Tips for first-time visitors to Switzerland - Wandering Rose Travels Before my trip I prefer to consider whether outlaying the cost for a pass will be worthwhile for the places I actually plan on visiting in the time I have. If youre following this itinerary you wont need a car at all, Switzerlands public transport system is very well connected! I hope that helps and you and your family have a wonderful time in Switzerland this summer! Resources: AutoBahnen.ch AutoEurope.com Getting Around Switzerland by Train Train travel is by far the best way to travel in Switzerland;. The Helvetians were a Celtic tribe that occupied Switzerland for hundreds of years up to the 5th century. It is the first time the US president will have met the King since the Coronation in May. Another important Switzerland must-know is that when it comes to the local language, theres no such thing as Swiss. This Switzerland itinerary contains some affiliate links, at no extra cost to you. Saturn's Rings Shine in Webb's Observations of Ringed Planet . In fact, most cities will offer a free Guest Card when you stay overnight, which usually gives you unlimited public transport for the duration of your stay. Thank you for sharing this, its so helpful as I am planning a family trip this year. Wow, this is what I call a very well written itinerary. The lovely Bahnhofstrasse is said to be Europes most expensive shopping street! NOTE: This summary of things to do is part of my in-depth one day in Zurich itinerary! Where to go in Switzerland on a short trip: Alps, lakes, cities Thanks Alyse. Part of the thrill of touring Switzerland is spending time in the mountains, but don't underestimate the unpredictability of nature. With its jagged mountains dusted in snow as a picture-perfect backdrop almost everywhere, my 7 days in Switzerland itinerary will help you discover the best of the best this country has to offer. Hiking? Keep it up dear and best regards, I am SO glad to hear that, Stephanie! Often rounding up is considered enough (e.g. Jane we are an elderly couple from Australia hoping to use the Swiss rail pass for 7 days in Switzerland. I hope you have a fantastic time and enjoy Switzerland as much as I do! As a result, shops open earlier, and close earlier too. Zurich TripSavvy / Michela Sieman Switzerland's largest city is a stunnerat once historic and modern, cosmopolitan and bohemian. Ive stayed in Lucerne 3 times now, during winter, spring and summer visits. Not too shabby at all! And just because the visibility is fine on ground level doesnt mean it will be 2000m above ground. So, if youre looking for one of the the most magical times to visit Switzerland, then I can highly recommend Christmas market season. It would be such a shame to have your Swiss goodies confiscated by quarantine on your return home! We have one word for them - Switzerland. BUT, I would say the real charm of the country lies beyond city life, and if you really want the ultimate Switzerland experience, I highly encourage you venture off to the countryside for at least a day trip exploring everything from quaint little villages and epic mountains to lakes more vibrant than Gatorade. Read More 19 Beautiful Japanese Words to Bring Meaning to the OrdinaryContinue, Read More 2 Weeks in Japan Itinerary: Complete Guide for First-TimersContinue, Read More Hop Around the Globe in a Day at Tobu World Square, NikkoContinue, Read More 16 Essential Prague Travel Tips to NOT Look Like a TouristContinue, Read More Best Osaka Street Food According to Locals: 5 Hidden SpotsContinue, Read More 4 Days in Paris Itinerary: Complete Guide for First TimersContinue. Alternatively you can book your Gornergrat Cogwheel tickets in advance here. Thanks for your recommendation and for your kind words! This was so helpful ! You can find more info, tickets and timetables here https://italiatren.com/en/trains Hi, This guide is a complete solution for first time visitors in Switzerland. Its a little less so if youre converting from USD. Unless you want to leave Switzerland bankrupt. Good on you, Aida! So its always interesting for me to stay in these kinds of cities and explore the history and culture, each is different and unlike anything I have at home! (Carlos Osorio/AP . Love the options from bases in both Bern and Lausanne. Maybe its because anyone who is anyone has a Swiss bank account and the powers that be dont want to destabilise the country! Hows your day? My itinerary here is designed to finish in Lucerne as is was the most convenient place to travel onwards to Milan (which is what I personally did as the train connections were good). There really is so much to experience in this compact country and the high-speed trains make to so simple to travel around. for easy trave around , should I stay in lucerne or any other city ? Berns compact size makes it ideal for covering all the main attractions on foot and allows you to explore at an easy, enjoyable pace. The Swiss Alps are some of the highest mountain ranges in Europe, their irregular shapes becoming icons for many Swiss brands. When the weather was clear, my river view room had an incredible 180-degree view of the riverside buildings and Mt Pilatus. Being from Sydney, Australia we dont have architecture that is centuries old. All rights reserved. All this to say: make sure you're ready for Switzerland's high price points, and plan accordingly. First time in Switzerland for 5 days; where to go? - MySwissAlps.com My favourite Switzerland tip for saving money! You could really spend so much more time in the country but I feel as though my one week Switzerland itinerary is a great introduction for your first visit. The best part is the transportation tips! I agree that if your flight home is from Zurich in the morning, it would be ideal to stay your final night in Zurich to