5 Days in Switzerland – Best Travel Itinerary for Switzerland

Surrounded on all sides by France, Germany, and Italy, Switzerland is a fascinating country in central Europe. The mighty mountains – the Swiss Alps are an invitation to people who love nature, hiking or skiing. Switzerland has four languages – German, Italian, Romansh, and French. But German is spoken in most of the parts here.

The Swiss have maintained the natural beauty along with great technology. When you are in this country, you have to make the most of your time and the natural beauty it has!

5 Days in Switzerland – The Best Travel Itinerary for Switzerland

Following is the itinerary for 5 days in Switzerland. The itinerary includes some of the best as well as unknown places from the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland. It also includes some very touristy places that you might want to tick off from your vacation packages in Switzerland bucket list.

You will need minimum walking and hiking skills in a few parts of the trip. Alternatively, you may seek some public transportation. But you will miss out on the incredible views.

Tickets and How to Book?

All the prices noted here are considering adults. These are the ticket prices in the year 2020. For more updated information and online bookings, you can visit the official website of each place. Yes, the majority of places in Switzerland have an official website.

Before you visit the places in the mountains or the places of natural interest, you should first check for the clouds. Check the weather forecast. If it is rainy or cloudy then swap the locations and go somewhere else that day. This is because most of the views are obscured by clouds. It is better to visit places that have plenty of sunshine.

Check the official websites for live webcam updates before you start in the morning. While booking some excursions in advance don’t book with the exact date. In most of the places, an option is given to book your tickets which are valid for a period. That means you can visit the place on any day, in a given period of 8 days. This means that you can change your mind on the spot, depending on the weather conditions and forecasts.

How to spend 5 days in Switzerland – Best Switzerland Itinerary

Day 1: Zurich

When you arrive in Zurich, take a train from the airport straight to Bahnhofstrasse. This is the most famous street in Switzerland. And it is also one of the richest streets in Europe. Just walk along the street and look inside the shop windows. You will immediately know why it is the richest street. But apart from the Swiss brands of premium watches and jewelry, the majority of Swiss banks are in the buildings above. This is the first perfect Swiss touch you will have.

Then head over to the Fraumunster Church, near Bahnhofstrasse and admire the beautiful Church windows made by an artist named Chagall. You can go to the top of the Church for the best views. Or you can feast your eyes on the area around the church and the beautiful river Limmat. You can rent a boat and take it across the waters for a better view of the city. Or you can chill at the panorama bar – Jules Verne, which is one of the best viewpoints in the city. Explore the old town called Niederdorf. In the evening take a train to the charming village of Kandersteg. It will be a beautiful journey of 2.5 hours.

• What to see: Bahnhofstrasse, Fraumunster Church, Limmat river, Niederdorf
• Entry fees: Fraumunster Church: 5 CHF
• Where to eat: Haus Hiltl for Vegans, and Blindekuh – for dining in the dark experience. Or you can browse for fresh produce and Swiss cheeses on the lively Wednesday market that gathers in the main hall of the train station. Some other beautiful hotels include- Brasserie Lipp, Ecco Zurich, and Restaurant Kronenhalle. You can relax at the panorama bar – Jules Verne
• Where to stay: Check out the best places to stay in Zurich
• Tours/Activities/Day trips: Check out the best tours to book in and around Zurich

Day 2: Kandersteg village

Begin your day early and head over to the Kandersteg gondola. From here take a cable car to the most beautiful lake in Switzerland – Oeschinensee. When you get down from the cable car, you will find that Kandersteg toboggan runs on your left. The views around here are the most scenic and you can swoosh down the slide for an adventurous start to the day.

To reach the Oeschinen Lake from this point you have to take the hiking trail. Keep walking for 20-30 minutes until you reach the lake. Alternatively, you can take the electric taxi (for an extra charge of CHF 20) to reach the lake. There is a lovely hike around the lake which will give you the eye-popping views of the lake from the top. It is called the Oeschinensee panorama hike. The hike from the gondola to the lake is simple and the panorama hike around the lake is a bit strenuous. There are various restaurants all around the lake where you can have your lunch. Or you can order a BBQ basket at one of the hotels and get roasting at one of the grilling stations around the lake.

When you come back to Kandersteg, next take a bus to the Lake Blausee or Lake Blue. This is another blue and most beautiful lake in Switzerland. Also, visit the trout hatchery here. You can rent a bottomless boat here and ask the boatman a few questions about the legends of the lake.

If you still have time left, then go around Kandersteg village in the evening. Anywhere you go you will find the most beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. You can also visit the Kandersteg herb garden for a slow and natural experience.

• What to see: Oeschinen Lake, Kandersteg slide, Kandersteg Village. Blausee Lake or Lake Blue, Kandersteg Herb garden.
• Entry fees: Kandersteg gondola: CHF 20-30, Kandersteg slide: CHF 5/ per ride (adults are allowed).
• Where to eat: Berghotel Oeschinensee, Berghaus Oeschinensee, BBQ at Oeschinen Lake, and Panorama Restaurant in Kandersteg
• Where to stay: Check out the best places to stay in Kandersteg

Day 3: Interlaken and Grindelwald

Interlaken is one of the best cities in Switzerland. It is situated between two magnificent lakes – Lake Brienz and Lake Thun. You should rent a boat at, at least one of the lakes here. If you are Indian or a Bollywood fan then – this is the place where most of the DDLJ shots were taken. There is also the statue of Yash Chopra in the beautiful park here.

