Nestled alongside France, Germany, and Italy, Switzerland has the appearance of being rather small. Despite its comparatively small size, the wealth of options to encompass your time really are endless. The ease of transportation throughout the country lends itself to readily explore many locations. Switzerland can be the perfect location for all types of travelers. Families will find parks and many child friendly activities. Solo travelers will thrive on a safe environment to explore the beauty of nature. Couples will find plenty of adventure and romantic pursuits. A 10 day Switzerland itinerary is the perfect time frame to curate your ideal trip.
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Getting There
When traveling from the United States, Zurich is the easiest point of entry. If you travel from within Europe, Geneva presents another option. Many of the American carriers have direct flights into Zurich. I utilize google flights to get an idea for what routes and carriers might work best for my travel. You can easily plan an itinerary by landing in either city. The driving distance between Geneva and Zurich is just over three hours with plenty of amazing places to see in between.
Both airports have convenient on site rental car services. Flights from the United States oftentimes arrive in the morning allowing travelers to maximize their first day by beginning their road or train journey versus starting with a luxurious hotel stay in Zurich or Geneva. Below, I have included more about the rental car process and transportation.
Transportation
One of the things that I loved about Switzerland was the ease of getting around. There are several modes of transportation to consider. During my visit, I rented a car from the Zurich airport. I found the freedom of having a car to be beneficial. If you prefer not to rent, the train system throughout the country is extensive. Here are some things to consider in order to make the best decision.
Renting a car from the Zurich airpot is rather easy. Driving in the country is not problematic. That being said, I do not recommend driving in the larger cities like Zurich and Geneva. The biggest mistakes that I made when renting a car were related to driving in Zurich and Geneva. In Zurich, I made the mistake of not returning the car prior to spending time in the city. Driving in Zurich was more stressful, and it can be difficult to access hotels and park. In Geneva, I forgot to let the hotel know that we were traveling with a car. Therefore, I did not have a parking spot reserved with the hotel. This led to us parking in a garage that wasn’t terribly close to our hotel.
I would not hesitate to rent a car on a future visit to Switzerland and simply avoid driving in the major cities. You can search your rental options here via Kayak in order to compare prices from popular car rental companies.
Outside of car rental, the Swiss Travel Pass is your best option that allows for unlimited travel on public transport including train, bus, and boat. This pass allows you to choose the number of days that you would like along with first versus second class of travel. In addition to transportation, it also gains you access to over 500 museums, discounted city tours, a 50% discount on most mountain railways like Matterhorn glacier paradise, and it includes panoramic trains such as the Bernina Express or Glacier Express. Children up to 15 years of age travel free with their parents! If you are not renting a car, this is the best way to travel around Switzerland.
Cities & Sample Itineraries
The following cities and sample itineraries are designed for travelers that are visiting during the spring/summer/early fall as opposed to colder winter months. It does not include information about skiing. Here are some unforgettable places to consider adding to your travels to help curate your perfect 10 day itinerary.
Gruyères. This charming, medieval town is located to the south and west of Zurich. The driving time is approximately two hours from Zurich. It allows for a great place to stop on your way to Montreux and Lausanne. As you might imagine, this city is famous for being the home of gruyères cheese. The village is car free and you will find plenty of parking before making a bit of an uphill jaunt into the town. I found wandering slowly through town, the Gruyère Castle, and the HR Giger museum to be the main attractions. Also, La Maison du Gruyère is a dairy “museum” of sorts just outside of the main town that is worth stopping at during your visit.
Montreux. Montreux is a lovely town on the shore of Lake Geneva. It is somewhat Monaco reminiscent with a large casino also lakefront. The Fairmont property here is rather spectacular and being a loyalty member with Accor is actually what prompted me to add Montreux to my itinerary. From this hotel, you have easy access to the pathway that takes you around the lake. The scenery is breathtaking with statues and art pieces scattered along the lakeside walk. Not far away is the Castle de Chillon, which I definitely recommend visiting. Also, walk to the picturesque old town for more exploring.
Lausanne. This town is yet another beautiful place on the shore of Lake Geneva. It has many attractions to offer visitors such as the Olympic Museum, the Cathedrale de Lausanne, and one of Europe’s largest freshwater aquariums. Finally, Lausanne is a great access point to the UNESCO world heritage terraced vineyards of Lavaux. This is an easy day trip from Lausanne.
The vineyards of Lavaux are breathtaking and, in my opinion, a place not to miss! You may have noticed that Swiss wines outside of Switzerland are quite hard to come across. The Swiss do a fantastic job of keeping their product within the country. When visiting the terraced vineyards, there are small villages that are delightfully quaint. One of them is Saint Saphorin. I stumbled across this town on my visit, and it is just lovely. Consider including it while visiting the vineyards. If you want to try a number of different vines, visit the Lavaux vinorama. This gives you a look at different varietals. For a full experience at the vineyards plus a visit to Chillon Castle, consider this option from Get Your Guide where they take care of the planning and you are along for the ride.
