9 Day Switzerland Itinerary: From Lucerne to Zurich

It can be quite daunting to plan a trip to Switzerland. The country is overflowing with lakes, mountains, chocolate, and historical towns. You may not know where to begin when you consider how much there is to see and do. When you’re short on time but still want to take a 9 day Switzerland itinerary, this is the best option. You will have enough time to see and do all the classic places like Lucerne and Zermatt, take scenic train rides on GoldenPass, and also stop for some quiet moments in a small village like Beatenberg.

The itinerary was based on our actual trip to Switzerland. We went around the country by train (we used the Swiss Travel Pass), stayed in Airbnbs and hotels, and visited popular sites as well as some lesser-known ones. I hope these notes and tips will be useful to you if you decide to plan a trip to Switzerland as well.

Day 1: Lucerne

Arrival

We arrived after a long flight from home with a layover in Dubai. It was another overnight flight from there to Zurich (Zürich), from where we traveled by train to Lucerne (Luzern).

Lucerne by night

Lucerne is a beautiful city on a lake with mountains on all sides. The first thing we saw when we got out of the train station was the Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke), which was built from wood. It’s 200 meters long, covered in flowers and history.

Lucerne is small and easy to explore by foot, so we strolled around the lakeside and admired the swans.

Dinner

We decided to dine at Hotel Château Gütsch, which is often called Lucerne’s “Little Neuschwanstein.” The hotel has a castle-like design on a hill with panoramic views of the city. You can get there by funicular (included in Swiss Travel Pass).

The prices in the restaurant were above “average” – my steak cost 50 CHF, and an Indian spiced fish dish from the daily menu was 37 CHF. But the sunset over the lake was worth every penny.

Day 2: GoldenPass Train and Interlaken

Jet lag

Jet lag is real, because we woke up before dawn and couldn’t fall asleep before 3 am local time. Lucerne’s old town was really cute and we walked around as church bells chimed.

After a light breakfast, it was time to board the most famous train in Switzerland: GoldenPass from Lucerne to Interlaken.

GoldenPass train Switzerland

The train has panoramic windows, and Lucerne’s lakes and mountains got even more picturesque. We briefly stopped at Lungern, a village with a turquoise lake and views straight out of a postcard. It’s a bit tiring to drag suitcases down the hill, but the tranquility is worth it.

Tourists in Interlaken

Interlaken was busy with tourists even at this time of the year. Rather than staying there, we went to Beatenberg, a smaller village overlooking Lake Thun.

Our Airbnb host made dinner and introduced us to her other guests, a retired American professor and a Swiss psychologist. We had a good time chatting with them over wine and cheese.

Day 3: Hiking in Wengen and the Jungfrau Region

Travel to Wengen

The next morning, we headed for Wengen, a car-free mountain village with views of the Jungfrau massif.

If you have time and energy, many people continue from Wengen by train to Jungfraujoch, a journey that takes about 3 hours and offers breathtaking views of the Alps. But we opted for a more modest hike instead.

• Take the cable car from Wengen to Männlichen (discounted with Swiss Travel Pass).
• Hike to Kleine Scheidegg in about 1.5 hours.
• Return by train.

Your hike

We were surprised to have the hiking path to ourselves (we had already been prepared for many tourists), which was great as we could take our time. We also passed through alpine meadows full of wildflowers.

The view of Jungfrau, Schreckhorn and Eiger’s snow-capped peaks from afar was just breathtaking.

Evening reflections

That evening we stopped by an Italian restaurant for pizza takeaway, one of the cheapest meals in Switzerland. By the way, Swiss pizza is the best value dish here. Large portions will feed two people for less than 20 CHF.

Day 4: Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald’s First Mountain

Departure to Lauterbrunnen

After breakfast we headed downhill to Lauterbrunnen, or Valley of 72 Waterfalls, as it is often called. It looks really magical on Instagram, but during the summer season the water flow was more of a trickle. The cliffs around the town are huge, so we stopped here only briefly.

We then continued to Grindelwald, another place from which to start exploring the Jungfrau region.

The first mountain in Grindelwald

The highlight in Grindelwald was a hike to First Mountain.

On the way down, we chose an “adventure” route—cart descent on a mountain cart with seats. It’s a bit scary (and not very comfortable) to slide down the winding mountain roads on a rocking cart, but it’s a lot of fun.

The cowbells, the sun, and the river sounds in the background made it almost surreal. We strolled along the “dreamy meadows” below Grindelwald in the evening, which looked like they were painted with golden light.

