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Travel guide · Alps and lakes

Travelling to Switzerland

Alpine lakes, panoramic trains, the Matterhorn, picture-postcard villages and chocolate. We tell you when to go, what to see and what to eat.

Updated 19 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • All year round
  • Where to eat: the Beiz (local tavern)
Photo: Unsplash

Switzerland in 30 seconds

  • Any time of year is good to travel to Switzerland: our data shows no months with weather, closure or crowd warnings.
  • A Swiss Travel Pass if you’re taking lots of trains.
  • To eat like a local: the Beiz (local tavern). Don’t leave without trying: Fondue, Raclette, Rösti.

Switzerland in November

Yes: November is a good time to travel to Switzerland. Our data shows no weather or seasonal warnings that month.

More destinations for November

When to travel to Switzerland

Any time of year is good to travel to Switzerland: our data shows no months with weather, closure or crowd warnings.

  1. Jan no warnings
  2. Feb no warnings
  3. Mar no warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May no warnings
  6. Jun no warnings
  7. Jul no warnings
  8. Aug no warnings
  9. Sep no warnings
  10. Oct no warnings
  11. Nov no warnings
  12. Dec no warnings

What to see in Switzerland

The cities and areas most worth your time, with their highlights. Open each one for all the places, where to stay and its day trips.

  • Zurich
    Zurich

    Zurich

    An old town by the lake and the river, with galleries and views of the Alps.

    • Lake
    • Bahnhofstrasse
    • Kunsthaus
    • Uetliberg
    Zurich guide
  • Interlaken
    Alps · Interlaken

    Interlaken

    Between two lakes, the gateway to the Jungfraujoch and Switzerland’s adventure capital.

    • Jungfraujoch
    • Lake Brienz
    • Harder Kulm
    • Lauterbrunnen
    Interlaken guide
  • Geneva

    Geneva

    An international city on Lake Geneva, with its giant water jet.

    • Jet d’Eau
    • Old town
    • Palais des Nations
    • Flower clock
    Geneva guide
  • Lucerne

    Lucerne

    A medieval wooden bridge over the river and mountains around the lake.

    • Chapel Bridge
    • Lion Monument
    • Mount Pilatus
    • Mount Rigi
    Lucerne guide
  • Zermatt

    Zermatt

    A car-free village at the foot of the Matterhorn.

    • Matterhorn
    • Gornergrat
    • Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
    • Five Lakes Walk
    Zermatt guide
  • Bern

    Bern

    The capital, with a medieval old town of arcades, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    • Zytglogge
    • Arcades
    • Bear Park
    • Einstein House
    Bern guide
  • Basel

    Basel

    A city of museums on the Rhine, next to France and Germany.

    • Red town hall
    • Fondation Beyeler
    • Cathedral
    • Rhine ferries
    Basel guide
  • Lausanne

    Lausanne

    A hillside city above Lake Geneva, home of the International Olympic Committee.

    • Cathedral
    • Olympic Museum
    • Ouchy
    • Lavaux vineyards
    Lausanne guide
  • Lugano

    Lugano

    Italian-speaking Switzerland: palm trees, a lake and mountains.

    • Lake Lugano
    • Monte San Salvatore
    • Monte Brè
    • Parco Ciani
    Lugano guide
  • Montreux

    Montreux

    The Swiss Riviera, with Chillon Castle on the water.

    • Chillon Castle
    • Freddie Mercury statue
    • Flower promenade
    • Rochers-de-Naye
    Montreux guide
  • Grindelwald

    Grindelwald

    An Alpine village at the foot of the Eiger, a base for the First Cliff Walk and the Jungfraujoch.

    • First
    • Eiger
    • Bachalpsee
    • Grindelwald Glacier
    Grindelwald guide
  • Lauterbrunnen

    Lauterbrunnen

    The valley of 72 waterfalls, with sheer walls and little wooden chalets.

    • Staubbach Falls
    • Trümmelbach Falls
    • Mürren
    • Wengen
    Lauterbrunnen guide
  • Jungfraujoch

    Jungfraujoch

    The “Top of Europe”: the highest railway station on the continent, with the Aletsch Glacier below.

    • Jungfrau Railway
    • Sphinx Observatory
    • Ice Palace
    • Aletsch Glacier
    Jungfraujoch guide
  • St. Moritz

    St. Moritz

    The most glamorous Alpine resort, with its frozen lake in winter and the Bernina Express train.

    • Lake St. Moritz
    • Corviglia
    • Bernina Express
    • Engadine Valley
    St. Moritz guide
  • Davos

    Davos

    The highest town in Europe, famous for the Economic Forum and its ski slopes.

    • Parsenn
    • Lake Davos
    • Kirchner Museum
    • Schatzalp
    Davos guide

Day trips and activities

What’s most worth booking from each city. We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

From Zurich

From Interlaken

From Geneva

From Lucerne

From Zermatt

From Bern

From Basel

From Lausanne

From Lugano

From Montreux

From Grindelwald

From Lauterbrunnen

From the Jungfraujoch

From St. Moritz

From Davos

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What to eat in Switzerland

To eat like a local: the Beiz (local tavern), and order rösti or fondue if it’s cold. And don’t leave without trying:

  • Fondue

    Melted cheese with white wine for dipping bread.

  • Raclette

    Melted cheese scraped over potatoes.

  • Rösti

    A grated potato cake.

