Our Switzerland packing list

Packing for Zurich and the Swiss Alps in Summer

Our trip mixed a few days in Zurich with a week of hiking from Wengen, so we needed clothes for the city and proper kit for mountain paths. This is what we'd take for a similar trip in early summer.

Documents and essentials

• Passport: It must meet the Schengen rules: issued in the last 10 years and valid for at least three months after you leave.

• Travel insurance: Check it covers hiking.

• Swiss Travel Pass: We used one for the trains and the Lake Brienz boat: SBB Swiss Travel Pass.

• Some Swiss francs: Cards work almost everywhere, but a few francs are handy for small purchases.

• Type J adapter: British plugs won't fit Swiss sockets.

Clothing

• Breathable tops: T-shirts and long-sleeved tops for warm days on the trails.

• Warm mid-layer: A fleece or wool jumper. Jungfraujoch is at 3,454 metres and cold even in summer.

• Waterproof jacket: Mountain showers arrive quickly.

• Comfortable walking shoes: For Zurich's cobbled streets and car-free Wengen.

• Hiking boots: Worth it for walks like the Royal Walk at Männlichen and the Grütschalp to Mürren trek.

• Swimwear: Our hotel in Wengen, the Braunbär Hotel & Spa, had a spa, and it was very welcome after a day's walking.

Health and personal care

• Small first aid kit: Plasters and painkillers cover most of what a week of walking throws at you.

• High-factor sunscreen: The sun is strong at altitude, even when the air feels cool.

• Lip balm with SPF: For long days on exposed paths.

• Hand sanitiser: A small bottle for trains and cable cars.

Accessories

• Daypack: Big enough for layers, water and lunch on a full day's hike.

• Reusable water bottle: Swiss tap water is safe and good to drink, so fill up before you set off. Chilly's and LifeStraw both make good bottles.

• Sunglasses: The glare off the snow and the Aletsch Glacier at Jungfraujoch is bright.

• Power bank: Maps and photos drain a phone quickly on a long day out.

Photography

• Spare memory cards: You fill cards quickly in the mountains.

• Lightweight travel tripod: Useful for reflections at Lake Bachalpsee and for waterfalls like Giessbach.

• Lens cloth: Spray from the falls at Trümmelbach and Giessbach gets everywhere.

• Waterproof bag: Keeps your camera and phone dry near waterfalls and in sudden showers.

For tired legs

• Compression socks: For the flight and long train journeys.

• Blister plasters: Worth having in your daypack on any long walk.

See where we used it all on our trip to Switzerland.

Before You Pack

Check the mountain forecast rather than just the one for Zurich, as the weather up high can be very different. MeteoSwiss has forecasts for the whole country. Our Things to Know page covers the travel pass, money and plugs.