The little country of Switzerland is in the middle of Europe. 60% of its beautiful landscape are hills and mountains, including the highest peaks of the continent. If you visit Switzerland, you will have to overcome a lot of altitude while exploring. You will discover breathtaking scenery but also cosmopolitan cities with alpine flair.
The easiest way to reach Switzerland is via one of the major international airports in Basel, Geneva, or Zurich. The best and often the cheapest and fastest way to travel within Switzerland is by train. The country has an incredibly large rail network and is one of the most punctual railroads in the world.
For a 5 days Switzerland itinerary, I recommend buying the Swiss Travel Pass. The all-in-one Pass includes the use of all public transport (train, bus, boot), offers reduced rates for cable cars, and among other things, free admission to more than 500 museums.
Switzerland is a destination for any season. In winter, the country offers worldwide popular ski resorts, and in summer, outstanding destinations for outdoor lovers like hikers. All year-round cultural highlights take place in the bigger cities.
If you only have 5 days, I recommend the following travel guide for a 5 days Switzerland itinerary, which includes some of the main highlights:
Day 1 – Zurich
With its international airport, Zurich is a great place to start your 5 days Switzerland itinerary. It is the largest city in Switzerland and the secret capital of the country. Zurich is beautifully situated on the almost 40km long Lake Zurich, and a boat trip is definitely one of the highlights of any city sightseeing tour.
The beautiful, historic old town is also not to be missed. The many narrow alleys invite you to stroll around and discover the cute restaurants and bars hiding within. Outstanding is the medieval Augustinergasse with its colorful houses.
The city’s landmark is the Grossmünster, a church from the 12th century with two large towers. After 187 steps, the south tower rewards you with a beautiful view over Zurich and the blue shimmering lake. The Fraumünster, another famous sight, has stained glass windows by the well-known artist Marc Chagall.
One of the most magnificent buildings in Zurich is the Opera House on Sechseläutenplatz. The old Renaissance-style City Hall is also not to be missed.
For shopping and spending money, the 1.4 km-long Bahnhofstrasse is very inviting. This shopping paradise is one of the most expensive shopping streets in the world and even the most expensive in Europe.
You will find a beautiful view of Zurich from the Lindenhof. It is located on a small hill, a former Roman fortress, above the left bank of the river Limmat, which flows right through the city center.
Day 2 – Bern
An hour’s train ride or 1.5 hours by car to the southwest of Zurich lies Bern. The real capital of the country should not be missed on your Switzerland itinerary. The city is always in the shadow of Zurich, but it really does not need to hide. Since 1983, the beautiful old town of Bern has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The historic city center is picturesquely surrounded by the river Aare, and you can find over 6km of covered arcades within its streets. Perfect for shopping and walking around on rainy or windy days as well as on very hot summer days.
You will also find many baroque house facades, exciting vaulted cellars which hide quaint restaurants, unusual stores or picturesque cafes, and over 100 fountains, especially beautiful to see in the Kramgasse, within those narrow streets.
The former city gate of Bern Zytglogge is one of the highlights from the Middle Ages. The beautiful and well-preserved clock tower houses an astronomical clock and a carillon.
Bern Cathedral has a striking 100m high tower, the highest church tower in Switzerland. Those who climb the 312 steps to the viewing platform not only get a panoramic view of Bern but can also admire the mountain peaks of the Alps, in the Bernese Oberland.
From the platform in front of the cathedral entrance, there is a free view of the emerald-green Aare River and the so-called Bärenpark (eng. Bear Pit). This is a public park where real bears live.
The most beautiful view of the roofscape of the historic Old Town and the Aare loop is from the Rose Garden. Especially at sunset, the beautiful park with 250 species of roses is a popular meeting place, not only for couples.
Day 3 – Interlaken
The next stop on the 5 days Switzerland itinerary is Interlaken, less than an hour’s ride by train or car from Bern.
This city does not have too many sights within its center. It is more popular as a starting point for excursions into the magnificent Swiss nature. Interlaken is beautifully situated between two of the most stunning lakes in Switzerland. Lake Thun to the east, Lake Brienz to the west, surrounded by picturesque Alpine peaks.
