How to see all of Switzerland in a week

Switzerland may be small, but its range is vast. In a single week, it’s possible to move from polished cities to medieval old towns, from mountain resorts to vineyard‑lined lakes and from snow‑capped peaks to palm‑fringed promenades. With an efficient rail network and short travel times between regions, the country rewards curiosity and careful pacing. 

This seven‑day itinerary brings together Switzerland’s defining landscapes, cultures and experiences — proof that for the discerning traveller seeing it all in one trip is not only possible, but deeply fulfilling. 

Day one: Zurich 

If you’re travelling from Hong Kong, set off at 12.25am on the direct Cathay Pacific CX383 and arrive well-rested at around 7.30am local time. After freshening up with an early check-in at a prestigious old-world hotel, make your first and only day in Switzerland’s most-populated city count. Wander the wide streets and listen out for the sound of Switzerland’s four national languages – French, German, Italian and Romansch – drifting from sidewalk cafés. You’ll soon discover why Zurich is considered one of Europe’s most harmonious cities. 

Day two: Lucerne 

Few experiences capture the romance of European travel quite like a train journey through Switzerland’s storied landscapes. Your first ride is a 50-minute train to Lucerne, a medieval lakeside town known for its atmospheric old town and the preserved 14th‑century Chapel Bridge – the oldest covered wooden bridge in Europe. If time allows, consider adding an extra day for an excursion to Mount Rigi, best experienced as a gentle loop. Travel by boat to Vitznau, take the cogwheel railway up to Rigi Kulm, then return via cable car to Weggis before cruising back across the lake. 

Day three: Bern and beyond 

Rise early and take the hour-long train to Bern, leaving your bags at the station. Switzerland’s medieval capital unfolds gracefully from the 13th-century Zytglogge clock tower. Compact and walkable, the city rewards an unhurried morning. By mid-afternoon, rejoin the rails for a two-hour panoramic journey to Interlaken –considered one of Europe’s most beautiful rail journeys – as the light begins to soften. 

Day four: Interlaken to Zermatt 

After breakfast with a view, soak up the refined pace of this lakeside resort town, and even hop on a morning cruise or a visit to the Harder Kulm viewpoint. Then it’s time for another scenic train ride, skirting mountains and valleys, changing at Spiez and Visp before arriving two hours later at Zermatt, a renowned car-free, year-round ski resort sitting at an elevation of around 1,600 metres. Settle in with a hot chocolate as you watch dusk fall on this spectacular, fairytale landscape beneath the Matterhorn. 

Day five: The Matterhorn 

You’ve come a long way upwards – but there’s still further to go. In just 35 minutes, the Gornergrat Railway will take you another 1,500 metres skywards (sit on the right for the best views of the Matterhorn). Another option is a 45-minute cable car up to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, a family-friendly destination boasting Europe’s highest viewing platform at 3,883 metres above sea level. Alternatively, wrap up warmly and get away from it all with a solo hike on one of the area’s numerous trails.  

Day six: Geneva  

Stock up on moreish pastries for the long journey south to Geneva. Don’t let the 3.5-hour journey time put you off – it’s an experience to be savoured. Watch as glaciers give way to vineyard-covered hills, the Alps receding in the distance, before you arrive at one of the world’s most name-dropped bodies of water. French-speaking Geneva feels like nowhere else in Switzerland, shaped by both its calming vantage astride Lake Geneva and the cosmopolitan influx of diplomats over the decades. 

Ponder how far you’ve come at the stately United Nations Office, or aboard a calming cruise – obligatory at any time of year. Oenophiles should consider cutting the city tour short and heading to the Unesco-recognised Lavaux Vineyard Terraces on Lake Geneva’s northern shore. 

Day seven: Hong Kong and home 

Catch an early train to Zurich and fly home. Cathay Pacific CX382 departs at 1.30pm and arrives back in Hong Kong shortly before 7am local time – barely seven days after you set off.