Road Scholar : Home
Bicycling Switzerland: Something to Yodel About

Program Number: 15501RJ
Start and End Dates:
6/16/2012 - 6/27/2012;
Duration: 11 nights
Location: Switzerland
Price starting at: $3,899.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: Bicycling Activity Level: t (see description)
Meals: 20; 10 Breakfasts, 0 Lunches, 10 Dinners    
Meal Options: Vegetarian    

Switzerland possesses nearly every landscape within its borders, from pastoral fields to alpine peaks and winding river valleys. Its distinct culture is enriched by the proximity of France, Italy, Germany and Austria, all of which border the tiny nation. As you cycle through storybook villages in the Aare River valley to historic university towns and the capital, gain important insights into the culture, history, architecture, landscape and people.




Highlights

• Cycle the bike ways of the Aare River valley while discovering the nuances of life in Switzerland.
• Tease your taste buds sampling cheese during an excursion to a local cheese-making factory.
• Enjoy the sounds and learn the techniques of yodeling from local specialists.
• Try your hand at playing the Swiss alphorn at a private performance.



Activity Particulars

We bicycle as a group in Europe, in single file, led by the Group Leader who bicycles 20-25 minutes at a steady pace of about 12 miles/hour. Rest stops allow cyclists to get a drink of water or remove a jacket. Please note that bicycles are NOT for use on free days and/or evenings. On this program we bicycle 28-38 miles per biking day on flat and rolling terrain, paved and hard-packed gravel bicycle paths and secondary roads. Weather conditions affect biking difficulty.



Itinerary Summary

Arrival Basel; coach to Spiez, 1 night; bike to Thun, 1 night; bike to Bern, 2 nights; bike to Biel, 1 night; bike to Solothurn, 1 night; bike to Olten, 1 night; bike to Wildegg, 1 night; coach to Basel, 2 nights; departure.



Day 1
Overnight flight from the U.S.A.
1 night




Days 2-4
Arrival Basel
Coach to Spiez
1 night
Bike to Thun
1 night

Begin in Spiez, a small village overlooking Lake Thun. We’ll enjoy an excursion to Brienz. As you continue through the Swiss countryside, learn about the bunkers concealed in the rolling pastures. Thun offers beautiful views of the Bernese Alps.
Lodging: Comfortable hotels.



Days 5-7
Bike to Bern
2 nights
Bike to Biel
1 night

In the nation’s capital of Bern, a professor from the University of Applied Sciences School of Business offers a lecture on the Swiss Social system, followed by a guided walk through the City of Flowers. A member of the Swiss Red Cross speaks about the origin of this vital international organization. After visiting a local cheese factory, bike to Biel, the town of two official languages.
Lodging: Comfortable hotels.



Days 8-9
Bike to Solothurn
1 night
Bike to Olten
1 night

Switzerland’s beautiful Baroque city of Solothurn became the 11th canton to join the Swiss confederation in 1481, and as such, there are 11 of nearly everything in the town: 11 churches and chapels, 11 historic fountains and 11 towers. Explore the Saint Urs cathedral with its 11 altars and 11 bells.
Lodging: Comfortable hotels.



Day 10
Wildegg
1 night

Our journey by coach continues, with the Aare River to our right, to Wildegg, our home for the night.
Lodging: Comfortable hotel.



Days 11-12
Coach to Basel
2 nights
Departure

A guided walking excursion through historic Basel showcases its multi-national heritage. A hub of scholarship and art since the Renaissance, Basel is home to 40 museums.
Lodging: Comfortable hotel.




Switzerland

Switzerland is synonymous with one geographical entity: the Alps. Glaciers and rock formations abound throughout the country, along with pristine alpine lakes and pastoral meadows. What is more often overlooked, however, is Switzerland’s unique blending of cultures and moods. Mediterranean-style piazzas, bustling cities, Romanesque churches, cafes reminiscent of Paris, and small villages are all well represented.
Accommodations
Comfortable hotels.
Meals and Lodgings
   Hotel Seegarten Marina
  Spiez, Switzerland 1 night
   Hotel Alpha Thun
  Thun, Switzerland 1 night
   Holiday Inn Bern Westside
  Bern, Switzerland 2 nights
   Best Western Continental
  Biel, Switzerland 1 night
   Hotel Urs Und Viktor
  Solothurn, Switzerland 1 night
   Hotel Arte Kongresszentrum Olten
  Olten, Switzerland 1 night
   Aarehof Hotel
  Wildegg, Switzerland 1 night
   Hotel Bildungszentrum 21
  Basel, Switzerland 2 nights
 Hotel Seegarten Marina
Type: Hotel
  Contact info: Schachenstrasse 3
Spiez,  3700 Switzerland
phone: +41 33 655 67 67
web: www.seegarten-marina.ch
  Room amenities: Shower, WC, hairdryers
  Smoking allowed: No
  Check in time: 2:00 PM

