How To: Winter in Switzerland in 5 Days (2020) and Summer Itinerary in Switzerland (2026)

If you're looking for an outdoor adventure and immaculate landscapes (ones that make you want to pinch yourself because it doesn't even seem real in person), you have got to put this country on your bucket list. If you're looking to go solo or are looking for a romantic couples trip, Ive got you covered on this travel guide to Zürich, Interlaken, Zermatt, and some places in between! Check out my Instagram highlights @merenator for more content. DM me to travel with me on a group trip!

TO NOTE: The first part of this blog was written in 2020 (Winter) and the second part was written in 2026 (Summer).

Welkommen

What's so great about Switzerland? The flag is definitely a plus! ;)

Switzerland is the home of world-class watches, yummy fondue, pocket knives, neutrality, and of course, chocolate! I was expecting there to be more French, so I was surprised that the majority of every city was very German-centric. Make sure you learn the essentials in Swiss-German especially to be a good, thoughtful American tourist! Also, we decided to go in the winter since I love cuddly winter weather and wanted to truly experience the Swiss Alps, but Switzerland is great in the summer or winter! Now for the agenda (minus travel time):

Day 1: Zürich

Lodging: The Lucky Traveller Inn - Sustainability STAY; $126.47, Host: Ivan OR The Flag Zürich 

https://expedia.com/affiliates/merenator/theflag

1. Visit Fraumünster Church

2. Explore old Police Station (Waisenhaus Zürich)

3. Walk down The Limmat River & go shopping in Old Town

4. Fondue Dinner at Chuchi Fondue

5. Drinks at Zuri Bar

6. Hurlimanbad Spa for under 80 CHF

Day 2: Interlaken

Lodging: Bed and Bar NO.8 (Double Room w/ private bathroom)

1. Paraglide over the whole city with Paragliding Interlaken

2. Panoramic Views from Harder Kulm

3. Visit Old Town Square in Unterseen

4. Take bus to Oberhofen Castle & Lake Thun

5. Walk down Aare River

6. Dinner at Stadthaus (order the Rösti & punsch!)

7. Coffee at Aarburg Hotel

Day 3: Interlaken

Our favorite day. Transportation & activities for whole day was $136 and ticket can be bought at Interlaken Ost station.

1. Train to Lauterbrunnen - walk through village to gorgeous graveyard & waterfall

2. Bus to Stechelberg

3. Cablecar to Gimmelwald - Pension Gimmelwald David Waterhouse for drinks

4. Cablecar to Mürren - Lunch at Hotel Belle Vue (fondue!) & shopping

5. Cablecar to Birg - Thrillwalk & Swiss Alps Panoramic Views

6. Cablecar to Schilthorn - Pix Gloria & Bond World (where they filmed On Her Majesty's Secret Service)

7. Italian Dinner & Wine at Città Vecchia in Interlaken

Day 4: Zermatt

Lodging: Hotel Antika Standard Double Room, Mountain View

1. Spend an hour walking through beautiful city streets & visit Rolex store

2. Use your own hotel's spa or book a massage at Backstage Hotel Spa

3. Visit St Peter’s ‘The English Church’

4. Walk down Matter Vispa and get your first view of the famous Matterhorn Mountain

5. Dinner at Grand Hotel Zermatterhof

6. Drinks at Unique Hotel Post

Day 5: Zermatt

Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. Our only regret from the trip - not taking the time to ski or riding the Gornergrat Bahn.

1. Walk to Zermatt Cable Car Ski Lift (Talstat)

2. Cablecar to Furi - Right at the border of Switzerland and Italy!

3. Cablecar to Schwarzsee - Best pictures of the Matterhorn and the Zermatt sign! We had so much fun playing in the snow and I 100% lost our snow ball fight.

4. Cablecar to Steg & Klein Matterhorn - Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (Ice sculptures & cinema) & Swiss Alps Panoramic Views

5. Après Ski Drinks at Harry's or Papperla Pub

6. Dinner at Restaurant Du Pont

**NOTE: Left on a Delta flight from Charlotte the evening of the 13th and arrived in the morning of the 14th. Departed Zurich on a Delta flight the afternoon of the 18th and got to Charlotte at 9:30p EST on the same day.

Budget

Keep in mind Switzerland is not the cheapest country out there, but we tried to keep it as cost effective as possible to spend more money on activities compared to food & lodging:

• Flight: $650 thanks to SkyScanner app & monitoring Google flights. Average flight is around $1300.

