Minna Travel & Cruise - Oberammergau Passion Play Tours 2020 - NOT AVAILABLE

On arrival in Zurich the group will be met by their tour manager, for their transfer to the hotel.

Zurich, or 'Zuri' as it is fondly known by its multicultural inhabitants, lies in northern Switzerland at the meeting point of a beautiful lake and river, with the magnificent snow-capped Swiss Alps standing guard high above it. This fairy tale city is renowned for its beauty, cleanliness, efficiency, and heritage. Explore medieval alleyways peppered with quirky corner cafes, steepled churches, trendy taprooms, and world-class galleries and restaurants. A day in Zurich can include browsing the unrivalled selection of luxury stores on it’s famous shopping strip, the Bahnhofstrasse; riding the Polybahn, the 19th-century funicular up a steep hill to admire the spectacular view.  The venerable palace of art at the Kunsthaus is also a major drawcard, containing numerous world-famous masterpieces.

The group will have a welcome dinner at the hotel tonight.

Overnight  H+ Hotel Zurich or similar

Half day tour of Zurich

Local guide for half day tour.  View the main sights of the city,  entrance to Grossmünster Cathedral.

The Grossmünster is a Romanesque style Protestant church in Zurich, Switzerland. The congregation forms part of the Evangelical Reformed Church of the Canton of Zurich. The core of the present building near the banks of the Limmat River was constructed on the site of a Carolingian church. Recent archaeological evidence confirms the presence of a Roman burial ground at the site. The church currently features modern stained glass windows, added in 1932. Ornate bronze doors in the north and south portals were added in 1935 and 1950. The church houses a Reformation museum in the cloister, and the theological school of the University of Zurich in the annex to the cloister.

Transfer to Lucerne for free evening.

Overnight  Grand Hotel Europe or similar

Morning tour of Lucerne

 Lucerne is undeniably one of Europe's most enchanting cities. With its magnificent lakeside and mountain scenery, its remarkable variety of tourist attractions and its idyllic location at the northwest end of Lake Lucerne, the city is thought by many to be the epitome of ‘true’ Switzerland as well as the gateway to Central Switzerland. The landscape is a wonderland of snow-capped mountains, glistening lakes, cowbells, alpine villages and meadows full of Edelweiss. The pedestrianised centre of the city is a maze of cobblestone streets lined with medieval style buildings adorned with wonderful displays of colourful flowers. Presiding over the old town, the original city wall provides stunning views. One of the main attractions is crossing the Reuss River on the famous Chapel Bridge.

Entrance to Glacier Garden

At the heart of Switzerland is Lucerne, and in the heart of Lucerne is the Glacier Garden. It is nature's own monument to history and an oasis of peace from busy Lucerne life. Potholes of impressive proportions bear witness to the last ice age and to the fact that Lucerne was once covered by glaciers. Conversely, fossilised mussels and palm leaves found in local rock strata indicate that some 20 million years ago, the area of Lucerne was a subtropical beach!   The Observation tower -  Go back 300 million years into the geological past. You pass the recreation of a glacial mill and the diorama of the Gorner glacier by Xaver Imfeld before climbing the observation tower, which will reward you with a magnificent view of Lucerne and Mount Pilatus.

Transfer to Interlaken

Remainder of day at leisure

Overnight  City Hotel Oberland or similar

Transfer to Grindelwald

Tucked amidst the gorgeous Bernese Alps in the Jungfrau Region of Switzerland, the alpine village of Grindelwald is best known for its excellent skiing opportunities in winter and hiking opportunities in summer. Visitors can board Switzerland's famous cog railroad (the highest in the world) which climbs high into the mountains for a truly magnificent ride and view. Grindelwald also serves as the starting point for visitors ascending the iconic north face of the Eiger Mountain.

Train to Jungfraujoch - Issue of return standard class train ticket .

Arrive Jungfraujoch  - Free time to explore.