 Hotel Alpha Thun
Type: Hotel
  Contact info: Gwattstrasse 4
Thun,  3604 Switzerland
phone: +41 33 334 73 47
web: www.alpha-thun.ch/
  Room amenities: Shower, WC, hairdryers
  Smoking allowed: No

 Holiday Inn Bern Westside
Type: Hotel
  Contact info: Riedbachstrasse 96
Bern,  3027 Switzerland
phone: +41 33 985 24 00
web: www.holidayinn.com/hotels/us/en/bern/apysz/hoteldetail
  Room amenities: Shower, WC, hairdryers
  Smoking allowed: No
  Elevators available: Yes

 Best Western Continental
Type: Hotel
  Contact info: Aarbergstrasse 29
Biel,  CH-2502 Switzerland
phone: +41 32 327 2727
  Smoking allowed: No
  Elevators available: Yes

 Hotel Urs Und Viktor
Type: Hotel
  Contact info: Solothurnstrasse 35
Bettlach,  2544 Switzerland
phone: +41 32 645 12 12
web: www.ursundviktor.ch/
  Room amenities: Shower, WC, hairdryers
  Smoking allowed: No

 Hotel Arte Kongresszentrum Olten
Type: Hotel
  Contact info: Riggenbachstrasse 10
Olten,  4600 Switzerland
phone: +41 62 286 6912
  Smoking allowed: No
  Elevators available: Yes

 Aarehof Hotel
Type: Hotel
  Contact info: Bahnhofstrasse 5
Wildegg,  5103 Switzerland
phone: +41 62 893 2323
  Smoking allowed: No

 Hotel Bildungszentrum 21
Type: Hotel
  Description: Located in the heart of Basel in a historic house. The hotel maintains the biggest private park in Basel-Stadt.
  Contact info: Missionstrasse 21
Basel,  4055 Switzerland
phone: +41 61 260 2121
web: www.bildungszentrum-21.ch
  Smoking allowed: No
  Elevators available: Yes
  Additional nights after: Based on availability IBT can make additional reservations prior to or at the end of the program upon request.


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
12:00 PM You will be staying at Hotel Seegarten Marina that night.
  End of Program:
9:00 AM You will be staying at Hotel Bildungszentrum 21 the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required. Release and Assumption of Risk Form
  Parking availability:
There may be an additional fee.
Transportation (For Independent Travelers)
  Train or bus availability: Yes, see above.
To Start of Program
  Location:  Spiez
  Transportation to site: Take the shuttle bus from the airport to the main train station in Basel (Bahnhof SBB). On Sundays, the shuttle bus (Line/Route 50) departs every 15 minutes beginning at 6:00AM. The ride to the main train station is approximately 20 minutes. From the main train station in Basel, board a train for Spiez. The trains leave approximately every 30 minutes beginning at 12:00 Noon. The trip to Spiez is approximately 1.5 hours. Once in Spiez, you can take a taxi to the hotel.
  From End of Program
  Location:  Basel
  Nearest airport:  Basel Euroairport
  Transportation from site: Taxi to airport.
Equipment Requirements: Participants must bring and wear their own bicycle helmet.
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1: Overnight Flight
(Saturday, June 16)
   
 In Transit: Overnight flight to Basel

Day 2: Arrival Basel Airport/Coach to Spiez/Welcome Dinner
(Sunday, June 17)
   
 Afternoon: Arrival at Basel Airport and transfer by coach to the hotel in Spiez, a resort village overlooking Lake Thun. We'll assign your bicycle and have you demonstrate your biking skills to assure that you are ready for your adventure. The balance of the afternoon is free to explore the village.
 Dinner: Enjoy the welcome dinner in the hotel dining room.
   
Accommodations: Hotel Seegarten Marina
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 3: Woodcarver Excursion/Artillerywork Faulensee/Group Introductions
(Monday, June 18)
   
 Breakfast: Hotel dining room.
 Morning: Start the day by attending a bicycle safety lecture to prepare for the days ahead. Visit a woodcarving studio for an introduction to this traditional craft seen widely throughout Switzerland. With wood as their canvas, artists carve emotive figurines sure to impress you.
 Lunch: Lunch on own to explore local fare.
 Afternoon: You may be surprised to know that many rolling pastures in the Swiss countryside conceal elaborate hidden passages and bunkers, built as part of Switzerland's strategic defense initiative. In Faulensee, join a local historian for a guided introduction of the Stiftung Artilleriewerk Faulensee (artillery-fortress) and learn about the bunker's strategic role in Switzerland's line of defense against potential enemy invasion. Mount your bicycle and head for Thun.
 Dinner: Hotel dining room.
 Evening: Take this opportunity to learn more about your fellow travelers at group introductions.
   
