grand tour winterthur

Three Grand Estates to Visit in the Delaware Valley: Longwood Gardens, Nemours Estate, Winterthur

Three early 20th-century estates – Longwood Gardens, Nemours Estate, and Winterthur – are living legacies of the du Pont dynasty that are a delight to explore. The three estates include homes, furnishings, and richly landscaped gardens. All three estates are conveniently located within 10 miles of each other in northern Delaware and southeastern Pennsylvania. These properties, each uniquely different, help tell the stories of uber-wealthy folks who acquired and managed large homes and vast acreage. My husband and I enjoyed our visits to these three amazing properties over two days.

Many in the prominent du Pont family were committed to historic preservation, had strong interests in horticulture and agriculture, and carried a penchant for philanthropy. This commitment to preservation and in shaping nature for pleasing aesthetic results is evident in these three properties that du Pont families enjoyed during their lifetimes and, later, opened to the public. Each property requires several hours to fully enjoy, so plan to spend at least two days if you plan to explore all three.

Two Day Itinerary Exploring du Pont Estates

My husband and I explored the three properties over two days. We visited Nemours Estate and Winterthur. located just outside Wilmington, Delaware on the first day. That evening, we spent the night at a hotel in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, and visited nearby Longwood Gardens the next day. Of course, you can visit them in any order you want to — or just pick which one most interests you!

Day 1  

• Visit Nemours Estate, tour the mansion, and explore the gardens and grounds via tram or on foot. (Nemours is closed on Mondays.)
• Visit Winterthur in northern Delaware, a 15-minute drive from Nemours Estate. Eat lunch at Winterthur’s café in the visitor center or bring your own picnic. Tour the mansion and adjacent museum, and explore the grounds via tram or on foot. (Winterthur is closed on Mondays.)
• Enjoy dinner at Krazy Kat’s near Nemours Estate. Another option is Portabello’s in nearby Kennett Square (close to Longwood Gardens that is scheduled for Day 2).
• Check in at a hotel or inn in Kennett Square, PA (10 miles away).
• Visit Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA. (Longwood Gardens is closed on Tuesdays.)
• Eat lunch at Longwood Gardens (three dining options).
• Conclude your visit with a stop at a nearby museum or winery.

Who Were the du Ponts?

Éleuthère Irénée du Pont (E.I. du Pont) emigrated from France in 1800 with his family. Once in the United States, he began to manufacture gunpowder along the Brandywine River in Delaware. In subsequent years, the du Pont family expanded into other areas including chemical manufacturing. Over time, successive generations entered politics (several served as U.S. senators, and one as governor of Delaware); continued in the family businesses; served in other companies; and/or pursued philanthropic endeavors.

The three du Pont estates profiled in this article were created and/or developed by three great-grandsons of E.I. du Pont and are listed (in this article) in the order mentioned in my suggested, two-day itinerary. Nemours Estate and Winterthur are located outside Wilmington, Delaware; Longwood Gardens is north of Winterthur in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.

• Nemours Estate , created by Alfred Irénée du Pont; 
• Winterthur , developed by Henry Francis du Pont; and
• Longwood Gardens , developed by Pierre Samuel du Pont.

1. Nemours Estate

1600 Rockland Avenue, Wilmington, DE | (302) 651-6912

Alfred du Pont (1864-1935) built this home in 1909 and named it Nemours after the family’s ancestral home in France. In fact, Alfred created this estate as a wedding gift for his second wife, Alicia Bradford, incorporating French architectural styles she so admired. As it turned out, Alicia died in 1920, and Alfred then married Jessie Bell, and they lived here until their deaths.

Alfred was a financier, industrialist, and philanthropist. He worked in the family’s gunpowder business until he was forced out of his role by a family relationship that soured. Following that, Alfred remade a fortune by investing and building in Florida, a new frontier (at the time) for investment to attract vacationers and other folks. According to Alfred’s will, the house and grounds were to be opened to the public following the deaths of him and his wife. (Alfred died in 1935, and Jessie died in 1970.) In addition, Alfred’s last wishes included the building of a children’s hospital, Nemours Children’s Hospital, that sits on land that made up the original estate.

What to See at Nemours Estate

Resembling a French chateau, the Nemours Estate includes a 47,000 square-foot home – with 77 rooms –  and is quite grand, incorporating many European design elements as well as furnishings. Alfred’s design included some new features for the time period including indoor bathrooms. Also, this mansion had a home office, a water bottling room, an exercise room, an indoor bowling alley, and a billiards room downstairs. The chauffeur’s garage was the first garage built in the state. It houses five vehicles: a 1933 Buick Coupe, a 1921 Cadillac Renault, a 1924 Cadillac, and two Rolls-Royces (1951, 1960).

The home and the 200-acre grounds are gated. Alfred acquired one entry gate from Wimbledon, England, and the other from Catherine the Great’s estate. The Versailles-inspired gardens cover about 15 acres and there are a couple of hundred acres of woodland and meadows. Granite was quarried from a Blue Granite rock area on the grounds and used in the house’s construction. From the mansion, stroll along the Long Walk to the reflecting pool and fountains (with over 150 jets). Also here are sculptures of the four seasons, the Temple of Love, and the gold leaf statue entitled Achievement . 

Visiting Nemours

• Nemours Estate is open Tuesday-Sunday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm; it’s closed on Monday.
• Tickets are $20 for adults (discounts for seniors and military); $10 for kids aged 6-16: and free for younger children.
• A shuttle (golf cart) can ferry you from the entrance to the mansion. You can also request a ride from the mansion to the chauffeur’s garage. 
• Mansion tours are mostly self-guided with historical interpreters in the main rooms available to answer questions.
• Take the free, narrated tour of the property so you can see the scope of the land and manicured gardens.
• No food or drinks are available for purchase, so plan on bringing your own.
• If planning to picnic, bring a blanket; there are no picnic tables.

Tips for Your Visit

• When driving to the estate, you’ll be on the grounds of the Nemours Children’s Hospital.
• You can easily spend 2-4 hours in the mansion and the grounds which encompass elaborate gardens (inspired by Versailles), the chauffeur’s garage that houses five period vehicles, and a Sears Roebuck mail-order cottage that was built in 1915 as a playhouse for the children.
• The best view of the formal gardens from inside is actually from one of the guest bedrooms, the Gold Room.

2. Winterthur

5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, DE | 800-448-3883  

Several generations of the DuPont family had a history on the estate. In the early 1800s, E.I. du Pont purchased the property for farming. His daughter later inherited it and built a house in 1839, naming it after her husband’s ancestral home in Switzerland. The estate changed hands several times within the family over the generations.

What visitors see today at Winterthur was mainly the result of Henry Francis (H.F.) du Pont’s (1880–1969) work on the property. Born at Winterthur, H.F. managed the family’s property for his father and inherited it upon his father’s death. His additions to the estate were the results of his studies of horticulture and agriculture at Harvard University as well as his European travels. His passions were gardening, collecting American furnishings and decorative arts, and breeding cattle on the property. 

Jackie Kennedy’s Visit to Winterthur

With his vast collection of early American decorative arts and furniture, H.F.  turned the family home into a museum in 1951; he and his wife then lived in a 50-room cottage he had built near the house. (The museum shop is located on the first floor of that cottage.) In the early 1960s, H.F. helped guide First Lady Jackie Kennedy in her extensive White House remodeling project. She visited Winterthur in 1961 to view the vast collection here and to discuss ideas that would work in the President’s house. H.F. made numerous visits to the White House during this time to confer with Mrs. Kennedy and her staff.

