http://www.sdccswitzerlanditaly.com/

To learn more about the SDCC 2011 Study Abroad Trip to Switzerland and Italy please visit our website at
http://www.sdccswitzerlanditaly.com/

SDCC Switzerland & Italy Study Abroad: 2011

Two years ago we began to construct an educational adventure in Switzerland and Italy slated for the Summer of 2011. Together we will be combining art/design and cycling; visiting grand cities like Geneva, Zurich and Florence, and rural areas including the Swiss mountain regions of Grindelwald and Tuscan countryside. You can take one or both college credit courses and depending on your schedule choose to visit one or both countries. Our trip departs in early July 2011 for 11 days in Switzerland and 7 days in Italy.
We’ve just returned from personally connecting with our colleagues in Europe and have organized a unique experience that we believe will fuel your passion for art/design, cycling and life. The cycling blogs and their photos to be added soon were created by Professor Turkel and her husband Tom who experienced the rides this past summer. All the additional photos in this blog were shot by Candice López in August 2009 and document the visual journey of the art/design class. We hope you will plan ahead and consider this opportunity to learn, grow and go with us in July 2011.

BIO PROFESSOR CANDICE LOPEZ
I am a professor of art/design at San Diego City College. Travel by Design is a unique course that I believe will help you on a personal and professional level. I’ve been teaching for 20 years and my father worked for United Airlines so I began to travel early and found my great passion. I did my thesis on International Education and have taught abroad in Italy, Spain and Switzerland as well as San Miguel de Allende, Mexico where I own a second home. I collaborate artistically with my Mexican born husband, illustrator Rafael López and we create murals in public schools and city streets. I developed the Urban Art Trail that transformed blocks of downtown San Diego with colorful murals and graphics-see www.urbanarttrail.com In 2009 I was named a national fellow by the American Institute of Graphic Arts and my work has been featured in a variety of art/design publications including Print, HOW and Step.
I believe that many people use travel to promote personal transformation. They have a desire to make a change and by visiting and exploring new places they are able to discover parts of themselves they are unable to find in any other way. As a result of travel they become fearless risk takers, more flexible and can solve problems that lead to a more fulfilling, inspired and productive life. This course will help you explore how to cultivate the spirit of a traveler in your life and work. Prior to departure you will have the opportunity to be part of an online experience where you can learn about the places we are going in depth, view maps and information to get the most out of your trip. We will be keeping a travel journal to document your experiences and insights along the way. What could be more exciting than breathing in the diversity of cities and countryside with others who share your spirit of adventure? In the verdant green mountain region of Grindlewald we will hike by indigo glacial lakes. Then we will take in vast fields of sunflowers and the gold leaf of Italy's master Renaissance painters. This course will make your senses come alive and is suitable for beginners to advanced students interested in developing their creativity and thinking skills through travel. You will have many opportunities to use your camera and if you long to experience art/design, food, culture, hiking, music, people and landscape this class is for you.

BIO PROFESSOR ELLEN TURKEL
My name is Ellen Turkel. I am a professor of Health and Exercise Science at San Diego City College and the co-coordinator of the Fitness Specialist program-a two-semester certificate program for personal trainers and group exercise leaders. A very avid road cyclist, I have been riding for 19 years and racing for the last 5 years. My passion is exploring and conquering new roads and mountains on my bike. I have cycled in Europe extensively three times. In 2003 and 2004, I followed various Tour de France stages, cheering for Lance and the boys, as well as climbing Mt. Ventoux, Le Alp'e Huez, Col du Galibier and dozens of other mountains. This summer, Candice Lopez and I previewed our trip in Switzerland and Italy, and I was very excited to ride some beautiful routes you will have a chance to do.
An active member of the San Diego Cyclo-Vets Master's Racing Club, I lead a time trial workout on Fiesta Island for the club on Tuesday mornings at 8:30 a.m. Everyone is welcome. Please come down and join us!
At City College, I teach spinning and will be teaching an outdoor cycling class on Tuesday mornings in the spring. Please consider taking this class, which will focus on beginner, intermediate and advanced riders. We'll build skills that lead to comfort and safety on the road and riding in groups, as well as improve fitness. I also teach exercise physiology, exercise testing and assessments, health, women's health, boot camp, weight training, swimming and water exercise at City College. When I was a high school freshman, I started running track. Long distance running is a passion, although my knees, can't take it now. I ran on the boy's team in high school and the men's cross country and track teams at SUNY Plattsburgh in New York State. In 1984 I attained my athletic goal of qualifying for and running in the first U.S. Olympic marathon trials for women. For the last 18 years, I have taught downhill skiing at Mammoth Mountain. Cross country skate skiing is how I stay fit in the mountains in the winter. It also gives me a chance to explore nature.
Traveling is my second passion after athletics. I have traveled throughout Europe extensively seven times. I’ve also explored Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Central America and Africa (climbed Mt Kilimanjaro) on bikes or by foot.