Accommodations: Hotel Alpha Thun
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 4: Historic Thun/Bicycle to Bern
(Tuesday, June 19)
   
 Breakfast: Hotel dining room.
 Morning: Enjoy a guided walking field trip of the beautiful city of Thun on the shores of Lake Thun. The walk will include a visit to the city's picturesque castle built in 1195AD. Thun, a gem often overlooked by the more popular spa town of Interlaken, offers beautiful views of the Bernese Alps and the city's medieval center will make our visit here truly memorable.
 Lunch: Lunch on own to explore local fare.
 Afternoon: Bicycle to Bern for the first of two nights in the Swiss capital city, named a World heritage site in 1983 by UNESCO.Enjoy the tranquil bikepaths as you wind your way through the scenic Aare River Valley today. Prior to dinner, you may want to warm up your own vocal cords before being treated to a private performance of Swiss yodeling in our hotel.
 Dinner: Hotel dining room.
   
Accommodations: Holiday Inn Bern Westside
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 5: Swiss Social Systems / Bern Walking Excursion/Bern Independent Exploration/Swiss Fondue
(Wednesday, June 20)
   
 Breakfast: Hotel dining room.
 Morning: A lecture on the Swiss social systems by a local faculty member follows a hearty hotel breakfast. Topics include the financial situation of the Swiss, family benefits and basic pension insurance. A walking excursion of Switzerland's capital, once voted Europe's most beautiful City of Flowers, will whet our luncheon appetites. Our walk will include a stop at the famous clock tower, the Zytglogge. Its updated mechanics were installed in 1530 and many of its original parts are still functioning today. In addition to the time, the clock displays the day of the week, date and month, the phases of the moon, and the height of the sun above the horizon throughout the year.
 Lunch: Lunch on own to explore local fare.
 Afternoon: After lunch, you will have the afternoon free for independent exploration of this beautiful city. It’s easy to enjoy walking the Old Town as traffic is prohibited and ideal for pedestrians to roam its many sites, including the Kunstmuseum (Art Museum) and Bernisches Historisches Museum (Bern History Museum). The art museum contains the largest collection of works by Switzerland’s own Paul Klee—a 20th century painter whose works incorporate surrealism, expressionism and cubism in a uniquely ethereal style. The History Museum boasts over 200 dioramas of animals in their natural habitats, as well as permanent exhibits on alpine minerals and geological aspects of the Earth.
 Dinner: Tonight’s dinner will feature a true Swiss gastronomic treat: fondue. Made primarily with a mixture of gruyère and emmental cheeses, you’ll surely enjoy dipping into this tasty and filling specialty.
   
Accommodations: Holiday Inn Bern Westside
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 6: Swiss Red Cross/Emmentaler Cheese Factory Excursion/Bicycle to Biel/Omega Watch Museum
(Thursday, June 21)
   
 Breakfast: Hotel dining room.
 Morning: After breakfast in Bern, we welcome a member of the Swiss Red Cross to speak about the origin of this vital international organization which works to uphold its mission to protect the lives, health and dignity of human beings. Following the presentation, we will board a coach for an excursion to a local cheese factory, where we will gain insight into the historical and cultural development of cheese-making as well as enjoy our lunch.
 Lunch: Lunch on own to explore local fare.
 Afternoon: We board a coach to bypass some of Switzerland’s dramatic, but more challenging, terrain. On reaching Frieswil, we ride our bicycles to the lovely modern town of Biel for the night. Biel is also known as the home to several major watch factories including Rolex, Swatch, and Omega. We have arranged for a visit to the Omega Museum, where we’ll enjoy learning about the history of watch making.
 Dinner: Hotel dining room.
   
Accommodations: Best Western Continental
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 7: Bicycle to Solothurn
(Friday, June 22)
   
 Breakfast: Hotel dining room.
 Morning: German speakers call it ‘Biel’; French speakers know it as ‘Bienne’ and it is Switzerland’s only official bilingual town. Here you will see all public notices, street signs, and documents in both languages. Before departure, we'll visit the local open-air market on the old town square.
 Lunch: Lunch on own to explore local fare.
 Afternoon: In the afternoon, our route leads to Solothurn, touted as the most beautiful Baroque city in Switzerland. The charming Old Town has an odd architectural mix of Swiss-German sturdiness and lavish Italianate excess. The Cathedral of St. Urs dominates the town, and is Switzerland’s first early neo-classical church. The number 11 has a special significance in Solothurn. In 1481 Solothurn became the eleventh canton to join the Swiss confederation, and as such, there are eleven of nearly everything in the town: eleven churches and chapels, eleven historic fountains and eleven towers. It is no wonder that the cathedral of Saint Urs has eleven altars and eleven bells, and that its imposing staircase leading down from the main door is made up of flights of eleven steps.
 Dinner: Hotel dining room.
   