Located in the heart of the UNESCO Natural World Heritage site between the Monch and Jungfrau Mountains, Jungfraujoch beckons adventurists to experience the breathtaking views. Visitors can reach the viewpoint by way of the cogwheel train which is the highest train station in Europe. Facilities at the viewpoint include the Sphinx Observatory, the Ice Palace and a variety of restaurants, including the Lindt Swiss Chocolate Heaven offering lessons in chocolate-making. 

Return to Interlaken

Overnight  City Hotel Oberland or similar

Morning tour of Interlaken.

Few towns can boast a position as privileged as the Victorian resort town of Interlaken. As the name implies, this small Swiss gem lies on an alluvial plain between two of Switzerland’s loveliest lakes in the mountainous Bernese Oberland region. Surrounded by crystal-clear streams, incredible waterfalls and extraordinary mountain scenery (including the icy peaks of the Eiger, the Monch and the Jungfrau)

Entrance to Spiez Castle

Spiez Castle is surrounded by vineyards in what is said to be the prettiest bay in Europe. Visit the permanent exhibition in the castle museum, or one of the interesting special exhibitions. From atop the castle tower, you can savour superb views of Lake Thun and the peaks of the Bernese Oberland.  The imposing tower of Spiez Castle can be seen on the left side of the bay. Whether celebrating a knighthood or visiting a special exhibition, Spiez Castle is a cultural asset of national importance. Discover 1,300 years of history at Spiez Castle. The life story of the knight Adrian von Bubenberg, who once resided at Spiez Castle, is told in the historic exhibition rooms.

Transfer to Thun

Entrance to Thun Castle

Built at the end of the 12th century by the Dukes of Zähringen as a purely administrative castle, this striking building was extended by its new owners, the Bernese, with its impressive roof in the 15th century. The five floors of the castle now house a historical museum highlighting the region's history, as well as host temporary exhibitions on a variety of cultural, historical and current issues. Concerts and other public events are held in the intact knight's hall.

Transfer to Interlaken

Overnight  Ineterlaken

Morning at leisure

Afternoon tour to Bern

Bern, the capital of Switzerland, is centred around a crook in the lovely Aare River. Known for its magnificent fountains, sandstone facades, narrow cobbled streets, historic towers, and its gargantuan Gothic cathedral, the city is one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe. The remarkable design coherence of the historic old town has earned it a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List, particularly for its impressive six-kilometre stretch of fifteenth-century arcaded walkways lined with some charming shops and cafes. Bern is also a remarkably green city: in addition to the numerous public gardens and forests, the pretty facades and fountains are typically adorned with a blanket of colourful flowers. Bern has everything you could ask for in a medieval European city - it is small, compact, central and brimming with cultural treasures and old-world atmosphere.

Visit Bern Cathedral

The Bern Münster Cathedral of St. Vincent is the most impressive late-Gothic building in the city and the largest and most important late medieval church in Switzerland. From this highest church tower in Switzerland you may admire the magnificent view over the city and of the snow-covered mountains of the Bernese Oberland.

Entrance to Einstein’s house

The Einsteinhaus is where the iconic physicist, Albert Einstein lived with his wife, Mileva and their son Hans between 1903 and1905. The small flat on the second floor of the house at Kramgasse 49 is furnished with period furniture and houseware and preserved in the state Einstein kept it in. It is here that he wrote his Annus Mirabilis presenting his Theory of Relativity while he worked at the Federal Institute of Intellectual Property. Einstein's biography and his life's work is displayed on the third floor.

Evening Free.

Overnight Interlaken

Transfer to Montreux  via Visit  Fribourg and Gruyeres

Situated in western Switzerland, Fribourg is the capital of the region. Perched at the top of a dramatic gorge cut by the Sarine River, the medieval Old Town is home to an array of picturesque heritage buildings such as the Gothic Fribourg Cathedral featuring beautiful stained glass. It features a rich cultural heritage, an iconic cathedral and a variety of other historical treasures. Visitors can look forward to an array of attractions and activities including: viewing the collection of medieval art at the Museum of Art and History which is housed in a Renaissance palace, visiting the Italian-style early Baroque Loreto Chapel, and taking a scenic ride on the funicular railway.