I hope you can join us in July 2011 for a outstanding cycling adventure.

We are extremely excited about our two multi-lingual on site coordinators in both Switzerland and Italy who were born respectively in Zurich and Florence. They are friends and colleagues who deeply understand our vision for this journey. They have the connections and personal know how to make the magic in our a-typical European adventure happen. Students will also be treated to personal walking tours with private guides in Geneva, Zurich, and Florence and local art guides in major museums. Cyclists will also benefit from the expertise and enthusiasm of local cycling guides from well respected companies in both countries.

Art/Design Class in Switzerland: 11 days

The art/design class will meet in the afternoon from 2-5pm leaving mornings free for cycling or exploring the cities and countryside. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast and select from a list of activities I will provide for each destination or relax, stroll or sit in a cafe with your journal. I want to help you experience Switzerland and Italy in a way that won't just scratch the surface but get you inside for a closer look.

SAN DIEGO
The art/design class begins online where you can log in at your leisure to view maps, historical and background information and discover in-depth the people, art and culture of Italy and Switzerland. You can learn about keeping a travel journal, what to pack, language basics and see lists of suggested activities, restaurants and cultural experiences you won't want to miss. I want to help you get the most out of your educational and travel opportunities and will give you chances to contemplate yourself and this journey before the plane lifts off.

SWITZERLAND
Depart San Diego for Europe and arrive in Geneva the "city of peace" with free time the first day to explore on foot, practice your French or catch some rest. This city on the lake boasts a plethora of lush parks and villas, a medieval city center, world class shopping and cuisine with an international sense of style. From the city streets you can see the snowy peak of Mont Blanc or take a picturesque boat ride beside the famous Jet d'eau, a water fountain that shoots 460 feet off the Lake of Geneva. The United Nations, International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum are located here as well as Reformation wall.

GENEVA
In Geneva you will receive a transportation pass allowing you to ride public buses and trams for free. You can participate in a morning walking tour that will take you through the winding cobblestone streets to St. Peters cathedral where John Calvin led the Protestant Reformation. From the tower of the church you can see the Jura mountains and then explore the old town, it's monuments, sculptures and charming shops and cafes as you adjust to a different time zone.

On our second day in Geneva we hope you will join an informal group gathering at Parc de la La Grange. This gorgeous green space is on the lake and you can savor the exquisite rose garden and historic mansion that dominates the hillside. There are also many lovely pathways to explore and the Crémerie has wonderful lunch items or you pack a picnic to sit outside and savor the park. Art/Design class will formally convene from 2-5pm at the Martin Bodmer Foundation where we have hired special docents to reveal this extraordinary collection on the shores of Lake Geneva. In a museum built by the legendary architect Mario Botta you will enter vaults that hold some of the most beautiful and important human endeavors.
I have been to many museums in my life but this one leaves me unable to find the words. The collection traces the intellectual progress of humanity with exceptionally rare works that represent history, politics, law, knowledge, faith, philosophy, religion, art, poetry, drama, music, novels, and fables. You will see the Egyptian book of the Dead, Gutenberg Bible and works by Aristotle, Beethoven, Chaucer, Dante, Einstein, Faulkner, Galileo, Homer, Julius Caesar, Luther, Marx, Newton, Proust, Rembrandt, Shakespeare, Voltaire and Wagner to name a few. I believe this experience is life changing and you won't believe it till you see it for yourself.

