5 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. But, unfortunately, since we don’t have unlimited travel time normally we need to prioritize our trips. I’ve written my recommendations for a five day Switzerland trip below!

This itinerary gives you time to see some of the best cities in Switxerland and also explore the mountains. Switzerland is small which makes getting around easy and allows you to see a few places, even on a short trip.

If you have a little more time to spend in Switzerland check out my seven and ten day 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. You can also try a boat tour in the spring, summer or fall. 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!

Find the Best Views in Zurich

Head to Lindenhof Hill to get the best views over the city of Zurich’s Old Town. It’s super easy to get to from Old Town.

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 relaxing day leisurely exploring on your trip to Switzlerand.

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.

If you’ve chosen to rent a car it’s a quick drive from Zurich to Lucerne. You’ll need to find a garage or lot as there is no street parking. Here is a map of parking garages in downtown Lucerne.

I’d recommend stopping in Lucerne and then continuing your trip on to Interlaken later that day. Lucerne is small and can easily be explored in a half day, or in a few hours. If you dare travelling by train there is luggage storage in the train station in Lucerne.

From Lucerne to Interlaken the train is 2 hours.The drive is a little over an hour!

Best things to Do in Lucerne

Lucerne is a small town that is best explored on foot. There aren’t a long list of must do and must see items, as it’s more of just a picturesque town to explore at your leisure! I’ve also compiled a list of my favorite restaurants in Lucerne if you’re looking for a place to grab lunch!

Chapel Bridge

One of the most famous bridges in Europe, the simple Chapel Bridge is a covered wooden bridge that connects Lucerne’s Old Town to the other side of the city where the main train station is.

Chapel Bridge is considered to be Europe’s oldest covered bridges.

Wander along the Reuss

Wandering along the river that separates Lucerne Old Town from the other side of the city. The river is lined with colorful building and the view from both sides is stunning! The river is doted with a series of restaurants and cafes that offer great spots for grabbing a drink or meal with a view!

Explore the Old Town

Lucerne’s Old Town, or Alstadt, is a small neighborhood filled with restaurant and shops. Explore the scenic neighborhood and stop into some of Switzerland’s best chocolate shops, like Laderdach.

See Lake Lucerne

At the end of the Reuss river lies Lake Lucerne. This large lake is surrounded by the beginning of the Alps. You can walk around this lake or explore by boat! They offer a variety of boat tours you can join

Day 3-4: Interlaken & 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 destination.

Getting There & How Long to Stay

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. If you visit Lucerne as a day trip you’ll spend your second to fourth night in Switzerland in Interlaken, which gives you ample time to explore Interlaken some of the many nearby Swiss Alp towns!

Day 3: Explore 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

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 4: Day trip to Jungfraujoch & Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen & Mürren

Interlaken has a ton of great options for day trips! Two of my favorites are a trip to Jungfrau (tthe highest accesible railway in Euope) or a trip to two of my favorite Swiss Alp towns, Lauterbrunnen & Murren

My recommendation between the two would be Jungfrau. No trip to Switzerland is complete without a trip to the top of the Alps!

Option 1: Day Trip to Jungfraujoch & Grindelwald

Jungfrau is famous for  housing the highest railroad station in Europe. You can travel there on your own from Interlaken, which will require taking a series of trains & gondolas. You’ll want to take the train to Grindelwald (45 min) then the Eiger Express Gondola to the Eiger Glacier Station where you’ll catch the Jungfraujoch train to the top of Europe. Take your time to explore at the top – there are epic views, chocolate shops, ice sculptures & more.

Tickets and details can be found here.

On your way back I recommend taking some time to explore Grindelwald before getting on the train back to Interlaken. Grindelwald isone of the most stunning mountain towns in the Alps.

If you’re overwhellmed by all the changes and stops to get to Jungfraujoch, you can consider an organized trip. For that, I recommend this day trip through Viator. This is a full day trip (7.5 hours) where your travel from Interlaken train station to the station at the top Jungfrau. You’ll get two and a half hours to explore the top of Jungfrau and all it has to offer before heading back to Interlaken.

Option 2: Day Trip to Lauterbrunnen & Mürren

If you’re looking for a bit of a shorter day trip or you don’t want to brave the icy cold of the top of Jungfrau, head to two of the most charming towns in the Swiss Alps, Lauterbrunnen & Mürren. I am so in love with both of these towns.

From Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen is only a 20 minute train ride. Lauterbrunnen is a small, picturesque town that can be easily explored in an hour or two. The epic Staubbach Falls dominates the backdrop of the town, and the entire valley that Lauterbrunnen sits in is lined with waterfalls, it’s so beautiful.

From Lauterbrunnen you can take the gondola to Mürren, a carless village filled with classic Swiss Chalets. It’s only a five minute cable car ride up to Mürren, so you can easily visit both towns in one day before heading back to Interlaken.

Day 5: 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

From Interlaken you can take the train directly to Bern. The journey only takes about an hour and many trains run between the two cities per day.

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!

Climb the Bern Cathedral

For some of the best views in Bern head to the Bern Cathedral (located right in the Old Town) and climb the 344 steps to the top for panoramic views of the city.

More details on opening hours can be found here. Entrance to the cathedral is free, but there is a small fee to climb the tower.

Find the best Viewpoints

Bern has some amazing viewpoints for viewing the city, the Aare river and the Bernese Oberlands. Some of my favorites:

• Rosengarten
• Bern Cathedral Tower (see above)
• Nydeggbrücke Bridge
• Untertorbrücke Bridge

Leave a comment if you try this 5 days in Switzerland itinerary, or check out my full Switzerland travel guide here