit the size and amount of luggage in the bus.

Each guest can bring 1 suitcase or large bag that can be stored in the back of the minibus. The guidance size for the larger luggage is that it should not exceed 158 cm (62 in) when adding the length, width and height. It should not weigh more than 20 kg.

You can also bring one smaller item (like a small backpack) for daily essentials like camera, wallet, medications and so forth.

If you have more luggage, we ask that you please make arrangements to store it during the guided portion of the tour.

Please be advised that during parts of your trip, you will need to transport your own luggage between legs of your journey, so we recommend bringing a light suitcase on wheels.

If you have any questions about luggage your Nordic Visitor travel consultant will be able to assist you.

All transfers between your accommodation and departure points are included in the package. Departure points will be within easy walking distance of where you’re staying, and your guide will be with you every step of the way.

Just a heads up – you will need to carry your own luggage to the departure points.

You will travel between the countries by either bus or train, which are great ways to discover the Alps.

The mode of transport will depend on how far you have to travel, and whether cars are allowed in the region you’re visiting. Your tour itinerary will make clear how you’ll be travelling each day.

As you’ll be travelling as part of a guided group tour, your itinerary for this portion of your trip is set. But you can still customise other parts of your package.

For example, you could add extra nights in Zürich before the guided tour or in Munich after. Ask your personal travel consultant about adding extra nights or services.

If you’re looking to extend your Nordic adventure, you could add visits to Iceland, Scotland and/or Scandinavia to the beginning or end of your itinerary. Contact us for more details about customising your trip.

During your tour of the Alps, you’ll stay in accommodation hand-picked by our local travel experts. We’ve partnered with local businesses and selected hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses based on excellent ratings, comfort and personal experience.

You can view the detailed list of hotels for this trip under the accommodation tab.

Across the Alps region, you can choose from single and double rooms. Please also note that in the countries you’ll be visiting, room types are based on European standard sizes, which means they are smaller than in North America.

For example, a double bed often consists of 2 single beds pushed together, twin rooms are 2 separate single beds, and single rooms are often smaller than the standard double.

Your guided group tour will include a fair amount of walking for sightseeing. The best way to explore the towns and cities you’ll be visiting is on foot, so this tour is ideal for people who can walk between 3-5 kilometres (2-3 miles) a day.

You’ll also need to be able to carry your own luggage at accommodation and in and out of transport.

At your booked hotels, you’ll enjoy a daily breakfast buffet for the duration of this tour.

You’ll also have some dinners included throughout the guided portion of this tour, as stated in your itinerary. They will consist of either a set 2- or 3-course menu, or a dinner buffet with fresh local ingredients. Drinks are not included with your dinners.

Please notify your travel consultant in advance of any dietary restrictions. Other meals and drinks are not included and will be at your own expense during the trip.

There are limited laundry facilities in the countryside, though you’ll find laundrettes in the larger cities and towns. Some hotels do offer dry cleaning for an additional cost.

It’s good to be aware that you may require different currencies during your Alps and Europe trip. Germany, Austria and Italy have the Euro (€) as their local currency.

That said, Switzerland and Liechtenstein both have the Swiss franc (CHF, ₣) as their currency, Czech Republic has Czech koruna (CZK) and Hungary has Hungarian Forint (HUF Ft).

In mainland Europe, tipping is not mandatory, but welcomed. It is usually based on the quality of service. Locals often add around 10% or simply round up their bill.

By booking with Nordic Visitor, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that there’s always someone there for you throughout your trip.

For support and advice during the day, you can ask your guide or call our office. And if anything unexpected happens outside working hours, you can reach us on our 24/7 helpline.

The Munich-based travel expert on call will handle any unforeseen situations for you, such as unusual weather or events.

You’ll be spending time in a few different regions on your tour. All of these are part of the Schengen area, which is a zone of free movement. The European countries that are part of Schengen are:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

If you are visiting from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia or another EU state, you won’t need a visa for short-term travel (less than 90 days) to a Schengen area country.

Visiting from another country? Please look up the official websites of the Nordic Visitor destinations you’ll be visiting. On them you’ll find the complete lists of countries whose nationals require visas to enter. You’ll need to apply for a Schengen visa via the country where you will be spending the most time.

Good to know: Liechtenstein does not issue visas. If you enter via Switzerland, you’ll see there is no border control. The same visa requirements apply between both countries.

Your passport needs to be valid for the entirety of your stay in Europe, and for at least 6 months after your departure date. It’s a good idea to check your passport expiry date early in case you need to renew it.

During your tour of the Alps, you’ll be travelling through both lowland and high-altitude regions. The lowland in central Europe is fairly warm all year around, but the mountains are chillier.

In higher mountain villages, the average temperature in summer is between 15°C – 20°C (59°F – 68°F). In lower-altitude towns and cities, close to lakes at the foot of the mountains, temperatures in summer can reach 30°C – 35°C (86°F – 95°F).

Many regions of the Alps are famed for their many days of sunshine, especially in Switzerland’s Rhône valley. But that doesn’t guarantee there won’t be any rain on your trip! And you’ll need to be prepared for chillier weather when you’re boarding mountain gondolas.

As you’ll be spending a lot of time outdoors, it’s a good idea to come prepared for a combination of weather conditions.

Here is a recommended packing list for a summer trip:

• A warm jumper or fleece
• A waterproof jacket
• Hiking clothes and good walking shoes or boots
• Light scarf or thin jumper
• An umbrella
• Reusable water bottle
• Lip balm and moisturiser
• Sunglasses, sunscreen and a sunhat

After booking your tour package online, you will be contacted within 2 business days by your own dedicated travel consultant. They will be your point of contact for all your travel needs before, during and even after your trip. 

At that time, they’ll confirm the availability of your tour. Then the booking process starts, which may take a few weeks. Once this is done, your travel consultant will provide you with all the details of your trip. You will also receive more information about what to expect during your trip.

After you have booked your tour, it will only take a few days to confirm its availability. But it may take a few weeks to create your itinerary and book everything. Once your trip details are finalised, we’ll send you e-copies of your travel documents.

Upon your arrival in Zürich, you’ll receive a welcome package with hard copies of your itinerary, accommodation and tour vouchers, the Nordic Visitor Alps Travel Guide and more.

No need! Nordic Visitor is already working on offsetting the estimated carbon footprint of your package. We’ve partnered with an environmental fund in Iceland to carbon offset all our tours.

Carbon offsetting your international flights is not included, but we highly recommend you look into possibilities with your airline or directly through a local environment fund. 

So when do you check in? And what can you expect upon landing in Zürich?

After picking up your luggage, make your way to your accommodation in the city centre. The airport has excellent public transportation connections operated by SBB (Swiss Federal Railways). Or if you’d prefer, we can arrange a private transfer for an additional fee.

Check-in times vary between hotels and guesthouses, but it normally starts between 2–4 PM. You are welcome to request an early check-in for an additional fee. Although this isn’t always available, you’ll be able to store your luggage at the hotel if you have to wait.

Please contact your travel consultant well in advance of your arrival if you’d like an early check-in.

When you depart may depend on the time of your return flight. Check out early if you’re heading to the airport for a morning flight. On the other hand, if you’re flying home later in the day, you might like to enjoy a leisurely day or visit one more attraction.

You will need to check out from your room, but will be able to store your luggage at the hotel reception. Simply return later to collect your bags before catching public transport or a taxi to the airport.

All bookings are billed in Euros (EUR), the local currency in Germany, Italy and Austria.

Prices displayed in other currencies are indicative only and based on the daily exchange rate. This means conversions from EUR to other currencies will fluctuate from day to day.