Switzerland

We spent 31 May to 10 June 2025 in Switzerland: a couple of days in Zurich, then a week based in Wengen on a small group trip with our friend Karl Watson, the YouTuber behind Karl Watson: Travel Documentaries. Wengen is a car-free village high above the Lauterbrunnen Valley. We finished with a last night back in Zurich before flying home to Gatwick.

Most days we were out walking, with trains, boats and cable cars getting us to the start of each route. Early June suited us well. The trails we used were open, and the meadows up at First were full of wildflowers.

What We'd Do Again in Switzerland

• The walks: The Royal Walk at Männlichen puts the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau in a line in front of you. The path from First to Lake Bachalpsee is where we took our favourite reflection photos, and the trek from Grütschalp to Mürren runs through flower meadows with glaciers in view.

• Jungfraujoch: We took the early train from Wengen and the cogwheel railway up to Jungfraujoch, the highest railway station in Europe, for the Ice Palace, the Sphinx Observatory and the view down the Aletsch Glacier. We then came down to Kleine Scheidegg and walked back to Wengen.

• Waterfalls and lakes: A boat across Lake Brienz took us to Giessbach Falls and the village of Iseltwald. Trümmelbach Falls is ten glacier-fed waterfalls inside the mountain, reached through tunnels, and the noise is deafening.

• Zurich: We had hearty Swiss food at Rheinfelder Bierhalle (twice), spent an afternoon at the Lindt chocolate factory and watched the sun set over the city from the Polyterrasse.

The Swiss Travel Pass covered most of our trains and the Lake Brienz boat, and the SBB lockers at Zurich station saved us from dragging cases round the city.

Our Things to Know page covers the pass, money, plugs and mountain weather. The Packing List is what we'd take for city days and hiking, and Our Trip links to every day of the trip.