If you want to stay in Lausanne, Beau Rivage Palace is a luxurious option. It is regal, traditional, and stately in appearance. I drove to Geneva for an overnight stay and regretted not staying in Lausanne.
Geneva. Geneva could be the perfect start or end of your trip throughout Switzerland. It is a large city so it didn’t quite carry the charm and appeal that many of the other places listed have to offer. I wouldn’t plan on spending a significant amount of time here. If you are spending an overnight here, there are plenty of food options to explore. There is also plenty of shopping in Geneva; however, I found Switzerland to be more expensive and the tax free to be not as advantageous as other European countries.
Bern. Bern is known for its medieval old town which is also a UNESCO world heritage site. The old town is primarily car free, so I parked my rental near the train station and walked with my luggage to the hotel. This city offers a lot to see such as the Bear park, clock tower, rose garden, Einstein museum, and beautiful views from the top of the Bern Cathedral. For dinner, a reservation at the Kornhauskeller is an absolute must. The inside of this restaurant is stunning. Bern is such an easy city to traverse on foot and a wonderful addition to your travels. Consider the Hotel Schweizerhof or the Bellevue Palace Hotel for your overnight in Bern.
Lauterbrunnen. I have to admit Lauterbrunnen was an Instagram find that just seemed to get more famous. The beautiful waterfall and scenery really caught my attention and this hype caused me to add Lauterbrunnen to my Switzerland itinerary. For me, Lauterbrunnen fell a little flat. Perhaps the cloudy and rainy weather put a slight damper on the day, but I found the small town to be a little dull compared to the other places that I visited. If it works to drive through here on your trip, I think it is worth a short stop. I wouldn’t plan on spending any longer than a half day in Lauterbrunnen.
For another option, you can travel from Zurich for a day trip to visit Grindelwald, Interlaken, and Lauterbrunnen with Get Your Guide. A guided tour might be the best way to explore all three of these beauties in one day. If you are hesitant to rent a car, this presents another great option to venture outside of the city at a great price.
Lucerne. You really cannot deny the beauty of the lakeside cities. Lucerne is another scenic place to visit. Recently, an acquaintance of mine commented on his two weeks travels through Europe that Lucerne was his favorite. Here you will find a little of everything including the largely car free old town, mountain access / hiking trails, the gorgeous lake, and the landmark Chapel Bridge.
If you are a fan of cable cars, this might be the place to have your cable car experience. The CabriO aerial cableway has an open roof deck available for you to truly feel the wind in your hair as you view the beauty of nature. Also, you can use your Swiss travel passes to ride the CabriO.
Regensburg. This small municipality near Zurich is quaint and memorable. You should absolutely visit Regensburg with one qualifier. You must stay at Krone Regensburg. This Relais and Chateaux property was one of the most pleasant surprises of my travels to Switzerland, and I stumbled upon it by sheer luck. I was looking for a property close to Zurich to add to my itinerary. Here you will find yourself about 30 minutes from Zurich, but it feels like paradise. If you want something cozy and quiet, this is the place. One day is more than adequate for your stay.
Explore the town on food when you arrive before you make your way back to the hotel for your coursed meal at their restaurant. The intimate experience shared with the few other guests starts outside with an aperitif and initial food courses. You are then escorted to your table inside to watch the sunset and enjoy the remainder of the meal. As the wax burned on the tall candles inside, I found myself never wanting the meal to end.
Zurich. I will liken time in Zurich to that of Geneva. This is a big city that is worth a short visit, but it is not a place that you want to spend an entire week. If you want to be in the heart of the city, I loved staying at The Storchen. This property is right in old town with a lovely rooftop bar and plenty to access on foot. For the ideal option to experience all of Zurich, take this tour that includes a city tour, boat cruise, and visit to Lindt.
If you don’t want to venture into the heart of Zurich, but you would like a place to stay at the beginning and end of your travel across Switzerland consider The Dolder Grand. The Dolder Grand is the perfect place to relax after landing in Zurich or unwind after 10 days on the road exploring. It is a destination in and of itself with an art collection, fabulous spa, and The Restaurant. The Restaurant has acquired two Michelin stars and offers a coursed menu for a very formal meal. The Dolder Grand will not leave you bored.
Sample 10 Days in Switzerland
Day one. Land in Zurich and travel to Gruyéres spending half day sightseeing. Evening in Montreaux.
Day two. Montreaux with overnight
Day three. Lausanne versus Crans Montana. If you wanted to extend your time further here, you could travel from Crans Montana to Zermatt. This is home to the famous Matterhorn glacier.
