SWITZERLAND: RESOURCES GUIDE
About Switzerland:
Switzerland is a beautiful country located in the heart of Europe, known for its snow-capped Alps, crystal-clear lakes, charming villages, and vibrant cities. From skiing and snowboarding to hiking and mountain biking, there's something for everyone in this picturesque country.
One of the best ways to experience Switzerland's natural beauty is by exploring its many stunning villages. The charming village of Grindelwald, nestled at the foot of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau mountains, is a must-see for visitors. It's a popular base for skiing and snowboarding in the winter and hiking in the summer, and its stunning views make it a perfect year-round destination. Another charming village is Lauterbrunnen, located in a valley surrounded by waterfalls and mountains. The village is also home to the famous Trümmelbach Falls, a series of ten glacier-fed waterfalls that are a true natural wonder.
Switzerland is also home to many stunning parks and natural reserves, which are perfect for nature lovers. The Swiss National Park, located in the eastern part of the country, is a wilderness area with over 170 square kilometers of stunning scenery and abundant wildlife. Visitors can hike, bike, or ski through the park and observe wild animals such as deer, ibex, and eagles. Another popular park is the Aletsch Glacier, the largest glacier in the Alps, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a must-see for visitors.
When it comes to landmarks, Switzerland has many iconic structures that are worth a visit. The Matterhorn, located in the Swiss Alps, is one of the most famous mountains in the world and a symbol of Switzerland. Visitors can take a cable car to the top of the mountain and enjoy breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. Another famous landmark is the Chillon Castle, located on the shores of Lake Geneva. The castle dates back to the 12th century and is open for visitors to explore its rich history and beautiful architecture.
Switzerland's cities are also full of history, culture, and charm. Zurich, the largest city in Switzerland, is known for its beautiful architecture, world-class museums, and vibrant nightlife. Visitors can explore the Old Town, walk along the Limmat River, and visit the Kunsthaus Zurich and the Swiss National Museum. Geneva, located on the shores of Lake Geneva, is home to the United Nations and many international organizations. The city is known for its beautiful parks, elegant buildings, and lively cultural scene.
Whether you're looking for outdoor adventures, cultural experiences, or just some rest and relaxation, Switzerland has something to offer. With its stunning natural beauty, charming villages, iconic landmarks, and vibrant cities, Switzerland is a must-visit destination for anyone looking to experience the best of Europe.
Welcome to Adventure Fares' Resources and Information Guide. These guides are compiled to provide a great "starting place" for planning. Here, we try to help you with the 4 big planning goals for any destination: Where to Stay / Where to Eat / What to See and Do / How to Budget. We even try to include some great itinerary links. Have fun planning your travel adventure! These resource pages are always being updated. If you would like to see a country / city / place not already in our resource guides, please email your requests or suggestions to: [email protected]
BUDGET RESOURCES:
We typically go to Budget Your Trip to research budgeting! We highly recommend their website. They do a fantastic job of compiling data from thousands of travelers around the world! This data is so useful for anyone who’s wanting to make the most of their travel budget. If you sign up and enter your own expenses - you contribute to the data and also get to access their fantastic planning tools - with charts, maps, graphs, and tables of your trip finances. Bookmark their site, and go there for a lot more in-depth budgeting research: BudgetYourTrip.com
With this chart, we just wanted to give you an idea of how your budget might look compared to a few familiar places here in the U.S
Rentals / Hotels / B&B Lists
Finding the perfect accommodation can make or break a trip. That's why we compile so many lodging lists - to help you find reliable and affordable recommendations for AirBNBs, VRBOs, boutique hotels, and B&Bs. These lists should give you a great starting place, and hopefully make that trip even better!
VRBO LISTS
(coming soon)
AIRBNB Resources:
airbnb.com - It has become a very popular resource for travelers. We try to limit our lists to rentals in great locations, with good pricing, and great views when we find them. We use AirBNB a lot. ALWAYS double-check reviews and avoid "new" listings most of the time. Be sure to double check for air conditioning in the summer, and feel free to reach out to the owner for tips / questions!