What to See at Winterthur

Today Winterthur is home to 90,000 decorative arts and furniture pieces in the home and galleries as well as 60 acres of gardens on the almost 1,000 acres of property. For the most part, the grounds are designed to look completely natural. There are no brightly colored annuals here. Instead, there are fields, water features, and carefully landscaped woodland. The prime time to see color on the grounds is from March through May when the azaleas, rhododendrons, dogwood, and wildflowers are in bloom. One space designed just for kids is Enchanted Woods with its Faerie Cottage, nooks to explore, and unique water features.

Visiting Winterthur

• Winterthur is open Tuesday-Sunday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm; it’s closed on Monday. There are special days and hours during their yuletide season that showcases special displays.
• Purchase mansion tour tickets online prior to your visit to ensure you have guaranteed admission upon arriving.
• Admission is $22 for adults; $20 for students (aged 12 and older) and seniors (aged 62 and older); $8 for kids aged 2-11; and kids under 2 years old are free.
• Plan to arrive about 30 minutes before your scheduled mansion tour to check in and get oriented to all there is to see.
• You’ll enter through the visitor center and take a shuttle (or walk) to the Conservatory where the mansion tour begins.
• Free, narrated tram tours of the grounds are available.
• Winterthur’s website has suggested itineraries for your visit, depending on how much time you have to spend.
• Expect to spend 3-4 hours touring the mansion, museum, and gardens.
• Take the narrated garden tour on an open-air tram to learn more about H.F.’s vision for the property, his commitment to agricultural pursuits, and simply enjoy the expansive grounds.
• Plan to walk the property a bit — maybe to the reflecting pool outside the museum and to the Enchanted Garden a little further down the paved path. Winterthur has several walking trails ranging from about 0.5 to 2.0 miles each.
• The Visitor Center Café has a selection of grab-and-go fare (sandwiches, paninis, salads, and baked treats) and beverages (bottled water, soda, beer, and wine).
• If you prefer to bring your own food, there are several places to enjoy a picnic including the Enchanted Garden, Icewell Terrace, or outside the museum.
• The museum store is located near the mansion and museum (not in the visitor center), so stop in there after visiting the mansion and/or museum and before returning to the visitor center.
• Check online for a list of special events and tours.
• The extensive garden landscapes beckon visitors before or after visiting the mansion.

3. Longwood Gardens

1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, PA | 610-388-1000

Pierre S. du Pont purchased the property in 1906 that he would eventually name Longwood. Previously, the Peirce family owned the land and had constructed a house in 1730. That house still stands today, and visitors are welcome to tour it. Over the years, the Peirce family planted a large number of trees. By the turn of the twentieth century, however, the land had changed ownership several times, and the property had not been well maintained.

After learning that the trees would be cut down on the property, Pierre S. du Pont purchased the farm. In addition to serving as the president of E.I. Du Pont de Nemours & Co. and General Motors, Pierre was a director and advisor to several other organizations. Pierre was so enamored with gardening and fountains that he incorporated many of his ideas, with inspiration from his European travels, in the displays that visitors see today. He set about improving the property, adding several features including the Conservatory, the Italian Water Garden, and the topiary garden. In addition, he expanded the house that he used as a weekend residence and a place to entertain friends. Longwood Gardens opened to the public in the 1940s. After Pierre’s death in 1954, the trustees of his foundation followed up on his wishes to lead Longwood Gardens into the future.

What to See at Longwood Gardens

Longwood Gardens offers over 1,000 acres that encompass six districts: 

• Chimes Tower District (includes a bell tower and waterfall),
• Conservatory District (includes acres of gardens protected from the elements)),
• House and Theater District (includes the Peirce home and park), 
• Lakes District (has open space with paths),
• Main Fountain Garden District (classic formal gardens with fountains), and
• Meadow and Forest District (meadows and woodlands that are habitats for plants and wildlife).

Visiting Longwood Gardens

• Longwood Gardens is open Wednesday-Monday beginning at 10:00 am; closing hours vary by day. It’s closed on Tuesday.
• Purchase tickets online prior to your visit to ensure you have guaranteed admission upon arrival.
• Admission is $25 for adults;  $22 for seniors (aged 62 and older) and college students; $13 for kids aged 5-18; and kids 4 and younger are free.
• Longwood Gardens has special events such as Carillon concerts, fountain shows, and behind-the-scenes tours. Check their website for details and to purchase tickets.
• Longwood Gardens comes alive at Christmas with special displays and events beginning in mid-November through early January. Book your reservations online well ahead of time, if interested in visiting during this time.
• There’s an extensive gift shop in the visitor center.
• Longwood Gardens has several dining options. Choose 1906 (reservations suggested) for fine dining, The Café for casual fare, or the Beer Garden.
• If you’re wondering what plants are in bloom when you visit, check the Longwood Gardens website.
• Check the daily schedule upon arrival to learn the times of the various fountain shows. They may be a highlight of your visit.

Where to Stay and Eat 

There are some lovely properties near Winterthur and Nemours Estate, but my husband and I chose to settle for the night at a property in Kennett Square since that would be our destination the next day. Do an online search (like TripAdvisor) to find the location and property that fits your interests.

Dining Choices

For lunch, both Longwood Gardens and Winterthur have good options. At Longwood Gardens, head to The Terrace. Here you’ll find three dining options: 1906, a fine dining restaurant; grab-and-go options in The Café with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating; and a beer garden – sometimes featuring live music. Winterthur has a nice café with a wide variety of sandwiches, salads, soups, and beverages.

For dinner, Krazy Kat’s is a good choice and is located near Nemours and Winterthur. Longwood Gardens’ three restaurants are open late on the evenings with later closing times (usually Thursday-Sunday). If overnighting near Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Portabello’s is another great dinner option.

By the way, the Kennett Square region is considered the mushroom capital of the country, accounting for around two-thirds of the mushroom production. Therefore, if you’re a mushroom lover, you’re bound to find a lot of dishes prepared with mushrooms while in the area’s restaurants.

Nearby Attractions

If extending your visit to the area, consider these articles about nearby places:

• Air Mobility Command Museum , Dover

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• Covered Bridges of Bucks County
• Delaware Beach Guide
• Museum of the American Revolution , Philadelphia
• Philadelphia: A Self-Guided Walking Tour
• Tyler State Park , Bucks County
• Valley Forge National Historical Park
• Washington Crossing State Park , Bucks County

Final Thoughts

The two days that my husband and I spent exploring Longwood Gardens, Nemours Estate, and Winterthur were so relaxing and enjoyable. It was fun to walk through the creations of the three du Pont visionaries who had the forethought and ambition to create such superlative lasting legacies that subsequent generations of the public have enjoyed.

Although all three properties are special in their history and design, the Nemours Estate was like a hidden gem because it’s probably the least well-known of the three. What made that visit especially enjoyable for me was that visitors are able to tour the public rooms used for entertaining and family life on the first floor, the bedrooms upstairs, and the basement where they entertained in the bowling alley and billiards room. Beyond that, today’s visitors can walk into Alfred’s office, his exercise area and showers, and the mechanical room. You can really see all the spaces and get a good picture of everyday life for the du Pont family and their staff. Outside, of course, are the grand gardens and the chauffeur’s garage.

Incidentally, other du Pont family members have played key roles in restoring other historical properties. Montpelier, the home of James Madison (fourth American president) and his wife, Dolley outside Charlottesville, Virginia is one such place. If heading to that central Virginia area, read my detailed visitor guide of Charlottesville to help you plan your trip.

Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences from a visit to the Delaware Valley region. Your comments could help other travelers. 🙂

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90-minute tour through the old town of Winterthur

• Tips for activities in the Winterthur region
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• Tourist Information & Shop, Im Hauptbahnhof, Bahnhofpl. 7, 8400 Winterthur, Switzerland Meeting point: Tourist Information in the main train station (We ask you to arrive at the meeting point 10 minutes before the start time so that the tour can start on time.)
• Altstadt, 8400 Winterthur, Switzerland
• Wheelchair accessible
• Stroller accessible
• Service animals allowed
• Near public transportation
• Transportation is wheelchair accessible
• Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• Most travelers can participate
• This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
• This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
• This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
• All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.

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• You'll start at Tourist Information & Shop Im Hauptbahnhof, Bahnhofpl. 7, 8400 Winterthur, Switzerland Meeting point: Tourist Information in the main train station (We ask you to arrive at the meeting point 10 minutes before the start time so that the tour can start on time.) See address & details
• 1 Steinberggasse Stop: 10 minutes See details
• 2 Stadtkirche Stop: 10 minutes See details
• 3 Altstadt Stop: 30 minutes See details
• 4 Hauptbahnhof Stop: 10 minutes See details
• You'll end at Altstadt Altstadt, 8400 Winterthur, Switzerland See address & details

• thomasfritschi 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Church tower experience On a rainy day we made a tailor-made tour to cover the highlights of the old town and to see the industrial heritage of Winterthur with our Asian customers. Highlight was climbing the church tower and standing on the narrow church roof top. It had the character of a team event! Read more Written June 17, 2019
• CountryGourmetTravel 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Just a wonderful City What can I say...Winterthur is a city but at the same time a village...apart from many things that one can do around Winterthur, what I really like is the Marktgasse with all the shops and restaurants....and no cars. It is worth exploring a bit and seeing some of the Museums, it is rather a quiet town but that is just what I love One can easily get there by train and is immediately in the city center Read more Written March 15, 2019

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90-minute tour through the old town of Winterthur provided by Winterthur - Official City Tours

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Holidays at Winterthur and Longwood Gardens: Featuring Jacqueline Kennedy and H. F. du Pont: From Winterthur to the White House

In-person program, weekend tour, select your tickets.

• COVID Guidance for In-Person Tours

The Dried Flower Tree at Winterthur (Photo: Courtesy of Winterthur)

Please Note: Current CDC and Smithsonian COVID-19 guidelines (at the time of the tour) will be followed, including but not limited to masks on the bus and indoors.

Kick off your holidays in grand style with a day spent visiting two special destinations. Begin at Winterthur to view the traditional holiday décor. It’s enhanced by a tour of a special exhibition that tells the story of an unusual yet historic partnership between Jacqueline Kennedy and collector Henry Francis du Pont who was appointed in 1961 to lead the first lady’s project to restore the White House interiors. Jacqueline Kennedy and H. F. du Pont: From Winterthur to the White House includes artifacts, archives, and images that chronicle the behind-the-scenes collaboration that transformed the White House from a mere public residence into a museum—with help from some of the most celebrated interior designers of the 20th century.

Winterthur’s traditional Yuletide tour shows off the opulent holiday décor of Du Pont’s former home, including the unique dried-flower tree that features some 60 varieties of greenery and blooms.

An evening visit to nearby Longwood Gardens offers time on your own to relax, wander the grounds, and take in the spectacular seasonal decorations. The famed holiday garden light display features hundreds of sparkling snowflakes, twinkling tree forms, and illuminated fountains.

Decorative arts historian Elizabeth Lay leads the tour. Lunch is included at Winterthur; free time is allotted at Longwood Gardens to pick up a bite on your own.

General Information

• Registration for this tour will end by 2 p.m. ET on Friday, December 9, 2022.
• The tour meets at and leaves by bus from the Holiday Inn Capitol at 550 C St., S.W. (corner of 6th and C Sts.), with a pickup stop at the I-495 Exit 27 commuter parking lot at about 8:25 a.m.
• For additional tour information:
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12 Incredible Attractions. One Amazing Price.

Free things to do, read our blog, get our e-newsletter, visitors guide, discount pass, follow us #visitwilm, delaware's winterthur museum plans "follies: architectural whimsy in the garden" exhibition.

Thirteen fantastic structures—from a Gothic-inspired tower and an Ottoman tent to American summerhouses and a faerie cottage—await exploration in Follies: Architectural Whimsy in the Garden , Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library's first-ever garden exhibition, on view starting April 1, 2018. Some of the follies are newly built structures based on classic and contemporary examples at estates elsewhere. Others are historic structures currently in the garden that visitors have enjoyed for years. Together they form a delightful, entertaining, and fresh way for visitors to discover and experience the Winterthur Garden .

What is a Folly?

“I don’t know if Americans think of gazebos or summerhouses as follies,” said Chris Strand, Brown Harrington Director of Garden and Estate. “To most of us, they are a convenient place to have a picnic or sit and relax. Our founder Henry Francis du Pont was well traveled, and university educated in horticulture, and knew about follies, and their history. Working closely on the garden design with this childhood friend, noted architect Marian Coffin, he relocated a number of historic structures to Winterthur and placed them to draw attention to particular views and provide a sense of place. We hope our visitors will absorb that as they walk through the garden and are delighted by this imaginative architecture.”

The 60-acre Winterthur Garden is surrounded by nearly 1,000 acres of meadows, farmland, and waterways. The views in every direction are important to the whole. The paths are an integral part of to the overall design, curving rather than straight, following the contours of the land, passing around trees, drawing walkers into the garden. The garden itself is a perfect setting for follies.

New Follies in the Winterthur Garden

Neoclassical Folly —This structure is modeled after the portico, or entrance, to a Greek temple or public building and is a common design in garden architecture. The formality of the structure contrasts sharply with Winterthur’s meadow surrounding it.

Mirrored Folly —This mirror-clad building reflects the surrounding Pinetum and is inspired by the porte cochère (covered entrance) of Winterthur’s historic train station.

Ottoman Tent —This folly is an interpretation of a Turkish tent, reflecting the fashion for tents and other decorative arts inspired by the Ottoman Empire. Similar examples of 18th-century exotic tents can be seen in England, France, and Northern Europe, preserved in museums and gardens.

Gothic Tower —This gothic-inspired folly is similar to the towers, sham castles, and fake ruins that were very popular in European landscapes in the 1700s and 1800s. These towers would be highly visible and would give a sense of age and importance to the property.

Green Folly —Constructed using Winterthur tree trunks, beech twig thatching, and other woodland embellishments, this folly features plant materials from the Winterthur estate and was designed to reflect the spirit of the garden.

Existing Follies in the Winterthur Garden

Umbrella Seat and Pagoda Gate —Also from Latimeria, these charming objects greet visitors as they enter the garden from the path from the Visitor Center.

1750 House —Henry Francis du Pont relocated the façade of a historic house from New Castle, Delaware, to Winterthur in the 1960s. The structure presides over the Conservatory lawn and borders Azalea Woods.

Brick Lookout —This little building is an example of how Henry Francis du Pont repurposed architectural elements. It once served as a shed at the entrance court for the museum in the 1940s and 1950s. When a new brick folly was built in the 1960s and placed on Sycamore Hill, the shed’s tin roof and cast-iron eagle were moved to cap the structure.

