10 Days in Switzerland Itinerary

There are so many great places to see in Switzerland! Each city is so unique and the culture, architecture, food and even language varies so much from place to place it’s really hard to narrow down the best places to visit. To get tine to explore a good sampling of all Switzerland has to offer, I recommend spending at least ten days there. I’ve written my recommendations for a seven day Switzerland trip below!

I know it’s not always possible to spend that much time on a trip, so I’ve also compiled seven days in Switzerland and five days in Switzerland itineraries.

Disclaimer: This article contains some links where I earn commission through booking. There is no extra cost to you, and I only recommend things I’ve used and love or places I’ve stayed and enjoyed!

Day 1: Zürich

Zürich is the largest city in Switzerland, located in the German part of Switzerland along Lake Zürich. I recommend taking a day of your trip to explore all Zürich has to offer!

Getting There

Zürich is generally the easiest place to fly into in Switzerland, and has a large international airport. From the airport you can catch a train to Zürich HB, the main train station. The trains run regularly and it’s a fairly short trip (about 15 minutes) Depending on where you are coming from, Zürich is also easily accessible by train.

Best things to Do in Zürich

Explore Old Town

Old Town Switzerland is located on either side of the river connected by Rathausbrücke. Wandering through these picturesque cobblestone streets, surrounded by colorful medieval houses will take you past most of the famous places in Zürich without needing to do much planning. Old Town contains the Grossmunster double towers and St Peter’s Church (with the infamous clock) On either side of the river you’ll find tons of restaurants and cafes, all with outdoor patios (even in the colder weather the quintessential European patios are open and seats offer fur blankets and steamy fondue to warm you up) I recommend grabbing a drink at Rathaus Cafe for the views!

Explore Lake Zürich

The lake is worth visiting in any season and always provides stunning views. In the summer take a dip in the lake, try some watersports or just hang out in one of the many lakeside cafes and bars. In the winter you can ice skate on the lake or warm up in one of the lakeside saunas!

Take a stroll or do some shopping at Bahnhofstrasse

One of the most famous shopping streets in the world is worth a stroll (even if the shopping is a bit out of your price range, like me) Also, around Christmas the “Lucy” lights (named after the Beatle’s song, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds) light up the Bahnhofstrasse, and many other areas of Old Town, and is definitely worth seeing!

Day 2: Lucerne

Lucerne is a small, but can’t-miss stop in Switzerland! Located among the mountains and along Lake Lucerne, it’s one of the most picturesque places I’ve ever seen. It’s the perfect place to spend a more relaxing day on your trip to Switzerland

Getting There

From Zürich it is easy to take the train to Lucerne. The fastest trains get there in about 40 minutes, and there are many direct train options daily from Zürich to Lucerne. The main train station in Lucerne is located right at the center of town and is easily walkable to most hotels and landmarks.

Best things to Do in Lucerne

In my opinion, the best way to spend your time in Lucerne is to spend the day meandering through old town, located on the right bank of the river (You can get there by crossing the infamous Chapel Bridge, which you’ll want to see.) The cobblestone streets of Old Town are lined with colorful, medieval homes, shops and tons of spots to grab a meal or drinks along the river overlooking those mountain views. It’s the perfect place to spend a more chill day, as you don’t need to spend all your time running around to see everything.

Day 3-5: Interlaken + a Day Trip to the Alps

Interlaken is a popular tourist destination in the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland. Nestled between two lakes and surrounded by the stunning Swiss Alps as a backdrop, it’s easy to see why this has become such a popular tourist destination.

Getting There

From Lucerne you can take a direct train to Interlaken in about two hours. Grab a window seat, because the ride will offer some stunning lake & mountain views.

