TOUR LUZERN & CENTRAL SWITZERLAND
WITH BURT WOLF IN HIS HOMETOWN

TOUR IS LIMITED TO 40 TRAVELERS

TOUR PRICED $3,750 PER PERSON (dbl occupancy, airfare additional)

DEPART U.S. 16TH JUNE 2012 – RETURN TO U.S. 24TH JUNE 2011

Burt Wolf, the host of the public television series, Travels & Traditions invites you to join him for a 7-day tour of Luzern, Switzerland and surrounding areas. Burt has designed an itinerary highlighting the best of what his hometown of Luzern has to offer, with special excursions and behind-the-scenes tours along with meals that focus on Swiss cuisine and the special wines of the region.

BURT WILL BE YOUR HOST THROUGHOUT THE TOUR

Burt will join you on the evening of your arrival in Luzern and be with you throughout the tour. Luzern is his hometown and he wants you to see it the way he does. His home is walking distance from your hotel and you will undoubtedly end up meeting his family and friends.

YOUR HOST * BURT WOLF

Since 1982, Burt has written and produced over 4,000 segments for Cable News Network (CNN), 800 segments for ABC (the American Broadcasting Company), 125 half-hour programs for the travel division of The Discovery Channel, and 300 half hours for Public Broadcasting. He has been nominated for two Cable Ace Awards and a national Emmy in connection with culture and history.

LUZERN & CENTRAL SWITZERLAND TOUR ITINERARY

DAY 1 - Saturday 16 June 2012 * DEPART U.S. FOR ZURICH, SWITZERLAND

Depart U.S. for Zurich, Switzerland.

DAY 2 - Sunday 17 June 2012 * ARRIVE ZURICH * TRANSFER TO LUZERN (D)

Upon your morning arrival at the Zurich airport, you will be met by our private English-speaking guide and a private coach to transfer you to our hotel in Luzern. During the afternoon, you will be free to explore the city or relax in your room. Burt will supply you with his guide to the city, which includes his recommendations for shopping and restaurants for lunch. In the late afternoon, Burt will meet you at our hotel for a welcome drink and early dinner during which we will discuss our upcoming touring itinerary.

DAY 3 - Monday 18 June 2012 * LUZERN (B,L,D)

After breakfast at our hotel, we will take a walking tour of Luzern with local guides. The tour will include Europe’s oldest covered wooden bridge, the Baroque Jesuit Church and the nearby Franciscan Church dating to the 14th century. We’ll also visit the Spreuer Bridge with its ancient paintings, the Musegg Wall with ramparts built in 1386, the Old City squares, the Renaissance Town Hall, the main Cathedral (which is the most important Renaissance Church in Switzerland), and the Lion Monument, memorializing the Swiss Guards who defended the Royal Palace in Versailles during the French Revolution. We will stop into local shops for tastings of special breads, cheeses, meats and Swiss chocolates. Later that afternoon we will have a private organ recital in a great church. During the evening, we will meet at the Water Tower on the Chapel Bridge for a wine tasting before dinner at the Guildhouse Zur Pfistern.

DAY 4 - Tuesday 19 June 2012 * EXCURSION TO MOUNT PILATUS (B,L)

This morning, we will sail on a lake steamer from Luzern to Alpnachstad, at the foot of Mount Pilatus, where the steepest cogwheel railway in the world will take us to the top. At 7,000 feet above sea level, Mount Pilatus offers some of the most impressive views of Switzerland. On top, we will have time to walk up to the vista point for unrestricted views over the Swiss Alps and Luzern. We’ll lunch on Pilatus before departing by aerial cable car to Fraekmuentegg, where we change to smaller cable cars that take us over pine forests and mountain meadows to the village of Kriens. In the late afternoon, we return to Luzern via private bus. This evening, Burt will supply you with a list of his favorite restaurants so you may choose where to dine on your own.

DAY 5 - Wednesday 20 June 2012 * EXCURSION TO BERNESE OBERLAND (B,L,D)

Today we spend the entire day in the high Alpine country of lakes, glacial valleys and snow-capped peaks. We’ll travel by private motorcoach along Lake Lucerne to the ancient Celtic settlement of Alpnachstad. Continue past Lungern Lake over the Bruenig Pass into the Aare valley with its Brienzer Lake, dominated by the Bernese Alps. A brief stop in the small village of Brienz gives us a chance to shop for wood carvings. We continue into the Waterfall Valley of Lauterbrunnen to see the cascading falls of Staubbach, and then to Grindelwald, the Winter sports and mountaineering centre, with great views of the mountains. Then on to Interlaken at the foot of the Jungfrau, known as the “Queen of the Alps” for lunch at the Chalet Oberland. This evening we will dine at one of Burt’s favorite Luzern restaurants.