The next day enjoy a free morning and then board the bus as we wind our way around the magnificent Lac Leman or Lake of Geneva. On our way to Gruyère we will pass through panoramic vineyards and stop to experience the wine-making culture of Switzerland. We will then continue to the idyllic Swiss town of Gruyère who gave it's name to the creamy, earthy, salty cheese made from cow's milk. We will discover the traditional style of cheese-making and see where the cheese is produced and aged. Experience and unforgettable visit to Shillon Castle, an architectural jewel between the shores of Lake Geneva and the Alps. With 1,000 years of history, it has inspired artists and writers, from Jean-Jacques Rousseau to Victor Hugo and Lord Byron, from Delacroix to Courbet.

GRUYERE

In the morning there will be time for hiking if you wish to see this spectacular countryside. We will then travel by motorcoach to Interlaken so named because it sits between two lakes. There will be time to shop for chocolate, cuckoo clocks, watches and explore then we will board the motorcoach to begin our ascent up the winding mountain roads to Grindelwald.


GRINDELWALD

Located in the Bernese Alps this stunning alpine village is located at 3,390 feet above sea level. This is where climbers begin their ascents of the Eiger and the Jungfrau and is covered with miles of hiking trails across the Alps. In July you can pick wildflowers, see cascading waterfalls, ice-skate and make a splash in picturesque public pools with views of the mountains. There are a plethora of amazing hikes and I can't wait to share this region with you.

On our first day we will take the tram to Mannlichen and the hour long ride carries you through incredible vistas to a mountaintop where cows graze. You can stay and have lunch at the restaurant or join Candice for an hour hike to Kleine Scheidegg. During this poetic transformative walk you will see glaciers, mountain streams, hikers and the famous Swiss trains. Fill up your journal with wildflowers and I will teach you to identify them before our mountaintop experience. From this point you might choose to splurge on your own and travel by train to the top of Europe-the nearby Jungfraujoch and visit the glaciers and caves. You may want to relax and take in the festive atmosphere at Kleine Scheidegg and listen to the music of traditional alpenhorns. You can take the train back to Grindelwald or join me for another hour hike to the Alpiglen where we can hop the short train ride back to town.

The next day we will visit the Heimatwerk Museum and walk to the waterfalls as well as learn about the architecture and traditional handicrafts of a variety of regions of Switzerland. The cyclists will join us later that day arriving from Meirengen and we will celebrate with a grill party and talk about the amazing hiking and climbing traditions in Switzerland.

RAPPERSWIL

Our group will then travel by bus to Rapperswil in the Zurich Oberland for a picnic lunch with time to explore the medieval alleys of the Altstadt. The main sights of Rapperswil are its roses, Rapperswil castle, the reconstructed wooden bridge as well as a Capuchin monastery. There are 600 different kinds of roses that can be viewed between June and October. At this point we will abandon the bus and take the ferry along the Zurichsee to the city of Zurich.

ZURICH
Zurich is called the cultural center of Switzerland and in 2009 was named the city with the best quality of life in the world.

In the morning you will be treated to a walking tour featuring the Marc Chagall stained glass windows and see the largest church clock face on the planet at the Fraumunster cathedral. Experience the Bahnofstrasse, a center of financial activity dotted with banks and elegant shops. Across the Limmat River this city has an edge and you can explore the trendy boutiques and cafes. We will visit the private graphic design studio of Odermatt and Tissi who were originally part of the Bauhaus, Swiss School and International Typographic Style then through design innovations helped start the Postmodern Design revolution.

The following day we will visit the Museum for Gestaltung [yes...the graphic design museum] with plenty of free time to sample the chocolate Switzerland is famous for -LONG LIVE ZURICH!

