Switzerland is one of the most beautiful countries in Europe and you can see so much in 4 days that you will remember all your life.
You can find not only the most beautiful mountain peaks in Switzerland, but many beautiful charming villages, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, valleys and so much more.
Switzerland has a great culture and fascinating Swiss cuisine.
I have visited all the Swiss cantons (there are 26 of them), did hundreds of hikes, visited dozens of Swiss villages and cities and I have prepared you a 4 day itinerary which will help you to see the most beautiful places of Switzerland and just have a time of your life.
Further reading: 3 days in Switzerland itinerary
This itinerary is more suited for summer time as I include some mountain passes which are unfortunately passable by car only in summer, but if you come in winter – no worries, you can get to places by train (car train) or by a cable car.
The best way to visit Switzerland is by car, especially if you are more than one person, this will help you to save tons of money, as trains can get pretty expensive. If you decide to travel by train, check out our Swiss Pass article and how trains work in Switzerland.
Further reading: Ultimate mountain passes adventure in Switzerland
Switzerland is famous for the Swiss Alps and I would focus here on spending as much time in charming villages and valleys as possible and leave the big cities only for the first day. If you are more into cities exploring, I suggest you reading our articles about:
Do not get me wrong, cities in Switzerland are extremely beautiful with majestic views to the mountains, but they are still cities and it is more for urban explorers, not for nature explorers.
Let us have a look at our 4 days in Switzerland.
Table of Contents
Day 1 in Switzerland:
1) Arriving at Zürich airport
Once you arrive to the airport, you would have to decide how to travel: by car or train? Trains are quite expensive in Switzerland, and renting a car can really help you to save some money, as you will be flexible and can get anywhere at any time.
Trains in Switzerland usually go till 2 am and then starts at around 5 am, but if you are stuck in some remote village and have to use a train – the waiting times can be quite long depending on how late you are.
If you’re travelling in a group of two or more, why not rent a car for your 4 days exploring Switzerland?
You’ll save money compared to buying individual train tickets and gain the freedom to move around freely—something that can’t always be said about other modes of transport. And if you need any advice on using trains while there, I have just the thing – an article all about how best to experience Switzerland by rail.
2) Take a Walking Tour in Zürich
As the first step in your trip, I highly recommend visiting the biggest city in Switzerland.
It has a very cozy and humble old town and great walks by Lake Zürich.
To make it as fast as possible for you, you should go to your car and park here: Rämistrasse 22A, 8001 Zürich.
It is very close to the city center, but as well very close to the old town and the lake. This parking is quite costly, but you would need to park there just up to two hours or less. Once you go out of the parking, you will get very fast (in 5-10 minutes) to the big main square which is right by the Zürich Opera House. Ok, so to understand where you are: the old town is on your right, the lake is right in front of you.
Please have a look at the Zürich walking tour map below:
Take a relaxing stroll through the charming Qualbrücke, and if you’re lucky enough to catch it on a clear day, be prepared for some breathtaking alpine views. This short 2.5 kilometer journey should take no more than 35 minutes or so before your first glimpse of the magnificent Alps!
Allocate at least an hour or two to fully appreciate everything but don’t overstay: time passes quickly when traveling these parts.
3) Travel to Grindelwald
Grindelwald is located 137 kilometers way from Zürich and is a perfect gateway to the Swiss Alps.
This charming village is full of mountain experiences and just alone in this village you can easily spend a week and explore the whole Jungfrau region.
My biggest recommendation is to take a train up to Kleine Scheidegg or even to Jungfraujoch. It is a mountain station located at 3463 meters and winter is there all year round.
The train ride itself is a spectacle as you will go up the steep slopes of the mountains and after you cross the mountain station of Kleine Scheidegg – you will get into the mountain and for some time you will go up inside the mountain. This tunnel is more than hundred years old and was an engineering marvel in the beginning of the 20th century.
On the top you will find not only magnificient views, but shops, restaurants, museum and some more attractions.
If you want to spend more time in the nature, I have a list of best hikes and activities in Grindelwald and whole area:
Top 15 activities in Grindelwald
Day 2 in Switzerland
1) Visit Lauterbrunnen
The famous Lauterbrunnen village is just on another side of the mountain, so the trip by car will take around 20 minutes.
If you have ever seen a Swiss village with huge mountains around and a huge waterfall – it is probably Lauterbrunnen.
Lauterbrunnen is a perfect location if you want to make some jaw-dropping pictures for your Instagram.
Once in Lauterbrunnen you can visit Wengen or Mürren which are reachable by train.
I have prepared a list of activities you can do in Lauterbrunnen, Wengen and Mürren.
After a hike or visit one of the villages, I suggest having a lunch not in Lauterbrunnen, but in Mürren or Wengen as over there you will get fantastic premium views to the valley and white mountain peaks. You will never forget these spots.