Bristol Summerhouse —Located atop Sycamore Hill and presenting sweeping vistas of the property, this summerhouse was re-created by Henry Francis du Pont in the 1960s based on a structure he had seen at The Lindens in Bristol, Rhode Island.

Faerie Cottage —This folly is constructed with repurposed items from the estate, including iron and stone elements from earlier gardens. The Faerie Cottage is located in Enchanted Woods, a unique children’s garden created for children of all ages to enjoy and explore.

Follies: Architectural Whimsy in the Garden can be enjoyed on foot or from the garden tram. A one-mile walking loop takes approximately 45 minutes at a leisurely pace. The main path through the garden is wheelchair and stroller accessible. During the exhibition, the garden will be open until dusk.  Follies: Architectural Whimsy in the Garden will be on view from April 1, 2018, through January 5, 2020. The exhibition is presented by DuPont.

Winterthur will offer a host of special programs, lectures, tours, and other activities to complement the exhibition.

The Winterthur Garden

The 1,000-acre Winterthur estate encompasses rolling hills, streams, meadows, and forests. Founder Henry Francis du Pont (1880–1969) selected the choicest plants from around the world to enhance the natural setting, arranging them in lyrical color combinations and carefully orchestrating a succession of bloom from late January to November. Du Pont translated his love of the land into a unified work of art that embodies a romantic vision of nature’s beauty.

Winterthur—known worldwide for its preeminent collection of American decorative arts, naturalistic gardens, and research library for the study of American art and material culture—offers a variety of tours, exhibitions, programs, and activities throughout the year. General admission includes a tour of some of the most notable spaces in the 175-room house as well as access to the Winterthur Garden and Galleries, special exhibitions, a narrated tram tour (weather permitting), the Campbell Collection of Soup Tureens, and the Enchanted Woods children’s garden. $20 adults; $18 for students and seniors; $6 for ages 2–11.

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Winterthur Historic Home Tour in Delaware

A historic home tour to Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library may be a temporary cure for my pandemic woes. It is known worldwide for its preeminent collection of American decorative arts, naturalistic gardens and research library. So I head up to Winterthur during the last weekend of October, I will get a peek at 1930s life in Delaware.

Winterthur Mansion is located in Delaware.

This 175-room baronial estate showcases an unrivaled collection of American antiques. It could easily be a stop on a French chateau tour. Spanning 1,000 acres, this country home includes a 60-acre naturalistic garden as well as forest, meadows, farm land and water ways. The Galleries feature objects curated by Winterthur employees. Selections span the museum’s collection of nearly 90,000 objects featuring decorative and fine arts made or used in America from 1630 to 1860.

Table of Contents

Historic Home Tour

Although the award-winning herd of Holstein Friesian cows no longer roam the property, Winterthur helps visitors understand how Henry Francis (H. F.) and his family lived nearly a century ago. He was a scion of an American industrial family.

But a young H. F. became smitten with colonial decorative arts after visiting Electra Havemeyer Webb’s Vermont home in 1923. He saw George and Martha Washington’s 50-set china. Afterwards, he became a collector. His wife Ruth described Winterthur as “his hobby.”

However, I would describe it as an obsession. du Pont’s eclectic collection included works of art, carpets, furniture, fireplaces, china, glassware, chandeliers and architectural paneling. Perhaps the most famous architectural acquisition is the Montmorenci Stair Hall. But H. F. collected big and small objects. His passion was breadth. He never stopped collecting until his death in 1969. Many objects were purchased for low sums.

New York Times Review

Now some critics find Winterthur to be institutional. In the New York Times’ article entitled Winterthur: More Museum Than House ” (June 18, 1981), journalist Paul Goldberger described each room as a “a series of tableaux, a series of little stage sets, and not a house at all.”

But I am not sure that I agree that Winterthur is “more that of an institution than of a home.” On my historic home tour, I find du Pont’s residence is still approachable. I can picture myself reading in the Maryland Room. I’d love to sing around the piano in the Chinese Parlor. The house is cluttered with du Pont’s antiques and acquisitions. Still it still feels warm and cozy to me. It is certainly more welcoming than the displays of antique furniture at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. Here at Winterthur, my writer’s imagination takes wing. I can imagine parties, holidays and intimate soirees at this mansion.

What I think everyone will agree is that Winterthur is a living national treasure. In fact, Winterthur sponsors two graduate programs with the University of Delaware. There is the Winterthur Program in American Material Culture (WPAMC) and the Winterthur-University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation (WUDPAC). The former prepares museum curators, the latter trains conservators of works of art and cultural heritage.

Purchase of Historic Home

Winterthur is actually approaching 200 years old. His ancestor E. I. du Pont bought the four tracts of land in the Brandywine Valley of Delaware in 1810. Later it was renamed Winterthur. (The du Pont family immigrated from France in 1800.)

Winterthur mansion is named after a village in northern Switzerland, in the canton of Zurich. It was the ancestral home of Jacques Antoine Biderman. (He was the husband of Evelina née du Pont Bidermann). “Thur” is the non-traditional spelling for “through.” The village’s poetical name loosely describes a locale where you can travel “through winter.”

Autumn’s splendor is on full display.

However, I arrive on October 31. So I am traveling through autumn at Winterthur. Everywhere I look—whether from the vantage of a window, door, balcony, stair or hilltop—I see fall foliage. Towering sycamore, oaks and Japanese maples now wear a patchwork quilt of maroon, rust, orange, gold and yellow leaves. But soon it will be discarded at winter’s time. I will wander up and down these forest paths for most of my day spent at wild Winterthur gardens .

A window view of Winterthur’s gardens

I start my journey at the Visitor’s Center. The cost to buy an annual pass is $55. This means I have unlimited access for one year. (It is also a 100% tax deduction.) For those people who only want to visit once, the cheapest adult ticket costs $15 (general admission). The ticket is good for two consecutive days.

Historic Home Tour COVID Precautions

Due to COVID, Winterthur limits tickets to tour the main house. Entry is timed. Small groups are permitted to self-tour. A visitor can download the museum’s app to learn information about the individual rooms seen on the house tour. Alternatively, docents can provide a printed guide.

I took the first available timed entry at 10 a.m. to limit my exposure to other guests. We keep six feet distance at all times. I am joined by a couple from Princeton who drive down for a day’s excursion. There is a docent in each room who can answer questions. I take a leisurely tour, reading the description of the room on my free Winterthur app.

Winterthur House Tour

My tour begins in the Conservatory. The glass room features a jungle of willowy plants in all sizes and shapes. I can easily picture HF and wife Lucy enjoying afternoon tea or playing bridge on a winter afternoon. Notably, the conservatory was built in 1929. It replaced the house’s tile-roofed porte cohere. Residents and guests could get out of foul weather quickly after arrival at the estate. du Pont relocated the conservatory to the west side of the house. Guests would move into the foyer from the conservatory.

The du Pont family would entertain in the Conservatory.

Winterthur Foyer

The foyer is impressive. Historical paintings hang on the walls. But I am more interested in the family photographs set up on a table. I particularly enjoy seeing the pictures of H.F. and Ruth’s daughters, Pauline Louise and Ruth Ellen. The girls described Winterthur as “their anchor.” It was the place where the family returned each year. The du Pont family also owned homes in New York, Southampton (Long Island) and Florida’s West Coast.

Family photographs are displayed in foyer.

Winterthur Free-Flying Staircase

Winterthur’s circular staircase is one of the house’s most striking architectural features. H. F. acquired the Montmorenci Stair Hall from a Southern plantation home in North Carolina. It was rebuilt at the house. He surprised his daughters with the “elegant, free-flying staircase that replaced the marble steps” when they returned from a five-month world cruise in May 1936.