Art/Design Class- Italy Extension: 7 days

ITALY

Students who choose to depart for San Diego will fly home the next day from Zurich with the returning group or might decide to stay in Switzerland and fly home later. The rest of the group will hop a train for a breathtaking journey by rail to Italy and one of the world's great art capitals Florence. Upon arrival there will be free time to savor the wonders of this Renaissance city that never stops re-inventing itself. This historically important city lies on the River Arno and it's architecture and the Medici legacy will inspire you. If that isn't enough try the gelato or people watching.

FLORENCE
All roads lead to the Uffizi and we will visit one of the world's greatest museums with a private guide. Take in Botticelli's Birth of Venus or Primavera an allegory of Spring that features Venus's garden, Mercury and a blindfolded cupid. From the gallery window you can look down at the Arno and the Ponte Vecchio bridge where you can watch the sculling boats glide timelessly down the river. Join our visit to the Basilica of Santa Croce and the tombs of Michelangelo and Dante. Take in the Galleria dell’Accademia that houses Michelangelo's David. You will see a unique collection of 13th century painters including Giotto and an extraordinary studio room filled from floor to ceiling with plaster casts that will stir your senses. Just next door we will experience the fascinating Museum of Musical Instruments from the Medici collection including an exceptionally rare viola and violin crafted by Antonio Stradivari.

CHIANTI REGION
We will depart from Florence and travel to the Tuscan countryside and Chianti with it's unique landscape of gently rolling green hills and vineyards, olive groves and stone villages. Here we will visit an eco-tourism farm for an Italian cooking lesson and learn about the olive oils and wine that is produced in this region. Traversing the picture postcard landscape we will head for the picturesque hilltown of San Gimignano.

SAN GIMIGNANO
This stunning walled medieval hill town located in the province of Siena is famous for its medieval architecture, especially its towers that can be seen from well outside town. Founded by the Etruscans we will visit the Collegiata that houses some incredible murals and the art of Italian renaissance artists. You can also climb to the top of the Civico Museum for a spellbinding view of the Tuscan countryside. As we will be staying inside this ancient city there will be plenty of time to explore the shops and olive groves and sit with a coffee or gelato.

From our Tuscan homebase in San Gimignano we will have our bus giving us the freedom to easily explore many mesmerizing hill towns I've listed here. There are also fantastic hiking and walking opportunities through gorgeous landscape.

SIENA
Siena considered the heart of Tuscany is fascinating because it has kept it's ward-centric culture from medieval times. Each contrada is represented by an animal or mascot and has its own identity as well as rivalries that run wild during the annual Palio horse race in the Piazza del Campo [one of the most remarkable squares in Italy]. The Sienese school of painting produced a series of masterpieces that are represented in the Pinacoteca, Palazzo Pubblico, and Museo dell'Opera del Duomo. We will have time to wander the streets, sit and watch the world go by.

MONTERIGGIONI is a well preserved medieval fortified village, built on hillrock.
The circle of walls and fourteen towers date from the 13th century.
This town is described by Dante in the Divine Comedy. A main street crosses the village and there is a lovely Romanesque church on the piazza and a small public garden to add to it's charm.

VOLTERRA lies across the hills about twelve miles away from San Gimignano. With Etruscan origins inhabitants have lived on Volterra's steep hills since Neolithic times. There are some great ruins, art works and architecture from different periods, with tranquil squares and great restaurants. You can view the Etruscan walls, built in the 4th century B.C.and it is know for it's alabaster. The lovely garden located at the highest spot in town is near 2 Etruscan temples. The vistas are breathtaking and on clear days you see the Tyrhennian Sea.

Cycling class-Italy Extension: 7 days

CYCLING IN ITALY

Day 12 – Train trip all day to Florence. No cycling.
We'll relax for a pleasurable and scenic train ride from Zurich to Florence that will roll past stunning mountain vistas, lakes, chalets and farms. Watch as the landscape changes to the Mediterranean hills and olive groves of northern/central Italy. See the bright colors of the Italian villas and buildings. For those with private bikes, cycles will be transferred on a special car put on the train by Swiss trains. We'll arrive late afternoon in Florence for the Italian portion of our trip.

Day 13 – Florence
Casual Riders.
Off - no ride today. Save a day of bike rental charges. Enjoy Florence!