VRBO Resources:
vrbo.com - VRBO is another great one to use. Sometimes you find rentals here you won't see on AirBNB - its always great to have more options, especially during peak seasons when rentals book up fast. Always double-check reviews and avoid "new" listings when possible. The VRBO system won't let us filter neighborhoods as well as some others, so always double check location after finding a good property.
Bed and Breakfast Resources:
Booking.com - this is often our “go-to” for this category. We find their customer reviews to be very reliable!
bedandbreakfast.guide (B&B Guide) - this one screens out the worst-reviewed places, so their lists are pretty reliable.
bnbfinder.com - this one is promising, but they don’t have near as many listings as the others here. We hope they grow!
Boutique Hotels Resources:
BoutiqueHotel.me - this one is usually our favorite. However, their list will only provide you with hotels who allow booking through booking.com - so some great hotels won’t be on their lists.
MrandMrsSmith.com - This is fantastic and inspirational resource for finding places to stay around the world. Much of their focus is on premiere hotels (and not what we would call “budget” finds), but it can be a fantastic place to search. It’s fun to just click on their “Inspiration” tab and find some new places around the world.
TheHotelGuru.com - This site also links to booking.com, and can be a complimentary resource.
GreatSmallHotels.com - Another resource the books through booking.com, this one tends to go a little more upscale, especially in large European cities.
Some More Interesting Lodging Guides:
gounusual.com - Great Resource for those trying to find unique places to stay: Castles, igloos, boats, more!
eruoglamping.com - Just what it sounds like - a resource of upscale camping places in Europe:
goglamping.net - GoGlamping / More upscale camping experiences - UK and Europe
NOTE: No matter what form of lodging you book, we recommend you always confirm your booking one last time a week to 10 days ahead of your travel.
Restaurants / Dining Lists
Choosing dining options can be confusing and intimidating. We've compiled these lists to help you start planning some memorable meals. Lists are organized by city and include some of the best and most affordable dining destinations in each city/area. Every adventure deserves some great meals!
WANDERLOG
TripAdvisor Dining Lists:
TripAdvisor.com - We recommend using TripAdvisor’s dining directories whenever you find yourself needing good food in a place with which you’re unfamiliar. They have a huge volume of reviews, great genre help, and mapping.
Michelin Guide - Dining Lists:
Michelin Guide - For respected and relevant reviews of restaurants around the world, Michelin has been the Iconic dining guide since the 1800s. If you find a 1 star near you, book it. If you find a 2 star, you’re in for a treat. If you find a 3 star - make a travel detour if you need to and get there!
Wanderlog Dining Lists:
Wanderlog.com - Wanderlog is an interesting site - compiling lots of travel planning possibilities. Their trip-planning features are worth checking out, but we’ve come to really like their restaurant lists. They’re just a little pickier than TripAdvisor, but not as exclusive as Michelin. They’re worth checking out in most towns.
When trying to get a nicer restaurant into your travel plans, we recommend making reservations at least a couple of weeks ahead of time. Some of the Michelin star restaurants might even require more advance (varies).
Things to See and Do Lists
Finding what to see and do is always a travel priority. We've compiled lists/links from the world's most credible sources to help you find the best adventures for your destination. These lists will help you find the most popular attractions (and some hidden gems) for your travel adventures.
ATLAS OBSCURA
Things to See and Do Resources:
These are a few resources we trust. They will give you some great places to start. Rank your priorities (and your travel friends' priorities), see what works for your schedule, and plan an amazing travel adventure. *Don't try to cram too much in - it's those "unplanned" moments that often product the best adventures.
FodorsTravel.com - In our experience, Fodor’s is the best overall place to start when planning a trip. Once you search and find their guide to a city - they break the guide down into Sights, Nightlife, Shopping, Performing Arts, and Sports and Acitivities. There’s not tons of inspiration here, but good, reliable information. There are ads, but they do a good job of keeping the content credible. They also have a great “Map View” feature for the different sections so you can always check to see what’s close. Their Hotels and Restaurants guides are also pretty good.
RickSteves.com - Rick Steves has been an awesome resource for budget travelers for decades, and his content just keeps getting better. His reviews are reliable, his itineraries are fantastic, and his reputation for credibility is great. We check out his information on any destination we're thinking about visiting.