Transfer to Gruyeres and  entrance to the Cheese factory

Situated in the Fribourg canton of Switzerland, Gruyeres is an 800-year-old medieval town. This picturesque town boasts a rich cultural heritage and top-notch gastronomy. It is because of Gruyere cheese that Switzerland is known as the cheese capital of the world. The undeniable highlight of the town is everything cheese, from watching the cheese-making process at La Maison du Gruyere to sampling the magnificent cheese and enjoying an array of local La Gruyere specialities including raclettes, fondues, rostis, soup de chalet, macaroni de chalet. Stroll the pedestrianised cobblestoned streets, try some Swiss chocolate at the Maison Cailler chocolate factory or ski on the slopes of the Le Molesaon Mountain accessible via Moleson village. History lovers can visit the 13th-century hilltop Chateau de Gruyeres, which overlooks the town.

Transfer to Montreux  - Entrance to Chateau Chillon

Chillon Castle is situated on the eastern end of Lake Geneva. The castle was once the residence of the Counts of Savoy during the 12 to 16th century. Some of the highlights of the castle include the three formal great halls, the four courtyards, the camera Domini with 14th-century murals, the chapel and the weapons rooms.

Overnight  Hotel Eden Palace au Lac or similar

Full day excursion to Geneva

Fringed by the Alps and Jura Mountains, and set at the southern end of the magnificent Lake Geneva, Geneva is a French-speaking Swiss city with plenty to offer the discerning traveller. The City’s postcard-perfect old town, lined with a maze of cobbled alleys and strewn with historical monuments, charming antique stores and quaint cafes, appeals to history buffs, ardent shoppers and foodies alike. This old world charm is surrounded by a slick, modern cosmopolitan city complete with a thriving community of international expatriates, world-class restaurants, famous luxury jewellers and enough chocolate shops to satisfy even the most avid chocoholics. Geneva specialises in the finer things in life.

View the Palace de Nations

The Palais des Nations is set in a beautiful park overlooking beautiful Lake Geneva and is home to the United Nations Office in Geneva. The Palais des Nations is open to visitors and offers guided tours which are attended by up to 120,000 people every year. The tour guides inform visitors about the current activities of the United Nations and talk about the history of the building. The meeting schedules for the day determines which rooms may be visited, and visitors will have the opportunity to see the gifts presented by various countries to the United Nations Office.

Return to Montreux

Overnight  Hotel Eden Palace au Lac or similar

Morning free in Montreux

Located in Switzerland’s Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut district in the canton of Vaud, Montreux lies in a sheltered bay on Lake Geneva, surrounded by exquisite terraced vineyards and the breathtaking snow-capped Alps. The lovely resort town is known for its pleasant climate and its famous jazz festival, held annually in June or July. The town boasts an impressive, long, flower-fringed promenade lined with lush pines, cypresses and palm trees, as well as some grand  buildings. Just offshore visitors will find the remarkable thirteenth-century island castle, Chateau Chillon, with double ramparts, a moat and a chapel adorned with impressive fourteenth-century murals. Fans of the band ‘Queen’ will delight in ‘Queen: The Studio Experience’: a museum centre at the Montreux Mountain Studios filled with memorabilia of the famous band.

Transfer to Zermatt

Remainder of day at leisure

Overnight  Hotel Ambassador or similar

Glacier Express Train

The Glacier Express is one of  the most famous railways  in the world. It travels from Zermatt to Davos or St. Moritz in around seven hours. It is a day trip through untouched mountain landscapes, glamorous health resorts, deep gorges, delightful valleys, 91 tunnels and across 291 impressive bridges. You will be travelling  as far as Chur in a First Class seat which includes a scrumptious lunch.

With around 5 hours on board there is more than enough time to experience the Swiss countryside from the comfort of your window. Not only does the Glacier Express stop in a number of Swiss towns, but also passes effortlessly by a number of smaller villages and regions.  From Zermatt, the train descends through the Mattertal line, passing through a handful of small towns such as Täsch, Randa, St. Niklaus, Stalden, and larger towns like Visp and Brig.  From here the train passes through the Furka section, into a winter wonderland as you pass through Andermatt, another popular ski destination.