In the morning, join the art students on an amazing tour of one of the world's great museums - the Uffizi – with a private guide. Take in Botticelli's Birth of Venus or Primavera and get to know the Three Graces and cupid, the blindfolded God of love. From the gallery window you can look down at the Arno and the Ponte Vecchio Bridge where you can watch the sculling boats glide timelessly down the river.

In the afternoon, visit the Basilica of Santa Croce and the tombs of Michelangelo and Dante.

Advanced .
Two options in the morning.
Option 1 - Moderate 29 miles.
Ride to Fiesole, the nearby hillside town with a magnificent view of Florence. Stop for coffee with the locals at the café on the piazza. Continue on uphill to the Monte Senario Convent and the villages of Bivigliano, Pratolino, and Pain di San Bartolo. It will be a treat to see the breathtaking views of the rolling hills, farms, vineyards, olive groves, and Italian architecture. It's a fast ride to the hotel down the hill.

Option 2
Join the Casual Riders and art students at the Uffizi (see above) for the guided tour.

Afternoon
Visit the Uffizi Museum on your own. If you have time, you can visit the Basilica of Santa Croce and the tombs of Michelangelo and Dante.

Day 14 – Florence
Casual Riders. Easy and short – 15 miles
Bus ride up to Monte Senario Convent, where the downhill bike adventure begins. The Italian countryside views are superb. Ride to Fiesole, the hillside town with a magnificent view of Florence. Stop for coffee with the locals at the café on the piazza then cruise down the hill to Florence.

Advanced. Morning. Moderate – 29 miles.
Ride to a different set of lovely, authentic Italian hillside villages: Plan di Magnone, Polcanto, Santa Brigidon, Molin del Plano, Sieci, and back to Florence.

Afternoon.
Visit, with Professor Turkel, the Academia Gallery that houses Michelangelo's David. You will see a unique collection of 13th century painters including Giotto and an extraordinary studio room filled from floor to ceiling with plaster casts that will stir your senses. Just next door we will experience the fascinating Museum of Musical Instruments from the Medici collection including an exceptionally rare viola and violin crafted by Antonio Stradivari. Santa.

Day 15 – Florence to Greve to San Gimingnano.
Casual Riders and Advanced.
Morning – 22 miles, Moderate.
Off to Tuscany, on bikes! Do part or all of ride from Florence to Greve, on the famous Chianti Road. This ride will be hilly. Casual Riders can do part of this ride and take the bus forthe rest. On the Chianti Road, you will begin savor the joys of cycling in Tuscany – lightly traveled and smooth roads, sun-splashed scenery, long but not overly steep climbs and descents, castles and old homes, and vineyards and flowers.

Afternoon.
Both groups will participate in cooking lesson in Greve area at an eco-tourism farm, where we will learn about the olive oils and wine produced in this region.

Advanced.
Afternoon: 25 to 30 additional miles, moderate.
Dive into Tuscany! There are lots of hills to help you burn up those calories we ate at the cooking lesson! Advanced riders will continue on rustic roads through the countryside to San Gimingnano. Riders can bus to San Gimingnano, just outside the medieval walled city of in San Gimingnano. Our hotel has a great pool with a view of the Tuscany countryside and you may well be ready to enjoy it after your ride! Dinner will be at one of the intimate cafes is just a short walk away.

Day 16 – San Gimingnano to Siena.
Casual Riders.
Option 1
Join the art students for an outstanding tour of the museums and churches of San Gimingnano.

Option 2
20 miles, moderate.
Ride lightly traveled roads to the walled medieval towns of Colle di Val d'Elsa and on to Monteriggioni. Walk on top of the wall and have authentic Italian pastry in a café on the piazza. Bus to Siena with the art student for a tour of the Duomo, San Domenico Cathedral, and al Campo.

Advanced.
Morning and afternoon - 60 miles, difficult, hills, hills, hills.
San Gimingnano to Colle di Val d'Else, Monteriggioni, where we will have a planned break for a walk on top of the wall and have authentic Italian pastry in a café on the piazza. Ride on quiet, rolling roads to Siena, absorbing all the hillside wonders.

