TAUCK BRIDGES FAMILY TRAVEL

Alpine Adventure

Zurich Switzerland – Munich Germany

TIME OF YEAR – Jun – Aug

During your eight-day adventure, family fun awaits you at every stop… from Lake Lucerne and Mount Pilatus in Switzerland… across the mountains aboard the Glacier Express to famous St. Moritz… into the Austrian Alps and Innsbruck… and on to the Bavarian magic of Munich! Go whitewater rafting, mountain bicycling, rock and rope climbing… enjoy a look at Neolithic life and traditional Tyrolean fun and games… ride cable cars and the world’s steepest cog railway at Mount Pilatus, more than 125 years in operation (summer only)… watch an exciting ski-jump demonstration and more!

Only With Tauck

Visit to Ötzi Dorf, an archaeological open-air park interpreting life in the time of “Ötzi,” the Neolithic “iceman” found mummified in the Ötztal Alps in 1991.

Tour prices are per person in U.S. dollars. All hotel accommodations, motor coach transportation, admissions, entertainment, special dinners, sightseeing, porterage, and the services of hotel and restaurant staff, local guides and drivers, and the Tauck Director are included. Transportation from Zurich International Airport to the Hotel Schweizerhof Luzern is included, regardless of the time you check in to the hotel, provided you have furnished us with accurate flight arrival information at least three weeks prior to the start of your tour. If you are arriving into the Lucerne central train station (Luzern Bahnhof), please hire a taxi to the hotel, retain a receipt and submit it to your Tour Director for reimbursement. Transportation from the Hotel Bayerischer Hof to Munich International Airport or the Munich central train station (Munchen Hauptbahnhof) is also included when you check out of the hotel. Transportation to and from airports and train stations may be shared with other Tauck guests.

Age Recommendations – Children 8 years of age or older at the time of travel are welcome on this Tauck journey. Based upon our experience with family travelers, we have a minimum recommended age for each journey to encourage comfort and enjoyment for all of our guests. All children must be accompanied on activities by a parent or guardian. At least one guest in the traveling party must be 21 years of age or older in order to make a reservation.

Rates and schedules are not guaranteed until booked and will vary based on departure date.

ITINERARY

INCLUDED

INCLUDED HOTELS

Day 01 :

Arrive Zurich and on to Lucerne

Trip begins at 4:00 PM at Hotel Schweizerhof Luzern. Welcome to the Swiss Alps! A transfer is included from Zurich International Airport to Hotel Schweizerhof Luzern. Meet your Tauck Director and your fellow adventurers in the lobby of your grand hotel in the Old Quarter for a walking tour of Lucerne’s cobblestone streets, discovering the city’s spires, covered bridges, fountains and more. Tonight, join us for a private Tauck Bridges welcome reception and dinner at the award-winning Hotel Schweizerhof Luzern. Under the project titled “Wo Luzern Geschichte(n) schreibt” (Where Lucerne writes history/stories), every guest room has been allocated a guest with a unique story. They include great personalities such as thinkers, artists, politicians, athletes, musicians and crowned heads as well as unknown guests, whose stories are part of the hotel’s history.

Meals – Dinner

Lodging – Hotel Schweizerhof Luzern

Day 02 :

Cog railway to Mt. Pilatus & more

Lucerne’s famous Löwendenkmal (Lion Memorial) pays tribute to the Swiss Guards who gave their lives in defense of the French king centuries ago; after visiting this Swiss national monument, head out to Alpnachstad to ride the world’s steepest cogwheel train up to the summit of Mount Pilatus. The mountain is a place of myth and legend; some say there be dragons living in the caves here… as well as the ghost of Roman governor Pontius Pilate! Later, descend via aerial cableway to Fraekmuentegg, where major fun awaits you at Switzerland’s biggest rope park*, the country’s longest summer toboggan run*, or a thrilling (but safe) giant tubing slide!* After riding a gondola to Kriens, head back to Lucerne to spend the evening as you please.

