Where does this route start and end?

The route runs from Zurich to Zurich in Western Switzerland, Switzerland.

When is the best time to travel this route?

The best time to travel this route is April to October.

How active is this route?

Activity level: Easy-going. Easy-going and accessible for most fitness levels.

What transport do I need for this route?

This route works best with a car.

What budget do I need for this route?

Mid-range spending — expect comfortable accommodation and a mix of dining options.

What type of accommodation suits this route?

Hotels accommodation works well along this route.

What is the pace of this trip?

Balanced — a good mix of sightseeing and downtime.

What type of trip is this?

This route is well-suited to: Culture, City hop, Scenic, Food & drink.

Switzerland Cultural Loop: Zurich, Basel, Bern and Geneva

Q: How long is the Switzerland Cultural Loop: Zurich, Basel, Bern and Geneva route?

This route takes 11 days taking in 7 stops.

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The route · 7 stops

1
Zurich
1 night
Switzerland's cosmopolitan gateway on the Limmat river. The medieval Altstadt, Grossmünster towers, the Kunsthaus art museum and the Langstrasse dining and bar district all reward an opening evening and morning. A riverside walk along the Limmatquai at dusk sets the tone for the route ahead.
Switzerland's cosmopolitan gateway on the Limmat river. The medieval Altstadt, Grossmünster towers, the Kunsthaus art museum and the Langstrasse dining and bar district all reward an opening evening and morning. A riverside walk along the Limmatquai at dusk sets the tone for the route ahead.
Buy your Swiss motorway vignette (CHF 40) at the border, a petrol station or post office before you drive. Required on all national motorways; fines are issued on the spot without one.
2
Appenzell
2 nights
A village of 6,000 in the last Swiss canton to practice open-air democracy. The main square is flanked by buildings painted in reds, golds and greens with elaborate folk-art motifs. Two nights fits a walk to the Seealpsee lake under the Säntis, a cheese-making demonstration and a short drive north to St. Gallen's world-class Baroque library.
A village of 6,000 in the last Swiss canton to practice open-air democracy. The main square is flanked by buildings painted in reds, golds and greens with elaborate folk-art motifs. Two nights fits a walk to the Seealpsee lake under the Säntis, a cheese-making demonstration and a short drive north to St. Gallen's world-class Baroque library.
St. Gallen Abbey Library (20km north, UNESCO) is open Tuesday to Sunday. Book the Seealpsee chairlift from Wasserauen ahead of time — it fills by mid-morning in summer.
3
Basel
2 nights
Switzerland's cultural capital at the point where Swiss, German and French borders meet. The Kunstmuseum holds the world's oldest public art collection; the Fondation Beyeler in Riehen has a world-class modern collection in a Renzo Piano building. Swimmers float the Rhine with a Wickelfisch bag from June to September.
Switzerland's cultural capital at the point where Swiss, German and French borders meet. The Kunstmuseum holds the world's oldest public art collection; the Fondation Beyeler in Riehen has a world-class modern collection in a Renzo Piano building. Swimmers float the Rhine with a Wickelfisch bag from June to September.
Fondation Beyeler: 15 min by tram 6 (stop: Fondation Beyeler); book online — sells out on weekends. Basel public-transport day pass (CHF 10) covers trams, buses and the Rhine ferry.
4
Bern
2 nights
Switzerland's sandstone capital on a peninsula in the Aare river. The UNESCO-listed Altstadt is compact enough to walk in a day: the Zytglogge astronomical clock, six kilometres of arcaded shopping passages, the Münster cathedral and the Bear Park by the river. The Zentrum Paul Klee east of the city has the world's largest Klee collection.
Switzerland's sandstone capital on a peninsula in the Aare river. The UNESCO-listed Altstadt is compact enough to walk in a day: the Zytglogge astronomical clock, six kilometres of arcaded shopping passages, the Münster cathedral and the Bear Park by the river. The Zentrum Paul Klee east of the city has the world's largest Klee collection.
Park in an underground car park on the peninsula; on-street parking is scarce. The Rosengarten above the Aare gives the best free view of the city (15-minute walk from the clock tower).
5
Lausanne
1 night
A steep-hilled university city on the north shore of Lac Léman. The Olympic Museum at Ouchy is the most-visited museum in Switzerland. The M2 metro — the steepest automatic metro in the world — climbs to the Gothic cathedral, where a night watchman still calls the hours from the tower between 10pm and 2am.
A steep-hilled university city on the north shore of Lac Léman. The Olympic Museum at Ouchy is the most-visited museum in Switzerland. The M2 metro — the steepest automatic metro in the world — climbs to the Gothic cathedral, where a night watchman still calls the hours from the tower between 10pm and 2am.
Leave the car at Ouchy and take the M2 metro to the old town (10 min). Drive east on A9 for the UNESCO Lavaux terraces — the slow road through Chexbres above the lake beats the motorway.
6
Geneva
2 nights
One of the world's most international cities, home to the UN, the Red Cross and 40 intergovernmental organisations. The 140m Jet d'Eau marks the harbour; the Old Town has a 12th-century cathedral and fine views from its towers. The Carouge district has the best independent restaurants and bars.
One of the world's most international cities, home to the UN, the Red Cross and 40 intergovernmental organisations. The 140m Jet d'Eau marks the harbour; the Old Town has a 12th-century cathedral and fine views from its towers. The Carouge district has the best independent restaurants and bars.
Use Geneva's P+R facilities at the city edge (free parking + public-transport pass included). The Palais des Nations offers guided tours on weekday mornings; book online at least a day ahead.
7
Zurich
The final 280km drive from Geneva back to Zurich (around 2.5 hours on the A1) passes through Bern on the plateau. Zurich Airport is 12km north of the city centre.
The final 280km drive from Geneva back to Zurich (around 2.5 hours on the A1) passes through Bern on the plateau. Zurich Airport is 12km north of the city centre.