Onwards to Chur, the train then passes through the impressive Rhine Gorge – home to huge rock faces and a turquoise river that is very popular for locals to enjoy water activities such as kayaking and canoeing. Arriving  at Chur you will have to farewell the Glacier Express and settle into this lovely old town (the  oldest in Switzerland).

No dinner included tonight

Overnight  Swiss Quality Hotel ABC Chur or similar

Transfer to Oberammergau

Oberammergau Passion Play

The true highlight of our tour awaits us today. Depart Chur this morning and travel to Oberammergau, where we will enjoy lunch at our hotel or a nearby restaurant in the area. Following lunch, we will be transferred to Oberammergau for the start of the Passion Play at 2:30pm.  Sit back and take in this unique outdoor play with the sky and mountains as a spectacular backdrop. The play is performed by over 2,000 local Oberammergau people and features brilliant costumes and music. The men in the play begin growing their hair and beards from February 2009 to add to the authenticity of the performance.  Dinner will be served in a nearby restaurant during the 3 hour intermission.

Following the conclusion of the play at around 10:30pm, we will be transferred back to our hotel  for our overnight stay.

Overnight:  Nearby - To be confirmed  later.

Entrance to Oberammergau Passion Play- TC2

Dinner in local restaurant - 2 courses, plus drinking water

Overnight  Oberammergau Accommodation  B

Transfer to Vienna

Today you will be transferred to Munich where you will board your  train to Vienna. This 4 hour journey will give you the freedom to get up and walk around, while you are admiring the passing scenery. You will be meet at the station and transferred to your hotel.

Resting over the banks of the Danube River in northeastern Austria, Vienna, the country’s capital city, is famous for its classical music heritage and reflects an enticing blend of old and new. The historical centre is skyscraper-free and dotted with immaculate, charming little parks. It is also pedestrian friendly and extremely compact, which is convenient as this area contains the bulk of the city’s major tourist highlights. Chief among these are the famous Burgtheater and Opera House and an array of opulent baroque palaces lining the warren of narrow, medieval alleyways which wind their way around the magnificent St Stephen’s Cathedral. Add to this a slew of grand coffee houses and a rich history of classical music (residents included Mozart and Beethoven) and it becomes difficult to imagine a more livable city than the sophisticated metropolis of Vienna.

Remainder of day at leisure

Overnight  Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna MGallery by Sofitel or similar.

Half day tour

Local guide for half day walking tour of Vienna or alternatively you can do a self tour by Hop On Hop Off bus. 

After checking out the museums around Maria-Theresien-Platz, head for the Ring Road, which borders the historic city center. On the way, pass the Neo-Gothic Town Hall and the impressive Austrian Parliament Building. Continue through the Volksgarten, check out Heroes Square, and pass the Hofburg Palace. Listen to your guide's commentary on the history, culture, and people of Vienna as you walk around Burggarten, the former Emperor's private garden, and the Augustinian Church. End with visits to St. Stephen's Cathedral, the Vienna State Opera, and the bustling Graben shopping street. Your tour ends at St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna's most famous landmark; you are free to explore further on your own from there.

St. Stephen's Cathedral (Stephansdom) is not only the main Roman Catholic church in Vienna — and the seat of the city's Archbishop — it's also one of Austria's most popular attractions, welcoming more than a million guests each year. With its 137-meter-high spire and richly decorated roof, it's the city's most important Gothic edifice and represents eight centuries of architectural history.

All that remains of the original 13th-century structure are the massive gate and the Heathen Towers (Heidentürme), while extensive reconstruction in Gothic style took place in the 14th century. Later additions include the completion of the choir and the Chapels of St. Eligius, St. Tirna, and St. Catherine, while the South Tower, the Nave, and the Chapel of St. Barbara were added in the 15th century.

Attending Mass at St. Stephen's Cathedral can be arranged for those interested at 12pm or at one of the other frequent times they are held every day there.

Overnight  Hotel Am Konzerthaus Vienna MGallery by Sofitel or similar.

Tour ends after breakfast.