Best Day Trips to discover Switzerland from Zurich

Switzerland is a beautiful country with a very pleasant climate, and many of the experiences you can have travelling from Zurich allow you to see special places far away from the city centre. So if you're travelling for relaxation, this is one of the best things to do and see in Zurich and beyond.

Among the places you'll see on these excursions are out-of-the-way cities such as Lucerne, and other interesting attractions such as the largest suspension bridge in Europe - just imagine what you'll find on these trips.

The Black Forest is one of the most interesting destinations in Germany, so this tour will not only take you to a fun, intrepid and interesting place, but you will also have the chance to see two countries in one day. What's more, the postcards this trip leaves you with are truly extraordinary.

On the other hand, before leaving Swiss territory, you will visit the Rhine Falls, a waterfall that is one of the most exuberant natural wonders of the Alpine landscape. Your tour guide will comment on the most important things you need to know about visiting the Rhine Falls from Zurich and its fall into the river of the same name.

Details of interest

• Price: From 86 euros per person.
• Duration: Approximately 7 hours.
• Means of transport: The transport to the meeting point will be on your own, but from the beginning of the adventure, you will go in a bus with all the comforts.
• Advantages of this excursion: An expert tour guide is included, who will tell you everything you need to know about each stop. Entrance to the watch exhibition in Germany is included. It also includes transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle with all comforts, during the whole tour.
• Disadvantages of this tour: The boat ride on the Rhine River is not included, but you can hire it for an additional price. Tips, meals and drinks are not included. Pick-up and drop-off at the hotel is not included, but a location in the centre of Zurich is offered to get you there.

On this full-day tour of Lucerne and Mount Rigi, the independent traveller will have a great opportunity to get to know the city of Lucerne in all its splendour, from its buildings to its historic centre and above all Lake Lucerne, where you can take a boat trip if you wish.

You can also take a cable car ride to the top of Mount Rigi for breathtaking views of the city of Lucerne and its surroundings.

One of the best things about this tour is that after visiting the attractions included in the experience, you can continue exploring the city of Lucerne on your own for as long as you like.

Interesting details

• Price: It is priced at approximately 145 euros per person.
• Duration: This tour lasts approximately 9.5 to 10 hours.
• Means of Transport: Transport is by bus from Zurich to Weggis and from Lucerne to Zurich. You will also take a rack railway, a cable car and a boat.
• Advantages of this tour: Includes transport to Lucerne, entrance to the cable car and also to the cog railway. The boat trip on Lake Lucerne is included. A multilingual guide will be with you and will explain everything about each place you stop at.
• Disadvantages of this tour: Tips, food and drinks are not included. Transport from the hotel and back is not included.

This is a full day tour which is especially dedicated to small groups of up to 9 people. Part of what you will see on this tour involves the production of Swiss delicacies, including Emmental cheese and traditional Swiss Kambly biscuits.

During the tour your guide will take you to the most interesting places in Bern, and you will walk through the city centre, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The whole tour will take place in a minibus with all comforts, including wifi on board. You can also do this tour by taking the rack railway up to Bern.

Interesting details

• Price: Approximately 240 euros per person.
• Duration: This tour lasts approximately 10 hours.
• Means of transport: The journey from Zurich to Bern is made in a minivan equipped with all comforts.
• Advantages of this tour: Transport to Bern and back to Zurich in a fully equipped bus is included. Wifi on board. A tour guide accompanies you throughout the trip and is available in several languages. You will also visit the Emmentaler dairy fair, the old town of Bern and the Kambly Experience with biscuit tasting.
• Disadvantages of this tour: Transport to and from the hotel is not included. Meals and drinks are not included. Tips are not included in the price.

This is one of the most special tours you can do in Zurich in 3 days, according to the complete guide on how to make the most of your visit, and that's because you will not only see a place within Switzerland, but you will also visit Liechtenstein, an independent territory bordering Switzerland.