Accommodations: Hotel Urs Und Viktor
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 8: Bicycle to Olten/Alphorn Presentation
(Saturday, June 23)
   
 Breakfast: Hotel dining room.
 Morning: Olten is within 30 minutes of Zurich, Bern, Basel and Lucerne by public transport, and is a rail hub of Switzerland. It is also home to the University of Applied Sciences Northwest, awarded as the best university in Switzerland.
 Lunch: Lunch on own to explore local fare.
 Dinner: Hotel dining room.
 Evening: You will want to have your cameras ready for a private concert of the Swiss alphorn at the hotel. The alphorn is Switzerland’s national instrument and you will see images of it on postcards and items wherever you go in this country. The horn’s harmonic sounds served its original purpose of calling in cattle from the pastures. Even composers such as Rossini and Brahms drew inspiration from the alphorn in several of their compositions. Although the alphorn’s primary function has evolved significantly, the craftsmen that make them employ traditional methods that have been in use for centuries.
   
Accommodations: Hotel Arte Kongresszentrum Olten
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 9: Switzerland's Role in the EU/Bicycle to Wildegg
(Sunday, June 24)
   
 Breakfast: Hotel dining room.
 Morning: We will start the day with a lecture on Switzerland’s role in the European Union and the cantons of Switzerland this morning. The twenty-six cantons make up the federal state of Switzerland, and each has its own constitution, government, legislature and courts. Historically, each canton in the then-confederation was a sovereign state, with its own borders, army, and currency until the current federal structure was established in 1848.
 Lunch: Lunch on own to explore local fare.
 Afternoon: Today’s ride takes us to Aarau where we stop to explore the old town. Our journey continues, with the Aare River to our right, to Wildegg, our home for the night.
 Dinner: Hotel dining room.
   
Accommodations: Aarehof Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 10: Coach to Basel
(Monday, June 25)
   
 Breakfast: Hotel dining room.
 Morning: A coach will transport us to our hotel in Basel which will be your base for the next two nights.
 Lunch: Lunch on own to explore local fare.
 Afternoon: Start your independent exploration of this magnificent city. Basel is home to 40 museums, including its own fine arts, music, and architecture museums, as well as many other unique institutions.
 Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant.
   
Accommodations: Hotel Bildungszentrum 21
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 11: Basel/Independent Exploration in Basel/Farewell dinner
(Tuesday, June 26)
   
 Breakfast: Hotel dining room.
 Morning: Beginning our last full day together, we will enjoy a lecture and walking tour of historic Basel in the morning.
 Lunch: Lunch on own to explore local fare.
 Afternoon: Take the remainder of the day for further independent exploration of the second-largest city in Switzerland. Located on the Rhine River, Basel borders both France and Germany and reflects the heritage of all three regions. It has a charming Old Town, with fine buildings (including a renovated cathedral and city hall), and has been a hub of scholarship and art since the Renaissance.
 Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant.
   
Accommodations: Hotel Bildungszentrum 21
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 12: Departure
(Wednesday, June 27)
   
 Breakfast: Hotel dining room.
 Morning: Transfer to Basel Airport for return flight.
   
Meals Included: Breakfast
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.

Suggested Reading List


A Farewell to Arms


Author: Ernest Hemingway


Description: Set in snowy Switzerland and the rainy Italian Lake Country during World War I, this semi-autobiographical novel chronicles the romance between a British nurse and an American ambulance driver.



A Palm for Mrs. Pollifax


Author: Dorothy Gilman


Description: A secret agent like no other, feisty grandmother Mrs. Pollifax goes to Switzerland to track down a missing package of plutonium -- just enough to make a small atomic bomb. Fourth in the series.



Alpine Views, Alexandre Calame and the Swiss Landscape


Author: Alberto de Andres


Description: The exhibition catalog to an exhibition at the Clark, this book showcases 26 dramatic oil paintings and sketches of the picturesque Alps. Calame (1810-1864) was the leading artist of the Swiss school of alpine painting.



Birds of Europe


Author: Lars Svensson


Description: Featuring 3,500 glorious paintings by Killian Mullarney and Dan Zetterstrom, the second revised edition of this exquisite guide has been brought up to date with revised text and maps.



