We are going to cover the German speaking area of Switzerland and get deep into these beautiful must-see cities: Zurich, Luzern, Bern, Basel, Schaffhausen and Stein am Rhein. Let's take a look at this 7-day Switzerland Itinerary.
7 DAYS IN SWITZERLAND ITINERARY
Switzerland Itinerary Days 1 and 2: Zurich
In my opinion, the most beautiful part of Switzerland is the countryside but the big cities can be charming as well. We devoted two days to visiting Zurich, the Swiss capital. We stayed at the modest Bristol Hotel but if you aren't one a budget, the Dolder Grand Hotel is the dreamiest place to stay.These are the places you must visit in Zurich:
- Walk around lake Zurich and see the beautiful swans.
- Altstadt (Old Town), this is one of the most lively areas in Zurich. Altstadt is where much of the city’s culture, nightlife and shopping is concentrated. St Peter, one of the oldest churches in Zurich, is located in this area.
- Grossmünster “large cathedral” in German, is a Romanesque church
- Fraumünster, "women’s church" in German, is the other main church in Zurich
- Uetliberg mountain. A train from the centre of the city takes you to the summit to see the most spectacular views.
- Bahnhofstrasse, the best shopping street in Zurich. Here you can find all the luxury brands.
- FIFA World Football Museum. Even if you are not a football fan it's worth visiting!
- Dolderbahn, this vintage single coach train takes you up to the magnificent Dolder Grand Hotel. If you can't afford staying, at least visit it.
- Chinese garden, one of the most beautiful and best preserved Chinese gardens in the world.
Switzerland Itinerary Day 3: Luzern
The charming city of Luzern is one of the most beautiful in the country. Due to its location on the shore of Lake Lucerne within sight of Mount Pilatus and Rigi in the Swiss Alps, Luzern has long been a destination for tourists. One of the city's famous landmarks is the Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke), a wooden bridge first erected in the 14th century, the oldest covered bridge in Europe.These are the best things to do in Luzern:
- Old Town, full of beautifully painted houses and linked by cobblestone shopping streets, it doesn't get much dreamier than that.
- Lake Lucerne, take a deep breath of fresh air at this wonderful natural spot.
- Kapellbrücke, the world famous Chapel Bridge.
- The Lion Monument: the lion carved on a mountain commemorates the hundreds of Swiss Guards who were massacred in 1792 during the French Revolution.
- Weggis-Rigi: take a boat from Luzern to Weggis in the northern shore of Lake Lucerne. From there you can take an aerial tramway up to mount Rigi. I can assure you that the sights in this trip are the most beautiful I've ever seen.
Switzerland Itinerary Day 4: Bern
With its UNESCO listed old town, Bern is a Swiss city you can't miss. Note down these places which you cannot to miss in Bern:- Old Town, obviously. It has become an icon because of the extraordinary clock that was installed there in 1530. If you get there on the stroke of the hour you will see a little show performed by mechanical figures.
- Bern Cathedral. This example of Gothic architecture, is Switzerland’s tallest cathedral.
- Einsteinhaus. Visit the flat where Einstein lived from 1903 to 1905.
- BärenPark. Bears have been the emblem of Bern for ages. In the city you will find two enclosures linked by a tunnel were three lovely brown bears live.
- Rosengarten. Not only a rose garden. Because of it's high location, it offers magnificent views of Bern.
Switzerland Itinerary Day 5: Basel
Basel is Switzerland's third most populous city (behind Zürich and Geneva). Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany. These are Basel's main attractions.- Altstadt. Basel’s old town has many national heritage sites such as Münsterplatz, the townhouses on Petersgasse and the monkey fountain on Andreasplatz.
- The Medieval Basel Minster church
- City Hall: the red sandstone building on the Market Square is one of the most beautiful buildings I've ever seen. Apart from the bold color that makes it so unique, there are many symbols on the facade that make it special as well.
Switzerland Itinerary Day 6: Schaffhausen
This Swiss town on the upper Rhine River is included in the itinerary for good reason. It's home to beautiful typical Swiss spots and is close to a wonder of nature: the Rhine Falls. Here's what you can see in Schaffhausen:- The beautiful Medieval Old Town with its cobblestone streets and fountains.
- Munot Fortress: this 16th century round fortress is a great vantage point to see the Old Town from the top.
- Rhine Falls. The cherry on top. The Rhine Falls are the largest waterfall in Europe which are only a short train ride from Schaffhausen's old town.
- Stein am Rhein. If you have time, you can see the following destination on the same day. But if you don't be sure to go another day because you can't leave Switzerland without seeing this place. Trust me, you are going to love it. Read on to find out why.
Switzerland Itinerary Day 7: Stein am Rhein
Welcome to Switzerland’s best preserved medieval town. Stein am Rhein is the dreamiest little town. This idyllic place represents all of Switzerland's charm. The half-timbered houses and their elaborately painted facades will make you feel as if you were in a fairy tale.
7 DAYS IN SWITZERLAND: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
SWITZERLAND ITINERARY MAPThis map includes all the spots covered in this blog post. To take this map with you, simply click on the star next to the name and it will be saved to your Google maps.
WEATHER IN SWITZERLAND
The climate is moderate with no excessive heat, cold or humidity. From July to August the daytime temperature range is 18 to 28 °C (65° - 82° F). From January to February the range is -2 to 7 °C (28° - 45° F). In spring and autumn, the daytime temperature range is 8 to 15 °C (46° - 59° F).However, depending on the altitude the temperature range may vary.
WHAT TO WEAR IN SWITZERLAND
Even if you are planning to go in summer, layers are your best friends!
MONEY IN SWITZERLAND
Unlike most European countries, Switzerland's currency is not the Euro, even though Euros may be admitted in many places. The Swiss franc (CHF) is the only official currency in Switzerland. Switzerland is rated the most expensive country in the world to visit.
LANGUAGE IN SWITZERLAND
The four official languages are German, French, Italian, and Romansh. Each of them is spoken in different regions. The area covered in this itinerary is German speaking but you can easily get by speaking English.
TRANSPORT IN SWITZERLAND
The best way to move around Switzerland is by train: they are new, fast and always on time. You also have the option of renting a car.
WHERE TO EAT IN SWITZERLAND
As we have seen, Switzerland is a very expensive country. If you are traveling on a budget as we were at the time, supermarkets are your best option. Most big supermarkets have buffet restaurants on the top floor. The food is good and much cheaper than restaurants. Even McDonald's is expensive here!
WHAT TO BUY IN SWITZERLAND
These are the products that Switzerland is best known for:
- A watch or a clock
- Cheese melter for raclette: thesedelicious melted cheese recipe is something you are probably going to miss when you come back.
- Cheese
- Chocolate
- Sweets from Sprüngli: this "confiserie" makes their own very special type of macaron called "luxemburgerli".
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