DAY 6 - Thursday 21 June 2012 * IBACH * MOUNT RIGI (B,L)

Today we travel by private motorcoach from Luzern to the town of Ibach which is the home of the company that makes the original Swiss Army Knife, and the only shop in the world that carries all of their models. We’ll visit the Victorinox Factory shop and learn the history of the company. After our tour, we depart for Arth Goldau where we board a cogwheel train and climb to the top of Mount Rigi, using the oldest mountain railway track in Europe. We will lunch on Mount Rigi and have time to walk along one of the many footpaths and breathe the pure "Swiss air", to which Burt has become addicted! Then we descend to the town of Vitznau and continue by boat to Luzern.

DAY 7 - Friday 22 June 2012 * DAY AT LEISURE * MOUNT STANSERHORN (B,D)

Today we have a day at leisure to go out on our own. Burt will give you a list of recommendations for restaurants, museums and shops in the area that you might choose to visit. In the early evening, we depart Luzern via private motorcoach for Stans, where we will board a cabrio-cable car to Mount Stanserhorn. At 6,300 ft, Mount Stanserhorn is also called Five Star Mountain and for good reason. The view stretches more than 60 miles with views of 10 Swiss lakes and the Black Forest in Germany. Burt has arranged a special candle light dinner at The Rondorama. After dinner, we return to Stans and transfer back to Luzern.

DAY 8 - Saturday 23 June 2012 * LUZERN MARKET (B)

This morning, Burt will take you on a tour of Luzern’s Open Air Market, where he does his weekly shopping. The rest of the day is at your leisure.

DAY 9 - Sunday 24 June 2012 * DEPART LUZERN FOR ZURICH AIRPORT / U.S. (B)

After breakfast at our hotel, depart via private motorcoach transfer to Zurich Airport for departing flights back to U.S.

OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS

At an additional cost, the following optional experiences may be arranged on an individual basis:

Watch Academy – create your own Swiss watch

Private workshop including refreshments at the CIMIER Watch Academy.
Duration: approx 4 – 5 hours
CHF 1100.00 net per person, private transfers included (approx. $1,250 USD pp).
You can experience the fascinating work of a watch maker up close – at the CIMIER ateliers in Baar or at your hotel. The master watchmaker will introduce you to the secrets of his profession and guide you step by step while you create your own CIMIER watch with high-quality components and give it your personal touch with your individual choice of dial, hands and strap.

Cooking Class and Dinner at Private Bakery

Chef Lucas Rosenblatt teaches a class in Swiss cookery in a private and cozy atmosphere.
CHF 270.00 net per person, transfers included (approx. $307 USD pp).

Private “Create Your Own Chocolate” Class

Learn the history of chocolate, degustation and create your own chocolate with the Chef Fabian Rimann.
Duration: 2 – 3 hours
CHF 55.00 net per person, walking distance (approx. $63 USD pp).

Please note that every effort is made to keep to the itinerary as noted, however factors may arise during the tour that compel us to adjust the schedule.

THE HOTEL

The Renaissance Lucerne hotel is conveniently located in the very heart of Luzern. It is a first-class, distinctive luxury hotel offering a blend of personal attention, stylish ambiance and cutting-edge technical facilities.

AIR TRANSPORTATION

Airline tickets are not included in the tour cost. Contact Burt Wolf Tours & Cruises for more information.

EXPENSES NOT INCLUDED IN TOUR COST

Expenses not included in the Tour Cost include: roundtrip airfare, optional travel insurance, optional tours not included on tour itinerary, miscellaneous hotel expenses (laundry, long-distance telephone, minibar, liquor/food not on the included menu), porters at airports, excess baggage fees, passport, 3 lunches and 3 dinners, and all other items of a personal nature.

TOUR COST

$3,750 per person (based on double occupancy). Add an additional $675 for single supplement. Tour cost includes: 7-night hotel accommodation with breakfast, service charge & taxes, hotel porters in & out; private English-speaking local guide/s during entire program starting at Zurich airport on 17 June 2012 and ending on Sunday 24 June 2012 at Zurich airport; private deluxe motorcoach & driver for all days per itinerary; all entrance fees and transportation tickets per itinerary, all gratuities for guides, driver, included meals (4 lunches and 4 dinners) per itinerary.

PAYMENT SCHEDULE FOR TOUR COST

$500.00 per person deposit is due at time of reservation. Balance of tour cost is due 90 days prior to tour
(by March 15, 2012).

CANCELLATION POLICY

50% of your $500 deposit is refundable if reservation is cancelled prior to March 15, 2012.
Cancellation 89 to 30 days prior to tour departure, 50% of tour cost is refundable.
Cancellation 29 days to start of tour and/or No-Show, no refund.