Both groups will see San Domenico, Duomo and al campo in Siena.

Day 17 – San Gimingnano to Voltera.
Casual Riders.
Morning. Approximately 20 miles Moderate/Difficult.
San Gimingnano to the base of a steep hill leading up to Voltera, a walled medieval city with the charm of San Gimingnano, but without the crowds. Bus up to Voltera. After sight-seeing, take the bus back to San Gimingnano.

Advanced.
Morning. Approximately 40 miles, Moderate/Difficult.
Take the challenge of the hill! Ride from San Gimingnano to Voltera and back.

Both groups tour Voltera for 1-2 hours. Located on a steep hill, Voltera features some great ruins, art works and architecture from different periods, with tranquil squares and great restaurants. You can view the Etruscan walls, built in the 4th century B.C. and known for its alabaster. The lovely garden located at the highest spot in town is near two Etruscan temples. The vistas are breathtaking and on clear days you see the Tyrhennian Sea.

Day 18 – San Gimingnano .
Casual Riders .
Morning 14 miles. San Gimingnano to Castel Florentine – (downhill). Easy.
Wind up your Tuscan bike rides with a relaxing ride through sunflower fields, vineyards, and gentle fields that roll on under the Tuscan sun. Bus back.

Advanced.
Morning. Approximately 35 miles, Moderate/difficult (8-9 mile hill climb back to San Gimingnano).
We'll plan and do a final ride through the Tuscan countryside. From San Gimingnano ride to Castel Florentine and back.

Afternoon. Bus to Florence.
It's time to disassemble the bikes (with assistance, if needed, from the mechanic from Best Tuscan Tours) or return rentals and enjoy some free time.

Day 19 – Fly to San Diego. Job well done!

Cycling class in Switzerland: 11 days

CYCLING IN SWITZERLAND
The 8,300 km of cycle routes make Switzerland a bike paradise. We will pass through dramatic scenery filled with gorgeous mountains and cascading waterfalls past stunning castles. The friendly people who speak several languages and quaint villages and towns will leave you wanting more. You will experience breathtaking vistas and push your pedals past glacial lakes and streams. Lush green mountains dotted with wildflowers and bright blue skies will fill your days as we travel with our local guides. Opportunities and routes have been charted for casual to advanced cyclists. We will be traveling in the following regions.

All rides are subject to change based on weather, or the guide's advice.

Day 1 - Depart San Diego to Geneva via plane.

Day 2 – Arrive Geneva
The first thing we'll do after checking into the hotel is bike fitting for rental bikes and assembly for private bikes. The mechanic from our bike guide/rental company, Bike Switzerland, will be able to assist in finishing touches of assembly. If our flight arrives before 1 p.m., a warm-up ride of 1-2 hours will be done on the lake front on Lac Leman and Swiss National Bike Route 1. This will be an easy ride for both the Casual Riders and Advanced group and will help you adjust to jet lag.

(D)

Day 3 – Geneva
Casual Riders.
9 a.m.-noon, easy ride.
After a short ride on our private bus to escape city traffic, Casual Riders can enjoy a bike ride along lightly traveled roads that wind through sunflower fields, apple orchards and visit small villages between Geneva and the French border.

Advanced.
9 a.m. –noon, moderate ride.
The advanced riders will explore the same countryside as the Casual Riders, at a faster pace, covering more territory.

Both Casual Riders and Advanced Riders will ride to lunch in Parc de la La Grange.

Travel with the art students by bus to the Bodmer Museum, where we have hired special docents to reveal this extraordinary collection on the shores of Lake Geneva. In a museum built by the legendary architect Mario Botta you will enter vaults that hold some of the most beautiful and important human endeavors.

