Switzerland - August 21 - 30, 2020

Switzerland

LLLL = Live Like a Local in Locarno (for a week!)

Southern Switzerland is known for its sunny climate even palm trees! Locarno is the village of our home base for the week. It was founded in the 12th century. The old town's Castello Visconteo houses the Museo Civico, which showcases Roman antiquities. The 15th-century Santuario della Madonna del Sasso, an art-filled pilgrimage site, overlooks the city and is a major landmark of the village.

ITINERARY

Day 1, August 21, Friday

Fly to Zurich, Switzerland

Day 2, August 22, Saturday

10:30 AM: (local time) Arrive in Zurich

In the Zurich Airport we'll buy food/snacks for the Swiss Train ride to Locarno, a very scenic 2 1/2 hour experience!

You'll also receive your own Swiss Travel Pass once we gather in the Zurich Airport.

Afternoon: Arrive in Locarno, walk a comfortable 10 minutes to our Swiss Villa. Address: 2 via Sociale, Minusio, Muralto.

5:30 PM: Dinner at Ristorante Centrale

Evening: Free time, relax, join us on an easy, 5-minute walk down to Lake Maggiore around sunset, eat gelato on a park bench and mingle with other Europeans who also love this warm region.

Day 3, August 23, Sunday - Lugano

Picnic in the park at Lake Lugano. Enjoy a more relaxed, sight-seeing day, plenty of walking but no real hiking. Some will attend a one-hour, morning church service in Lugano at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints while the rest of the group will be guided to explore the area around Lake Lugano. We'll come together again within 2 hours.

Highlights: - Lugano, Lago Lugano, Monte San Giorgio,

Brusino to Serpiano via cable car, Lake Lugano, Paradiso, Gandria, Northern Italy via ferry, Morcote (voted most beautiful village in Switzerland), Swiss Miniature, Monte San Salvatore, Melide, Best Gelato in Lugano

6:30 - 7:30 AM: Prepare for the day, (prepare your own breakfast and a sack lunch)

8 AM - 5 PM: A full day spent in the Lugano area

5 - 6 PM: Dinner

Evening: Some may choose to linger longer in Lugano or head back to Locarno! Either way you'll be guided back home to get a good nights rest for a big day on Monday.

Day 4, August 24, Monday

Hiking, walking, tram ride, chair lift, sight-seeing, picnic on top of an Alp

Highlights: Locarno, Lago Maggiore, Madonna del Sasso, Cardada, Cimetta. Best Gelateria in Locarno - Vera Gelateria, Minusio, Muralto, Ascona

6:30 - 7:30 AM: Prepare for the day, (prepare your own breakfast and a sack lunch)

8 AM - 5 PM: This day is spent in, and around and above Locarno.

8 AM: Option: Get acquainted with Migros, our favorite local grocery store just 5 minutes away.

9 - 9:30 AM: Locarno Visitors Center, hike up to Maddona del Sasso, a 35-minute walk up a cobblestone stairway OR skip the hike and ride the Funicular.

After exploring this area, we'll take a 10-minute tram ride higher up the mountain to Cardada.

After exploring this area we'll take our final ride on a chairlift to Cimetta (chi-metta),and receive a bird's eye view onto many landmarks below including Lake Maggiore and many surrounding Alps!

Relax with a picnic lunch at this area, after a short, 5 minute walk up the mountain and watch paragliders fly by in this exciting area of the Southern Swiss Alps, Canton of Ticino. This is a very popular paragliding area.

OPTIONS: 1) Descend by hiking 2.5 hours on a well beaten path down to Orselina, then Muralto (where we live) OR 2) take the tram, chairlift and funicular back down to Locarno. Do what feels right for you! We'll be there for you, regardless of your option.

5 PM: Back home to our villa, relax, soak your feet in Epsom Salt

5 - 6 PM: Dinner

Evening: Eat gelato on a park bench as you look over Lake Maggiore.

Day 5, August 25, Tuesday

Hiking below glaciers, exploring, walking, tram ride, sight-seeing

Highlights: Vallemaggia, Bignasco, S Carlo Val Bavona, Robiei Hiking Trail, Basodino, hiking around the Base of Basodino Glacier

6:30 - 7:30 AM: Prepare for the day, (prepare your own breakfast and a sack lunch)

7:30 AM - 5 PM: Vallemaggia area. A stunning hiking destination with rivers, pristine alpine lakes, glaciers, wildflowers, small mountain villages, majestic Alps and valleys below.

5 PM: Back home to our villa

5 - 6 PM: Dinner

Evening: Free time, relax, join us on an easy, 5-minute walk down to Lake Maggiore around sunset, eat gelato on a park bench and mingle with other Europeans who also love this warm region.

Day 6, August 26, Wednesday

Hiking along the clean, clear-blue Verzasca River, walking, exploring, sight-seeing, waterfalls

Highlights: Valle Verzasca, Gordola, Tenero, Sonogno, Corippo, Lavertezzo, Ponte dei Salti, see the famous James Bond Bungee Jump at the Verzasca Dam, Cascata La Froda

6:30 - 7:30 AM: Prepare for the day, (prepare your own breakfast and a sack lunch)

7:30 AM - 5 PM: Valle Verzasca

5 PM: Back home to our villa

5 - 6 PM: Dinner

Evening: Free time, relax, join us on an easy, 5-minute walk down to Lake Maggiore around sunset, eat gelato on a park bench and mingle with other Europeans who also love this warm region.