AtlasObscura.com - This is our favorite guide source! We don’t know how the team at Atlas Obscura finds so many cool, interesting, and odd things to see around the world - but they do it. It’s easy to find those top few things to do in any location, but these guys go beyond - and get you some off-the-beaten path adventures.
TripAdvisor - Trip Advisor is pretty commercial in nature, but they have really high traffic - so it's easy to see what's popular pretty much anywhere in the world. That can be helpful for planning what to see, and sometimes what to avoid. It's one of our go-to resources for seeing what might be in the town ahead on a road trip.
Wanderlog.com - Wanderlog is an interesting site - compiling lots of travel planning possibilities. Their trip-planning features are worth checking out, and we really like their “THINGS TO DO” lists. They’re pretty much ranked from most popular to least - so its a great place to figure out a priority list of things to see.
GetYourGuide.com - We really like this one! Get your guide is becoming a great source for planning as well as inspiration for travel adventures. Even if you aren’t looking for things to do on your trip, it’s a good place to get new trip ideas and browse exciting things to do. They have some "decent" pricing on local activities - worth considering for booking.
Nomadicmatt.com - Matt travels as much as any blogger / content creator we follow. He's a good writer, a good planner, and delivers entertaining content. We certainly recommend you check out his travel guides. If he's been somewhere, he shares great stuff!
OTHERS WORTH CHECKING OUT:
The Crazy Tourist - This is a travel resource that covers destinations all over the world. Just type the name of a country or city in their search section, and they have good
CultureTrip.com - This one is pretty commercial (lots of ads), but its also pretty reliable. They’ve been a travel industry leader for a long time, so there are enough reviews on things to know if you’re making good decisions. We always check out the Culture Trip guide for any location we’re planning on visiting.
Itineraries to Get You Started
Building an itinerary for your travel adventure can be a daunting task. Here are a few resources to help you get started without all the "noise" associated with online research. These are sample itineraries from travel pros who are credible, reliable, and know the places they're writing about. Itineraries are made to be broken, but hopefully these will start you out on the right path.
If you're planning a trip to Switzerland, there's so much to see and do that it can be overwhelming to know where to start. To help you plan your itinerary, here's a comprehensive checklist of must-see destinations and off-the-beaten-path gems to explore. Below our checklist, you'll find several sample itineraries we recommend.
DON’T MISS:
- Take a scenic train ride on the Glacier Express through the Swiss Alps
- Visit the Matterhorn, Switzerland's most famous peak and a symbol of the Swiss Alps
- Explore the medieval Old Town of Bern, a UNESCO World Heritage site
- Take a boat ride on Lake Geneva and enjoy the view of the Swiss Riviera
- Visit the Rhine Falls, Europe's largest waterfall, located in Schaffhausen
- Walk along the Aare Gorge, a natural wonder in the Bernese Oberland region
- Experience Swiss chocolate making and taste some of the finest chocolate in the world
- Visit the iconic Chillon Castle on the shores of Lake Geneva
IF YOU HAVE MORE TIME:
- Visit the Swiss city of Lucerne, known for its beautiful lake and charming old town
- Explore the Lauterbrunnen Valley, also known as the "Valley of Waterfalls"
- Take a trip to the charming city of Interlaken, known for its outdoor adventure activities
- Visit the picturesque city of Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva
- Explore the Aletsch Glacier, the largest glacier in the Alps
- Take a scenic train ride on the Glacier Express, which travels through the Swiss Alps
- Visit the charming town of Zermatt, located at the base of the Matterhorn
- Explore the town of Appenzell, known for its traditional Swiss culture and architecture
OFF THE BEATEN PATH
- Visit the small town of St. Gallen, known for its Baroque cathedral and library
- Explore the Oeschinensee Lake, located in the Kandersteg area
- Take a trip to the Ticino region, the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland with its own unique culture
- Visit the town of Murten, known for its well-preserved medieval walls and gates
- Explore the Aare Gorge, a stunning natural wonder in the Bernese Oberland region
- Take a trip to the Engadine Valley, known for its beautiful landscapes and traditional Swiss villages
- Visit the town of Einsiedeln, home to a historic monastery and pilgrimage site
- Explore the Lavaux Vineyard Terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its stunning views and wine production.