Bradt Guide Switzerland Without a Car


Author: Anthony Lambert


Description: A practical guide to traveling in Switzerland.



Cadogan Guide Switzerland


Author: Norman Renouf


Description: This comprehensive guide combines personality, in-depth knowledge and hand-picked sights and recommendations.



Cathedrals and Castles, The Cathedral Builders of the Middle Ages


Author: Alain Erlande-Brandenburg


Description: This pocket-size encyclopedia of the art, architecture and culture of the Middle Ages features hundreds of drawings, color illustrations and a brief chronology.



Culture Smart! Switzerland


Author: Kendall Maycock


Description: A concise, no-nonsense guide to Switzerland's customs, etiquette and culture.



Daisy Miller


Author: Henry James


Description: A classic story of a young American woman's innocent flirtation and its misinterpretation by a sophisticated European man, set in Lac Leman and Chillon. This is James' first fictional work to gain mass popularity and one of his great American female portraits.



Eiger Dreams, Ventures Among Men and Mountains


Author: Jon Krakauer


Description: A collection of some of Krakauer's (Into Thin Air) best journalism, these stories and essays focus on the mindset and determination of world-class mountaineers, including Alpine and Himalayan climbers.



Eyewitness Guide Switzerland


Author: Eyewitness Guides


Description: A compact, thoroughly illustrated guide, featuring over 900 photographs, good maps, and plenty of information on hiking in the Swiss Alps, natural and tourist attractions, and the history and arts of Switzerland.



Hotel du Lac


Author: Anita Brookner


Description: Funny, stylish and spellbinding, Brookner's novel tracks the story of a romance novelist, not quite finding peace and quiet at the quiet luxury of Hotel du Lac in Switzerland.



I'm Not Stiller


Author: Max Frisch


Description: A masterpiece of post-WWII fiction about a man who claims not to be himself.



Insight Guide Switzerland


Author: Insight Guides


Description: This handsome guide gives a profusely illustrated overview of Switzerland, featuring concise essays by well-regarded authors on history, politics and culture, as well as hundreds of photos and maps, and some practical information.



Killing Dragons, The Conquest of the Alps


Author: Fergus Fleming


Description: Fleming spins lively tales of man against nature in this entertaining history of the eccentrics, adventurers and publicity-hounds who sought to conquer the Alps, including Whymper and his first ascent of the Matterhorn (where four of the seven-man team perished).



La Place de la Concorde Suisse


Author: John McPhee


Description: In the company of a Swiss patrol leader on a training mission, McPhee deploys his usual insight and wonderful prose on the phenomenon of the army of Switzerland.



Michelin Green Guide Switzerland


Author: Michelin Travel Publications


Description: A survey of the cities, villages and sites of Switzerland in the classic Michelin style.



Swiss Bernese Oberland


Author: Philip & Loretta Alspach


Description: A brief, illustrated guide to mountains, lakes and villages of the Bernese Oberland. With 50 color pictures, maps and good information on food, drink and the mountain villages of Interlaken, Grindelwald, Wengen, Murren and Kandersteg.



Switzerland Map


Author: Michelin Travel Publications


Description: A colorful, shaded relief map of Switzerland at a scale of 1:400,000.



The Alps, A Cultural History


Author: Andrew Beattie


Description: Beattie explores the turbulent past and vibrant present of the Alps, where early pioneers of tourism, mountaineering and scientific research have all left their mark.



The Book of Absinthe, A Cultural History


Author: Phil Baker


Description: An entertaining cultural history of "The Green Fairy," from the drink's origins as an herbal tonic through its intoxicating heyday in European cities of the late 19th century.



The Magic Mountain


Author: Thomas Mann


Description: In this classic novel of ill health in a sanatorium in the Swiss mountains, the author explores disease as a symbol of the sick, capitalistic society of pre-World War I Europe.



The Night Manager


Author: John Le Carre


Description: This best-selling, post-Cold War thriller about ruthless arms dealers in Geneva is a gripping read. Carrying on the great Le Carre tradition of espionage, a man who essentially gave up living after a tremendous failure is given a costly shot at redemption.



White Spider, The Classic Account of the Ascent of the Eiger


Author: Heinrich Harrer


Description: The classic tale of a young climber and the first ascent of the North Face of the Eiger in 1938. This edition includes photographs, maps, and a chronology of attempts on the North Face.



Why Switzerland?


Author: Jonathan Steinberg


Description: A masterly overview of the idiosyncrasies of Switzerland, its history, language, politics and identity as a naysayer at the center of Europe.





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