Montmorenci Stair Hall

Winterthur Marlboro Room

Sunshine is the predominant theme in the Marlboro Room thanks to a distinctive yellow wing chairs. I associated subdued colors with colonial America But the decor sings brightly like a goldfinch. I also feel the eyes of Edward Lloyd upon me. Artist Charles Wilson Peale painted this “rare” 1771 family portrait. A portrait of the elder du Pont (Pierre Samuel) hangs on another wall. He arrived in the United States on January 1, 1800

Winterthur China Hall

There is small beige room that connects H.F.’s 1930s addition with the original 50-room house which he inherited in 1926. Built-in cabinets display elegant Chinese porcelains dating back to the late 1700s.

Winterthur Chestertown Room

du Pont acquired Chippendale room woodwork dating back to 1764 to decorate this intimate room at Winterthur. The towering windows look out on the forested landscape. The chairs are also Chippendale.

Chestertown Room

Winterthur Baltimore Drawing Room

This intimate room gives a stunning view of the greenery outside the house. Large Grecian urns line the windows. The furniture is Federal-style. During World War II when the du Pont family had to close down many rooms in their mansion, this room served as the family’s living room.

Baltimore Parlor Room

Winterthur du Pont Dining Room

Many dinner parties were held in the majestic dining room. The du Ponts loved to host family and friends at their mansion in Delaware. H.F. owned 54 sets of china and 70 sets of custom-made linens. Wood burned in the elegant fireplace during the cold winter nights. Over the mantle hung the portrait of George Washington painted by Gilbert Stuart. The First President looks down upon guests in the room.

Du Pont Dining Room

Winterthur Chinese Parlor

This exotic room flaunts its finery like a peacock. The 1780s hand painted wallpaper features scenes of ancient China. Dark gold brocade curtain hang to floor. They lighten the busy walls. The Steinway grand piano is the centerpiece. It is Ruth’s beloved instrument. On the day when I visit, I can hear the piano played throughout the house. “Among my happiest family memories are hours with Mother at the piano,” recalled her daughter. She would belt “out old or new, happy or sad songs in music hall fashion.” The family also gathered in the Chinese Parlor to play backgammon and card games.

Chinese Room

My historic home tour begins and ends at the Conservatory. Through these windows, I can see the dogwood and black gum trees turning red. The oak and beech trees change to russet. The hickories and tulip poplars are now colored bright yellow. The wildflowers, spicebush and fern line the woodland floor. Winterthur catalogs what is in bloom throughout the year on its website garden blog. You can also find photos and videos its social media channels. I highly recommend subscribing to Winterthur’s Instagram page to see the daily posts. My favorites are always garden photographs.

Winterthur bewitched me. This is more than just a country home in Delaware. It is a haven. If I lived nearer than my 2.5-hour drive from Washington, DC, I would visit Winterthur regularly. This is a place that calms the spirit. You can lose yourself just meandering down paths through Oak Hill, Quarry Garden, Sycamore Hill, Icewell Terrace, Winterhazel Walk and Magnolia Bend. Winterthur host a monthly walk with Chris Strand, Director of Garden & Estate. He helps guests discover landscape architect Marian Coffin’s important work in developing Winterthur’s garden.

It is said when asked why he chose to turn Winterthur into a museum, du Pont responded: “ Because in fifty years nobody will know what a country place was. ”

Description

Winterthur offers a variety of tours, exhibitions, programs, and activities throughout the year. General admission includes a tour of some of the most notable spaces in Henry Francis du Pont’s former home as well as access to the Winterthur Garden and Galleries, special exhibitions, a narrated tram tour (weather permitting), the Campbell Collection of Soup Tureens, and the Enchanted Woods children’s garden.

Winterthur 5105 Kennett Pike (Route 52) Winterthur, DE 19735

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Terri Markle

Terri Markle loves to travel and share her adventures, whether solo treks in Washington, DC or somewhere around the world.

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I just love touring old homes. That hand-painted wallpaper is STUNNING. Fantastic read! I’ve pinned it for when I’m able to travel again (soon, I hope).

Living in Savannah, I know you must love historic homes! I can’t wait to visit Savannah in 2021. Thanks for reading Erin!

Beautiful and inspiring! Thank you Terri! I hope to follow on your foot steps soon! Irma

Maybe the next time you visit MD, we can drive up together to tour Winterthur! You would love the gardens, Irma.

Love a good historic home, particularly with that beautiful fall foliage peeping out those windows. Great post!

Interesting post! It’s so unusual to see such a new/modern home open to the public as a museum like this – the interiors are beautiful and I’d prefer that to all the ancient ones we have here in the UK!

Ahh the differences between the U.K. and America – a 100-year-old home is historic for us, but it is new construction for Brits. I love visiting your old castles when I travel to UK!

Katie Diederichs

What a beautiful estate! I love seeing preserved homes like this because the houses we have today are so different. It’s kind of fun trying to imagine what life would have been like living in a place like this! Do they decorate it for Christmas? Some of the historic homes I’ve seen put up decor at the holidays which I imagine would be beautiful!

Winterthur at Christmas includes the decoration of the house as well as outdoor illuminations. I hope to come back in December to see it.

Oooh what a beautiful home! I see what you mean, Winterthur may have been a hobby, but they ended up with a beautiful art-filled home! Can you wander around the gardens as well? They all look beautiful.

The gardens are the best part of Winterthur. I actually spent three hours after my tour of the house investigating the grounds. I will publish a separate article on the gardens Josy.

Love this! I enjoy touring eststes and old homes, this one is on my list now. I love the pics – they definitely help to show the beauty of the home.

Ann thank you so much for the compliments on the photos. I worked really hard to try to capture the essence of Winterthur through its diverse rooms.

Based on your review we booked tickets to Winterthur for tomorrow. Any other must sees in the area?

If you can get tickets, visit Longwood Gardens.

We would have loved to but owing to covid we can’t get into PA without current corona testing. We had a lovely day yesterday, thanks!

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Home » Travel Guides » Switzerland » 15 Best Things to Do in Winterthur (Switzerland)

15 Best Things to Do in Winterthur (Switzerland)

Less than half an hour from Zürich , Winterthur is a mid-sized in the north of Switzerland . Traditionally Winterthur was an industrial hub. Not a lot of tourists come here, and the city is known mostly for its high-tech manufacturing sector. But you’d be missing out if you don’t spend a day or two, especially if you’re an art fan.

There are 17 museums, most in the gigantic pedestrian zone in the centre. And you can thank the 20th-century art collector Oskar Reinhart for endowing Winterthur with a hoard of invaluable Romantic and Impressionist art. Kids won’t be left out, as the Technorama is an interactive science museum without equal, and Kyburg Castle is crammed with grisly medieval fun like torture chambers and an armoury.

Let’s explore the best things to do in Winterthur :

1. Technorama

A science museum without equal in Switzerland, Technorama is the ultimate hands-on learning experience.

Inside and out are more than 500 experiments to watch and take part in.

These showing with ingenious simplicity how natural phenomena and technology work.

Kids are constantly encouraged to get involved, creating their own cyclones, making paperclips levitate through magnetism, solving fun mathematics puzzles and even tackling more advanced topics like calculus using a laser game.

Both kids and adults will be transfixed by the labyrinthine ball runs, made only from wood and with crazy systems of ramps and pulleys.

