6-day discovery of northern Switzerland by car: a flexible all-season itinerary 

Day 1: Basel-Murten via Tavannes and Biel: 125 km, 2h35

Your tour starts in the city of Basel in north-western Switzerland. Head south over the regional road to Delémont, in the French-speaking canton of Jura. A road surrounded by forests and rocks takes you along the villages Moutier, Valbirse and Tavannes.

After Tavannes, head for Biel (“Bienne” in French). You’ll drive through small villages along the eastern banks of Lake Biel. You’re now in the beautiful Three Lakes region, which is at the border of the French- and German-speaking areas. Today’s destination is Murten (“Morat” in French) on the lake.

Alternatives

• You can start from other Swiss towns too. Murten can be reached from Geneva and Zurich as well, for example.
• An easier route from Basel to Murten, in terms of navigation, is the one via Liestal, Solothurn and Aarberg. This route passes hilly scenery and attractive towns as well (114 km, 2h30).
• You may prefer the larger towns of Neuenburg/Neuchâtel or Biel/Bienne as your destination.

Side trip suggestions

• The beautiful old town center of Basel is worth your time.
• You’ll pass several villages that are worth a visit. An example is Laufen, south of Basel. It offers historical alleys and a pretty clock tower. Delémont, the medieval capital of the canton Jura, is beautiful too.
• The old town center of Biel is a gem. Its location on Lake Biel allows for relaxed boat trips. You’ll find lots of watch shops and the “Omega Museum” here. A hike into the nearby Taubenloch Gorge is great for hot summer days.
• Murten is an 8-century-old town with lovely facades, an atmospheric harbor, and views of the lake. Take a stroll after arrival, or enjoy a boat ride. At nearby Mont Vully, you can hike through the vineyards or visit the Lamberta caves.

Hotels

• I recommend the 3-star hotel Murtenhof & Krone. It’s ideally located in the old town center and at walking distance from the railway station and the lake.
• Find other options in Murten here.

Day 2: Murten-Aarau via Langnau and Olten: 151 km, 3h10

Murten is at the border of Switzerland’s French- and German-speaking regions. Today you’ll enter German-speaking areas.

You’ll first pass the federal capital city Bern. Then enter the romantic Emmental (“Emmen Valley”) with its rolling green hills. In clear weather, you’ll have views of the Bernese Alps in the south.

Drive north to the small town of Olten via Trubschachen and Entlebuch. Head a bit further east until your reach Aarau.

Alternatives

• If you want to shorten the travel duration, you can skip the Emmen Valley and drive to Olten via Solothurn (98 km, 2h10).

Ideas for side trips

• Bern makes for a great break.
• The Emmen Valley is beautiful. You can get out for a break or for a hike.
• Are you a fan of sweets and cookies? Make sure to get out in Trubschachen and visit the Kambly cookie factory and outlet shop.
• Discover the small town Olten on the river Aare, for example with this hike.
• Explore Aarau after arrival. This is the capital of the canton of Aargau. It’s located on the blue Aare river. In the old town, you can enjoy paintings on the buildings’ facades and on the curved eaves. There are several museums, such as the Naturama, and a small fortress.
• More castles can be found in Aarau’s surroundings, such as the castle in Lenzburg.

Hotels

• Hotel-restaurant Gasthof zum Schützen is located outside of the town center of Aarau and can be easily reached by car. It’s a 15-minute stroll to the railway station and there’s a bus stop close to the hotel.
• Dining on a roof terrace with views over the river Aare is possible in the 4-star Hotel Kettenbrücke. It’s located in the tourism and shopping district, at a 15-minute walk from the rail station.
• Find alternative hotels here.

Day 3: Aarau-Rapperswil via lots of lakes and via Einsiedeln: 114 km, 2h30

A wonderful route along 6 lakes awaits you.

First up are the Hallwilersee and the Baldeggersee. You’ll pass them along their eastern shores. In the early morning, you’ll have the sun on your back. This is ideal when taking pictures over the lakes towards the west. Light will come from the side if you look south toward the Bernese Alps.