As you may have noticed, Switzerland gives you the opportunity to visit its bordering countries without a lot of protocol or hassle. This makes it easy to make an excursion to neighbouring territories.

Heidiland is typical Alpine countryside, an area where you can discover flavours through cheese and chocolate tasting, and see what life is like in the Alpine countryside. Some of the most beautiful and appreciated rural villages are to be found here.

During your visit to Liechtenstein, you can explore the historic centre of Liechtenstein and learn about its culture and traditions.

Interesting details

• Price: From 95 euros per person.
• Duration: It is a full day experience of about 7 hours and 30 minutes approximately.
• Means of transport: This trip is done in an air-conditioned bus with all needs covered.
• Advantages of this tour: You will have wifi on board throughout the trip. You will also have access to the company of a professional guide who will take you through everything you need to know about the countryside and Liechtenstein.
• Disadvantages of this tour: Entrance to Heidi's house is not included, so you will have to cover this cost. Drinks and meals are also not included. Pick up and drop off at the hotel is not included in the price.

The summer season is the perfect time to do this tour, as the panoramic views from the top of Mount Pilatus are much more unobstructed. Therefore, this is one of the best things to do in Zurich in summer.

Among the attractions you can enjoy during this tour are a ride on the world's steepest cog railway. You can also take a cruise on Lake Lucerne.

To get to the top of Mount Pilatus you will have to take a funicular cable car, while to get down you will have to take the cog railway, one of the best scenic trains in Zurich. After arriving at the cable car station, you can continue walking to the top. This route is a must-see and offers some of the most beautiful panoramic views of the entire trip.

Interesting details

• Price: Around 165 euros per person.
• Duration: Approximately 9.5 hours to complete the entire route.
• Means of transport: You will travel by bus with all facilities, cable car, boat and rack railway.
• Advantages of this tour: Includes the panoramic tour of Lucerne with all the stops to take pictures and admire the scenery. It also includes admission to the panoramic gondola and cable car (unless under maintenance). Entrance to the cog railway is also included, and in case it does not run, it will be exchanged for a lunch voucher. You will be able to spend some free time in Lucerne.
• Disadvantages of this tour: Gratuities for the service provided are not included. Also not included in the price is the hotel pick-up and drop-off at the end of the experience. Food and beverages are not included, except for some options that are enabled.

If visiting two countries in one day is amazing, imagine a private tour where you travel alone with your group to see four countries in one day. This is what this experience offers you. You will be accompanied by an expert guide who will accompany you and tell you the most important facts about each of the countries you will visit.

It's a full-day tour that starts in Zurich on board a fully equipped bus, which will take you through green hilly landscapes to the Liechtenstein border, which you will cross to reach the city of Vaduz in Liechtenstein. After touring the area for some time, you'll make your way to Austria.

In Austria you will visit the city of Bregenz, where you can admire impressive buildings before heading to Germany to first visit Lindau and then Meersburg. After finishing your visit in Meersburg, you will only have to cross a bridge to finally visit the town of Stein am Rhein in Switzerland.

Interesting details

• Price: From 1240 euros per person.
• Duration: The tour lasts approximately 11 hours, making it a full day tour.
• Means of transport: All transport will be on board a bus with all the necessary amenities.
• Advantages of this private tour: Hotel pick-up and drop-off is included. It also offers you wifi on board during the whole trip and a tour guide who will accompany you all the way. You will be offered bottled water during the tour to keep you hydrated.
• Disadvantages of this private tour: Lunch is not included, nor are entrance fees to the attractions you may visit in each country. Personal and/or additional expenses are not included in the price.

From a monastery to a dairy farm, this pair of Alpine villages has a lot to show you. On this full-day excursion from Zurich you'll see interesting sights in these villages, such as the cheese factory in Engelberg and an open-air tour of the city of Lucerne.

After visiting different places of interest in both towns, you will walk through alpine landscapes and trails where nature will leave you with postcards to remember. Every place you stop on this walk is worthy of a few photographs.

