By Rick Steves
About Switzerland From the storybook villages and dizzying peaks of the Swiss Alps to the lakeside resorts of Geneva and Lucerne, landlocked Switzerland serves up some of Europe’s most enchanting scenery (along with some of its most delicious cheeses. Places to Visit in Switzerland, Europe: See Tripadvisor's 23,48,075 traveller reviews and photos of Switzerland tourist attractions. Find what to do today, this weekend or in February. We have reviews of the best places to see in Switzerland. Visit top-rated & must-see attractions.
So much to see, so little time. How to choose? To help you get started, I've listed my top picks for where to go in Switzerland, and my plan for your best two-week trip.
Depending on the length of your trip, and taking geographic proximity into account, here are my recommended priorities:
- 3 days: Berner Oberland (Lauterbrunnen Valley)
- 5 days, add: Luzern and Central Switzerland
- 7 days, add: Bern and Lake Geneva area, connecting with Golden Pass scenic rail journey
- 10 days, add: Zermatt and Appenzell, linking them with the Glacier Express train
- 14 days, add: Lugano and Upper Engadine, connecting with Bernina Express and Gotthard Panorama Express train rides
- 16 days, add: Zürich and Murten
- 21 days, add: More day trips (French Swiss countryside), more hikes, and time to slow down
Rick’s Best Two-Week Trip to Switzerland (by Train)
Day 1: Arrive Zürich Airport, head to Appenzell (sleep in Appenzell or on Ebenalp)
Day 2: All day for Appenzell and Ebenalp (sleep in Appenzell or on Ebenalp)
Day 3: Leave early for Luzern (sleep in Luzern)
Day 4: Luzern (sleep in Luzern)
Day 5: Boat, then train to Lugano along Gotthard Panorama Express route (sleep in Lugano)
Day 6: Bernina Express to Upper Engadine (sleep in Pontresina)
Switzerland Of Ohio School District
Day 7: Upper Engadine (Pontresina, St. Moritz, and Samedan; sleep in Pontresina)
Day 8: Take Glacier Express; if weather's good, head for Zermatt; if weather's bad, consider going straight to Lausanne (sleep in Zermatt)
Day 9: Zermatt and hikes, Matterhorn-view lifts (sleep in Zermatt)
Day 10: If weather's good, spend more time in Zermatt and go late to Lausanne; if weather's bad, leave early for Lausanne (sleep in Lausanne)
Day 11: Take the Golden Pass to the Lauterbrunnen Valley. If weather's good, go early; if weather's bad, linger in Lausanne/Lake Geneva area and leave late (sleep Gimmelwald or Mürren)
Day 12: All day for lifts and hikes in the Lauterbrunnen Valley (sleep in Gimmelwald or Mürren)
Day 13: More time in the Lauterbrunnen Valley (sleep in Gimmelwald or Mürren)
Day 14: Early to Bern, then on to Zürich (sleep in Zürich)
Day 15: More time in Zürich, or fly home
Notes
Zermatt isn't worth the trip in bad weather. If your reservations are flexible, consider skipping that leg and going straight to Lausanne (take the Glacier Express only to Brig, then change for Lausanne).
To connect Luzern and Lugano, follow the Gotthard Panorama Express route, but don't spend extra for the official tourist package-trip.
If you have extra time in Switzerland, I'd suggest spending it in (listed in order of priority): Murten and Bern, Zürich, Lausanne and the Lake Geneva area, Lugano (relaxing) or the Luzern area (day trips). For a short trip of a week or so, I'd just focus on the Lauterbrunnen Valley, Luzern, and Bern.
Rail Pass: The best rail pass for this itinerary is a Swiss Travel Pass, specifically for 15 consecutive days. This pass doesn't cover most higher mountain lifts, but it usually earns you a 50 percent discount.
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By Car: Although this itinerary is designed for public transportation, it can be done by car with a few modifications. Obviously, you won't take the scenic rail trips. Instead, drive from Appenzell straight to the Upper Engadine, then continue through Tirano and on to Lugano (via Lake Como in Italy). From Lugano, drive to Zermatt (crossing again through Italy) and resume the above itinerary, visiting Luzern at the end before returning to Zürich. The French Swiss countryside and the area around Murten merit more time if you have a car.