2. Oskar Reinhart Collection – Am Römerholz

When he died in 1965 the art patron and collector Oskar Reinhart left his rich stash of art to the city.

A big portion of this is at a plush house in woodland to the north of Winterthur, up the hill and blessed with panoramic views.

Reinhart had an eye for French 19th-century art, and the array of works he gathered is almost unbelievable.

In the galleries you’ll be greeted by paintings by Monet, van Gogh, Degas, Delacroix, Sisley, Courbet, Camille Corot, Renoir, Manet and Cézanne, to name just a few.

And as if that wasn’t enough, there are also older paintings by masters like Goya, Rubens, Brueghel and Hans Holbein.

3. Oskar Reinhart Museum

Reinhart’s collection was so vast that it couldn’t all fit into one museum, so there’s another building under the same umbrella.

You’ll find it on the edge of the Stadtgarten in a former grammar school, and comprising the various donations he made to the city while he was still alive.

The collection is by artists from the Low Countries, Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Some names you may be familiar with are Ferdinand Hodler, Carl Spitzweg and Caspar David Friedrich.

The crowning work is Friedrich’s Kreidefelsen auf Rügen (Chalk Cliffs on Rügen), one of the seminal paintings of the Romantic period.

4. Fotomuseum Winterthur

In a former factory, this celebrated museum and the Fotostiftung Schweiz next door amounts to a centre of excellence for Swiss Photography.

There are constant temporary exhibitions, many organised by the foundation and presenting world-renowned photographers like Robert Frank and Nan Goldin.

The museum’s permanent collection is enthralling, because it approaches photography as an art-form, with work by Vanessa Beecroft, Larry Clark, Hans Danuser, Nobuyoshi Araki and Paul Graham.

But it also handles photography as a functional medium and has a huge archive of images for fields like architecture, fashion, engineering, forensics and medicine.

5. Kunstmuseum Winterthur

The cultural feast continues at the city’s art museum, in a 100-year-old edifice that also houses the Naturmuseum and Research Library.

Even if you’ve been to both Oskar Reinhart locations, you have to make space in your plans for this museum.

There’s more Impressionist art waiting for you, by yet more famous painters like van Gogh, Monet, Cézanne and Sisley.

A modern wing was unveiled in 1995 and has art by Ellsworth Kelly, Pia Fries and Mark Tobey.

Early 20th century movements like Cubism and Expressionism are also well-represented by Picasso, Fernand Léger, Kandinsky, Le Corbusier and Mondrian.

Finally, Giacometti and Delacroix dominate the museum’s sculpture gallery.

6. Kyburg Castle

A Swiss heritage site, Kyburg Castle reigns from its perch above the Töss River.

The castle’s architecture is from between the 14th and 16th centuries, when it was first the seat of the Counts of Kyburg and then a Habsburg property.

From around the 15th century to the end of the 1700s, this was the residence of the regional governor, and the updated museum has insights into his life and role.

You can tour the original dungeons, a medieval kitchen, armoury and a beautiful chapel with 15th-century frescoes.

Kids will be able to get involved, testing a medieval bed, smelling historic spices in the kitchen and even donning a suit of armour.

7. Marktgasse

Although it doesn’t have the big name sights of other Swiss cities, the centre of Winterthur definitely merits a self-guided tour.

Practically all of the old town is pedestrianised, and cafes and restaurants spill out onto the streets in summer, and there are some intriguing side allies to investigate.

It all adds up to Switzerland’s largest pedestrian zone, and at the heart of this district is the busy Marktgasse where you can sample the ambience of the city.

If you’re up for a shopping expedition this is where you want be, as all the Swiss and international chains are on this animated thoroughfare.

8. Wildpark Bruderhaus

This animal park on Eschenburg, a forest-covered hill on the southern fringe of the city, is top of the list for family outings from Winterthur.

The park has mostly European species like wild boars, fallow deer, red deer, mouflons, bison, wolves and lynxes living in large habitats.

There’s also a herd of sika deer, a species most commonly found in Japan.

There’s a bus service to and from the park on Line 12 between March and November.

And the great news for parents is that the park is completely free.

Pack a picnic or something to grill on the barbecue, or grab a bite the park’s cafe/restaurant.

9. Naturmuseum

Sharing the same location as the Kunstmuseum, Winterthur’s Natural History Museum documents the native fauna and flora in the North of Switzerland.

The trove of old specimens and taxidermies dates back more than a century, and a decade ago this was dusted off and reconfigured in new, more engaging galleries.

Children are now given more opportunities to participate: Youngsters can even use a tablet computer and try to earn “learning points” at different points around the museum with the help of a cartoon character.

If they complete the tour they’ll earn a “fossil hunter’s diploma”.

10. Rosengarten

Winterthur’s rose garden is a fragrant haven a short walk from the old centre.

The garden is on Heiligberg, a tall rise to the south of the old town and was planted in 1964 when the city celebrated its 700th anniversary.

There are 2,900 rosebushes in the garden, from almost 300 varieties, many of which are historic cultivars.

Naturally the rose garden is a seasonal pleasure, best visited in June and July.

But no matter the time of year there’s always a rewarding view of Winterthur and its hilly backdrop.

11. Stadtkirche

Winterthur’s Stadkirche has been the site of a church of some description since the 700s.

The building here now is a melange of architecture from different periods.

The oldest part is the Romanesque-Gothic choir from the 12th century, while the two towers were completed in the 14th century (North) and 15th century (South). The simple facade gives way to a very colourful interior, as the walls were painted in an Expressionist style in the 1920s by artist Paul Zehnder.

A lot of the church’s ornamentation was removed in the Reformation in the 16th century.

But there’s a ledger stone for Elsbeth von Bach a 15th-century patroness of the city and the 17th-century Baroque baptismal font deserves a moment.

12. Gewerbemuseum

Translating to “Museum of Applied Art and Design”, this museum explores the common ground between industrial production, art, crafts and design.

The attraction is known for its innovative temporary exhibitions that run the full gamut of design and production, documenting clever everyday items or whimsical artistic concepts.

Recent exhibitions have dealt with industrial design in the sex industry, and the technical wonders behind of everyday objects.

The venue is a grand former girls’ school, built in the middle of the 19th century.

The building also contains the exceptional Kellenberger Collection, which has clocks from the 16th and 17th centuries.

When Winterthur’s residents want to unwind and reflect they make for the city’s favourite scenic lookout on Goldenberg.

From this tree-lined belvedere surrounded by vineyards you can pick out the landmarks on Winterthur’s skyline and watch the sun setting behind the city.

You can get there on foot via a stiff trail from Rychenbergstrasse.

Once you make it to the top you could reward yourself with a meal at the Restaurant Goldenberg.

In summer people dine alfresco on the terrace, while in winter there’s also a clear view from the warmth of the interior.

14. Münzkabinett und Antikensammlung

On weekends and Monday and Thursday afternoons you can view a remarkable coin and antiquity collection owned by the city.

The origins of the Münzkabinett (coin collection) can be traced back to the 17th century and it now counts more than 55,000 pieces.

At the core of the collection are coins from the Roman and Byzantine Empires, but there are also Swiss medals and coins from medieval times to the 20th century.

Among the museum’s 1,600 ancient artefacts you can admire vases and glassware from Ancient Greece and Rome.

It’s all found in Villa Bühler, an exquisite 19th-century mansion on the edge of the old town.

15. Rhine Falls

Europe’s largest waterfall is around 20 minutes up the road from Winterthur and right on the Swiss-German border.

The appeal isn’t so much in the height of the waterfall; it’s all about the power of the Rhine as it roars over this 23-metre drop, 150 metres across.

