I recently went to Switzerland for a work trip, and my partner joined me. Switzerland is expensive, and since my employer paid for my visa and plane ticket, we thought it was a perfect opportunity for us to spend a few days in Switzerland. It was my partner’s first time visiting the country, so we wanted to make sure we see as much as possible in the five days we were there. We found planning our Switzerland itinerary challenging as we simply could not decide on which places to visit and which to leave out.
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Our Switzerland itinerary: Day 1
We started our trip in Basel due to my work obligations. Some people find Basel boring, but I have always thought it is a lovely city for a leisurely walk. It does offer a variety of sightseeing and things to do.
Our favorite things to do in Basel include the following:
- Visiting the Dreiländereck, which is the spot where the borders of Switzerland, France, and Germany meet. The Dreiländereck is located in the Rhine river.
- I loved the Tinguely Fountain with its mechanical instruments that could fascinate me for hours.
- The hammering man on Aeschenplatz is a must-see. It is a huge mechanical man that simulates hammering.
- Basel also has beautiful buildings. My favorite was the city hall with its vibrant colors and the gold decorations. No photo can do this building justice; you have to view it yourself to understand how magnificent it is.
Our Switzerland itinerary: Day 2
We spent the second day of our Switzerland itinerary in Lucerne. I love Lucerne; I think it is a stunning city and easy to explore.
Our favorites here included:
- Visiting Mount Pilatus. Mount Pilatus was my first introduction to the Swiss mountains, so it will always have a special place in my heart.
- The Lion of Lucerne or the Lion Monument was created in a rock formation. It commemorates the massacre of the Swiss Guards during the French Revolution. It is a sad and haunting monument, one of those you have to experience yourself to understand.
- And of course, the Chapel Bridge and Water Tower. Most people will immediately recognize Lucerne when they see pictures of this bridge. I enjoyed walking on the bridge and looking at all the paintings on the inside – they were painted well, but depict some scary-looking creatures and scenes.
Our Switzerland itinerary: Day 3
We spent day 3 of our Switzerland itinerary in Zermatt. We arrived in Zermatt late the Friday evening and immediately planned our next day there.
I have written about the many things there are to do in Zermatt, here are the highlights for us:
- Using the Gornergrat Going up the mountains to view the Matterhorn. Seeing the Matterhorn is one of those once-in-a-lifetime sights which is heavily dependent on the state of the weather. We were lucky and had clear weather going up the mountain, but unfortunately, the clouds moved in before we arrived at the top. Still, it was an experience I will always remember.
- We had our first traditional Swiss meal in Zermatt. We could have had Swiss food anywhere in Switzerland, but Zermatt seemed unusual enough to be the city where we try it. Also, everyone in Zermatt we spoke to, recommended the same Restaurant (Restaurant Stadel). So, we knew they had to be one of the best places to try Swiss fondue.
- A place that is unique in Zermatt is the graveyard of those who died trying to conquer the Matterhorn.
Our Switzerland itinerary: Day 4
From Zermatt, we made our way to Wengen. The area around Wengen is one of the most beautiful regions I have ever seen. We were there at the beginning of Summer and everything was lush and green. Our main reason for visiting Wengen was to go to Jungfraujoch. What is nice about Jungfraujoch is that the weather does not affect going up as much as at the Matterhorn, for example. There are many things to do in the Jungfraujoch complex, including the Ice Palace, Alpine Sensation, and Spinx observation deck.
Our Switzerland itinerary: Day 5
From Wengen, our Switzerland itinerary ended in Zurich. We had a day to spend in Zurich. We followed much of the same walking route I walked on my first visit to the city.We enjoyed watching the sun set on the many beautiful churches in the Swiss capital city.
The good, the bad and the ugly
As you can probably see, our 5-day Switzerland itinerary was a busy one. We spent a lot of time on the Swiss trains. On the one hand, we enjoyed the train rides and relaxing while getting to our destinations. On the other hand, Swiss train travel is not cheap. Nevertheless, spending our 5 days in Switzerland in this manner allowed us the opportunity to see which cities and regions we would like to visit on future trips.
Have you ever been to Switzerland? What was your favorite sight or city during your time there? Where in Switzerland would you still like to visit?
Whoa, you just gave me a memory. I went to Lucerne some 20 years ago when World Youth Day was in Paris. We took a bus up from Italy & while driving the beautiful valley we stopped at the Lion of Lucerne. I just literally jumped up to find my old photo album of the site. Thank you for that memory.
I loved Lucerne from what little I remember. Would love to see Basel too. That Tinguely Fountain looks cool. I think the Matterhorn would be an amazing backdrop to any day in Zermatt
Giving away your age, Eric? LOL! Lucerne is gorgeous!
It’s so interesting to see the difference in architecture and art in the 3 different parts of Switzerland. I’ve only been in the french part and it was lovely, but I’d love to go back and see the others.
I have mostly been to the German part of Switzerland, but I hear Geneva is more french and also nice to visit!
Would love to visit Switzerland one day especially Zermatt and the surrounding area.
Almost anywhere in Switzerland is beautiful and there are so many mountains to choose from!
The only place we overlapped was Zurich. I can’t wait to get back to Switzerland to explore more of the beautiful country!
It is a very pretty country. Would love to see it in Winter too!
I haven’t been to Switzerland but I have heard great things about it. I think I will like Basel too, especially the place where borders of three countries meet each other
The dreilanderreck, where the three countries meet, was my favorite too!
Great Post and Stunning Pictures. I am an immense devotee of Switzerland and love to visit it over and over. Switzerland is one of my fantasy goals and it was incredible to see such a large number of things. Pictures are magnificent. Thank you for sharing this article.
I am so glad you enjoyed it. Switzerland is one of my favorite countries as well!