Boat trips to explore the lakeshore and any other water sports can be organized and realized from Interlaken. From within the town center, you can also visit 2 outstanding viewpoints above Lake Brienz. The Schynige Platte (2099m) and Harder Kulm (1322m) can be reached comfortably by historic trains.
The most popular excursion from Interlaken, however, is the one going to the Jungfraujoch. Located at 3466m, Europe’s highest railroad station can be visited by cable car or train and is one of the most famous excursions in Switzerland. The Sphinx viewing terrace on Jungfraujoch offers a unique view of the Aletsch Glacier, the longest glacier in the Alps at 23km. Surrounded is that natural wonder and recognized UNESCO World Heritage site by the famous peaks of Jungfrau, Mönch, and Eiger. At this altitude, it is winter all year round. Even in the hot summer months, there is ice and snow at the Jungfraujoch. From the fantastic viewing platform, you have as well access to the highest ice palace in the world, which is within the Aletsch Glacier.
Day 4 – Zermatt
The next not to be missed destination on the 5 days Switzerland itinerary is the mountain village of Zermatt. The ride south from Interlaken is less than 2.5 hours by train or car. The popular vacation destination of Zermatt is located at 1600m, tucked away at the end of the Mattertal valley in the canton of Valais. The mountain village at the foot of the world-famous Matterhorn is surrounded by the highest mountains in Switzerland. It is one of the most popular destinations for outdoor enthusiasts in Switzerland:
In winter, skiers can enjoy over 360 kilometers of slopes at Europe’s highest ski resort. In summer, hikers have a 400km network of trails passing by beautiful mountain lakes, rugged mountain peaks, raging rivers, deep valleys, and sunny alpine meadows. You can even ski here in summer.
Zermatt is car-free and fortunately, there are no high-rise buildings or other construction sins in the beautiful village. There are so many outstanding viewpoints of the village and the striking Matterhorn Mountain that it is hard to decide which one to visit.
After a scenic 30-minute train ride, you can reach the Gornergrat. The fantastic view at 3100m includes 29 mountain peaks above 4000m and the Gorner glacier, the third largest glacier in the Alps. The multi-media experience «Zooom the Matterhorn» on Gornergrat lets you virtually paraglide the Matterhorn. Below this viewing platform, at lake Riffelsee, the most famous Matterhorn photos are taken: The iconic mountain reflection within the lake.
Alternatively, a 40-minute cable car ride, including transfer, takes you to the 3883m high Klein Matterhorn, also called Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. From here, the incredible view from the platform includes 38 four-thousand-meter peaks and 14 glaciers!
Day 5 – Luzern
About 3std driving time, back north, is Lucerne, the last stop on 5 days Switzerland itinerary. The city on the picturesque Lake Lucerne is the center of Central Switzerland. Lucerne’s landmark is the Chapel Bridge, a medieval covered wooden bridge over the Reuss River.
Built in the 14th century, the 202m attraction is the oldest and the second longest covered wooden bridge in Europe. The 35-meter high, octagonal, and slightly leaning water tower in the middle of the bridge is even older and serves as a city fortification.
Slightly smaller and somewhat shorter but just as beautiful is the Spreuerbrücke, also a covered wooden bridge from the Middle Ages.
Worth seeing and part of the silhouette of the city is the Musegg wall with the Musegg towers, pieces of the former city fortifications.
Another landmark of the city is the imposing stone lion monument. The “Lion of Lucerne” is located in the middle of a rock grotto in an idyllic park and honors the approximately 1000 Swiss Guards who died in Paris in 1792 protecting the king of France.
Lucerne is also popular for shopping. The historic old town offers many great opportunities for Swiss products, especially for Swiss watches and jewelry.
For stunning views on the final stop on your trip, you should visit one of the 2 close-by mountains on Lake Lucern: Mount Pilatus or Mount Rigi offers a fantastic panorama not only of the city but also of the beautiful lake and the alps.
And if you’re more adventurous, try paragliding in Switzerland. Lucerne is one of the of the best places to do it!
Those views are the perfect finish for a short and packed with highlights of 5 days Switzerland itinerary.
