First time in Switzerland: 5 day itinerary and travel tips

For Christmas I surprised Pasquale with a trip to Switzerland since we love to ski and have made it a tradition to go away every February. I was tossing up the idea of going to Aspen again but I’m like, no I want to do something different – we’re going to the Swiss Alps!

The best ski mountains in Switzerland

• Zermatt
• St. Moritz
• Verbier
• Davos

He would always tag me in photos of this iconic snowy village in Switzerland and after digging through the internet like a psycho I found out that village was in Zermatt. so…..

We were off to Europe!

We originally were only planning on doing Zermatt but decided to see 3 cities to have a more well-rounded trip.

5 DAY ITINERARY

Day 1 & 2 – Geneva, Switzerland

WHERE TO STAY

Beau Rivage Genéve – luxury hotel near the Lake Geneva

Elegant hotel with exceptional views of the Jet d’Eau, the lake, the Mont-Blanc, the snowy summits and the city. We stayed in the Sissi suite which had a balcony and a terrace overlooking Lake Geneva.

WHERE TO DINE

Le Chat-Botté – unique culinary experience with Michelin-starred chef Dominique Gauthier located right inside the Beau Rivage hotel. Save some room for the cheese cart!

Marjolaine – Some of their best specialities include the traditional Vitello Tonnato, the home-made ravioli stuffed with braised beef or the tagliata di manzo. The Frittura di calamari was my favorite appetizer.

Featured is the braised beef ravioli and the calamari

WHAT TO DO

GO ON A CHOCOLATE TOUR

Visit cafes and go on a chocolate tour, because chocolate is ALWAYS a good idea! Local Flavors Tours is a deliciously sweet way to learn the history of chocolates while getting a little tasting of some specialties.

VISIT ST. PIERRE’S CATHEDRAL

St. Pierre Cathedral cathedral in Geneva, Switzerland, was built as a Roman Catholic cathedral, but became a Reformed Protestant Church of Geneva church during the Reformation.

LUNCH CRUISE AROUND LAKE GENEVA

Attention foodies! Make your great escape from the city and reserve a lunch cruise at the Captain’s Table around Lake Geneva. Enjoy a a succulent and scenic meal prepared by Eldora Traiteur.

VISIT THE PATEK PHILLIPE MUSEUM

Located in the restored Art Deco building in Geneva, the museum houses over five centuries of watchmaking history.

Day 3 & 4 – Zermatt, Switzerland

WHERE TO STAY

Riffelhaus 1853 – ski in/ski out hotel located on the Riffelberg in Zermatt. Enjoy unparalleled views of the Matterhorn from the hot tub and sauna.

WHERE TO DINE

Grand Hotel Zermatterhof – Enjoy lunch or dinner alfresco by the Lusi Bar outside of the Grand Hotel. We got lucky with the weather and enjoyed a warm 50 degrees in February!

WHAT TO DO

Ski the Matterhorn, of course!

Walk around the (cutest) village of Zermatt for shopping/eating.

Day 5 – Zurich, Switzerland

WHERE TO STAY

Widder Hotel – Beautifuly renovated boutique hotel that dates back to the twelfth century.

WHERE TO DINE

Restaurant Kronenhalle– One of the most legendary restaurants in Zurich and a “must” for anyone looking for a special dining experience in the city. Famously known as a meeting place for big artists and celebrities such as Chagall, Picasso, Coco Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent (to name a few)

WHAT TO DO

Wander the streets of Zurich

This could honestly take up most of your day and never get boring! The Old World Charm of the streets and buildings will make you feel like you are in a fairy tale.

Cabaret Voltaire on Spiegelgasse

Check out the Instagram worthy Gerold Cuchi umbrellas

Eat fondue!!!!!! I couldn’t WAIT for this part of the trip and I made sure I scouted out the best restaurant in town. We ordered the black truffle cheese fondue at Le Dezaley.

TRAVEL TIPS

• Currency – Switzerland is not part of the European Union so they do not use the Euro. Instead they use a currency called the “Swiss Franc” which is about $1.03 USD.  Luckily, Switzerland takes all major credit cards which is what I used for most of my trip.

• Tipping – Gratuity and service charges are already included in the bill. Proper tipping etiquette in Switzerland is 10% at restaurants.

• Transportation – Public transportation is huge in Switzerland and is how we traveled around to each city. I highly suggest purchasing a Swiss Transfer Pass ahead of time to save yourself the trouble of purchasing individual tickets which can get super pricey. In my experience, first class was worth the extra money especially if you are carrying luggage with you as it is much more roomier and peaceful. The pass is good for all major railways but EXCLUDES cable cars which are required to go up and down the ski mountains.

The Glacier Express – If you have time and are willing to carve out a day, definitely check this out. It’s an express train that connects two of the major mountain resorts of Zermatt ad St. Moritz and takes you on a scenic journey throughout the middle of the Swiss Alps. The Glacier Express is approximately 8 hours.

• Language – French and German are the primary languages spoke in Switzerland but an overwhelming amount of people spoke English so don’t be intimidated!