Meals – Breakfast, Lunch

Lodging – Hotel Schweizerhof Luzern

Day 03 :

Cruise Lake Lucerne & on to St. Moritz by rail

Feast your eyes on some of the world’s greatest scenery today… first on a cruise across lovely Lake Lucerne, and then aboard the famous Glacier Express for what many call the most scenic rail trip in Europe – winding its way through lush Alpine valleys dotted with little villages… the real Switzerland! Arrive in the popular resort town of St. Moritz for a two-night stay in the Engadine Valley.

Meals – Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging – Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains St. Moritz

Day 04 :

Climbing, cycling & more in the Engadin Valley

Start another exciting day in the Alps by climbing up Piz Diavolezza via cable car… you won’t believe the views of the Engadin Valley and its many lakes stretching out below you. Then it’s off to the Morteratsch Glacier for guided mountain hiking*, rock climbing* and abseiling* (descending via ropes)… a visit to an Alpine cheesery for lunch in a meadow and a look at cheesemaking… and a few surprises!* If you wish, hop aboard a mountain bicycle* for a ride back through the Engadin Valley to St. Moritz, where your evening is free to enjoy as you please.

Meals – Breakfast, Lunch

Lodging – Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains St. Moritz

Day 05 :

Waterpark fun at Area 47

After crossing the border from Switzerland to Austria this morning, get wet and wild in Austria’s Ötztal Valley today on a trip to Area 47, one of the largest adventure parks in the Alps, and Europe’s ultimate outdoor playground. Jump into a neoprene suit and helmet, and head out on a whitewater-rafting adventure*; then do some swimming or try out the slides and other attractions of one of the newest and biggest water parks on the Continent, and enjoy lunch at the park. Arrive late afternoon at your Alpine spa hotel in Längenfeld – the AQUA DOME – offering more aquatic fun for the whole family with a pool, waterslides, spa, sauna, thermal baths and fitness center.

Meals – Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Day 06 :

Innsbruck, ski jumpers & Oetzi Dorf

This morning, head to Innsbruck – the 15th-century capital of Emperor Maximilian I’s Habsburg Empire, and more recently the host of two Winter Olympic Games in the 20th century – and visit the high-tech Bergisel ski-jump complex, designed by star architect Zaha Hadid, for a demonstration of the difficult and daring art of ski jumping. Later, join your local guide in old Innsbruck for a walking tour of this idyllic Alpine city, during which you just might “meet” old Emperor Max and his wives. Following a free afternoon, enjoy an after-hours private visit to Oeitzidorf, an open-air museum and archaeological site in the Oetzi Valley, interpreting village life during the time of “Oetzi” – the Neolithic Age of about 5,000 years ago. Dinner tonight in a rustic restaurant includes a memorable evening of Tyrolean fun, games and activities!

Meals – Breakfast, Dinner

Day 07 :

Alpine hike or Ettal Abbey & Bavarian fun in Munich

Depart Austria and cross the German border into Bavaria, where you’ll arrive in the village of Ettal this morning for your choice of a guided mountain hike of the area with a park ranger, or a visit to Ettal Abbey. A Benedictine monastery established in 1330 and later rebuilt in the Baroque style after a fire in the 18th century, the abbey is one of Europe’s largest Benedictine residences; your family’s visit (should you choose it) includes tours of the abbey church, as well as its distillery and brewery (with tastings for the adults). After lunch, continue on to Munich, Bavaria’s capital city. Cap your memorable family Alpine vacation with tonight’s farewell dinner in the historic Palais Keller – once a 15th-century salt store – beneath your landmark hotel in the heart of the city, the Bayerischer Hof… a perfect base from which to explore more of Munich as you please.

Meals – Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging – Bayerischer Hof

Day 08 :

Say "auf wiedersehen" as your journey ends

Trip ends: Munich. Fly home anytime; a transfer is included from the Bayerischer Hof to Munich Airport. You should allow a minimum of 3 hours for your flight check-in.