There are a few places near the Lakes that you should visit. One of them is St Beatus Caves. There is a legend that there lived a dragon in the caves before St Beatus decided to make them a home. Then, as in all heroic stories, St Beatus slew the dragon and lived in the caves for a long time. The caves and the views over the Alps from the top are amazing.

Another one of them is the quaint town of Unterseen. This little town on the banks of the Lake is quite unknown and less crowded. You can spend your afternoon relaxing here.

Once you are done with exploring Interlaken, take a cable car to Grindelwald. There is a magnificent cliff walk at First. You can walk all around to reach the top of the mountains. The views are again breathtaking. You will feel that you are at the top of the world! While coming down opt for a zip line or a mountain bike to add more adventure to the scenic views.

• What to see: Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, Harder Kulm Funicular, St Beatus Caves, visit the town of Unterseen, First Cliff Walk from Grindelwald, hike to Bachalpsee from the First station.
• Where to eat: In Interlaken – OX, Tavern, and Husi Bierhaus. In Grindelwald – Belvedere, Barry’s, C und M.
• Entry fees: Harder Kulm Funicular – 32 CHF, St Beatus Caves – 18 CHF, First Cliff Walk – 30 CHF
• Where to stay: Check out the best places to stay in Interlaken and Grindelwald
• Tours/Activities/Day trips: Check out the best tours to book in and around Interlaken and Grindelwald

Day 4: Lauterbrunnen and Jungfrau

Lauterbrunnen means many fountains. And this valley has 72 waterfalls. This is the reason why it is the most beautiful valley in Switzerland. Numerous beautiful hiking trails start from the valley and go to the mountains or some mountain huts.

Once you have explored Lauterbrunnen, and then take the cable to Jungfrau via Murren. Jungfraujoch is the highest peak in Europe and is most frequented by tourists via the Eigergletscher route. So you take the cable car from Lauterbrunnen to the village of Murren. And then go from Murren to Jungfrau. Murren is a quaint little village with many beautiful chalets. You can explore and talk with the locals here, before heading again towards Jungfrau. Alternatively, you can take the most scenic train ride in the Swiss mountain railways to reach Jungfrau – the top of Europe.

• What to see:  Lauterbrunnen valley, Murren village, Trummelbach Falls, excursion to the Schilthorn, Paragliding in Lauterbrunnen, Jungfrau – the top of Europe, train ride to the Jungfraujoch.
• Where to eat: Restaurant Silberhornstube, Weidstubli.
• Entry fees: Trummelbach Falls – 11 CHF, Paragliding in Lauterbrunnen – 150-250 CHF (depending on time, location and with/without photos), Jungfraujoch train cost – 235-210 CHF depending on seasons, Jungfraujoch cable car cost – 145 CHF, Schilthorn – 108 CHF
• Where to stay: Check out the best places to stay in Lauterbrunnen and Jungfrau
• Tours/Activities/Day trips: Check out the best tours to book in and around Jungfrau

After you have traveled through the stunning and well-preserved nature of the Bernese Oberland region, it is time to visit Switzerland’s beautiful city on the last day.

Day 5: Bern

Bern is just a city, so why to visit it? Well, Bern is the capital city of Switzerland. But it also offers travelers with amazing views. There are several gothic statues and fountains all around the town. Swimming is allowed in the river and you can also jump in from the bridge. The old town of Bern is listed as a UNESCO medieval center. There are many buildings from the 15th century.

The Bern cathedral is the tallest in Switzerland. It is known for its Gothic architecture in Europe. You can admire the stained glass windows named – Dance of Death. And you should climb some 400 steps to the to feast your eyes on the wonderful view of the Alps

There are many odd things to see in Bern. You can also see the famous statue of an Ogre eating small children. There is a special par for Brown bears called the ‘Bear Pit.’ The city of Bern is near the French border. Thus, you can find a lot of French influence in the culture, architecture, clothes, language, and food here.

• What to see: Parliament building, Bern Cathedral, Bear Pit, Zytglogge – the astronomical clock, French Church, Aare River.
• Where to eat: Suder, Restaurant Essort, Wein & Sein
• Where to stay: Check out the best places to stay in Bern
• Tours/Activities/Day trips: Check out the best tours to book in and around Bern

Switzerland Tourism

How To Get To Switzerland

• Switzerland is one of the most beautiful countries of Europe known for its natural landscapes and Ski Resorts
• Zurich which is the capital of Switzerland is well connected by Air and Rail to other centers of Europe
• One can fly to Zurich, Bern, or Geneva, Switzerland is well known for its excellent rail network which connects the country internally and with other European countries

Are you thinking of living the Swiss dream and planning your Switzerland itinerary, then, you can book a flight through TripAdvisor or Agoda or CheapAir or Cleartrip or Makemytrip or Priceline.

Where To Stay In Switzerland

In terms of stay options in Switzerland, the country has a host of options, whether you want to stay in Zurich, Geneva, Interlaken, or even lesser-known places like Uster or Rapperswil in the countryside. You can book your hotel in Switzerland right here through TripAdvisor or Cleartrip or Agoda or Makemytrip or Priceline and get awesome deals and savings.

Tours/Activities available in Switzerland – Things To Do In Switzerland

Switzerland’s points of interest and attractions are many and if you are wondering what to see in Switzerland or what to do in Switzerland, then look no further. Switzerland attractions pass are available for the most recommended Switzerland tours. You can now book tours in Switzerland as well as activities in Switzerland.

We hope you found our Switzerland itinerary post – 5 Days in Switzerland useful, and you are already dreaming of a Swiss holiday. Do not worry, Switzerland is beautiful round the year and the best time to visit Switzerland is now!

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