| Time | Location & Activity | Extra stops & notes | Must‑try food & drink | Image | Ticket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08:20–14:30 | Scenic train to Spiez (Lake Thun & Brienz views). | Board the Luzern–Interlaken Express, a panoramic train with large windows that crosses the Brünig Pass. The two‑hour journey between Lucerne and Interlaken showcases mountains, waterfalls and five different lakes; there’s a bistro car for meals. Sit on the right side to see Lakes Brienz and Thun. | On the train, order Bircher muesli (oats, grated apple, lemon juice and nuts) – a Swiss invention by Dr. Bircher‑Benner around 1900. Also try rösti, a crispy fried potato cake, or Alplermagronen (baked potatoes, macaroni, cheese and cream). | | CHF 80 (point-to-point) |
| 15:00–17:00 | Beatenberg/Niederhorn viewpoint – accessible via bus and funicular. | Combine a Lake Thun cruise with a funicular and cable car to reach the Niederhorn at 1 963 m. From the summit you’ll see Lake Thun, the Aare valley, the Brienz ridge and the peaks of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau; there’s a sun‑terrace restaurant and scooter rides. If preferred, stay in Beatenberg and enjoy the balcony view. | Warm up with raclette (melted cheese with potatoes, pickles and onions) or cheese fondue (melted cheese in a pot with bread cubes). | | CHF 38 (return) / CHF 19 w/pass |
| Time | Location & Activity | Extra stops & notes | Must‑try food & drink | Image | Ticket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09:00–12:00 | Brienz village stroll. | Guided walks wind through wooden chalets decorated with flowers, offering glimpses of turquoise Lake Brienz. The cobbled Alp‑ and Brunngasse alleys are photogenic, and wood carving has shaped the village since the 19th century. Climb to the Protestant church for beautiful views. | Sample rauchwurst (smoked sausage) and nidelkuchen (cream tart). | | Free |
| 13:00–15:00 | Lake Thun Cruise – boat & Giessbach Falls. | Take a boat on Lake Thun or Lake Brienz. Cruises reveal small villages and the impressive Giessbach waterfalls; the round trip from Brienz to Giessbach Falls, Oberried, Iseltwald, Niederried, Ringgenberg, Bönigen and Interlaken takes ~2.5 hours and includes Europe’s oldest funicular to the Grandhotel Giessbach, where terraces overlook the falls and lake. | Eat Bratwurst with mustard or order Apfelstrudel. Drink a local beer while enjoying the view. | | CHF 39 (boat ride) |
| 15:00–16:30 (optional) | Höhematte Park, Interlaken. | Relax in this open green space; watch paragliders land. | Enjoy Swiss chocolate or a scoop of Mövenpick ice cream. | | Free |
| Time | Location & Activity | Extra stops & notes | Must‑try food & drink | Image | Ticket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10:00–13:00 | Grindelwald First – cable car & cliff walk. | Take the cable car from Grindelwald (via Bort and Schreckfeld) to the summit. Experience the First Cliff Walk presented by Tissot, a walkway attached to the rock that leads to a 45 m terrace jutting into the void with spectacular alpine views. Hike to Lake Bachalpsee (1 hr each way) if energy allows. | At the mountain restaurant, enjoy Älplermagronen or Rösti with cheese and a fried egg. | | CHF 36+ |
| 14:00–15:30 (optional) | Pfingstegg viewpoint or Grindelwald village. | Ride the Pfingstegg cable car (5 min) up to a mountain station accessible only by cable car or foot; from here you get wonderful views over the Grindelwald valley and can start hikes into a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Alternatively, stay in the village to rest in cafés with mountain views. | Treat yourself to Swiss chocolate cake or Heidi milk products. | | CHF 32 (return) |
| Time | Location & Activity | Extra stops & notes | Must‑try food & drink | Image | Ticket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09:17–11:55 | GoldenPass (Lucerne–Interlaken Express) to Lucerne. | Another chance to enjoy panoramic scenery of lakes and mountains with large windows and onboard bistro. | Order breakfast such as Birchermüesli or Gipfeli (Swiss croissant). | | CHF 80 (ticket) + CHF 12–16 reservation |
| 15:00–16:30 | Lucerne Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke) – riverside walk. | This world‑famous timber bridge with its Water Tower is Lucerne’s most photographed landmark. Built about 650 years ago, it linked the town’s fortifications; it was rebuilt after a major 1993 fire and the octagonal Water Tower once served as a treasury and prison. | Taste Lucerne Chügelipastete – puff‑pastry pie filled with veal and mushroom ragout, or sample Birnenweggen, pastry filled with dried pears, figs, nuts and spices. | | Free |
| 16:30–17:30 (optional) | Lion Monument. | Visit the moving rock relief of a dying lion carved in 1821 to commemorate Swiss guards killed during the French Revolution; it rests in a shaded grotto. | Have a coffee in a nearby café. | | Free |
| Time | Location & Activity | Extra stops & notes | Must‑try food & drink | Image | Ticket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10:00–12:00 | Lake Lucerne cruise. | Board a steamer to enjoy views of Mount Pilatus and the Alpine foothills. Relax on deck; cruises last 1–2 hours. | Order raclette or cheese fondue. Try a glass of Fendant (Chasselas) white wine. |  | Free |
| 13:00–15:00 (optional) | Mount Rigi – weather‑dependent excursion. | Known as the “Queen of the Mountains,” Rigi offers 360° views of 620 Alpine peaks and 13 lakes. Reach the summit by steamboat on Lake Lucerne and the historic cogwheel railway from Vitznau (Europe’s first mountain railway, opened 1871) or by cable car from Weggis; the highest point, Rigi‑Kulm, is at 1 798 m. | Enjoy Zuger Kirschtorte (cream cake with kirsch) or Tirggel (thin honey biscuits) – specialties of the region. | | Free |
| 13:00–14:30 (alternative) | Lucerne Old Town squares – relaxed final stroll. | Wander Weinmarkt and Kornmarkt squares with their frescoed buildings. Shop for Swiss chocolate and souvenirs. | Snack on Rösti or Zürcher Geschnetzeltes (thin slices of veal in creamy wine‑and‑mushroom sauce served with rösti). | | Free |
| Time | Location & Activity | Extra stops & notes | Must‑try food & drink | Image | Ticket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | Train to Zurich Airport. | From Lucerne or Zurich city, take a direct train to Zurich Airport and arrive three hours before your flight. | Before departing, savour Zürcher Geschnetzeltes with rösti in Zurich; this classic dish of sliced veal in creamy sauce is widely served at restaurants in the city. Don’t forget to buy Swiss chocolate or tirggel biscuits as souvenirs. | | Varies (free with pass) |
Switzerland has several iconic national dishes. Cheese fondue consists of melted cheese in a ceramic pot (caquelon) served with bread cubes. Raclette is melted cheese accompanied by boiled potatoes, gherkins and pickles. Alplermagronen is a baked mix of potatoes, macaroni, cheese and cream topped with fried onions and served with applesauce. Rösti is a crispy cake of grated potatoes fried in butter or fat. Bircher muesli (Birchermüesli), created by Zurich doctor Maximilian Bircher‑Benner around 1900, mixes soaked oats, grated apple, lemon juice and nuts. Zurich’s specialty Zürcher Geschnetzeltes consists of tender veal slices in a creamy white‑wine and mushroom sauce served with rösti. Central Switzerland offers Lucerne Chügelipastete (puff‑pastry pie filled with veal and mushroom ragout) and Birnenweggen pastries, while Zurich produces tirggel honey biscuits and Zuger Kirschtorte cream cake.