2) Head to Zermatt
Zermatt is probably the most popular village in Switzerland and is only reachable by train, so you will have to leave your car in Täsch (the last village before Zermatt).
Train ride is only 10 minutes.
In Zermatt you will find exclusive views to Matterhorn – the most famous mountain in Switzerland.
I highly recommend taking a gondola to the top of Glacier paradise – it is a mountain station at almost 4 000 meters altitude – the highest one in Europe.
Over there you will find a restaurant, a shop and many more activities.
Zermatt is a really old isolated village with wooden architecture – so you will experience the real old Swiss mountain atmosphere and daily life.
Tip: if you want to save some money on accommodation, I recommend to spend a night in Täsch as prices can be up to two times cheaper. The trains to Täsch go till really late times, so you can go other there just to spend a night after spending whole day and evening in Zermatt.
Day 3 in Switzerland
1) Head to the mountain passes
After visiting Zermatt, I suggest you continue your trip deeper into the Swiss Alps and visit some of the most beautiful mountain passes in Switzerland:
Grimselpass – a beautiful mountain pass with a huge lake on the top with views to an extraordinary hotel which is situated a little bit lower than the top.
Furkapass – a famous James Bond mountain pass where you can visit the glacier.
Oberalp Pass – the only mountain pass with a lighthouse.
This is going to be your ultimate alpine drive with 3 mountain passes one after another. You should do the ride in the order I have written above.
You will get to higher altitudes as 2400 meters and experience the exciting mountain atmosphere.
If I would have just one day in Switzerland, this is what I would ultimately do – this mountain passes tour. It is really breathtaking and worth every minute of your time.
If you are getting hungry and need a snack, each mountain pass has small shops and restaurants.
2) Spend a night in Disentis
Disentis is one of hidden Swiss gems. It is a small village with huge old monastery.
Disentis is surrounded by huge mountains and has exceptional landshaft.
In the village you can find some cosy hotels and have a dinner in local restaurants where you can try local foods.
One note: in this village they speak the 4th Swiss language: Romansch. So this is a really special location.
Have a look at my day over there: One day in Disentis.
Day 4 in Switzerland
1) Visit Arosa
I really want you to spend as much time in the mountains, so our next stop is another Swiss gem – Arosa village.
Once you reach Chur city (the biggest in Graubünden canton) – you will get to narrower roads where the views are extraordinary.
Tip: If you are travelling by car, I recommend taking a train from Chur to Arosa as the views are really worth adoring. The train ride is around 1 hour.
Arosa has a beautiful lake in the middle of the village center, but the most beauty reveals itself if you take a gondola up to Weisshorn mountain. It has a huge mountain station with a beautiful restaurant where you can have a lunch and try local cuisine.
2) Take a peak into Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein is one of the smallest countries in the world and is right on the way back to Zürich.
Depending if you have some free time till your flight, I recommend visiting this small little country.
In Liechtenstein you should head to Vaduz, the capital of the country.
Over there you can have a slow stroll in the city center and explore this unique location.
FAQ About Switzerland in 4 days itinerary
Is 4 days enough for Switzerland?
Yes, in 4 days you can travel all around Switzerland, just remember, that Switzerland is quite a small country and in 4 days you can easily cover 2000 kilometers, which will be more than enough to see the majestic Swiss Alps.
How much does it cost to travel in Switzerland?
It all depends on your needs, as Switzerland has a pretty wide range of hotels, restaurants and attractions.
Hotels can cost from 100 to 1000 USD or more per night.
Food can cost from 5 USD for a bagel to 50 USD for a steak.
But if you are on a budget, you should consider such costs:
Car rent per day: around 100 USD
Hotel per night for a double room: from 100 USD
Dinner/Lunch at a restaurant: around 30 USD per person (no alcohol, no second courses)
Gondola: depending on location, but it can start from 20 USD and get up to 200 USD per ride up to the mountain and back.
If you want to save money: hike instead of taking gondolas, prepare your own lunch (have a look at grocery shops in Switzerland) and do not always go to restaurants, avoid tourist traps.
Which month is best for Switzerland?
You can see and visit the most in Summer months as all the mountain passes are open and all hiking trails are passable.
From June to September you will have the best chance to reach all remote places in Switzerland.
What is the cheapest month to go to Switzerland?
If you want to save some money and travel around in Switzerland (not ski), then winter months are the cheapest, especially if you spend nights in not skiing areas.
Conclusion
Switzerland is one of the most beautiful countries and in 4 days you can really cover a lot: see the mountains, some cities, villages, have a hike, go up the mountain with a gondola, take amazing pictures, try local cuisine and so much more.
These 4 days will be fast and intense, but you are going to experience so much, that you will never forget this trip in your life.
