What a fantastic mountain; if a kid drew a mountain, itd look like this, our expert guide, Tim Jepson shared with our group. It was the second morning of the National Geographic Expeditions Swiss Trains and the Italian Lake District small group tour that had kicked off in Zurich with a comfortable train ride to the alpine town of Zermatt, where wed have the chance to view this marvelously unbelievable mountain first-hand.?
Day one had been a 10 out 10 scenery straight out of the gate. Now, as most of us attempted to stave off our jetlag with coffee, we listened to an expert guide's first of three lectures, one of the unique features and draws of all Nat Geo Expeditions. Our guide for this particular itinerary was Tim, a successful and charismatic writer and author who mixed in the perfect amount of humor and fun facts with the important historical bits. Wed get along famously.?
He was, of course, speaking about the iconic Matterhorn mountain of Zermatt, which graces all the packages of Toblerone bars and stands above town as a mysterious monument, fickle in its appearance from one minute to the next. Rumor from the hotel terrace was promising C the clouds were starting to clear. The room buzzed with excitement.?
Matterhorn view at Gornergrat near Zermatt (Photo Credit: Lauren Breedlove)
Our group of strangers soon-to-be friends, consisted of about 24 travelers, ranging in age from 10 to 80 something. A handful of guests were repeat Nat Geo Expeditions customers, and the rest were newbies, like me. Over the next 10 days, we were about to share experiences and scenery atop most peoples bucket lists.?
Pal See in Alp Grm lake in Switzerland (Photo Credit: Lauren Breedlove)
If riding nearly every scenic train in Switzerland is on your list, this trip is for you. We covered a lot of ground via train, climbing mountain passes, whizzing by storybook villages and bright blue glacial lakes, winding our way through tunnel after tunnel. Though my seat was comfy, I barely sat; my cameras shutter button getting a serious workout. Thats the thing about Switzerland C endless beauty abounds.?
In Zermatt, we took three gondolas up to Glacier Paradise, where the air was thin and you could walk inside of a glacier, if youd like. Though gorgeous, with a 360 degree sea of peaks, it was popular, which meant lots of selfie-taking tourists. On the way back down, we ate R?sti al fresco out of cast iron pans that was so delightful, all was quiet except the clinking of silverware and wine glasses. Fondue, hiking, and a jaunt up the Gornergrat Bahn cogwheel railway (the highest train in all of Europe) were part of the Zermatt experience as well. In true National Geographic fashion, we also toured the underground Matterhorn Museum, regaled by tales of the first adventurers to climb that massive peak by a local Alpine historian.
Zermatt, Switzerland (Photo Credit: Lauren Breedlove)
The three days spent in Zermatt felt long enough but not too long, and with my belly full of cheese, we boarded the luxury Glacier Express train for an all-day trek to our next stop, St. Moritz. Aboard the train, a three-course meal, lovely chats with fellow guests, and ridiculous vistas at every turn kept us busy.
Saint Moritz, known as the birthplace of Alpine tourism was perched on a hill, lakeside, and our hotel was centrally located like the previous one, making it easy to walk most places. Dinners mostly included group meals with a prix fixe menu, and the rest were on your own so you could explore the local restaurant scene. It was a good mix and I appreciated mingling with the group family-dinner style but having the opportunity to check out some spots that I wanted to try.
Funicular to Muottas Muragl near St. Moritz (Photo Credit: Lauren Breedlove)
In Saint Moritz, the activity offerings varied from the Segantini Museum, a funicular ride up to Muottas Muragl, a private chocolate tasting at the famed Hanselmann, and our second Swiss lecture from our resident expert, Tim, that left everyone in stitches.
We rode another amazing train, the Bernina Express to Poschiavo, a town Id never heard of with loads of photo opportunities and the best tiramisu Ive ever had. I loved the balance of free time to wander around and planned excursions. I also loved that free time in the early evenings typically meant running into the rest of the group at the hotel bar for happy hour drinks C great minds think alike.?
Bernina Express (Photo Credit: Lauren Breedlove)
Our days in St. Moritz came to an end but I wasnt disappointed since we were going to Italy next. We left the railway behind and boarded a coach bus for Lake Como where our driver expertly navigated one of the gnarliest-looking mountain switchback roads Id ever seen. I lost count of fairytale towns backed by waterfalls and alpine lakes mirroring mountains in the morning sun. Before getting to our destination of Varenna, we ate a magical lunch at a family-run winery overlooking Lake Como. Magic to me is burrata and fresh tomatoes, crisp white wine, and good company; so yeah, it was magical.?
Scenic views from train ride in Switzerland (Photo Credit: Lauren Breedlove)
We arrived at my favorite hotel of the trip, poised above the lake like the treasure it was. Our days in Varenna were for wandering, eating gelato, lounging poolside, lake dipping, sunset apertivos, and eating, eating, eating. There was also a private boat ride to Bellagio and the regal Villa del Balbianello, a cooking demonstration with a local chef, a day trip to Como with an exclusive private tour of the Como Cathedral and Teatro Sociale.?
Everything ran smoothly at the helm of our other expert guide, Federico Rosica, who was in charge of logistics and jokingly making sure no one drank cappuccinos after 11 am (its an Italian thing). A few small snafus arose (as they do with travel) and he handled it like a pro. The luxury with this trip wasnt just in the hotels and fancy trains, it was in the details, in not having to worry or stress and re-organize. At our farewell dinner on the grounds of a gorgeous villa, we reminisced about the trip, sharing our highs and lows C yet no one could come up with a low; proof of this precise luxury.
Thats not all. I found that the trip with National Geographic Expeditions gave us exclusive opportunities, like private museum tours and chocolate tastings. We ventured off the beaten path at times (which I really appreciated), and always had someone sharing interesting information about what we were seeing, doing, and experiencing. This type of trip is for the curious-minded, the I wonder whats around that corner, the did-we-all-just-become-best-friends, the true travel lover kind of person.?
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