Swiss Alps & Lakes — 8 Nights

Met at Zurich Airport and taken to Lucerne, an hour away, either by train or by car. The rest of the day is for the lakefront, the Chapel Bridge and the old town squares, and an early night if the flight was overnight. Overnight in Lucerne.

By train to Engelberg and up by cable car to Titlis, with the rotating Rotair cabin for the last stage. Snow, the glacier cave and the Cliff Walk at the summit; the village of Engelberg and its monastery on the way down if there is time. Evening in Lucerne. Overnight in Lucerne.

A free morning — the Lion Monument, a lake boat, or the Swiss Museum of Transport for families — and then the panoramic train over the Brünig Pass and along Lake Brienz to Interlaken. Overnight in Interlaken.

Up through Lauterbrunnen to Kleine Scheidegg and on through the Eiger to Jungfraujoch, the highest railway station in Europe. The Sphinx terrace, the Aletsch Glacier and the Ice Palace at the top; a different valley on the way down, via Grindelwald. Overnight in Interlaken.

South through the Lötschberg tunnel into the Rhône valley, then the change at Visp for the narrow-gauge line that climbs the Matter valley to car-free Zermatt — the same tracks the Glacier Express uses. Electric taxis meet the train. The afternoon is for the village and the first look up the valley at the Matterhorn. Overnight in Zermatt.

The Gornergrat railway from the village to 3,089 metres, with the Matterhorn across the valley and the Gorner Glacier below for most of the ride. Walk part of the way down between stations if the weather is good, or take the Sunnegga funicular in the afternoon for the lake reflections at Leisee. Overnight in Zermatt.

Back down the valley and west along the Rhône to the lake, or — the scenic option this package reserves — north over the mountains on the GoldenPass line, with the descent to Lake Geneva through the vineyards. Montreux sits on the eastern shore, with Chillon Castle a short walk or boat ride along the water. Overnight in Montreux.

The terraced Lavaux vineyards climb the slope above the lake between Montreux and Lausanne, and the little train through them, or a walk between the villages, is the morning. The afternoon can be Lausanne and its cathedral, or simply the lake steamer back to Montreux with the French Alps across the water. Overnight in Montreux.

An hour along the lake to Geneva by train, with the private transfer on to the airport for your flight home. If time allows, the Jet d'Eau and the old town are a short detour from the station.