ITINERARIES FOR SWITZERLAND:
Itineraries can be tough to build, but the process can also be really fun to research. We read hundreds of these a month - and are always looking for better ones for our resource guides. Here are a few we found that might be helpful to get you started. Some of these are from favorite sources, and few we just found for this country. Start planning that adventure!
7 Days in Switzerland: Guide for First Timers / The Invisible Tourist
7 to 21 Days in Switzerland / Earth Trekkers
Switzerland Itinerary by Train / Eurail
The Perfect 5-Day Switzerland Itinerary / Practical Wanderlust
Rick Steves: Switzerland Itinerary
Best Switzerlands Tours and Itineraries / kimkim
How to Spend 7 to 21 Days in Switzerland / Earth Trekkers
Self-Guided - Hiking the Swiss Alps / MySwissAlps
Suggested Itineraries in Switzerland / Frommers
Switzerland's Grand Tour: Food and Drink Itinerary / Nat Geo
MORE RESOURCES:
Nomadic Matt: Switzerland Budget Travel Guide
Nomadic Matt: 10 Tips on Visiting Switzerland on a Budget
Nomadic Matt: Zurich Budget Travel Guide
Nomadic Matt: Bern Budget Travel Guide
Nomadic Matt: Interlaken Budget Travel Guide
Nomadic Matt: Geneva Budget Travel Guide
Nomadic Matt: Basel Budget Travel Guide
Backpacking Switzerland Travel Guide / The Broke Backpacker
Best Hiking Trails in Switzeralnd - Guide / Namdasaurus
Best Backpacking Trails in Switzerland / AllTrails
How Many Days to Spend in Switzerland / kimkim
Top 5 Hiking Trips in Switzerland / MacsAdventure
50 Best Hikes in Switzerland / Journey Era
Switzerland Food Guide / wanderlust crew
Food and Drink in Switzerland / Frommer's
Thousands of Great Photo Spots in Switzerland / LocationScout
Best Switzerland Mountain Bike Trails / singletracks
VIDEOS TO WATCH:
SWITZERLAND IN 8K - HEAVEN OF EARTH / 8K WORLD
TOP 25 PLACES TO VISIT IN SWITZERLAND / RYAN SHIRLEY
GENEVA: CAPITAL OF WORLD CITIZENS / VAGABROTHERS
BEST OF TICINO SWITZERLAND / VAGABROTHERS
THE MOST PERFECT COUNTRY ON THE PLANET / BRETT CONTI
RIDING THE MOST BEAUTIFUL TRAIN - BERNINA EXPRESS
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SWISS TOWNS / FLYING THE NEST
GRINDELWALD - LAUTERBRUNNEN / LIFESTYLE HAL
10 MOST BEAUTIFUL TOWNS IN SWITZERLAND / LIFESTYLE HAL
25 THINGS TO DO IN MUNICH / SAMUEL AND AUDREY
*photos from pixabay.com, pexels.com, unsplash.com and Darrell Potts
LOCATION SCOUT / PHOTOS
Resource Tip! Whenever we're considering going to a places we've never been, I like to pull it up on https://www.locationscout.net
Location Scout shows you pics from thousands of places around the world - just to give you a visual of where you're considering going. This is a photography-based website, with pics - and locations where the pics were taken (maps). Here's a snapshot of what you see when you look up this country. We highly recommend you browse this site before any adventure: https://www.locationscout.net
EMAIL Us - We Want to Hear From You!
We believe that the best travel advice comes from those who have experienced it firsthand. That's why we're inviting our members to share their travel tips, and recommendations with us. Whether it's a hidden gem of a restaurant, a must-see attraction, or an off-the-beaten-path adventure, we want to hear about it. Your contributions are helping us build a new database of "Member Suggestions." Email us when you get a chance - links, maps, and reviews all help! Email us at [email protected]
These resource pages have been fun to work on! We hope they keep getting better. Are we missing something? Are we missing one of your favorite travel resources? Please email me - I'd love to learn anything that can help make travel adventures even better! Darrell Potts.