Via Hochdorf you’ll drive to Cham and Zug. Lake Zug is an ideal starting point for boat rides or a trip up to Rigi.

Along the Ägeri Valley, with yet another lake, you’ll head for Einsiedeln. This town is famous for its monastery and the Sihlsee (“Sihl Lake”). You’ll cross this lake from west to east.

Another crossing must be made over Lake Zurich: a dam with a car road splits the lake into two parts between Pfäffikon and Rapperswil. Your destination is the charming village of Rapperswil.

Alternatives

• If you skip the detour along the Ägeri Lake, Einsiedeln, and the Sihl Lake, you can shorten your route to 97 km, 2h00.

Excursion tips

• Visit the Hallwyl castle near Seengen, north of the Hallwilersee. The castle is located within the river Aabach.
• Near Gelfingen on the Baldeggersee you’ll find the Heidegg castle. It houses a regional culture and history center, and there’s a rose garden.
• A boat trip over Lake Zug is recommended. You’ll watch the slopes of the famous mountain Rigi. From Arth-Goldau on the southern end of the lake, you can board the cog train for a ride to Rigi Kulm.
• The Ägeri Lake is inviting for a stroll along the shores.
• In Einsiedeln, you can visit the beautiful 18th-century monastery.
• Rapperswil is known as the “town of roses”. It has a romantic lake boulevard and a castle on a hill. You’ll have wonderful views over Lake Zurich and the Alps in the distance. Rapperswil is one of the stops along the Voralpen-Express route. Boat trips over the lake are recommended too.

Hotels

• A special location to spend your night is the 3-star hotel Rössli. It’s not in Rapperswil, but in nearby Hurden on the dam in Lake Zurich. Rooms with lake views are available.
• The 4-star Sorell Hotel Speer is located in the center of Rapperswil. It’s only minutes on foot from the lake boulevard and the railway station.
• Find more hotels in Rapperswil here.

Day 4: Rapperswil-Vaduz via Glarus and Lake Walen: 107 km, 2h15

You’ll first head for Glarus, the capital town of the canton that’s also named Glarus. It’s a relatively unknown but beautiful region with many hiking trails, biking routes and the Klöntalersee (“Klöntaler Lake”).

After your visit to Glarus, head back north. You’ll pass one of the prettiest lakes of this tour: the Walensee (“Lake Walen”). It’s surrounded by the imposing mountain ridges of the Churfirsten.

After the lake, drive to the wellness resort Bad Ragaz. Then turn north to enter the small principality of Liechtenstein. This is home to today’s destination: Vaduz.

Side trip suggestions

• Make a side trip up to the Klöntaler Lake from Glarus. In summer, you can take a Postbus ride from Glarus. You can also drive up there yourself, but it’s a winding road. A trip up to the lake and back adds about half an hour to today’s route. This doesn’t include the time you spend at the lake.
• In late spring to early fall, you can enjoy several mountain visits in the Walensee region. Examples are the Aeugstenbahn from Ennenda (south of Glarus), the small cable car to Morgenholz from Niederurnen (at the western banks of the Walensee), and the chairlift to the Kerenzerberg from Filzbach (along the road at the southern shore of the Walensee).
• When passing Sargans, you can visit its castle and regional museum.
• The wellness resort Bad Ragaz profits from the hot water that wells up in the Tamina Gorge. This gorge can be visited on foot. Or visit the power plants of the ‘Kraftwerke Sargans’, to be reached by car in 15-20 minutes. You can also visit the Pizol mountain by cable car.
• Vaduz is the capital city of mini-state Liechtenstein. The castle housing the royal family towers above the city. In this historic town, you’ll also find nice dining options, a national museum, and a treasure chamber.

Hotels

• Just south of Vaduz you’ll find the 3-star Landhaus am Giessen.
• The 4-star hotel Vaduzerhof offers a perfect location near the town center.
• Find alternative hotels here.

Day 5: Vaduz-Kreuzlingen at Lake Constance via Appenzell and St. Gallen: 99 km, 2h10

You’ll head for the Swiss-German border on Lake Constance, called the “Bodensee” in German. You’ll drive through a beautiful, friendly landscape with green forested hills.