make things easier. Its a lot less exciting, but nonetheless necessary. The Swiss Franc is quite a stable currency and has increased in strength slightly since it was unpegged from the Euro. It really is a must-see to add to your Switzerland itinerary. We all like scenic views and walks. It stems from an old belief that this will lead the cheese to glop up weirdly in your body and kill you, but that has been scientifically dismissed. If you were a fan of Spaghetti Factory in Bern, youll be pleased to know theres one right here in Zurich, too! Luckily, Ive done the hard work for you! The Associated Press. We are from Houston and dont see snow so we decided to visit Switzerland for the first time! Make sure you're well equipped with good boots and suitable clothing in case the weather turns. Its almost as though time has stood still here! 75 tonnes of Russian gold imported into Switzerland since beginning of Switzerland is known for being the neutral nation as it has rarely taken sides in regional or world wars since its founding in 1291. Thank you. = CHF 784.80, All transport journeys mentioned The trip to Jungfrau is not free with Swiss pass or with Swiss half fare card .The discount works out only 25 percent. Local supermarket great for snacks and breakfast pastries. Of course one day at such great places is mostly not enough, but its everywhere like this I personally headed straight to Bern from the airport and visited Geneva as a day trip as my flight arrived early morning. Thank you so much for sharing a great itinerary in Switzerland. Swiss mountains are no joke. Alyse, can this itinerary be done in reverse, starting in Zurich and ending in Geneva? Visit the Zermatt- Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. NOTE:No change is given at the ticket machines so hold onto your receipt to be reimbursed at a TPG agency. Another September party is the grape harvest festival in Lutry, which celebrates the end of the winegrowing year in Lavaux, the centuries-old vineyards between Lausanne and Montreux. Use our four-day travel guide to Interlaken, an adventurer's haven, and Montreux, a Mediterranean-esque escape. At the time I took my trip, it worked out cheaper to use the Half Fare Card for all my journeys as the discount on big ticket items like Jungfraujoch ended up being more than if I used the Swiss Travel Pass. This is the longest day trip in this itinerary, but oh-so-worth-it! Please guide me on this part. Swiss First Timer: Top 5 Cities to Visit in Switzerland TIP: Staying in two hotels over the trip instead of six is the most time and cost efficient way to see the Swiss cities in this itinerary. p.parentNode.insertBefore(s,p); Personally I just factor in the higher costs of transport as a necessary expense of the trip. I am planning to travel from december 28t to January 2nd , I dont have enough days to visit . French is primarily spoken in western Switzerland, and Italian is mainly spoken in the canton of Ticino and some southern areas of Graubnden canton. The 20 Best Things to Do in Switzerland for First Timers - Money Inc Read on to find out more about this pass and where to buy it at the conclusion of this itinerary. Situated beside her namesake lake,Lucerne has been a huge drawcard for tourists visiting the region and its easy to see why. Thanks so much, Anna! Where to Stay in Geneva, Switzerland First Time: Best Areas I personally went on to Milan from Lucerne directly via TrenItalia as it was so convenient! Now, most packages have smartened up these days and offer options for EU + Switzerland but be sure to double check just in case, lest you end up in debt from loading a TikTok recipe youll never even make. The entire train journey is absolutely stunning with the Matterhorn popping in and out of view along the way. For the CHF 418, I think you are referring to the 8 day Swiss Travel Pass rather than the Swiss Half Fare Card? Interested in renting a car? If you need some further information, refer to this detailed guide to where to stay in Zurich broken down by neighbourhood to make things easy. Dec 30, 2016 - 7:35 AM Hi all. In fact, Im convinced most Swiss people exit the womb with hiking boots on. 11. Its absolutely beautiful and youll wonder why blackbirds are even up here until you see them eyeing off your hot chips. I would say this is a best case as costs for hotels would increase during peak seasons, but I hope that gives you a rough idea! Hello we are a family of 3 members, 2 Adults and 1 Toddler visiting Switzerland for the first time from 16-24 November We will arrive at Zurich Airport. Ive previously purchased one in Lucerne and was shocked by how much I saved. Sure, Interlaken wuld make a great base for visiting other cities in Switzerland by rail, for example: 1 hour to Bern Hi Lia, yes its absolutely doable with a 5 year old! In Switzerland, they use Type J outlets that typically look like this, with scattered dots akin to a shocked emoji: Usually Type F Euro plugs can fit these outlets, but its very important you make sure your adapter isnt one of the circular ones because some of the outlets in Switzerland have these flat thin frames and the circular adapters wont properly fit. Although small and connected by high-speed rail, Switzerland is mountainous after all so some journeys can be deceiving! Well written article with beautiful pictures. # 1 olil Original Poster Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 16 Likes: 0 Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts FIRST TIME VISIT TO SWITZERLAND Hi! As a quick note aboutaccommodation, I used Bern and Lucerne as bases for day trips throughout this itinerary so I am able to recommend hotels in these cities. on June 10, 2023 Renowned for its natural beauty and cultural diversity, Switzerland is one of the most sought-after destinations in