Day four. Lausanne with overnight
Day five. Bern with overnight
Day six. Half day Bern and travel to Lucerne. If you want to add Lauterbrunnen, it is 1 hour from Bern. Also consider Grindelwald or Interlaken as day trips both with close proximity to Lauterbrunnen. Travel in evening to Lucerne for overnight.
Day seven. Lucerne with overnight
Day eight. Spend AM in Lucerne then travel to Regensberg for overnight
Day nine. Zurich or make The Dolder Grand your destination. The Dolder Grand is 18 minutes from the Zurich airport.
Day ten. Travel day
Where to Stay
Switzerland offers some truly incredible luxury hotels. I wanted to include some of my personal favorites that are worthy of planning your trip around. Trust me when I say these are worth the splurge. I have personally stayed at all of these hotels and want to offer my opinion of each. When creating your perfect itinerary, don’t forget that these hotels alone can be your destination.
Park Hotel Vitznau. For years, I dreamed about staying at the Park Hotel Vitznau. My expectations were high, and the Park Hotel Vitznau most definitely delivered. I can say with confidence that I have found only one hotel that even comes close to rivaling the Park Hotel Vitznau. This “spa hotel” offers nothing short of pampering and luxury. From the painted elevator banks to the spa amenities to their impressive wine collection, you will want to check in early and check out late. This hotel should be on your list of destinations. If you want to learn more, be sure to check out my full review of the Park Hotel Vitznau.
The Dolder Grand. As I mentioned above, The Dolder Grand is a perfect starting or stopping point on your travels throughout Switzerland. This hotel offers it all including some pretty entertaining people watching. It is a sight to behold with its quirky architecture and is filled with fanciful art pieces not to mention luxurious cars on display outside. If you are renting a car, it is easy to access via car versus, for example, The Storchen which is listed above and closer to city center.
Krone Regensberg. This Relais and Chateaux property is in close proximity to the Zurich Airport, but it feels like you are lost in the countryside. As I mentioned above, this quaint property will lure you in with its neverending charm. Outside of the unique rooms, their restaurant cannot be missed.
Fairmont Montreux. This Accor property has a rather boastful, majestic appearance perched lakeside. It feels classic. Their pool/spa area has a wonderful lawn close to the lake. Their customer service was really wonderful. Our room was not ready, so they provided a drink ticket for us to enjoy a beverage in the bar. This hotel is also in a great location to explore so many sights in the immediate area. Book a suite with views over Lake Geneva for an amazing stay!
Set to open in the near future is the Lefay Crans Montana. Lefay hotels offer a luxury spa experience similar to that of the Park Hotel Vitznau. I have no doubt their new property will be nothing short of decandant. Crans Montana is a little over one hour from Montreaux and could easily be added to the destinations listed above.
Travel Tips, Tricks, & Random Extras
1. Don’t take your rental car into the large cities. I learned my lesson when driving with a rental into Zurich and Geneva. Parking is problematic, driving is stressful, and access to certain places even with directions can be challenging. Do yourself and favor and utilize your car only for the smaller cities.
2. Don’t forget to ask for tax free. Switzerland utilizes the CHF for currency. If you make a purchase over 300 CHF be sure and ask for tax free. The store will provide you with the appropriate paperwork that you will take to an area marked “Zoll Customs” found in Terminal one of the Zurich airport. This is where you start the refund process. Also, when given the option with a credit card purchase, always choose to pay in the local currency.
3. Swiss wines are rather precious. The Swiss like to keep their wines to themselves; therefore, having the opportunity to taste their wines is quite the treat. Chasselas is something that you must try, a white wine, that often pairs well with fish. A visit to Lausanne, Montreaux, or Vaud allows you to visit the terraced vineyards and try Swiss wines. While it may not be something that immediately comes to mind, incorporate Swiss wine tasting into your visit.
4. The beauty is outside the large cities. I thought Zurich and Geneva would interest me every bit as much as the smaller towns in my itinerary. I did not find this to be the case. On a return visit, I wouldn’t feel the need to return to either other than traveling through the airport.
5. Switzerland is expensive. You may have heard it before, but Switzerland is definitely one of the pricier European countries. Keep this in mind when budgeting for food and other extras. Also, consider the Swiss travel pass to help cut costs if you do not plan to rent a car.
Final Thoughts
A 10 day Switzerland itinerary provides an ideal amount of time to see so much of what the country has to offer. It allows you to travel via car or train without feeling like you are spending all of your time traveling between destinations. My sample itinerary includes driving times that are all at or under two hours in length.
To summarize, Switzerland has some incredible hotels that are really a destination in and of themselves. The smaller cities hold much of the charm and beauty. Don’t forget to include tasting some Swiss wines during your travels. I hope this information allows you to create your ultimate Switzerland travel itinerary.