The two main stops along the way are Appenzell and St. Gallen. Both are icons of northern Swiss culture.

You’ll then head for the shores of Lake Constance. Keep following the shore until you reach Kreuzlingen at the Swiss-German border. Kreuzlingen practically forms one city with its German counterpart Constance (“Konstanz” in German).

Excursion tips

• Appenzell has a car-free town center. You can park outside the center and explore the town on foot. There are facades with colorful frescoes, pretty alleys, and many boutiques. You can visit the Appenzell museum in the town house, and see the town square. Democratic assembly voting still takes place here.
• From Appenzell, you can drive south to Wasserauen in about 10 minutes. Board the cable car to Ebenalp there. Within a 1-hour circular hike, you can reach the small Aescher mountain restaurant. It’s located in a spectacular spot, leaning against a steep rock wall.
• For St. Gallen, I recommend the UNESCO World Heritage site. It consists of a baroque cathedral and an impressive library. The old town center, the art museum and the “Peter and Paul” wildlife park are options too. St. Gallen is starting or ending point of the Voralpen-Express train ride.
• At a 25-minute ride from St. Gallen, you’ll find the Maestrani chocolate factory in Flawil.
• The town Romanshorn on the lake makes for a nice stop. Visit the car museum Autobau, or the locomotive depot and museum Locorama.
• Take some time to explore Kreuzlingen and Constance. You can make a boat trip over Lake Constance, visit the natural history museum, or watch the underwater world in Sea Life.

Hotels

• I advise the modern 3-star hotel Kreuzlingen am Hafen. It’s very close to the railway station, the town center, the lake, and the Seeburg park.
• Find more hotels in Kreuzlingen here.

Day 6: Kreuzlingen-Zurich via Stein am Rhein and the Rhine Falls: 96 km, 1h35

Today you’ll drive to Zurich.

Follow the southern banks of the Lower Lake (the “Untersee” in German), to the beautiful town Stein am Rhein. Continue to Schaffhausen, where you can visit the Rhine Falls.

Then drive south to Winterthur and finally to Zurich.

Excursion tips

• You can make a boat cruise over Lake Constance and the river Rhine, all the way to Schaffhausen. You can leave your car parked in either Kreuzlingen or Schaffhausen, make the entire trip by boat, and then return to your car by train.
• The medieval town of Stein am Rhein is worth a visit. It has an attractive, colorful old center. There’s also a monastery, and a castle towering above the town.
• Go to the Rhine Falls in Schaffhausen.
• If you have time left after arrival in Zurich, you can enjoy a walking tour, shop in the Bahnhofstrasse, make a boat ride over the lake, and much more. Find all of my tips here.

Hotels

• I recommend avoiding the busy town center of Zurich and finding accommodation in a nearby village on the lake. The Sedartis Swiss Quality Hotel in Thalwil, at about 15 minutes from Zurich, is ideal. It offers comfortable and modern rooms. It also has a restaurant and terrace with lake views.
• More hotels in and near Zurich are listed here.
• Will you be flying out from Zurich? Then look into these airport hotels.

Planning and preparation tips

Estimated versus actual travel times

The suggested travel times are estimates. They assume you don’t take any breaks and that there’s no delay due to traffic jams or road works. When planning, assume you’ll be driving longer than the indicated times.

Your driving experience

This tour is suitable if you’re an experienced driver. Although the route doesn’t include challenging mountain roads, you’ll still have to drive safely and carefully. It helps if you have previous experience driving in Europe. If not, a train itinerary is a more relaxed alternative.

Preparation tips and tools

You can plan your route with these tools:

• Check the entire route on the map on this page.
• Find up-to-date traffic and road information here.
• Make sure you know the Swiss traffic rules.
• Check weather forecasts each day before hitting the road. In case of extreme weather conditions like heavy rain, thunderstorms or snow, driving may be uncomfortable or even dangerous. Adjust your plans if necessary.

Map of the driving route