Day 5: Spiez and Bern, Switzerland’s Capital

From Grindelwald, we stopped at Spiez, a lakeside town on Lake Thun. Vineyards, a medieval castle, and a peaceful atmosphere made it one of the most picturesque towns we visited.

We continued on to Bern, Switzerland’s capital. Bern is an understated city, with its medieval charm preserved by many local laws. Highlights in the city included:

• Zytglogge clock tower, which hosts a little mechanical show on the hour.
• Rose Garden, with views of old town houses with red roofs.
• Arcades, where you can stroll among shops and cafes.

Dinner

We chose a Thai restaurant for dinner, as after several days of cheese and sausages, we really wanted Asian food again.

Day 6: Lake Geneva, Lausanne, and Montreux

Lake Geneva and Lausanne

From Bern, we went to the French-speaking part of the country. The first stop was Yvoire, a medieval town on a hill across the lake in France. The boat ride from Nyon to Yvoire is included in the Swiss Travel Pass, with views of Lake Geneva that are simply breathtaking.

Returning to Switzerland, we stopped in Lausanne, where the International Olympic Committee is based. From there we continued on to Montreux.

Montreux

The streets and gardens along the lakeside promenade are lined with flowers and palm trees, which gives Montreux a Mediterranean feel.

The main attraction in Montreux was Chillon Castle (Château de Chillon), where Lord Byron wrote his famous poem The Prisoner of Chillon. The castle dungeons were spooky, but the view of the lake and mountains from the towers is gorgeous/

We ended the day with Chinese food in Montreux—a welcome change from European food.

Day 7: Zermatt and the Matterhorn

Zermatt

No trip to Switzerland is complete without a visit to Zermatt, a car-free village at the base of the Matterhorn mountain. It’s one of the most photographed places in the country, and we took dozens of photos there.

The train ride from Lausanne took about 3.5 hours, but we were kept entertained by the mountain scenery. The Matterhorn appeared in the distance as we moved into smaller towns.

Our hotel windows were floor-to-ceiling and offered a direct view of the Matterhorn. It was expensive, but as the sun came up over the mountains it was a sight we’ll never forget.

Zermatt town

Zermatt is very lively, with a mix of backpackers, skiers, and high-end travelers. You can see all the hikers and climbers here before they take on the Matterhorn.

The restaurant at Hotel Walliserkanne had a flower-lined terrace, where we had lunch and enjoyed Swiss dishes like rösti and steak. We later soaked in the hotel’s hot spring and watched the sun set behind the mountain.

Day 8: Gornergrat Railway and Matterhorn Reflections

The Gornergrat Railway

The next morning we boarded the Gornergrat Railway. It’s Europe’s highest open-air cogwheel train, taking you up to 3,000 meters for stunning views of glaciers and snowcapped peaks.

Highlight was stopping by Riffelsee Lake, where on a clear day you can see the Matterhorn’s reflection in the still waters. We also saw some famous black-nosed sheep grazing near the lake. The sheep are fluffy and cute like walking stuffed animals.

This was the last big excursion on the trip. In the late afternoon we returned to Zurich for our last night.

Day 9: Zurich and Departure

Zurich

Zurich is Switzerland’s biggest city, but we didn’t plan much for it. After days in the mountains, the city felt very hot and crowded. Still, we enjoyed a walk along Bahnhofstrasse, one of the world’s most expensive shopping streets.

Breakfast

The next morning, we had a hearty breakfast at Kafi Dihei, a cozy cafe with sunny-side-up eggs, cranberry waffles, and more.

The perfect way to end our trip before flying home.

Tips for a Trip to Switzerland

Use the Swiss Travel Pass: It’s useful if you’re going to use the trains, boats, and cable cars often. It covers most routes, although some mountain excursions are only discounted (not fully covered).

Food is expensive: Eating in restaurants is costly, if you are on a budget trip like us, find places where the portions are big. Pizza and supermarket roast chicken are the best-value meals here. If you get tired of cheese and sausage, try to look for Asian restaurants in larger cities.

Packing: Layers are very important. The weather changes quickly in the mountains, even in summer. Also, bring sunscreen to protect your skin on high-altitude hikes.

Best time to go: June-September has more daylight and hiking trails are less muddy. Ski season is December-March.

Conclusion

Switzerland is often called a fairytale country, and I can say that after nine days here I understand why. From Lucerne’s wooden bridges to Zermatt’s snowy peaks, every place we visited was like a different postcard.

If you don’t have much time, a 9 day Switzerland itinerary will let you see and do all the most iconic things: scenic train rides, quiet villages, historic cities, and, of course, majestic mountains. Whether this is your first trip or a return visit, Switzerland has a natural beauty and cultural richness that will stay with you long after you leave.