(B)

Day 4 – Geneva to Gruyeres.
Casual Riders.
Morning. Moderate, longer, 30-35 miles from Geneva to St. Prex or Morges.
Today you get a tour of the Lakefront of Lac Leman and the country estates, farms, vineyards and villages on the north shore. We'll be on roads and National Bike Route #1, which has little traffic. This route is relatively flat with a few rolling hills. The Casual Riders will be joining the art students to explore the wine making culture of this region. Travel by motorcoach to Chillon Castle, where you will see examples of old castle furnishings. You'll be ready to relax after the ride. The motorcoach will then transport you up into the pre-Alp, storybook castle village of Gruyeres.

Advanced.
Morning. Long and Difficult- 82 miles
Ride from Geneva to Gruyeres via Vevey on the Lakefront of Lac Leman by the country estates, farms, vineyards and villages on the north shore. We'll be on roads and National Bike Route #1, which has little traffic. We'll stop the lunch (on your own) in Lausanne (at 42 miles) at the Olympic Museum.You will be able to tour this amazing facility devoted to cycling and other Olympic sports. We continue this relatively flat portion of the ride with a few rolling hills to Vevey (at 54 miles) and start heading uphill into the pre Alps. The next 28 miles will have some challenging uphill sections. The first section serpentines up through grape vineyards on the hillsides above the lake. After that, you'll cycle past farms, those famous Swiss cows, and small villages…very peaceful. You'll gratefully arrive at the storybook castle village of Gruyeres. When I did this ride this summer, I feasted on nutella crepes at an outdoor café afterwards.

(B, D)

Day 5 – Gruyeres to Meiringen
(1st night Meiringen)
Both Casual Riders and Advanced.
Everyone will be visiting Gruyeres Castle in the morning. The enchanting castle is a well-maintained medieval castle and village where you will enjoy art exhibits from different centuries, castle furnishings and an amazing castle garden. The art students may be visiting the Cheese Making Museum as well.

Casual Riders
In the late morning, ride National Bike Route 9 through rolling hillsides and past charming chalet-style villages in the country to Gstaad, where the rich and famous have homes. Have lunch on your own in Gstaad. Be picked up by the motorcoach for a scenic drive past Thuner Lake to Interlaken for shopping and a walk through the town between two lakes. Watch for hang-gliders, who often land in the town's main park after they soar down from the mountains. The bus will then transport you to Meiringen, where we'll spend the night in the town where legendary fictional detective Sherlock Holmes was pushed over a waterfall to his death by his arch enemy Moriarty.

Advanced.
Late morning. 68 miles.
Ride National Bike Route 9 from Gruyeres through rolling hillsides and past chalet-style villages in the country to Gstaad, where the rich and famous have homes. Continue on along Thuner Lake to Interlaken, where we will take a motorcoach along with the casual riders to Meiringen.

(B)

Day 6 – Meiringen
(2nd night Meiringen)
Casual Riders. Morning. Short and easy. 20 miles.
Ride in valley to and along Lake Brienz, possibly as far as Interlaken. The group may stop for coffee and a Swiss pastry at a lakeside village and take a swim in the lake! Lunch in Interlaken on your own and ride the bus to back to Meiringen. The balance of the day is free for independent activity. Suggestions: Visit the Ballenberg Museum, Sherlock Holmes Museum, and the famous waterfall of Sherlock Holmes' demise. Dinner on your own.

Advanced.
Morning.
Epic Swiss Alpine bike riding day. Ride up to Grosse Scheidegg, Grindelwald, Interlaken, to Meiringen. Very hard, long.

Option one - 49 miles.
Ride up the Grosse Sheidegg pass, which overlooks glaciers and the ski /mountain climbing mecca of Grindelwald. Start in Meiringen on Route 6/1 + National Bike Route 1 thru steep forest bike trials, that in 2 or 3 places become gravel. We'll meander uphill past Zwirig, Rosenavi, Schwarzwoldape. This tough 11 mile climb will test anyone, but the views along the way and at the top will make every drop of sweat worth it. We'll pass through woods, alpine meadows, with grazing cows, and up to the mountain top. Then, it will be down to Grindelwald via Route 6/1 (5.5 miles –like a sled ride), which is a farm road-stop for the Post Bus, which always has the right of way. Lunch is on your own in Grindelwald. I can show you a café where you can sit and stare at a glacier and the valley below! For a less expensive treat, stop at the super market and picnic. It's downhill to Interlaken for 12.5 miles and then 22 miles to Meiringen (north side of Brienzersee). This includes a section in the woods with some gravel and two hills. We must walk the bikes through one tough portion at the posh Grand Hotel Giessbach (you'll be glad to walk). The last 10 miles or so is a flat ride (thankfully) in the valley past farms. Dinner on your own.