Summer is when the river is wildest and when 600 cubic metres of water per second cascade down the falls.

The noise it generates is awesome, and there are a few vantage points on the shore reached by paths and an elevator down the side of the falls.

One of these was chosen by J.M.W . Turner when he painted this scene in the 19th century.

Neuhausen am Rheinfall is the embarkation point for a range of boat tours, which take you to the base of the falls where force of the water pushes the vessels back downstream.

15 Best Things to Do in Winterthur (Switzerland):

• Oskar Reinhart Collection - Am Römerholz
• Oskar Reinhart Museum
• Fotomuseum Winterthur
• Kunstmuseum Winterthur
• Kyburg Castle
• Wildpark Bruderhaus
• Naturmuseum
• Rosengarten
• Stadtkirche
• Gewerbemuseum
• Münzkabinett und Antikensammlung
• Rhine Falls

The Grand Tour of Switzerland

Geneva to Zurich

6 nights | 7 days or 9 nights | 10 days

20 to 120km daily

300 to 2050m daily

14 Jun 2024 - 23 Jun 2024 / 27 Sep 2024 - 6 Oct 2024

Experience an incredible journey that follows the most beautiful places in Switzerland - riding on quiet roads from hotel to hotel; discovering the lakes, vineyards, hills and a couple of epic passes; cows and bells; cheese and chocolate; local traditions, the unique history, music and much more... Be amazed by surprising Switzerland, it’s a cycling paradise with so much to offer.

This tour is designed to enjoy the best rides from town to town and around majestic cities. Riding between 10 to 120 km per day, you will have the best opportunity to get to know Switzerland. Whilst we’ll get immersed in the heart of the cheese and chocolate country, we’ll ride at our own pace along roads lined with green pastures with cows, views of the lakes and vineyards and the best mountain climbs the region has to offer.

Highlights of the tour include a great start from Geneva and a tour in the old town, a beautiful ride along lac Leman, Lac Neuchâtel and Lac Bienne on our way to the charming Swiss capital, Bern. Enjoy the blue colour of the Thunersee on the way to Interlaken. We’ll ride on one of the most amazing cycle routes on earth - Lauterbrunnen, with endless waterfalls, several glaciers, alpine meadows and towering peaks, and finally the villages, Wengen and Mürren perched on the side of mountains. We’ll also climb up the mighty Grosse Scheidegg, with stunning views of the famous Eiger North Face and the Jungfraujoch. We’ll reach beautiful Luzern and then cosmopolitan Zurich, Switzerland’s financial capital. Those that have chosen the extension, will continue onto the cities of St. Gallen, Konstanz, Schaffhausen, Winterthur to finish again in the beautiful city of Zurich.

We promise that the Grand Tour of Switzerland will blow you away!

Make it private/custom: Any date between May 15 and October 15, a group of 5 people minimum (For fewer people get in touch).

Total price: FROM 4,190 CHF

• Ride some of the best roads of Switzerland, an underrated cycling paradise
• Discover the rolling hills, charming villages and lakes of northern Switzerland
• Excellent roads with minimal traffic in breathtaking historical places and landscapes
• Visit the most beautiful and well-known cities and attractions in Switzerland like Geneva, Bern, Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen, Luzern, Zurich and many others.
• Carefully selected 4-star hotels and outstanding food
• Bike rental available (carbon frame and Shimano Ultegra or equivalent) available
• Expert planning and support from our Swiss-based team (guides, mechanics, drivers)
• Maximum group size of 14 (max client to guide ratio 7:1)

DAY 1 - FRIDAY , ARRIVAL

ARRIVAL - ​BIENVENUE EN SUISSE!

Upon your arrival, we will be waiting to welcome you at Geneva Airport. After your check in, we will help you to settle in and prepare your bike. You can then join us for a short optional ride to test the bikes on the shore of the Lac Leman (Lake Geneva). We will join you for dinner in the beautiful old town of Geneva and discuss the plans for the weekend while tasting the wonderful local cuisine.

DAY 2 - SATURDAY

GENEVA TO NEUCHATEL

120 km / 950 m

Today we start our adventure, guiding you on a beautiful lake and rural route along quiet roads leading through the medieval towns of Nyon, Rolle and Aubonne, which are found between Lac Leman, the La Côte AOC vineyards and the sub-alpine Jura Mountains. Lunch will be found at Yverdon-les-Bains and then we’ll ride around Lac Neuchatel to the old town of Neuchatel where you can relax and enjoy the lake and mountain views or opt to explore this medieval city.

DAY 3 - SUNDAY

NEUCHATEL TO BERN

86 km / 1,500 m

After our delicious breakfast on the terrace overlooking Lac Neuchatel, we’ll start with the ascent from Saint-Blaise to Col du Chasseral. A climb not to be underestimated, and the reward at the top is simple breathtaking. Back on the road, we will have a long descent to the beautiful city of Bienne / Biel. From here it is a group ride on undulating terrain to our hotel in Switzerland’s capital city Bern. In beautiful Bern, we will have time to rest, explore and discover this charming and capital – the bear pit as well!

DAY 4 - MONDAY

BERN, INTERLAKEN & LAUTERBRUNNEN

95 km / 800 m

Today is one of the most beautiful rides of the entire tour. From Bern we’ll ride beside the Aare River to Thun and the blue Thunersee and then onward to Spiez, for lunch and take in the splendour of the combined mountains, glaciers and lake view. On towards Interlaken, and we’ll turn onto a no traffic zone along THE MOST BEAUTIFUL route in Switzerland, through Lauterbrunnen. A stunning valley filled with waterfalls, mountains and glaciers. After that assault on the senses, we’ll return to Interlaken and our hotel to refresh, relax or swim in the lake.

DAY 5 - TUESDAY

INTERLAKEN, THE GROSSE SCHEIDEGG & LUZERN

100 km / 2,050 m

We’ll set out from Interlaken to climb the legendary Grosse Scheidegg, starting the real climb right after Grindelwald. The Grosse Scheidegg is closed to traffic and offers a breathtaking view of the famous Eiger North Face. Once we have reached the top of the climb, we will enjoy the magnificent view and then make the beautiful descent into Meiringen. We’ll follow that with a cycle up to the Brünig Pass and then follow a beautiful bike path to Luzern. At the hotel you can enjoy a rest, explore beautiful Luzern and then devour a well deserved and delicious dinner.

DAY 6 - WEDNESDAY

LUZERN TO ZURICH

112 km / 1,100 m

After breakfast, we’ll start riding around Vierwaldstättersee, (Lake Luzern). It's the fourth largest lake in Switzerland and borders 4 cantons. A bike path with incredible views allows us to ride safely and appreciate the colours of the lakes, the picturesque landscapes and villages. Afterwards, there is undulating terrain to reach Zürichsee and into the beautiful and busy city of Zurich.

Many activities, music, culture and history await us here - a full cultural experience.

DAY 7 - THURSDAY

DEPARTURE OR ZURICH TO ST. GALLEN

120 km / 1,600 m

If you opted for the shorter tour version, we will sadly help you transfer to Zurich Airport.

For those on the longer version, we’ll start by riding beside Zürichsee and then east towards eastern Switzerland. On the way we will pass through Wattwill along undulating terrain and views to Iberg Castle in St Gallen.

Once in St Gallen, we encourage you to explore this medieval city which was founded in the 8 th Century. We highly recommend the UNESCO listed St Gallen Abbey precinct including the Baroque Abbey Library and Hall to blow your mind. The library houses one of the oldest and richest collections of literature in the world.