Beyond Switzerland: Switzerland, right in the middle of Western Europe, splices neatly into a multicountry trip by car or train. For instance, the Appenzell region is a likely gateway to Germany's Bavaria or Austria's Tirol. Italy's Lake Como is a stone's throw from Lugano (in fact, the Bernina Express bus drives right alongside it) — and Milan is not much farther. If you're in Lausanne, you're literally looking at France (across Lake Geneva), and a handy train ride whisks you to Lyon or Chamonix. And big Swiss cities are efficiently connected by fast trains to destinations in all of these countries and beyond.
Switzerland, a small landlocked country, covers an area of 41,285 sq. km in Europe. The country is famous across the world for its picturesque landscapes.
As observed on the physical map above, it is a highly mountainous nation covering nearly 60% of the country's area. The Alpine ranges lie to the south and the Jura Mountains to the north.
Switzerland's highest point is Dufourspitze (Monte Rosa), in the Pennine Alps, which rises to 15,206 ft (4,634 m). Also located within the Pennine Alps is the infamous Matterhorn whose summit is 4,690 ft. (4,478 m) high. The position of these mountains have been marked on the map above.
Switzerland Flag
Between the mountains, there's a hilly, central plateau that extends on through the east-west axis of the country.
Moving north, the Rhine River makes up much of Switzerland's border with Germany, as well as part of Lake Constance.
Switzerland's two largest lakes are Lake Geneva (shared with France) and Lake Neuchatel - which is the largest lake entirely within the country's borders.
Cantons of Switzerland Map
Switzerland (officially, the Swiss Confederation) is divided into 26 cantons. In alphabetical order, these cantons are: Aargau (AG), Appenzell Ausserrhoden (AR), Appenzell Innerrhoden (AI), Basel-Landschaft (BL), Basel-Stadt (BS), Berne/Bern (BE), Fribourg/Freiburg (FR), Geneve [Geneva](GE), Glarus (GL), Graubuenden /Grigioni/Grischun (GR), Jura (JU), Luzern (LU), Neuchatel (NE), Nidwalden (NW), Obwalden (OW), Sankt Gallen (SG), Schaffhausen (SH), Schwyz (SZ), Solothurn (SO), Thurgall (TG), Ticino (TI), Uri (UR), Valais/Wallis (VS), Vaud (VD), Zug (ZG) and Zuerich (ZH).
Switzerland is the only country that is without an official capital city. Located on the Swiss plateau, in the west-central part of the country, the city of Bern – is the de-facto seat of the government of Switzerland. With a population of over 144,000 people, Bern is the 5th largest city and the 2nd largest canton in Switzerland. Located in the northern part of the country, Zurich (Zuerich) is the largest city of Switzerland. It is the country’s main cultural and commercial center and the most cosmopolitan city. Zurich is also a major International financial hub. Along with Geneva, it serves as a chief gateway to the Swiss country. Switzerland is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.
Where is Switzerland?
Switzerland is a landlocked mountainous country in Western and Central Europe. It is located both in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres of the Earth. Switzerland is bordered by 5 European Nations: by Germany in the north; Italy in the south; Austria and Liechtenstein in the east and France in the west.
Switzerland Bordering Countries: Italy, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein.
Regional Maps: Map of Europe
Outline Map of Switzerland
Zermatt Switzerland
Key Facts
Switzerland Map
| Legal Name | Swiss Confederation |
|---|---|
| Flag | |
| Capital City | Bern |
| 46 55 N, 7 28 E | |
| Total Area | 41,277.00 km2 |
| Land Area | 39,997.00 km2 |
| Water Area | 1,280.00 km2 |
| Population | 8,574,832 |
| Major Cities |
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| Currency | Swiss francs (CHF) |
| GDP | $703.08 Billion |
| GDP Per Capita | $81,993.73 |
Switzerland Crime Rate
This page was last updated on November 9, 2020