Interesting details

• Price: From 74 euros per person.
• Duration: Approximately 9 to 10 hours.
• Means of transport: The whole tour is done by bus with all facilities from Zurich to both villages and back.
• Advantages of this tour: Transport from Zurich and the company of an expert guide in different languages are included.
• Disadvantages of this tour: Personal expenses, meals and drinks are not included in the price. The guided tour in Lucerne is not included in the price. Optional activities are not included in the price.

This tour is ideal for those who love extreme and adventure tourism, because each of the experiences you will live during the tour will take your adrenaline to the extreme. One of the activities you'll love most on this tour is the zip-line jump from Mount First.

You will also have the opportunity to visit alpine villages such as Interlaken and Grindelwald. One of the most extreme experiences you will have during this tour is undoubtedly the walk along the cliffs of Tissot.

If you're looking for even more adventure, you can't miss out on the scooter and mountain cart experiences on offer. You'll also have the option of taking a cable car ride to take photos from the heights.

Interesting details

• Price: From 210 euros per person.
• Duration: Approximately 12 hours.
• Means of transport: From Zurich to Mount First you will go by bus. Afterwards you can take a mountain car, scooter or even the cable car.
• Advantages of this tour: You will have a partially guided tour in different languages. Access to the cable car and entrance to the First Flyer, Mountain Cart, Cliff Walk and Trottibike Scooter. Includes train journey from Grindelwald to Interlaken as well as entrance to Grindelwald First.
• Disadvantages of this tour: Transfer to and from the hotel is not included, but the bus departs from Zurich. Meals, drinks and personal expenses are not included. Tips are also not included.

During this full day trip from Zurich, you will have the opportunity to see inside the Swiss kitchens where the typical cheeses of this region are made. During this tour, you will also get to know the process of making the most famous chocolate in the world and taste the delicate flavour of this delicacy.

At the Maison Cailler you will taste the most delicious chocolate truffles in Switzerland, but you will also visit the medieval mansion Gruyères where you will not only taste cheeses, but also learn interesting facts about Swiss culture and history.

Details of interest

• Price: 790 euros per person.
• Duration: About 11 hours.
• Means of transport: Fully equipped vehicle depending on the size of the group.
• Advantages of this private tour: This tour is private, which means that only you and your group will participate. You are guaranteed a transfer from your hotel in Zurich and back. It includes the entrance and guided tour of the Gruyères Mansion and the Gruyères Castle. It also includes the visit to the Cailler factory and the cheese and chocolate tasting. The tour guide and the standard train ticket are included.
• Disadvantages of this private tour: Lunch and fondue in Gruyères are not included. Drinks and personal expenses are not included.

On this trip you will have the opportunity to see two countries in one day, or at least two cities in two different countries. In Basel you can visit a well-known museum, while on your trip to Colmar in France you can see the attraction of this French town.

What you will enjoy most about this tour is that it is completely personalised and tailored to what you want to see and discover during your trip. You'll get to see a bit of history, French architecture and sail the waters of the Rhine River.

Interesting details

• Price: From 1,200 euros per group of up to 4 people.
• Duration: Approximately eight hours.
• Means of transport: Conditioned vehicle with all the comforts according to the size of the group.
• Advantages of this private tour: Transfer to and from the hotel in Zurich is included. This is a private tour, so only you and your group will participate. Expert tour guide and driver for everything you need to know about each of the places to see. Bottled water is provided during the tour. You have access to wifi and the vehicle is equipped with air conditioning.
• Disadvantages of this private tour: Entrance fees and boat trip fees are not included. Lunch is not included in the tour price.

• Always wear warm clothing, and according to the climate of each place you are going to visit on excursions.
• If you are going with children, take some distracting elements for too long trips.
• Ask about the conditions of transport before booking.
• Wear comfortable shoes for long walks in case any excursion requires walking.