• Currency: CHF

• Food: Free breakfast with hotels and really only focused on one big meal a day.

• Lodging: Tried to find the most affordable AirBnBs & hotel on Hotels.com. More details on this per city. Stayed under $150 a night except in Zermatt (difficult to find anything under $250/night).

Do's & Don'ts

DO's

- Schedule out activities

- Drink fresh water from the fountains

- Travel to Pix Gloria

DON'Ts

- Spend $$ on too many unnecessary meals

- Buy an expensive watch

- Forget to ski in the Swiss Alps

Attire

Average temperature was 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Brought one carry-on and one packed suitcase. Here are the essentials for Switzerland in February:

• Heavy Jacket with Hood

• Stylish Heavy Jacket: Going to be wearing this in a majority of photos.

• Texting Gloves

• Bathing Suit: Bring for spas!

• Snow Boots

• Comfy travel clothes for the trains

• Beanie / Puppy Hat

• Sunglasses: Bright snow!

• Ski Attire (if applicable)

Danke!

Hope you all enjoyed this and encourage your friends to subscribe or join The Dean's List community and come on a future trip! Please give me feedback and let me know if there are other things you'd like to see or would suggest!

Summer in Switzerland 2026

🗺️ 7-Day Switzerland Itinerary: The Ultimate Alpine Escape 🇨🇭✈️

Thinking of planning a Swiss getaway? Save this exact route for the perfect mix of city vibes, thermal spas, and epic mountain peaks! 👇⛰️

📅 Day 1: Zurich Spa Day 🧖‍♀️✨

• Arrive in Zurich and kick off the trip with ultimate relaxation / explore Old Town.

• Unwind at Hürlimannbad & Spa—a stunning thermal bath built inside an old brewery with a rooftop pool overlooking the city skyline. 🏙️💦

Bonus: Take a quick day trip north to Schaffhausen to witness the roaring power of the Rhine Falls—Europe’s largest waterfall! 🇨🇭

• Head back to explore Zurich’s historic Old Town in the evening.

• Stay: Zurich at Neues Schloss Privat Hotel

📅 Day 2: Fairytale Lucerne to Interlaken 🏰🍳

•Morning train to Lucerne and head straight to Mill’Feuille for an amazing riverside brunch. ☕️🥐  

• Take the furnicular up to Hotel Château Gütsch overlooking the town and just grab a drink! 🏰

• Evening scenic train ride to Interlaken.

• Optional flex: Ride the cogwheel railway up to Mineralbad & Spa Rigi Kaltbad for a dip with panoramic alpine views, then stretch your legs on a 2-hour mountain hike. 🥾🌲

• Stay: Interlaken at No.8 Boutique Hotel

📅 Day 3: Peak Thrills & James Bond Views 🚠❄️

• Spend the afternoon exploring Lauterbrunnen, the fairytale valley of 72 waterfalls. 🌲📸

• Take the cable car up to the car-free cliffside village of Mürren. 🏔️🌲

• Stop at Birg to tackle the famous Thrill Walk—a steel and glass pathway clinging to the side of a massive rock wall! 🧗‍♂️😱

• Continue to the summit of Schilthorn to step into the world of 007 at Piz Gloria, the legendary revolving restaurant. Enjoy lunch with a 360° view of the peaks! 🕵️‍♂️🥂

• Stay: Interlaken at No.8 Boutique Hotel

📅 Day 4: Paragliding & Fairytale Valleys 🪂💦

• Cross a major bucket list item off your list: Tandem Paragliding in Interlaken! Take off from Beatenberg and glide over Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. 🦅🏔 Take notes, this is a must-do!

• Grab coffee / brunch at Spatz Interlaken

• Jump in the River in Unterseen

• Dinner at Citta Vecchia

• Stay: Interlaken at No.8 Boutique Hotel

📅 Day 5: The Mighty Matterhorn 📐🇨🇭

• Travel south to the magical, car-free village of Zermatt. 🏔️

• Catch a glimpse of the iconic Matterhorn (yes, the Toblerone mountain!) and ride the Gornergrat railway for unforgettable glacier views. 🚂❄️

• Stay: Schweizerhof Zermatt

📅 Day 6: Zermatt to Zurich 🚂👋

• Soak in one last mountain morning before taking the scenic train ride back to Zurich for your final night. 🥂

• Stay: Schweizerhof Zermatt