One of the things I loved about being a holiday rep was living in a brand-new place for a whole season.
My advice on where to stay in Switzerland follows my preference for staying longer to see more. As a holiday rep, with up to five months to really get to know a destination, I never once found myself bored. There were always plenty of hiking trails left to explore and ski runs to master. I’d always find new views to photograph and off-the-beaten-track mountain lifts to ascend. Or a museum I’d not yet visited and a village that I still needed to explore. So I’m not a fan of spending one night here and two nights there, trying to see the whole of Switzerland in the shortest time possible.
Occasionally, I might throw in a suggestion for combining a few nights in one place with a week or more somewhere else. But mostly, I’ll suggest places to stay as a base to explore the surrounding area.
So, where might you base yourself for your first summer holiday in Switzerland?
Are you looking for quick inspiration on where to stay as a first-time visitor to Switzerland? Below are the top places I’d recommend to friends, family and anyone asking my advice –
My top tips on where to stay in Switzerland
Lake Lucerne
Does the idea of a beautiful cobbled city appeal with shopping, bars and restaurants, museums and sightseeing on your doorstep? Do you dream of boarding historic paddle steamers to cruise a mesmerising lake and riding cable cars to reach mountain summits, with a short hike here and a lakeside stroll there?
The city of Lucerne ticks all these boxes. Plus it has a mainline train station for yet more Swiss day trips.
If your focus is on the lazier cruising side of Lake Lucerne, the pretty villages of Vitznau and Weggis offer sleepy lakeside places to reside.
Read more about why I love Lake Lucerne here.
Interlaken & the Jungfrau region
Are you planning your first holiday to Switzerland with visions of towering snow-capped mountains towering? Would you love to set foot on a glacier and tackle high-altitude hiking trails? Or do you dream of strolling through valleys overflowing with waterfalls, dazzling lakes and alpine flowers?
The lively resort of Grindelwald sets you within easy reach of all this, as does the spectacularly located village of Lauterbrunnen. Choose Wengen or Mürren for a traffic-free alpine wonderland appeal. Or Interlaken itself for the most touristy vibe. For the sleepiest options, consider the picturesque villages of Bönigen (on the shores of Lake Brienz) or Wilderswil in the nearby but rural vicinity of Interlaken.
Read more about why I love the Jungfrau region here.
Zermatt
If you crave twee chocolate box village scenes and the original Toblerone logo of the iconic Matterhorn, Zermatt may be the place for you. Horse-drawn carriages tour the pedestrianised cobbled streets. And the whole place is bustling with holidaymakers – shopping, setting off for a hike or balancing skis on their shoulders (there’s summer skiing on the glacier).
It’s romantic and irresistible, but 3 or 4 nights will be enough unless you’re a keen hiker.
Alternatively, Zermatt combines well with Interlaken. Only 2 hours away by train, they complement each other well, showing off two very different sides of Switzerland.
Where to stay in Switzerland for families?
Switzerland is a fantastic destination for a family that likes to keep busy, whether sightseeing, hiking, or other outdoor activities. Make sure you go before the kids hit 16 so they can travel with you for free on the trains (with the free Swiss Family Card).
Lucerne
Lucerne has fun museums. Plus, children will love cruising the lakes and taking the mountain lifts to reach playgrounds and themed hiking trails.
Jungfrau Region
Family days out in the Jungfrau region include the Jungfraujoch itself – the Top of Europe with Ice Palace and Snow Fun Park. Head to the Schilthorn revolving restaurant or the thundering Trümmelbach waterfalls hidden within the mountainside. Or set off on one of many family-friendly hikes.
Grindelwald
Active families love staying in Grindelwald. It’s within easy reach of the alpine zipline, Trottibike scooters, and Cliff Walk at First.
Interlaken
Interlaken is an excellent base for a more sightseeing-focused holiday, with quick lake access for watersports and boat trips.
Finding your Swiss home-from-home
Once you’ve decided where to base yourself, you’ll need a roof over your head—or, at the very least, a spot to pitch your tent.
I love the self-catering option for many reasons. Not least because it takes me back to my days living in Switzerland; once again, I feel a bit like a local.
In fact, I tend to book the exact same self-catering studio every time we return. So, it now feels like a second home. How did we find this gem of a place? Most official tourist websites have an accommodation link listing hundreds of self-catering apartments.
Self-catering in Interlaken
Self-catering in Lake Lucerne
Self-catering in Zermatt
Our accommodation priorities when hunting for somewhere to stay are –
- A couple of hobs to cook a rösti
- Outdoor space in which to eat the rösti (bonus points if it has a lovely view)
- Walking distance to a Co-Op to buy packs of rösti (and other gluten-free food)
- Walking distance to train station to transport us to hiking and running trails near and far
If you’re on a budget, I highly recommend the self-catering option. Other budget-friendly possibilities include –
Campsites
Many of which have spectacular locations next to lakes and waterfalls, in walking distance of towns or nestled in remote mountain foothills.
https://myswitzerland.com-campsites
Hostels
Hostels often boast prime locations in popular cities, towns and villages. https://www.youthhostel.ch/en/hostels/
Mountain huts
Mountain huts are generally very basic, usually dormitory rooms and no private facilities. But, if you’re a serious hiker, with careful planning (you need to book in advance, check the weather, and ensure you’re fit enough to hike there), they offer a one-of-a-kind experience.
So far, I’ve stayed in more mountain huts (rifugios) in Italy than in Switzerland, so I’m no expert. But my one overnight at the Wildstrubel Hut is etched in my memory. I long to repeat it. Conveniently perched at 2793m, it’s the perfect spot to break a two-day hike. Arriving early in the evening, we huddled around long communal dining tables for a hearty meal. Then, wrapped up in our fleeces, we watched the mountains glow pink and dissolve into majestic silhouettes. As hut rules enforce a strict ‘lights out’ shortly after sunset, all residents can expect an early night tucked up in dorms under red and white checked duvets. All the better for setting off early to continue your hike.
After breakfast, the hut warden waved us off with a flask of deliciously hot and herby “Wander-tee”. And there we were, back out in the fresh rose-tinted morning, standing amongst dusky pink mountains and snow-tipped summits. Staying so high is an amazing experience, and ticking off more mountain huts is creeping higher and higher up my To-do list.