the world. I found details information here about what I was looking for. How Many Days to Spend in Switzerland | kimkim The location cannot be beaten as its just steps away from restaurants, shops, Lucerne railway station and the main sights. Grazing the 4000m (13,123ft) mark are Switzerland's "big three": Eiger (Ogre), Mnch (Monk) and Jungfrau (Virgin), enshrined in mountaineering legend. CHF 392.40 + Card Purchase CHF 120.00 The cuisine in Switzerland can vary a lot depending on where you go, so Id recommend doing some research beforehand about what the best must-tries are, so you can keep an eye out for them. One shop stop for Switzerland and thank you for sharing this lovely post with all of us. Zurich Photo Credit: Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash Kick off your Switzerland spring escapade with a visit to its largest city! Buy my 1 week Switzerland itinerary PDF here, or head on over to my shop for more! February will be a great time to visit as well! French is spoken in the west, especially in Geneva and along the French border; Italian in the south in the Ticino region bordering Italy; Romansh in the countrys south-east and German in the majority. Switzerland Road Trip - Before you Go. I know Hotel des Balances in Lucerne has different deals from time to time depending on the season. I wanna to see as many places of interest Impressive Brussels Attractions Besides the Grand Place, Spend a Long Weekend in Bruges: A Fairytale Itinerary, 10+ Things to do in Ghent, the Gem of Belgium, Why Damme, Belgium is the Perfect Day Trip from Bruges. So logistically, it kind of makes sense to travel in one direction, so you dont have to double back. Ski, sledge or build a snowman at Zermatt's Klein Matterhorn Ski park. In the afternoon, stop by beautiful Interlaken on your way back to Bern. I LOVE Lucerne and wanted to spend some extra nights there. The limited-time, one-act musical about Steve Rogers' journey to becoming Captain America, which opens to guests on June 30, is inspired by the fictional Broadway musical theater sequence featured in the . Switzerland is just so lovely all round . First Time in Switzerland - Switzerland Forum - Tripadvisor We would like to explore Switzerland by 1 night at Geneva 6 night Bern and 1 last night at Zurich. Why rush and only visit Zrich and Lucerne when there is SO MUCH more to see in these breathtaking lands? St. Gallen Language Switzerland has 4 official languages- German, French, Italian, and Romansh- and numerous regional dialects. Yay! Where you can findhotels in Interlaken city centre. This is why youll see the symbol for Mt Pilatus today is Pilu, the red dragon. Beautiful churches, snowcapped mountains, spectacular lakes, incredible cities, and rolling green hills all make Switzerland a top tourist destination. I hope you love Switzerland as much as I did. Really glad you loved the transport tips as well , Thanks Alyse for the very valuable info.. i will consider the info when planning my itinerary to swiss end of this year, Im so glad to hear that, yusof! Now, if you do find yourself with a rabid desire to hop on Switzerlands most scenic train routes (which duh, why wouldnt you) then I have another secret money-saving tip. Opened in Switzerland, this is also Europe's highest . Well enter from Rome and our port of exit would be from Milan. June 28, 2023 - Russia-Ukraine news - CNN International We are planning our first trip to Switzerland at the end of June 2017. Perhaps youve read my reasons to visit Switzerland (especially for non-skiers) and are keen to make the trip? The bad news is, this means your euros probably wont get you far. Thankfully the Jungfraubahn stops for a few moments atEismeer stationbefore reaching Jungfraujoch. How to Skip the Line at these 10 Europe Attractions, Enjoy a delicious Sunday brunch at Pilatus Kulm, Get involved in various Christmas and New Years Eve activities (including a Christmas Market), Dine with a view over snowcapped mountains at Pilatus Kulm restaurant. These would be. My name is Christina and I'm a clumsy Canadian who is obsessed with seeing the world. Wow! Thanks for your kind words, Isdi! The above diagram will give you a clearer idea of where to speak what. Your Trip to Switzerland: The Complete Guide - TripSavvy It can also vary a lot depending on your elevation. Alright, now lets engage in a swift pivot from Swiss hiking to Swiss FOOD. Planning a Switzerland itinerary: Things to know before you go. Culturally speaking, Swiss people can be very direct so dont be surprised if you enter a bakery and they just ask what do you want? instead of hey how are you? But while public transport across Switzerland is amazing, it does have its downsides. However, if I were to stay tomorrow: Based on reviews, location, proximity to transport and within a mid-range budget I would recommendHotel des Alpes. I did this on the Bernina Express route, and actually preferred it to the main tourist/sightseeing train. While its a lovely city for sightseeing, in my opinion Lucerne, Bern and Zurich have more things to see and do I hope that helps and you have a wonderful trip! Thank you. Thanks very much for your kind words, Pavan Im so glad you found it all so helpful , Hey Alyse, Disneyland Resort cast members assembled in their favorite super hero gear this week for a special #DisneyCastLife preview of "Rogers: The Musical" at Disney California Adventure park.. Nobody from home has to know. I hope that the members here can help us out. Use this to purchase the individual transport tickets with the discount. Overall its a great pick if youre on a budget, or at the very least a fun photo opp: If you plan to do a lot of paid attractions while in Switzerland, those costs can add up, so another way to save money on those is by purchasing you guessed it a pass!!