27 days in Switzerland Itinerary

Geneva brings the world to one small city with a huge expat population and the highest number of international organizations in any one city.

Kick off your visit on the 1st (Sat): kick back and relax at Bains des Paquis, then admire the landmark architecture of Cathedrale de Saint-Pierre, and then admire the masterpieces at Fondation Baur, Musee des Arts d’Extreme-Orient.

To find where to stay, more things to do, photos, and tourist information, use the Geneva journey website.

Rome, Italy to Geneva is an approximately 4.5-hour flight. You can also take a train; or drive. Prepare for a bit cooler weather when traveling from Rome in October: high temperatures in Geneva hover around 19°C and lows are around 9°C. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 1st (Sat) so you can go by car to Montreux.

Mostly known for its world-renowned jazz festival, Montreux serves as a picturesque lakeside resort town on the Swiss Riviera.

Start off your visit on the 2nd (Sun): appreciate the history behind Freddie Mercury Statue, then contemplate the long history of Vieille-Ville de Montreux, and then take in the architecture and atmosphere at Church Saint-Vincent. On your second day here, take a tour by water with Lake Geneva Marine (Genfersee Schifffahrt), go for a walk through Montreux Lakeside, and then indulge your senses at Swiss Riviera Wine Tours.

To see traveler tips, more things to do, and more tourist information, refer to the Montreux online journey builder.

You can drive from Geneva to Montreux in 1.5 hours. Another option is to take a train. Finish your sightseeing early on the 3rd (Mon) to allow enough time to travel to Montreux.

On the 4th (Tue), pause for some photo ops at Freddie Mercury Statue, then steep yourself in history at Vieille-Ville de Montreux, and then pause for some serene contemplation at Church Saint-Vincent. Get ready for a full day of sightseeing on the 5th (Wed): identify plant and animal life at Corniche Lavaux Vineyards, then take in the pleasant sights at Montreux Lakeside, then take a tour by water with Lake Geneva Marine (Genfersee Schifffahrt), and finally pause for some photo ops at Monument to Vladimir Nabokov.

To see where to stay, ratings, and more tourist information, read our Montreux road trip planning website.

Finish your sightseeing early on the 5th (Wed) so you can travel to Montreux.

Kick off your visit on the 6th (Thu): explore the historical opulence of Chateau de Chillon, then take in the architecture and atmosphere at Church Saint-Vincent, and then steep yourself in history at Vieille-Ville de Montreux. On the 7th (Fri), you'll have a packed day of sightseeing: pause for some photo ops at Freddie Mercury Statue, then get interesting insight from Lake Geneva Marine (Genfersee Schifffahrt), then take in the pleasant sights at Montreux Lakeside, and finally examine the collection at Queen Studio Experience.

For maps, photos, ratings, and tourist information, refer to the Montreux route maker website.

Finish up your sightseeing early on the 7th (Fri) so you can go by car to Zermatt.

Best known as home the Matterhorn mountain, Zermatt serves as a chic ski resort town of the Swiss Alps.

Kick off your visit on the 8th (Sat): contemplate the waterfront views at Leisee, contemplate the waterfront views at Riffelsee, and then have fun at Clay Shoot Zermatt. Get ready for a full day of sightseeing on the next day: hike along Marmot Trail, then don't miss a visit to Mountaineers' Cemetery, then take a memorable tour with Fly Fish Zermatt, and finally tour the pleasant surroundings at 5 Lakes Walk.

For more things to do, ratings, maps, and other tourist information, read Zermatt trip maker site.

You can drive from Montreux to Zermatt in 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a train; or do a combination of bus and train. Finish your sightseeing early on the 9th (Sun) so you can take a train to Bern.

The capital and political center of Switzerland, Bern sits on a peninsula formed by the U-shaped River Aare.

Kick off your visit on the 10th (Mon): take an in-depth tour of Einstein House (Einsteinhaus), examine the collection at Musee des Chemins de fer du Kaeserberg, then get a new perspective on nature at Museum of Natural History of Bern, and finally admire the local landmark of Gerechtigkeitsbrunnen. Here are some ideas for day two: see the interesting displays at Museum of Communication, wander the streets of Matte, and then take in the architecture and atmosphere at Church of the Holy Ghost.

To find more things to do, other places to visit, reviews, and more tourist information, read Bern vacation app.

You can take a train from Zermatt to Bern in 3 hours. Another option is to drive. October in Bern sees daily highs of 18°C and lows of 6°C at night. Cap off your sightseeing on the 11th (Tue) early enough to go by car to Interlaken.

Nestled between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz in the heart of the Jungfrau region, Interlaken became popular for its proximity to the mountains and lakes of the Bernese Oberland region.

Kick off your visit on the 12th (Wed): identify plant and animal life at Schynige Platte Botanical Alpine Garden, then head outdoors with BOHAG Helikopterrundflug, and then see the interesting displays at Artilleriewerk Faulensee. Get ready for a full day of sightseeing on the 13th (Thu): glide through the air with a parasailing or paragliding tour, then identify plant and animal life at Weissenau-Naturschutzgebiet, and then tee off at Golf Club Interlaken-Unterseen.

