Swiss Alps Travel Guide
Swiss Alps Travel Guide
- *Backpacks & Bubbly – Top Picks for Drinks With A View*
- Where to Stay in the Swiss Alps
- Best Towns to Visit in the Swiss Alps
- Swiss Alps Itineraries
- Getting Around the Swiss Alps
- Best Time to Visit the Swiss Alps
- How Long to Spend in the Swiss Alps
- Safety for Solo Female Travel in the Swiss Alps
- Swiss Alps- Top Blog Posts
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!
*Backpacks & Bubbly – Top Picks for Drinks With A View*
Adelboden – The Axe Bar at the Cambrian Hotel
The Cambrian has the most stunning view of the Alps and Engstligen Falls & The Axe Bar (open to guests and the public) is a great place to take advantage of those stunning views. I seriously could have stayed here forever.
Interlaken – Harder Kulm Restaurant
Located on top of Interlaken’s local mountain (Harder Kulm) the Harder Kulm restaurants offers the best views of Interlaken, Lake Thun, Lake Brienne, and the Alps.
This is a great spot to grab a drink or a meal. You can get to the top via the funicular, or by hiking. The cable car runs every 30 minutes and it takes less than ten minutes to reach the top. It costs 40 Swiss Francs round trip (you can get 50% off if you have the Swiss Pass)
Funicular only open from Mid-April through November
Mürren
There are too many great options in Mürren to choose just one, some of my favorites!
- Hotel Alpenruh
- Hotel Alpina
- Alpina Panorama hotel & Restaurant
Where to Stay in the Swiss Alps
There are many, many options for where to stay in the Swiss Alps, some towns are smaller than others, making it a bit hard to find accommodations, but those towns are also sutnning to stay in if you can find a spot.
I usually base myself in a place with more hotel options that is still easy to navigate to other towns from; some of my favorites to stay in are Meiringen, Interlaken, Grindelwald & Adelboden
Meiringen
Victoria – Alpine Boutique Hotel & Fine Dining
This one of my favorite hotels in this area. This is the perfect place to spend a few nights in Switzerland, and Meiringen is convenient for exploring nearby towns. Try their Michelin Star restaurant on site too!
Interlaken
On my most recent trip I chose to stay at The Hey Hotel ($200 per night at the end of June) The Hey Hotel was one of the cheaper options I could find during peak tourist season. It’s very conveniently located, and the lobby + restaurant/bar area were really nice.
The rooms were super basic, but had great mountain views! I was barely in the room so I wasn’t looking for anything too fancy!
If you’re looking for a more high end Interlaken experience the Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotel and Spa is a must-stay. This stunning hotel overlooks the main square of Interlaken.
This hotel is expensive – think $600-1000 a night in the winter and $1000+ in the summer. But if you’re looking to splurge you can’t go wrong. Also, if you’re a winter person (like me) it literally looks like a postcard in the winter!
Grindelwald
I stayed here on my most recent trip to Grindelwald & it was such a stunning hotel. It’s on the pricy side, so definitely a splurge, but it was so worth it. The spa and hot tub with Alps views were unreal, as was the complimentary breakfast on the patio overlooking the stunning mountains!
Adelboden
Cambrian Hotel
I stayed at the Cambrian Hotel and I cannot recommend it enough! It was one of my favorite hotels I’ve ever stayed at. It’s right across from the main bus station is downtown Adelboden, which made it super convenient. The entire stay was perfect!
Some of the highlights from the Cambrian were the incredible pool with insane mountain views (see picture) Plus, it was a great place to relax and cool down after a long day of hiking and exploring. The included breakfast was a buffet with tons of options, although for me the best part was getting to eat it out on the patio overlooking the mountains.
Best Towns to Visit in the Swiss Alps
There are so many amazing towns in the Swiss Alps, it can be hard to narrow down which to visit. See my fulll blog post on best towns to visit here!
or jump to:
Swiss Alps Itineraries
2 Day Swiss Alps Itinerary
Stay in Interlaken for this trip
- Day 1: Interlaken & Grindelwald
- Day 2: Lauterbrunnen & Mürren
3 Day Swiss Alps Itinerary
Stay in Interlaken for this trip
- Day 1: Meiringen & Interlaken
- Day 2: Grindelwald & Jungfrau
- Day 3: Lauterbrunnen & Mürren
5 Day Swiss Alps Itinerary
Stay in Interlaken 3 nights & Adelboden 1
- Day 1: Meiringen & Interlaken
- Day 2: Grindelwald & Jungfrau
- Day 3: Lauterbrunnen & Mürren
- Day 4: Spiez & Adelboden
- Day 5: Adelboden
7 Day Swiss Alps Itinerary
Stay in Interlaken 3 nights, Adelboden 2 & Zermatt 2
- Day 1: Meiringen & Interlaken
- Day 2: Grindelwald & Jungfrau
- Day 3: Lauterbrunnen & Mürren
- Day 4: Spiez & Adelboden
- Day 5: Adelboden
- Day 6-7: Zermatt
Getting Around the Swiss Alps
Switzerland has some of the best public transportation in thw world, and it can even be used ot navigate between small Alps towns. There are trains or busses connecting the Alps to all major cities in Switzerland.
That said, having a car gives you a lot more flexibility to explore more remote areas, or to vsiit on your own schedule. A lot of the smaller towns have limited options per day, so you lose some flexibility in your schedule.
Driving in the Swiss Alps is also pretty straightforward. You’ll encounter some areas with narrow and windy roads, but for the most part it was super easy to navigate!
Best Time to Visit the Swiss Alps
Every season in the Alps is lovely, and I’ve been lucky enough to visit during every season.
Summer
If you’re in the Alps for hiking, mild weather, insanely blue water – visit during the summer. On the flip side you’ll see omre crowds & increased prices.
Winter
Switzerland is a literal snowglobe in the winter. Every town looks like a postcard, the Christmas markets are epic & you’ll find some of the best skiing in the world in this winter wonderland.
Fall
Fall is a lovely time to visit – you’ll find less crowds and cheaper-ish prices (Switzerland is always pricy) Plus, you’ll see some epic foliage
Spring
Spring is the least popular time to visit, as most skiing is closed and many hiking trails aren’t yet open. It’s a great time to find some cheaper deals + the waterfalls are epic as the snow starts to melt!
How Long to Spend in the Swiss Alps
2-7 Days
This is totally up to you! I recommend at least 2 days to allow you to get a feel for the area and see a few towns, but there is so, so much to see you could easily spend a week exploring the many amazing towns of the Alps!
Also, if you’re planning on doing hiking or skiing you’ll want to account for that time as well!
Safety for Solo Female Travel in the Swiss Alps
5 out of 5
The Swiss Alps (and Switzerland in general) are extremely safe for solo female travel. Every town I visited felt completely safe at any time of day. I’d just recommend being careful driving through remote areas at night and making sure you map your routes ahead of time!
