Cycle the lakes and rivers nearby Switzerland's idyllic alps. Beginning in Lake Geneva and finishing at Lake Lucerne, the Lake Route earns its name from the many lakes the route touches from beginning to end. This route leads through outstanding touristic regions with great sounding names: Montreux, Gruyères, Gstaad, Interlaken, and Lucerne. Whoever completes the Lakes-Route has undoubtedly seen the most beautiful corners of Switzerland! To make this tour more accessible to all cyclists, we recommend renting an electrically assisted bike for this trip. Daily Program: Day 1: Arrival in Vevey. Stroll along the promenade and enjoy the breath-taking views of the Lake Geneva and the snow white glaciers of the nearby Mont-Blanc massif. Overnight in Vevey. Day 2: Vevey – Gruyère Charmey and surroundings. From Vevey, take the rack railway up to the Mont-Pèlerin. Tranquil roads lead you to the source of the most popular cheese of Switzerland: the Gruyère, which shares its name with the landscape. A recent symphony of green melancholy, cowbells and customs. Before you head towards the hotel, have a sweet-break and visit the chocolate factory Maison Cailler in Broc (entrance included in tour cost; open hours are daily from 10:00am-5:00pm). Overnight in Gruyère/surroundings. Day 3: Gruyère and surroundings – Gstaad and surroundings. Postcard country Switzerland: cheeseries, chalets, snowy mountains, cable cars, hotel scent and papercutting. Away from the idyll, the Pays d’Enhaut and the Saaneneland are a magnificent landscape, animated by the haze of celebrity and happy mountain goers. Overnight in Gstaad/surroundings. Day 4: Gstaad and surroundings – Spiez. The artfully decorated wooden houses of the Simmental belong to the most beautiful of Europe. The Simme remains a wild river that demands a lot from dinghy riders. Spiez is a water sports paradise on the shore of cheerful Lake Thun. Overnight in Spiez. Day 5: Rest day at Spiez. Spiez is the portal to Grindelwald and to Wengen. The high peaks of the Bernese Oberland can be easily reached by train and a day off at this Lake gives you the opportunity to visit sights like Harder Kulm above Interlaken, Jungfrau Joch, or the lively mountain villages Wengen and Murren. Overnight in Spiez. Day 6: Lake Thun – Lake Sarnen. You'll transfer by boat from Spiez to Interlaken this morning. On the shore of Lake Brienz there is a steep rise to get to Meiringen where you take the train across the Brünigpass. You reach Obwalden: a small Canton, a big Valley, a pre-alpine landscape with scattered villages, flat lakes and long traditions. Overnight in Lake Sarnen. Day 7: Lake Sarnen – Lucerne. As soon as you get a glimpse of the Lake of Lucerne the Pilatus is in your path. Bay after bay right to Lucerne, a fixed point for every tourist. Overnight in Lucerne. Day 8: Departure or extension. Departure after breakfast. Included services: 7 nights accommodations in 3- and 4-star hotels. Breakfast buffet. Electric bike rental. Daily luggage transfers between hotels (2 pieces of luggage per person/44lbs per suitcase). Navigational app with digital guidebook and detailed route documentation. Subsidy for arrival by train. 7-day service hotline. Boat ride Spiez to Interlaken. Surface and terrain: Along the totally 16 lakes between Montreux and Horn the route is of course smooth and flat – but between the lakes there are some minor passes to cross. The tour is mostly on roads and trails, with only 9% of the tour on natural surfaces. E-bikes are recommended to make this tour leisurely and more accessible to all cyclists. How to get there: Tour start Nearest airport: Geneva Cointrin International Airport. Nearest train station: Montreux. Tour end Nearest airport: Zurich International Airport. Nearest train station: Lucerne. The journey from Lucerne to Zurich city by train is approximately 1 hour in duration, cost is approximately CHF10-30, and departures are every 30 minutes. There are direct trains from Lucerne to Zurich airport. The duration is approximately 1hr and 15 min, cost is approximately CHF10-20 per person, and departures are approximately every 30 minutes.
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