To find ratings, reviews, other places to visit, and other tourist information, refer to the Interlaken trip planning app.

You can drive from Bern to Interlaken in an hour. Alternatively, you can take a train; or take a bus. Expect a daytime high around 16°C in October, and nighttime lows around 6°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 13th (Thu) early enough to drive to Lauterbrunnen.

A small village in a valley, Lauterbrunnen showcases an abundance of awe-inspiring waterfalls.

Start off your visit on the 14th (Fri): trek along North face Trail, then relax and rejuvenate at Alpines Sportzentrum Murren, and then get interesting insight from Air-Glaciers. Get ready for a full day of sightseeing on the 15th (Sat): appreciate the views at Lauterbrunnen Valley Waterfalls and then see the interesting displays at Talmuseum Lauterbrunnen.

To see traveler tips, photos, reviews, and other tourist information, use the Lauterbrunnen visit planner.

Lauterbrunnen is just a short distance from Interlaken. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 15th (Sat) early enough to drive to Grindelwald.

As one of the country's oldest ski resorts, Grindewald serves as a prime example of a cozy Swiss ski town.

On the 16th (Sun), hike along Maennlichen Royal Walk, tour the pleasant surroundings at Maennlichen Romantic Trail, and then shop like a local with Molitor. Keep things going the next day: appreciate the extensive heritage of Kleine Scheidegg, take a memorable ride with Luftseilbahn Wengen-Mannlichen, and then take an in-depth tour of Grindelwald Museum.

To see other places to visit, maps, and more tourist information, read Grindelwald online trip maker.

Grindelwald is just a short distance from Lauterbrunnen. Finish your sightseeing early on the 17th (Mon) so you can drive to Lucerne.

In north-central Switzerland, Lucerne represents a small city boasting a well-preserved old town.

Kick off your visit on the 18th (Tue): examine the collection at Glasi Hergiswil, then explore the world behind art at Museum Rosengart Collection, then pause for some serene contemplation at Hofkirche, and finally take an in-depth tour of Bourbaki Panorama. On the 19th (Wed), you'll have a packed day of sightseeing: relax and rejuvenate at some of the best spas, then examine the collection at Richard Wagner Museum, and then take a stroll through Altstadt Luzern.

To find maps, ratings, traveler tips, and tourist information, you can read our Lucerne trip itinerary site.

You can drive from Grindelwald to Lucerne in 1.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a train. Expect a daytime high around 17°C in October, and nighttime lows around 8°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 19th (Wed) to allow time to drive to Schaffhausen.

The Canton of Schaffhausen is a canton of Switzerland. Start off your visit on the 20th (Thu): contemplate in the serene atmosphere at Klosterkirche Rheinau, then step into the grandiose world of Burg Radegg, and then indulge your senses at Rotiberg-Kellerei. On the 21st (Fri), you'll have a packed day of sightseeing: step into the grandiose world of Munot, then contemplate the long history of Haus zum Ritter, then take in the architecture and atmosphere at Munsterkirche, and finally pause for some serene contemplation at Kirche St. Johann.

To see more things to do, reviews, other places to visit, and more tourist information, use the Schaffhausen day trip tool.

You can drive from Lucerne to Schaffhausen in 1.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a train; or take a bus. In October, daily temperatures in Schaffhausen can reach 17°C, while at night they dip to 7°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 21st (Fri) so you can drive to Zurich.

The financial hub of Switzerland, Zurich is most often associated with money and banks.

Let the collections at Zoological Museum and Sammlung Oskar Reinhart capture your imagination. Old Town and Schanzengraben Canal are good opportunities to explore the local culture. Change things up with a short trip to Oskar-Reinhart Foundation Museum in Winterthur (about 32 minutes away). There's lots more to do: indulge your senses at Vinitaly GmbH, make a trip to Zurich Succulent Plant Collection, and stop by Lindt Factory Outlet Kilchberg.

Make your Zurich itinerary with Klarna Trips to find out what to see and where to go.

You can drive from Schaffhausen to Zurich in an hour. Alternatively, you can take a train; or take a bus. In October, daytime highs in Zurich are 17°C, while nighttime lows are 8°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 24th (Mon) to allow enough time to drive to Lugano.

Located in the popular holiday region of Ticino, Lugano is the largest Italian-speaking town in Switzerland.

Get in touch with nature at The Olive Grove Trail and Monte San Giorgio. You'll explore and learn at Museo Vincenzo Vela and Fossil Museum of Monte San Giorgio. And it doesn't end there: enjoy the sand and surf at Lido di Lugano, tour the pleasant surroundings at Lido San Domenico, and appreciate the extensive heritage of Centro storico Gandria.

For photos, traveler tips, where to stay, and tourist information, refer to the Lugano online visit planner.

Fly from Zurich to Lugano in 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or take a train; or do a combination of flight and train. When traveling from Zurich in October, plan for a bit warmer days in Lugano, with highs around 20°C, while nights are about the same with lows around 10°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 27th (Thu) so you can travel back home.