Best things to Do in Interlaken

Hike or take the Funicular to Harder Kulm

Harder Kulm is an overlook above Interlaken with breathtaking views of the entire valley, Lake Brienne, Lake Thun & the Alps. The bottom of Harder Kulm can be reached on foot from downtown Interlaken. From the bottom you can access the hiking trails, or the funicular. The funicular runs every thirty minutes or so and only takes about ten minutes to reach the top, round trip tickets are 40 Swiss Francs. At the top you can enjoy the panoramic views and then there is a restaurant & bar if you want to enjoy a meal with those views!

only open from Mid-April through November

Day trip to Jungfrau

Interlaken is very accessible to the Alps, particularly Jungfrau, which is home to the highest railroad station in Europe. You can navigate there yourself, but it involves taking several trains, taking a scheduled day trip can help ease the navigation and have a tour guide to to give you more information about what you’re seeing. I recommend a tour like this one. Seeing the Alps from the top really is a once in a lifetime experience that I recommend for any trip to Switzerland

Kayak on Lake Brienz

Lake Brienz is one of the two lakes on either side of Interlaken and is the perfect spot to rent kayaks and explore Interlaken by water!

Watch the Paragliders land in Höhematte Park & the Höheweg

Höhematte Park at the center of Interlaken is a great area to wander and watch the paragliders land. Stop by the infamous Victoria Jungfrau Hotel and grab a drink on the large patio with perfect views of the paragliders landing. In the winter the park is turned into a massive series of ice skating rinks connected by ice bridges and is definitely worth a visit!

Explore St. Beatus Cave and Waterfalls

Accessible by bus from Interlaken, the caves are a series of walkways revealing underground waterfalls, mirror lakes and waterfalls outside of the caves cascading down the cliffs. You can explore on your own or go with a guide!

Day 6-7: Adelboden

Adelboden is hands down one of the most stunning places I’ve ever been to! It’s a small town nestled between stunning mountain ranges on all sides with endless options for exploring trails, sweeping vistas & waterfalls. Adelboden is not the easiest place to get to in Switzerland, but it is so worth it! See my full Adelboden travel guide for details on getting there & where to stay

Getting There

 If you’ve rented a car you can drive there, but the roads to get there are pretty windy and narrow, so just make sure you feel comfortable driving, particularly if you’re going to be coming or going at night! If you’re taking public transport, like me, you’ll likely need to make several connections to get to Adelboden! I was coming from Bern, but the route is similar if you’re coming from Zurich or Lucerne.

Train to Spiez

To get to Adelboden from any of the major cities in Switzerland you’ll need to get to Spiez, which is accessible by train. Coming from Bern, the train for Spiez departed about every 30 minutes, so no matter what time you’re departing form Bern you shouldn’t have to wait to long to get to Spiez. The ride takes less than 30 minutes. The vista outside of the Spiez train station is absolutely stunning and if you have any time between trains I recommend walking across the street to take in the views and snap some photos!

Train from Spiez to Frutigen

From Spiez you’ll want to take the train to Frutigen. This is a short trip, less than fifteen minutes, and is only a few stops, so make sure you’re paying attention. The train from Spiez towards Frutgen departs every 30 minutes. Also, make sure to request your stop by pressing the stop request button on any of the doors. The train usually stops in Frutigen regardless, but I like to make sure.

Bus from Frutigen to Adelboden

From Frutigen you’ll want to take the bus to Adelboden Post. The bus departs hourly from right outside the Frutigen train station. Adelboden Post is the final stop, so you can ride it all the way to the end if you’re staying in downtown Adelboden. There are a few other stops in Adeldoben, so make sure to confirm which is the closest to your hotel. The ride is about thirty minutes.

Best things to Do in Adelboden

Hike to the Giant Swing

The Giant Swing at the top of Tschentenalp was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had! And it’s super easy to get to once you’re in Adelboden. Check out my blog post with detailed instructions on how to get to the Giant Swing by hiking or by cable car!

Explore Engstligen Falls

From most of Adelboden you have a stunning (albeit faroff) view of Engstligen Falls, but although they look far away, they’re actually only about a 90 minute walk/hike from downtown. You can actually use Google Maps for this one. It will guide you towards the roads (which have very few cars and are fine to walk on) but the trail is right nearby and is easy to spot from the road. The falls are massive and are pretty awesome to see up close. Plus, the hike there takes you through some of the cutest neighborhoods in Adelboden, and then along a river in the more remote areas of the town. You can also take the local bus which will get you about a 10-15 minute walk from the falls if you’re not up for a longer trek!