Day 7, August 27, Thursday

Easy hiking, waterfalls, walking, exploring several small old Swiss communities, sight-seeing

Highlights: Vallemaggia, Cascata di Foroglio, Bignasco, S Carlo Val Bavona

6:30 - 7:30 AM: Prepare for the day, (prepare your own breakfast and a sack lunch)

7:30 AM - 5 PM: Vallemaggia area

5 - 6 PM: Dinner

Evening: Free time, alone time, relax, Lake Maggiore around sunset, eat gelato on the grass.

Day 8, August 28, Friday

Walking, sight-seeing, exploring, hiking

Highlights: Bellinzona, 3 Castles

6:30 - 7:30 AM: Prepare for the day, (prepare your own breakfast and a sack lunch)

8 AM - 1 PM: Bellinzona area

Afternoon - Any final local activity you want to revisit before we leave

5 - 6 PM: Dinner

Evening: Free time, relax, try a new flavor of Gelato each night!

Day 9, August 29, Saturday

20 hours in Bern, Switzerland area, explore, hike, walk, shop, etc.

Highlights:

Bernese Highlands, Panoramabrücke Sigriswil, Bern, Thun

6:30 - 7:30 AM: Prepare for the day, (prepare your own breakfast and a sack lunch)

8 AM - 5 PM: Travel to Bern, Switzerland (another scenic 3 hour 8 min. train)

Spend the day in this gorgeous northern region

5 - 6 PM: Dinner

Evening: Free time, relax, explore, etc.

Day 10, August 30, Sunday

8 AM: Travel by train to Zurich (1 1/2 hr ride)

1:40 PM: Departure from Zurich

Thank you in advance for traveling with me to one of my favorite countries in the world and the homeland of my ancestors!

Why do I love Switzerland so much?

This land speaks to me in a personal way because I am a true mountain woman. Each time I come to Switzerland it's so invigorating and memorable.

Activities include:

• Living like a local

• Getting a taste of the Swiss-Italian culture

• Hiking/Trekking

• Walking

• e-biking

• Photography

• Exploring

• Cooking lesson

• Sightseeing

• Shopping

• Eating

• Stretching and yoga near the shore of Lake Maggiore and Lake Lugano

• Enjoying a picnic at Lake Maggiore and Lake Lugano AND on top of an Alp, high above the villages below.

• Visiting historical sites and religious sanctuaries

• Meeting kind, incredible Europeans of all ages and walks of life.

Daily Routine:

6:30 - 8 AM

Prepare your own breakfast and sack lunch (I think it’s wise to always prepare some food to have in your backpack during the day. You’ll always have something healthy to eat on a train, bus or a hike. We’ll carry water with us always, as well. This doesn’t mean you can’t buy some food when opportunities arise.)

8:15 AM - 5 PM

Out and about all day. Mostly a lot of walking around. It will require moderate physical ability since Switzerland is not flat! Lots of little up and down hills.

5 - 7 PM

Meals eaten on our 2 story deck overlooking the city, it’s more intimate, all you can eat, healthy eating, the way you like it, no cigarette smoke. You don’t need to be eating with the group every evening. There are lots of options like on the deck, in the dining room, a picnic by the lake, etc.

Brief meeting held each evening after dinner to review the next day’s activities and make sure everyone is prepared. This is also a time we can discuss other options if anyone wants to opt out of the planned activities and have a free day for themselves. That is always an option and acceptable.

7:00 - 10:00 PM

Free time - Enjoy private time alone as often as you like. This is also a great time to soak your body in Epsom Salt to relax any sore muscles. If you do this make sure you bring your own Epsom Salt since it’s really expensive to buy and hard to find in Switzerland!

Modes of Transportation provided:

• Train

• Boat

• e-Bike

• Chair lift

• Cable Car

• Tram ride

• Bus

• Funicular

• Foot

• Plane (you’ll buy your own airfare)

From the Locarno train station... (which is just 10 minutes from our Villa):

Monte San Salvatore, Paradiso near Lugano - 90 minute train ride (train/bus)

Madonna del Sasso - 30 minutes (hiking) or 10 minute funicular ride

Cimetta - (chair lift after hiking and walking around Cardada)

Cardada, Switzerland - (after Madonna del Sasso we’ll walk across the street and take a Tram up to Cardada. It feels like you are taking a tram ride up to Hidden Peak at Snowbird to 11,000 ft. but you are not. Elevation in Locarno is only 656 feet above sea level compared to SLC at 4226 ft.)

Orselina, Switzerland - 32 minutes (walking, hiking) or 10 minutes (bus)

Italy from Lugano - 1 hour by boat (includes stops along the way)

Lake Lugano, Switzerland - 65 min (train)

Ascona, Switzerland - 15 minute (bus)

Lake Maggiore, Switzerland - 5 minute (walk)

Valle Verzasca, Switzerland - 35 minutes (bus)

Zurich, Switzerland - 2 hours 8 minutes (train)

Milan, Italy - 2 hour 20 minutes (train)

*Lugano, Switzerland - 65 minutes (train)

Gandria - 90 minutes by train & boat

Tenero - 5 minutes by train