Switzerland is a photographer and hiker’s paradise. It may very well be the most scenic place I’ve ever visited, and although expensive – worth every penny. If you’re interested in the most beautiful, mountain-rich itinerary for hikers and photographers, keep on reading below.
When to Visit
I visited during July, which although busy, had generally nice weather that was good for hiking. However, still expect some colder and wetter days – we had a few thunderstorms, and it was chilly on top of the mountains!
- For hiking, June to September would be best.
Transportation
- We utilized the Swiss travel pass which made it quite convenient travelling (be warned – it is $ though). Swiss Travel Pass – the All-in-one-Ticket for Switzerland | SBB
- You do not need to book trains in Switzerland as there are no reservations
- I would not recommend renting a car as many villages and towns are not accessible by vehicle, and parking can be expensive and difficult.
Accommodation
Switzerland is very expensive. I did a ton of research to find nice hotels but on the more ‘affordable’ side. Hostels are always an option but a lot of the ones we considered were full early!
Zurich – Josephine’s Guesthouse for Women
If you’re going on a girls trip, or travelling solo as a female, I highly recommend staying here. It was the nicest, most affordable accommodation I could find and it was great! The only downside was no A/C in the summer, but they did have a fan in our room.
Lauterbrunnen Valley – Hotel Bellevue, Wengen
- You may ask yourself when visiting the Lauterbrunnen valley, where to stay. I recommend staying in the town of Wengen, it is easily accessible by tram, and has gorgeous views over the valley of Lauterbrunnen. It is not as busy as the town of Lauterbrunnen itself, which can get overwhelming with tourists, and is very relaxing.
- I would not stay in Mürren, as you have to take a gondola there on the other side of the valley, which is more difficult and can be shut down if there is poor weather.
- Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen are the 2 largest towns in the area down in the valley, accessible by vehicle and trains and more spread out.
- The quintessential swiss chalet – we adored Hotel Bellevue in Wengen. We paid for the balcony with a view and it was well worth it. The hospitality was truly outstanding, the breakfast included superb, and the paid dinner was also incredible. They pick you and your luggage up from the Wengen tram station so no need to walk there. I would stay here again in a heartbeat.
Zermatt – Jägerhof Hotel
It is easy to spend quite a bit of money in Zermatt. We found Jägerhof Hotel to be a perfect ‘little’ splurge, no way near as expensive as other hotels, but still a beautiful room with a view of Matterhorn. The bar and breakfast included were great, and they also pick you up from the train station.
Food
- As expected, Switzerland is quite expensive! I would recommend splurging on a nice meal in Zermatt and once in the Lauterbrunnen region, but we often did picnics in the park, picking up groceries along the way.
- Check for hotels that include breakfast! It can make a huge difference for the day.
How Long to Visit / Itinerary Options
I recommend my itinerary if you’re interested in hiking, photography and being in the mountains. Depending on your interests, you could also consider spending more time near Interlaken, Bern or Lucerne.
Zurich – for city adventures, churches and lindt chocolate (1 day is fine)
Lauterbrunnen Valley / Interlaken and lakes near – for mountains AND lakes (minimum 3 days)
Zermatt – for Matterhorn / hiking / skiing (2 days)Bern – for fairytale streets
In Depth Itinerary
Day 1: Zurich
- Visit the Lindt factory. Make sure to book these tickets ahead of time, as they book up in advance. It’s only about a 30 min train outside Zurich.
- Walk around town! Check out the Lindenhof viewpoint (tagged on my maps).
- A walking our check out: Opera house, Kunsthaus, Swiss national museum, lindenhof viewpoint, Grossmunster church
Day 2: Lauterbrunnen Valley and Mürren
- Train to Lauterbrunnen, put your bags in the locker at the train station and walk around town
- Check out the infamous waterfall, grab a bite to eat from one of the street eats and some gelato on a warm day.
- Take the gondola and tram up to Mürren. A gondola only accessible town, it is perched over the Lauterbrunnen valley.
- There are many hikes to do from the town, but the one we chose was the Northface Trail, alternate route. I highly recommend this trail and this specific route. It had great all-around views, with huts to stop for food and drinks. There are also clean water taps to refill your water bottles along the route.
- Finish the hike with a nice drink and snack on one of the many patios in Mürren looking over the valley.
- Get back down to the valley, before picking up your bags and checking into your hotel.
Day 3: Jungfraujoch, Grindelwald and Kleine Scheidegg
- Early morning! Take the tram from Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg to take the train to Jungfraujoch
- Explore all that Jungfraujoch, the top of Europe, has to offer. Walk on the glacier, and even go tubing if you’d like. The weather up here changes frequently so it’s important to check the webcams. It could be foggy and then 20 minutes later completely clear.
- Return to Kleine Scheidegg, where you can take the gondola to Grindelwald.
- Enjoy lunch in town before walking to some viewpoints. You can do another hike here depending on weather and energy. The Lake Bachalpsee hike was on my list – it required another gondola to get there but the views look spectacular.
- Finish up by taking the train back to Wengen for dinner and enjoy the sunset.
Day 4: Interlaken Day Trip
- I suggest another hike in the morning – wherever you choose! We walked along the Lauterbrunnen valley but there are quite a few options to choose from between Wengen, Grindelwald, and Lauterbrunnen.
- Go to Interlaken for the afternoon (or the full day). Take a ferry if you have time to explore either lake and the little villages sprinkled alongside it – notable ones include Thun, Spiez, Istelwald, and Brienz. Else, walk to a quick viewpoint, linked on my map.
- If you’re interested, there are a ton of paragliding options as well, in the area.
Day 5: Lake Oeschinen
Time to transit to Zermatt! However, I highly recommend taking the long route via Kanderstag and hiking Lake Oeschinen. It requires taking a gondola up, and is well worth it. It was by far my favourite hike, but you need to check the weather beforehand. Thankfully, it cleared for us, but many times the fog wouldn’t clear. If you don’t want to hike, you can also walk down to the lake!
- There are lockers at the Kanderstag train station for your luggage
- There are huts along the hike and by the lake to eat and enjoy a drink.
- You can also rent boats and swim in the lake.
- Another highlight is the Rodelbahn Oeschinensee. This summer toboggan was a few francs, and quite fun!
We got into Zermatt just before dinner. It makes for a great time to enjoy some drinks and food on a patio, and watch the sunset over the mountains
Day 6: Zermatt
- Begin the morning by taking the Gornergrat train. Get off at the peak, enjoy the views of Matterhorn and the glaciers surrounding the area.
- Walk down to Riffelsee. This gorgeous lake has great reflections of Matterhorn. Take the Furi – Riffelburg Gondola down the mountain, before transitioning to gondolas from Furi to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. See the skiers from Italy and Switzerland!
- Come back down the gondola to Trockener Stegg. Stop for a bite to eat in the chalet and then walk down to Theodulsee.
- From here, take the gondola to Schwarzsee for a final small walk / hike.
- Return to Zermatt for an early dinner in town.
- For the final night, take a walk up to the infamous viewpoint, tagged below.
Love this article when helping me plan a trip to Switzerland! Did you fly back out of Zurich? Or continue on to Italy?
We took the train to Lyon via Geneva from Zermatt!