Option 2 – Road to top of Grosse Scheidegg and follow the above. This route eliminates gravel and part of the wilderness scenery, but it's easier for road bikes.

(B)

Day 7 – Meiringen to Grindelwald.
(1st night Grindelwald)
Hiking day. Day off bike.

Casual Riders and Advanced bike rider will depart in the morning by motorcoach to Grindelwald. This bus ride is a little over an hour.

It's your day to test your hiking legs and explore glacier areas. Take mountain train ride to Maennlicher or hike up from Mannlicher, walk/hike or take mountain train in amazing, outstanding, awesome glacial alpine paradise. Or, take the mountain train, on your own, to the Jungfrau Joch and then return to Grindelwald. At the Jungfrau, there are a host of activities to enjoy on the glacier. The Jungfrau is one of the world's natural wonders that is slowly receding. Catch it before it is gone.

Art and cycling students will enjoy a "grill party" tonight.

(B, D)

Day 8 – Grindlewald to Rapperswil and Zurich
(1st night in Zurich)

The entire group will travel by motorcoach from Grindelwald to Lake Zurich arriving in Rapperswil in the late morning. In Rapperswil we will have a picnic lunch near the castle and the lake.

Casual Riders.
Afternoon. Easy 20 miles.
Casual riders will have time to explore the area. The main sights of Rapperswil are its roses, castle, the reconstructed wooden bridge as well as a Capuchin monastery. There are 600 different kinds of roses that can be viewed between June and October.

You will have a choice between taking the steamer ride across the lake with the art students or riding your bike along the north shore of Lake Zurich to Zurich. Meet the motorcoach at an appropriate spot to be driven to our Zurich hotel so you can avoid riding your bike through the city of Zurich.

Advanced
Afternoon. 30-40 miles Moderate /Hard.
Ride uphill from Rapperswil to a ski resort in the mountains. This ride on alpine back country routes is the genuine Swiss mountain road ride, past hillside farms and cows. Then we'll ride the south side of Lake Zurich back. This section is flat/rolling hills. Great lake vistas. We will meet the motorcoach at an appropriate spot so we do not have to ride on Zurich city streets. Dinner on your own.

(B, L)

Day 9 - Zurich
(2nd night in Zurich)
Ride to Rhine Falls

Casual Riders and art students
Morning.
Visit to Zurich and its museum, including the Museum fuer Gestaltung.

Afternoon. East to moderate. Approximately 20 miles.
Take a short train ride, with your bike, toward the Rhine Falls area. Cycle to the Rhine Falls, where in late afternoon you will meet up with Advanced riders.

Advanced.
Morning. Moderate.
Motorcoach takes you toward the Rhine Falls area. Ride to Rhine Falls, along the Rhine Valley to Lake Constance, across the border into Germany, to island of Mainau and return toward Zurich. Meet the motorcoach and the Casual Riders in the late afternoon at an appropriate spot and drive to the Zurich hotel.

Dinner on your own.

(B)

Day 10 – Zurich
(3rd night in Zurich)

Casual Riders and Advanced

We'll all take motorcoach to Lake Lucerne area. Morning ride, moderate for both groups around and near beautiful Lake Lucerne. There may be a chance to visit the scenic town of Lucerne. Return by motorcoach to Zurich in the late afternoon for our farewell dinner.

(B, D)

Day 11– Zurich to USA or continue on Italian extension

Those returning to USA, transfer to airport and fly back to San Diego.

ITALY EXTENSION
Everyone
Transfer to train station, take train through Alps via Milan (change trains) to Florence. Participants who bring along their own bikes may be on a different train than those without bikes. However, this evening in Florence, everyone will re-join.
(B)