Route highlights

Culture
St. Gallen Abbey Library
One of the oldest and best-preserved monastic libraries in the world, founded in the 7th century and rebuilt in Baroque style in the 18th. The inlaid parquet floors are so precious that visitors wear felt slippers over their shoes. UNESCO World Heritage Site; 20km north of Appenzell.
Viewpoint
Rhine Falls at Schaffhausen
Europe's largest plain waterfall drops 23 metres across 150 metres near Schaffhausen, 45 minutes northeast of Zurich. The free viewing platforms at Schloss Laufen look directly onto the falls; boat trips run to the central viewing rock from April to October.
Culture
Kunstmuseum Basel
The oldest public art collection in the world, founded in 1661. The permanent collection spans seven centuries; the main building and the contemporary annexe across Dufourstrasse are connected by an underground passage. Combined ticket covers both buildings.
Culture
Fondation Beyeler, Riehen
One of Europe's finest private art collections housed in a purpose-built Renzo Piano building surrounded by water meadows, 15 minutes from central Basel by tram. Works by Monet, Picasso, Giacometti, Francis Bacon and Rothko are displayed in exceptional natural light.
Culture
Bern's Zytglogge Clock
Bern's 15th-century astronomical clock tower performs a mechanical show four minutes before every hour. Figures of a jester, bears, a cock and knights emerge and move through a routine that has played out for over 500 years. The clock face also shows the lunar cycle and zodiac positions.
Scenic Drive
Lavaux UNESCO Vineyard Terraces
The terraced vineyards between Lausanne and Montreux have been cultivated since the 11th century. The slow road through Grandvaux and Chexbres winds through the vines above Lac Léman — far more rewarding than the motorway below — and is best driven in the late afternoon light.
Culture
Château de Chillon
A 12th-century fortress built on a rocky island in Lac Léman near Montreux, 45 minutes east of Lausanne. The circuit tour takes 90 minutes through the count's rooms, cellar and dungeon towers. Byron carved his name on a pillar here in 1816.
Culture
Palais des Nations, Geneva
The European headquarters of the United Nations occupies the largest international complex in the world after the Pentagon. Guided tours run on weekday mornings through the main Assembly Hall, committee rooms and the famous Salle des Pas Perdus. Book online in advance.

Switzerland Cultural Loop: Zurich, Basel, Bern and Geneva

The route · 7 stops

Zurich

Appenzell

Basel

Bern

Lausanne

Geneva

Zurich

Route highlights

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Switzerland Cultural Loop: Zurich, Basel, Bern and Geneva

The route · 7 stops

Zurich

Appenzell

Basel

Bern

Lausanne

Geneva

Zurich

Route highlights

Photos & videos · 0

No photos yet

Frequently asked questions

Ratings & reviews

Comments · 0

No comments yet

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