Ski / Snowboard

If you’re in Adelboden in the winter it is perfect for skiers and snowboarders with tons of options, stunning vistas, and cozy bars and inns for an après ski after a long day on the slopes! I cannot wait to make it back there in the winter!

Day 8: Bern

Bern is the capitol of Switzerland and very easily accessible. It’s a very quaint, scenic town surrounded by a river that I highly recommend visiting on your trip.

Getting There

Bus from Adelboden to Frutigen

From Adelboden Post you’ll want to take the bus to Frutigen Post. The bus departs hourly from right outside the Frutigen train station.

Train from Frutigen to Spiez

From Frutigen you’ll want to take the train to Spiez. This is a short trip, less than fifteen minutes, and is only a few stops, so make sure you’re paying attention. The train from Frutigen towards Spiez departs every 30 minutes. Also, make sure to request your stop by pressing the stop request button on any of the doors. The train usually stops in Spiez regardless, but I like to make sure.

Train from Spiez to Bern

The train from Spiez to Bern departed about every 30 minutes, so no matter what time you’re departing form Spiez you shouldn’t have to wait to long to get to Bern. The ride takes less than 30 minutes. The vista outside of the Spiez train station is absolutely stunning and if you have any time between trains I recommend walking across the street to take in the views and snap some photos!

Best Things to do in Bern

Explore Old Town

Bern’s Old Town is likely where you’ll spend most of your time. The Old Town is considered a UNESCO center. Most of the building are connected by wooden arcades, giving the whole area a uniform medieval look. Old Town is home to the famous Zytglogge (or large clock) overlooking the center of the city, the Bern Cathedral & Einsteinhaus, where Einstein lived for several years.

Float down the Aare River

One of my favorite things I did in Switzerland was spending a day floating in the Aare, the river that encircles Bern. All along the Aare there are stone steps or ladders leading into the water for you to enter or exit (or if you’re brave you can just off one of the bridges into the water) Make sure you’re a good swimmer or have floaties if you’re doing this as the current is strong! The water is refreshing and areas of the Aare are lined with little outdoor bars where you can stop for a drink or a snack during your float!

Days 9-10: Lausanne

Lausanne is in the French part of Switzerland and you’ll notice the architecture shifting from the medieval style of Bern & Zuirch or the Swiss Chalet style of Interlaken & Adelboden to more of what you would see in a French city. It’s right on Lake Geneva with a stunning mountain backdrop and sprawling vineyards

Getting There

From Bern it’s a short train ride to Lausanne (and a beautiful one, as it will serve stunning views of Lake Geneva and the infamous Lavaux Vineyards) The shortest trains take just over an hour with longer ones taking closer to two hours. These are tons of trains running between the two cities daily

Best things to do in Lausanne

Check out my full post on the best things to do in Lausanne here or keep reading below for the highlights!

Hang by Lake Geneva

If you walk downhill in Lausanne, you’ll eventually reach Lake Geneva. This is a stunning area to explore, swim, or grab dinner and drinks along Port d’Ouchy. You’ll definitely want to spend a good portion of your time down by the lake

Explore Old Town

Old Town is about a 30 minute walk (completely uphill) from Lake Geneva. There are jokes about how everyone in Lausanne is in great shape, because it’s all hills. Luckily, if you don’t want to walk there is a metro that runs up and down the hill. Old Town is a perfect place to wander without much of a plan, you can just take in the colorful buildings or the views of the lake from high above and afar, and maybe do some shopping or grab a meal at one of the many restauranrts.

Climb the Lausanne Cathedral

Located in Old Town, the Lausanne Cathedral has a tower offering the best views in Lausanne if you climb to the tower. Entrance to the cathedral is free, and it costs 5 Francs to climb to the top, but definitely worth it for the view!

Lavaux Vineyards

The stunning Lavaux vineyards lie between Lavaux and Montreux. See my full guide to the Lavaux Vineyards here. These are a cannot miss in my opinion! The UNESCO world heritage site can be walked or you can take a wine tour of the terraced vineyards.

Let me know what you think in the comments if you any of the advice from this itinerary, and feel free to check out all my Switzerland travel guides here