Meals – Breakfast

Nights 1-2 Lucerne, Switzerland

Hotel Schweizerhof Luzern

In November of 2014 “The Milestone Award,” Swiss tourism’s top accolade, went to a hotel for the first time in 12 years – Hotel Schweizerhof Luzern. The hotel was singled out for its groundbreaking storytelling concept “Wo Luzern Geschichte(n) schreibt” – “where Lucerne writes history/stories.” Each of the hotel’s 101 newly decorated guest rooms tells an individual story about notable guests – including actors, writers, musicians and other celebrities – from the hotel’s colorful 170-year history. The family-owned hotel is a great place for families to stay, and five generations of ownership by the same family (since 1861) ensure a warm welcome and heartfelt hospitality at the lovely Hotel Schweizerhof Luzern. Set in the midst of Old Town Lucerne, it is the perfect base for exploration of this city on the shores of lovely Lake Lucerne. Freshly renovated guest rooms feature individually controlled air conditioning, minibar, complimentary coffee and tea-making facilities, radio, cable TV with all major national and international channels, hairdryer and an in-room safe. You’ll find fitness facilities in the Schweizerhof Wellness &

Beauty that are equipped with Technogym machines. The Pavilion restaurant offers fine seasonal à la carte menus and Swiss specialties and the Galerie restaurant focuses on culinary delights from the sea and the lake. And the Terrace is a great place to get a cold drink and a bite to eat while enjoying the sunshine and the view.

Nights 3-4
St. Moritz, Switzerland

Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains St. Moritz

Located next to the old “Mauritius” spring, the origin of glamorous St. Moritz, the elegant, “Belle Epoch” Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains in St. Moritz has been the preferred address for royalty, politicians and noted artists since the 19th century. All 184 luxurious guest rooms are equipped with cable television and video-on-demand, minibar and spacious bathrooms. The indoor swimming pool, with its lovely views of the surrounding mountains, is the perfect place to relax after a busy day. If you’re feeling more energetic, the fitness area offers up-to-date cardiovascular equipment and even the workout area has views of the majestic mountains. Or, wile away a few hours stalking Lady Luck at the St. Moritz Casino, located in the west wing of the hotel. Enjoy “alpine tapas” at The Enoteca or a coffee or your favorite libation at the Kempinski Bar & Lobby.

Nights 5-6 Längenfeld, Austria

AQUA DOME – Tirol Therme Langenfeld

Covering more than 50,000 square meters, the AQUA DOME – Tirol Therme Längenfeld in the heart of the Ötztal Valley is the ideal place to make Alpine dreams come true. The most modern and eye-catching spa resort in the Alps boasts futuristic- looking spa and fitness facilities with a range of pools, saunas and more. Guests have exclusive access to the award-winning SPA 3000; with its combination of state-of-the-art spa facilities and beautiful alpine landscapes, the AQUA DOME is the ideal place for a romantic break, a family holiday or anything in between.

Tauck Guests enjoy complimentary Internet access in guest rooms!

Night 7
Munich, Germany

Bayerischer Hof

One of The Leading Hotels of the World, the sumptuous Bayerischer Hof first opened its doors in the heart of Munich in 1841 at the request of King Ludwig I, who wanted a comfortable place for his guests to stay; the finest hospitality has been a tradition at the Bayerischer Hof for over 160 years. You’ll instantly feel at home in a large, comfortable guest room equipped with all the amenities that today’s sophisticated travelers expect. Set high above the roofs of Munich, the Blue Spa is the ideal place to work on your fitness level or just relax on the Pool & Sun Terrace while you enjoy beautiful views out over the city. Former Mr. Universe, Ralf Moeller, carefully chose the state-of-the-art fitness equipment in the Fitness Studio, where you’ll find everything you need to put together your own exercise program. If you’re yearning for Bavarian specialties, beer right from the keg or a really great pretzel, the Palais Keller is just the spot. Or, perhaps you’ll choose to dine at the Garden-Restaurant with its Mediterranean atmosphere and South-Sea-inspired cuisine. Enjoy an aperitif or a nightcap in Falk’s Bar in the famed Spiegelsaal (Mirror Hall), the only room in the Bayerischer Hof that survived World War II unscathed; or enjoy the view of the city from the Blue Spa Bar & Lounge. If neither of those alternatives appeals to you, the hotel has four other distinctive watering holes from which to choose.