DAY 8 - FRIDAY

ST. GALLEN, KONSTANZ & SCHAFFHAUSEN

95 km / 300 m

During today´s ride, you will have the opportunity to visit some incredibly special and beautiful places of northern Switzerland. We’ll descend to Bodensee (Lake Constance) and ride along the shores and through several picturesque towns and stop near Kreuzlingen for lunch. Then we’ll continue along the lake shore to beautiful Stein am Rhein and onto the cycle path beside the Rhine River to our hotel in Schaffhausen.

Make sure to visit Neuhausen am Rheinfall, the most powerful waterfall in Europe!

DAY 9 - SATURDAY

SCHAFFHAUSEN, WINTERTHUR & ZURICH

70 km / 380 m

Today we will have the shortest ride of the tour, so we can enjoy a peaceful and beautiful ride from Schaffhausen and explore our destination, Zurich. We will pass through the famous cultural town of Winterthur, home to 17 museums and an extensive and beautiful old town. After a break here, we’ll continue to our hotel in Zurich. You will have plenty of free time to explore and shop in hip Zurich before we regroup for our last dinner together in the old town.

DAY 10 - SUNDAY, DEPARTURE

ZURICH - AUF WIEDERSEHEN!

Already our Grand Tour of Switzerland has come to an end. Switzerland is more than just mountains, chocolate, watches and banks! After a last coffee and breakfast overlooking the beautiful mountains, we will transfer you to Zurich Airport and we wish you a pleasant journey back to family and friends.

We hope you will return to find more hidden Swiss surprises with Grand Tours Project in the near future.

Stunning landscapes, challenging climbs and undulating safe routes, great photo opportunities, new friends, pure air and time away from your smartphone - all guaranteed when riding with us!

The following is also included:.

• 6 nights or 9 nights accommodation in hotels hand picked by our experienced team
• All meals (breakfast/ dinner)
• Picnic lunches during rides
• Energy nutrition
• Knowledgeable and experienced guide(s)
• Fully supported tour with vehicle and mechanic
• Cleaning kit and tool kit available for use
• Grand Tours Project cycling kit
• Road book including all the details you need to know on your trip
• Gpx files - for Garmin device upload
• Transfers from and to airport, within a predefined time window

What's Not Included?

• Flights / transportation to the defined pick-up/drop-off locations
• Travel insurance
• Alcoholic drinks
• Bike rental (carbon frame and Shimano Ultegra or equivalent) available on request

If you like the look of this tour but the dates don't work; or you want to share it exclusively with your family and friends, then it couldn’t be easier to simply make it private!

• You can make it private starting from 2 People *Additional fee would be applied.
• Are you organising it and do you have a large group? With a minimum of 6 people, the organizer gets a 20% discount on the trip price.

What's included:

• Everything that is included in the public trip. The difference is that it's all exclusive to your group!

How to book a private trip:

• Get in touch with our team here . Remember to state the tour, the number of people and your desired dates. Our team will take it from there!

We look forward to riding with you!

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You can also take our trips as private tours, corporate tours or have a go on a customized trip designed just for you.

Day Trip: Winterthur

How Do I Get to Winterthur?

“Winti”, as the locals affectionately call the city, is easiest to reach by train. The journey from Zurich Main Station to Winterthur takes just 20 minutes. Those who prefer a more sporty option can cycle to Winterthur along the SwitzerlandMobility Route 45.

• Search for Connection (sbb.ch)

Some Impressions of Winterthur:

Winterthur’s picturesque Old Town invites visitors to stroll, enjoy a coffee, and shop.

But that’s not all! During the “Musikfestwochen”, Steinberggasse (pictured here) is transformed ...

... into an up-beat open-air backdrop with a unique atmosphere.

The Kunst Museum Winterthur unites three top-class art museums.

One of them is the Reinhart am Stadtgarten, whose collection enchants art lovers.

In the imposing Kyburg Castle, guests of all ages can delve into the world of the Middle Ages.

Open Your Eyes

The Fotomuseum Winterthur presents photography and visual culture in a series of temporary exhibitions devoted to individual artists and group shows. It also examines photographic phenomena in the context of new technologies. Since 2002, the museum – which was founded in 1993 – together with Fotostiftung Schweiz have formed the Fotozentrum, Switzerland’s leading center of expertise for photography.

Gastro Tip:

Guests who would like a light snack or drink before, during or after their museum visit should check out the in-house Bistro George.

Bistro George

World-class art in Winterthur: the Oskar Reinhart Collection housed in Reinhart’s villa, “Am Römerholz”, is a real gem in the Swiss art world. The main emphasis is on French Impressionism and its immediate predecessors. In addition, one of the finest collections of modern art in Switzerland can be found in the Kunst Museum Winterthur, which comprises three different museums. The collection encompasses works from the 17th century to the present day.

• Oskar Reinhart Collection
• Villa Flora
• Kunst Museum Winterthur / Reinhart am Stadtgarten
• Kunst Museum Winterthur / Beim Stadthaus

City of Gardens

Winterthur is also known as the “Garden City” due to its numerous gardens and parks. Often they are villa gardens and landscaped parks that were created in bygone times by wealthy industrialists. Today, many of them are public parks that are accessible to everyone.

Here Are the Parks:

All of Winterthur's parks are included in this list. In addition, a map shows where each garden and/or park is located.

To the Park Map

There’s Always Something Going On in Winterthur

Winterthur attracts visitors from all over Switzerland with these annual events:

Afro-Pfingsten

Lively and cosmopolitan: during the Pentecost weekend, everything in Winterthur revolves around African and African-American cultures.

On the last weekend in June, Winterthur is in a festive mood; the “Albanifest” city festival features concerts, carnival rides, street food, and various events.

Winterthurer Musikfestwochen

10 days of free live concerts + three fantastic final evenings = Winterthur Music Festival.

International Short Film Festival Winterthur

Winterthur attracts thousands of movie fans with this international festival for short films.

The Old, Newly Staged

In the place where locomotives and steam engines were once built, creative urbanity now reigns: here, between the modern and the old, students, designers, entrepreneurs, and residents find the ideal breeding ground for pioneering ideas.

Discover the site on a guided tour (in German): Guided tour Sulzerareal

And directly next door is the first tee of the on-trend sport, urban golf:

Urban Golf Course

Also to Be Found in Winterthur:

Casinotheater Winterthur

An enjoyable evening is guaranteed at the Casinotheater Winterthur thanks to the comedy and cabaret program.

Skills Park Winterthur

In the multisport hall, children and young people can let off steam with all kinds of activities.

The exciting experiments at the Technorama Winterthur are not just aimed at children.

Tourist Information Winterthur

Naturmuseum Winterthur

At the Nature Museum, discoverers both big and small can explore the natural world.

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360-degree Panoramic Virtual Tour

Image Caption: Shop Lane, Baltimore Shop 08/14/2012, Edited by James Schneck

Explore dozens of Winterthur’s iconic rooms and acres of stunning Brandywine Valley landscape through Winterthur’s 360-degree panoramic virtual tour ! Zoom in close to examine Winterthur’s unparalleled collection of American decorative arts and significant architectural elements, or take a wider view of the gorgeous landscape.

You are in control of the tour. Use your mouse, trackpad, or finger to move left or right and up and down.

Some of the rooms in the tour may not be currently open to the public, so the virtual tour gives you unparalleled access and convenience. Get a taste of what Winterthur has to offer and then book a visit to see it all in person!