The Best Places to See on a Short Trip to Switzerland

All those clichés about Switzerland are true.

Picturesque alpine meadows and villages.

Trains that run on time.

Pristine cities and towns.

Soaring, rugged mountains.

Tasty chocolate and delicious cheese.

Expensive.

And that last true cliché is why so many of us don’t visit.

Because all those other clichés make us want to experience this wonderful country.

Here’s the thing: If you really want to travel to Switzerland I think you should — just set aside the money to do so. And know that it will be expensive.

But it will be well worth it.

And I have some wonderful ideas on the best places to see in Switzerland.

But first…

 

Adding Switzerland onto your itinerary

If you don’t have the budget to spend a lot of time in Switzerland then why not add it onto a trip to France, Italy or Germany?

For example Munich to Zurich is about 4 hours by train. So you could spend a day or 2 in Zurich.

Lyon, France to Geneva is about 2 hours by train so you could pop over to spend the day.

I met a couple in Bellagio, Italy (on Lake Como) who had a car. They drove from Bellagio to St Moritz in Switzerland for the day.

So if you don’t want to spend a lot of time in Switzerland — or you don’t have the budget to spend a week or more — then taking a day trip might be an option.

Or perhaps you can add a few nights in Switzerland to your journey.

When I traveled to this amazing country, I was fortunate to have a friend living in Geneva at the time. So I had free lodging which is always a bonus!

So where are some of the best places to visit in this gorgeous country if you don’t have a lot of time and/or money?

 

Geneva

Now Geneva may not be high on your list.

But if you’re coming from eastern France chances are you’re going to come through here so it’s a good place to experience a bit of Switzerland.

Someone told me they found it a bit “sterile.”

I disagree with this sentiment but I know that my perspective may be skewed because my friend lived there.

The old town of Geneva is a must as it’s a twisting maze of streets with outdoor cafes, shops, restaurants and loads of history.

Be sure to spend some time in Bourg-du-Four Square — the main town square. It’s a lively spot to while away a nice afternoon.

 

The Arsenal is a wonderful piece of Swiss history with canons and mosaics that depict Caesar’s arrival here way back in 58BC.

My favorite is St Peter’s Cathedral with its 2 towers which my friend and I climbed.

The cathedral itself is free to visit and it’s quite beautiful.

But spend the 5CHF to climb the towers as the views of Geneva are spectacular. So worth it!

You climb the North Tower but you can get to the South Tower via a corridor which is located about halfway up.

 

The other spot you might want to stop at is Les Amures.

This hotel — located very near The Arsenal — has a wonderful restaurant with outdoor seating. My friend kept referring to it as the “Bill Clinton restaurant” as President Clinton did eat here. I had my first meal in Switzerland here of Raclette which is melted cheese which we had over potatoes. Yum.

And I tasted my first Swiss wine here — a lovely white wine. Regrettably I don’t remember the type of wine. But I was impressed.

The other place I highly recommend spending time at in Geneva is the waterfront.

Walk along Lac Léman — Lake Geneva — taking in the water jet and the lake.

Stop by Parc de la Grange — a beautiful park with rose gardens and a clock made of flowers. Stunning!

 

Lavaux Terrace Vineyards

I had never heard of this UNESCO World Heritage Site until my friend sent me images of it a few months prior to my trip.

“I think we should come here when you visit, ” she said.

Ummmm…vineyards, walking, lake, mountains. Hell yes!

These vineyards stretch for about 30km along the shores of Lake Geneva from the town of Lutry which is just a bit east of Lausanne — Switzerland’s 4th largest city — to St Saphorin.

Training from Geneva is pretty easy and quick at about 60-90 minutes with a train change in Lausanne.

From there it’s a gorgeous walk on mostly paved trails through the vineyards with the lake and the mountains providing stunning views.

There are some places to taste the wine, but hours vary so check ahead of time and plan accordingly if you want to do some tasting along the way.

Or you can simply end your walk in St Saphorin (or in Lutry if you begin in St Saphorin) with some delicious wine.

I was so enamored with this area.

From the morning fog shrouding the mountains to watching the sun set over Lac Léman it was one of my favorite days in Switzerland.

 

Lucerne

Definitely one of the more touristed destinations in Switzerland, Lucerne is deserving of being popular.

It sits along the shores of its namesake lake surrounded by the Swiss Alps.

Lucerne is picture-perfect — neat and tidy, colorful and lively.

And while I didn’t spend too much time here, what I experienced makes me want to go back.

The famous site is the Chapel Bridge — a wooden bridge that was first built in the 14th century. I can’t believe I didn’t walk across it. But I did take photos of it!

I loved simply wandering the streets and taking in the buildings and the signs. Everything is so beautiful.

Lucerne makes a fabulous spot to stay for a few nights as it’s only about an hour from Zurich and 2 hours from Interlaken.

 

Grindelwald

Because I WAS NOT LEAVING Switzerland without seeing the Swiss Alps of my dreams — namely The Eiger — I had to go to Grindelwald.

And while this is a long trip from Geneva, my friend and I did make the journey.

Was it worth it?

YES!!!

This alpine village is out near the Lauterbrunnen Valley and is one of the bigger towns in the area with a good array of amenities — accommodation, restaurants and outdoor shops.

In the winter, Grindelwald is a skier/snowboarder paradise.

And in the summer folks come to hike in the gorgeous Swiss Alps.

We were fortunate to have enough time to take the gondola to First then hike this popular trail.

The views of the valley and the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau in one direction and the Wetterhorn and Mittelhorn in the other — and all the other Alps that I don’t know the names of — were stunning.

Gorgeous.

Breath taking.

*Sigh*

For a mountain gal like me it was pure heaven!

 

My regret is not having more time to spend here.

But it’s a place I will go back to.

I highly recommend a visit to Grindelwald if you are a mountain lover.

The train ride — a slow yet very scenic ride — takes 35 minutes from Interlaken, two and a half hours from Lucerne or one and a half hours from Bern, the Swiss capital.

I still dream of Grindelwald and the Swiss Alps that surround it…

 

So are you thinking of splurging on a visit to Switzerland?

My advice is to do it.

It’s so worth it!

 

Are you ready to travel to beautiful Switzerland?

Well I’m ready to lend a hand. Who am I? I’m Lynne Nieman and I’m a personal travel planner helping people like you create your perfect European adventure. Whether you need help planning part or all of your trip, I’m ready to assist you in making your travel dreams come true!

I'm ready to start planning my dream adventure!