Switzerland & the Passion Play

DAY l – Depart USA

DAY 2 – Munich, Germany

We arrive in Munich today, where we have a short orientation tour of the city, including the Olympic grounds, the Glockenspiel, the grounds of Nymphenburg Castle, and the pedestrian zone. We visit the famous Hofbräuhaus in the evening where dinner will be on your own. (B)

DAY 3- Oberammergau

After breakfast we drive through the Bavarian countryside to Linderhof Castle, one of the castles of King Ludwig II. Linderhof was the favorite of King Ludwig’s three castles, tucked into an intimate setting in the woods. There are four pounds of gold leaf in every room and a beautiful collection of vases. We take time for a guided tour of the castle. Time allowing, we also visit the beautiful rococo cloister in Ettal. We drive to Oberammergau for overnight. In the evening we can wander on the beautiful streets. (B,D)

DAY 4- Oberammergau

We enjoy a relaxed morning in Oberammergau, admiring the bright frescoes that adorn many of the homes and businesses, perhaps shopping for a souvenir woodcarving for which the village is famous. This afternoon we attend Part One of the Passion Play, the legacy of a vow made by the Oberammergauers in 1633 to enact the Passion story. Due to the ravages of the Thirty Years War, the plague had taken its toll in lives. But many of the people were spared, and the following year, 1634, the first Passion Play was performed on a stage set up in the cemetery. After dinner we attend Part Two. (B,L,D)

DAY 5- Lugano, Switzerland

We depart after breakfast, driving past the end of Lake Constance and entering Liechtenstein. We make an early lunch stop before continuing on to the south. The beauty in the next few days is unsurpassed in Europe, with beautiful mountains, castles, villages and the lake district of Italy. We overnight in Lugano. (B,D)

DAY 6- Zermatt

The beautiful scenery gets better as we weave through the mountain passes in and out of Italy and Switzerland. We traverse the Simplon Pass, a beautiful winding road, and drive to Zermatt in the center of most of Switzerland’s highest peaks. Our coach takes us as far as Täsch, where we board a train for the last short distance into Zermatt, a village without cars. (B,D)

DAY 7- Zermatt

Today, weather permitting, we board the Gornergrat Bahn, a mountain train that takes us up to a plateau where we soak in the beauty. On a clear day, we can see a dozen mountain peaks, several over 12,000 feet. The driver has the day off, as we hike around the village, and absorb the nature around us. (B,D)

DAY 8- Montreux

We come down from the mountains and drive through the beautiful “valley of the sun” en route to Montreux. While there we visit the “Castle of Chillon”, where Lord Byron wrote his famous “Prisoner of Chillon.” We overnight in Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva. (B,D)

DAY 9- Lucerne Area

We drive to the center of Switzerland, into the Bernese Oberland, the heart of the Swiss Alps. We make a stop in Bern, the small but famous internationally known capital. We see the Berner Bears in the Bearpit, the unusual construction in the center of the city and the Bern Cathedral, before driving to our hotel in the mountains near Lucerne. (B,D)

DAY 10- Lucerne Area

After breakfast, we begin a wonderful day of sightseeing. We take a short drive over the Brunig Pass to the Bernese Oberland. We now enjoy an excursion via cogwheel train from Lauterbrunnen, the “village of the waterfalls,” to the Kleine Scheidegg for a panoramic view of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau Mountains! After time for lunch, we continue our train ride down the other side of the mountain to Grindelwald, the “village of the glaciers!” (B,D)

DAY 11- Lucerne Area

We drive to Lucerne on the magnificent Vierwaldstättersee. We take time to cross the famous wooden Chapel Bridge, and stop to see the poignant Lion Monument, designed by the Danish sculptor Thorwaldsen, as a memorial to Swiss mercenaries who lost their lives defending the King of France. We enjoy some free time in Lucerne before returning to our hotel for a farewell dinner. (B,D)

DAY 12- Return

Sadly our travels end today, as we transfer to the Zurich airport for our return flight to the U.S. We take with us new friends and memories of ancient castles, opulent palaces, scenic alpine views, and of course the inspiring memory of the Passion Play. (B)