I’ve never seen a country so rich in natural beauty! My recent visit to Switzerland far exceeded my expectations and I have developed a greater appreciation for its gorgeous landscapes.

My husband, Lyle, has been wanting to visit Switzerland for years and for some reason, instead I kept finding other places to go during our previous European trips. Well, I’m so glad I finally gave into his request because Switzerland is amazing!

We began our journey in Zurich and ended it in Geneva, making sure to stop at a number of key spots along the way. While the rail system in Switzerland is reliable, we decided to rent a car to allow us the freedom to create our own itinerary and just pull over along the way if we saw a beautiful spot. And let me tell you, we did a lot of pulling over!

We had seven days to see many different parts of the country and I feel that it was an adequate amount of time to get a good feel for each area. Our time in Zurich and Geneva were the most rushed, but since we live in a city, our goal was to see more of the country’s open spaces, including its many lakes and mountains, in addition to the metropolitan areas. With that being said, I really liked both Zurich and Geneva. Zurich felt cosmopolitan, yet still very quaint, with beautiful little squares and winding streets; while in Geneva, I could really feel the French influence and loved both the architecture of the buildings and the abundance of parks and green space. Lyle is from Geneva, New York, so he really wanted to see Geneva, Switzerland, which is rumored to have influenced the Western New York lakeside city; however, if seeing Geneva isn’t important to you, you could gain additional time in the Lucerne or Interlaken area by skipping it and flying in and out of Zurich instead.

We built this itinerary by ourselves and I’m happy to answer any questions about each spot on our tour as well as the accommodations. 

Where to Go in Switzerland 

Zurich

Set on Lake Zurich with the Rimmat River running through it, Zurich is often overshadowed by Geneva when people decide where to visit in Switzerland. I really enjoyed exploring this city, which is traditionally known for its banking, and found it quite charming. The Old Town is split in half by the Limmat River and I favored one side of it well over the other. The Niederdorf side of the river felt very touristy and seedy with strip joints, chain restaurants, and noisy outside eateries, whereas the opposite side, the Lindenhof quarter, oozed with beauty and sophistication. We walked around the various streets, finding highlights like Bauschänzli Biergarten + Grill, a great beer garden on a island in the river, the Barchetta terrace at the Storchen Hotel for cocktails overlooking the river, and Lindenhof Hill, a shady park with awesome vantage points of the city. With no reservations for dinner, we enjoyed aimlessly wandering and looking at menus until we settled on Santa Lucia, where we ate pizzas al fresco on a quiet little street. Zurich by night was enchanting! The bridges and church steeples were lit up and we walked along the quiet riverfront taking it all in. It was the perfect first stop on our trip.

Lucerne

Known for its picturesque covered bridge which dates back to the 1300s (although a fire destroyed in the early 1990s and it had to be rebuilt), Lucerne is equal parts quaint and too crowded. Tour bus after tour bus swarmed the streets, letting out dozens of people on the sidewalks, making it a challenge to walk, let alone get pictures. I found that the beauty of Lucerne was muddied by the amount of tourists and tourist-like attractions. As a result of this, we only spent a short period of time in the actual city before making our way to the hills above Lake Lucerne. If you are going to be passing by Lucerne, it’s worth a stop on your trip, but I would not go out of your way to visit.

Lake Lucerne

Lake Lucerne spans over 18 miles and is truly stunning! We drove 45 minutes Southeast of the city and into the mountains to check into our next destination. Hotel Villa Honegg has been on my hotel bucket list for quite some time. A permanent fixture on travel sites’ “best hotel pools,” I had to see its oh-so-instagrammable infinity pool with my own eyes (and camera!). Rated a 5-star hotel, the views and rooms, especially the terrace we had on the first floor, absolutely “wow,” but I should note that some of the attributes you expect from a hotel of this quality seemed to be a bit lacking (ie: no champagne upon arrival, minimal turn down service, and lackluster cocktail program). I’m a bit obsessed when it comes to hotels, so I tend to notice all of those “little things,” but otherwise, the property was wonderful. Our time at Villa Honegg was primarily spent relaxing by the pool with the most amazing mountain and lake views. The area is incredibly peaceful; birds chirping to wake you in the morning and the bells of nearby cows roaming the hills in the distance. We enjoyed room service every morning and only ventured down to town once to have dinner at a local spot with a beautiful lakeside terrace, Schluessel. The hotel also boasts a wonderful spa, where you can relax with massages and body treatments in addition to the sauna and pools that come with your stay. Our stay at Hotel Villa Honegg and our time in the area surrounding Lake Lucerne was one of my favorite parts of the trip.

Interlaken

Another well-known Switzerland town, Interlaken, much like Lucerne, is very commercial (as a point of reference, there is a Hooters!). The Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotel and Spa in the center of main area is a gem, offering old world beauty and fantastic dining, but the the town itself is limited in terms of things to do and see. We enjoyed the walking path along the Aare River, which was less developed and takes you past homes and a cow farm. One of the main reasons you should visit Interlaken is to take the funicular up to Harder Kulm. At 4,337 feet above sea level, this is the highest point above Interlaken and its views are unmatched! For 38 Swiss francs, you take the 10 minute trolley ride up the mountain (it’s daunting at first, but not that bad!) and get off at the top of the mountain where you can enjoy panoramic views of the area, including Lake Brienz, Lake Thun, Eiger, Jungfrau, and Mönch. The focal point is a triangular-shaped lookout deck that hangs off the mountain. I’m terrible with heights so I sadly opted out of walking out on the deck to see the views, but my husband, Lyle, captured amazing photos from the vista! At the top of the mountain, there is also a restaurant, so you could make an afternoon of it and enjoy food or drinks there before or after you get your photos. We were on the fence about going to Harder Kulm, but it was well-worth the money for the unmatched views!

Interlaken is also known for its hand gliders. I can’t tell you how many people we saw hang gliding during our afternoon there. If flying through the Switzerland sky sounds appealing, here is information to check out. I can’t imagine the views as you float down!