  • Zürcher Geschnetzeltes

    Veal in a cream sauce with rösti.

  • Chocolate

    Among the best in the world.

  • Bircher muesli

    Oat flakes with fruit, invented in Switzerland.

The typical dish of Switzerland, at home

Cheese fondue
Photo: JHG (Julien29) · Public domain

Cheese fondue

Cheese melted with white wine and kirsch in an earthenware pot (caquelon) over a burner, into which you dip cubes of bread on long forks. Switzerland’s winter sharing dish.

  • Serves 4
  • 30 min

Ingredients

  • 400 g grated Gruyère
  • 400 g grated Vacherin Fribourgeois or Emmental
  • 300 ml dry white wine
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 tablespoon of cornflour
  • 2 tablespoons of kirsch
  • Nutmeg and pepper
  • 1 kg day-old bread, cubed

How to make it at home

  1. Rub the inside of the pot with the halved garlic.
  2. Heat the wine in the pot, add the cheeses little by little and stir in a figure of eight over a low heat until melted.
  3. Dissolve the cornflour in the kirsch and add it to bind the fondue.
  4. Season with nutmeg and pepper.
  5. Put the pot on the burner in the middle of the table and dip the bread, always stirring.

The trick: Whoever loses their bread in the pot buys the next round (or sings).

The typical food of each city, with a recipe

Curious facts about Switzerland

What guidebooks don’t tell you and will help you understand the country better.

  • It has four official languages: German, French, Italian and Romansh.
  • The trains are so punctual that timetables are worked out to the exact minute.
  • There are more than fifteen hundred lakes.
  • The Red Cross was born in Geneva.
  • The Swiss are among the world’s biggest chocolate eaters.
  • It’s not in the EU, but it is in Schengen.

Traditions of Switzerland

Customs and celebrations that will help you experience the country like a local.

  • 1 August National Day

    Bonfires and fireworks all over the country.

  • February or March Basel Carnival

    It starts at four in the morning with lanterns.

  • September Alpabzug

    The cows come down from the pastures decorated with flowers and bells.

  • December (Geneva) Escalade

    Celebrated with chocolate cauldrons filled with marzipan.

What not to do in Switzerland

First-trip mistakes that are easy to avoid.

  • Don’t drive on the motorway without the vignette.
  • Don’t make noise at night or on Sundays: there are rules about quiet times.
  • Don’t throw rubbish away without sorting it: they’re strict.
  • Don’t head into the high mountains without checking the weather.
  • Don’t assume your mobile plan includes roaming as it does in the EU.
  • Don’t go without looking at the rail passes (Swiss Travel Pass and others): they save a lot.

Before you go

Entry requirements depend on your passport and change: always check them with official sources before travelling.

  • Entering the country

    Visas, electronic authorisations and health requirements for Switzerland depend on your nationality. Check your government’s official travel advice and the embassy before you book.

    UK: foreign travel advice (GOV.UK) US: travel advisories (travel.state.gov)
  • Traveller tips

    A Swiss Travel Pass if you’re taking lots of trains.

    Excellent tap water.

    Jungfraujoch: check the weather.

Frequently asked questions about Switzerland

What people search for most before travelling to Switzerland.

What’s the best time to travel to Switzerland?

Any time of year is good to travel to Switzerland: our data shows no months with weather, closure or crowd warnings.

What to see in Switzerland in a week?

The essentials of Switzerland: Zurich, Interlaken, Geneva, Lucerne and Zermatt. How many places fit into your days, and in what order, depends on your dates and how you get around: the Bagintravel app plans your trip day by day in a minute.

What to eat in Switzerland?

Fondue, Raclette, Rösti, Zürcher Geschnetzeltes, Chocolate, Bircher muesli. To eat like a local: the Beiz (local tavern).

What is the typical dish of Switzerland?

Cheese fondue. Cheese melted with white wine and kirsch in an earthenware pot (caquelon) over a burner, into which you dip cubes of bread on long forks. Switzerland’s winter sharing dish.

What should you not do in Switzerland?

Don’t drive on the motorway without the vignette. Don’t make noise at night or on Sundays: there are rules about quiet times. Don’t throw rubbish away without sorting it: they’re strict.

Is it worth travelling to Switzerland in November?

Yes: November is a good time to travel to Switzerland. Our data shows no weather or seasonal warnings that month.

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More guides

Guide reviewed 19 October 2026. Seasonal data, places and areas: the same ones the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.

Photos: cover, Unsplash. Zurich, MadGeographer (CC BY-SA 3.0). Interlaken, W. Bulach (CC BY-SA 4.0). Geneva, Luisfpizarro (CC0). Lucerne, A.Savin (FAL). Zermatt, Roy Egloff (CC BY-SA 4.0). Bern, Flooffy (CC BY 2.0). Basel, Taxiarchos228 (FAL). Lausanne, Gzzz (CC BY-SA 4.0). Lugano, SamuelFerrara (CC BY-SA 4.0). Montreux, Maude Rion (CC BY-SA 4.0). Grindelwald, Blanky75 (CC BY-SA 4.0). Lauterbrunnen, Sergio Ligregni (CC BY-SA 4.0). Jungfraujoch, NOTE: This image is a panorama of Jungfraujoch Sphinx-Observatory consisting of (CC BY-SA 4.0). St. Moritz, Murdockcrc (CC BY 3.0). Davos, Giorgio Galeotti (CC BY-SA 4.0).