3 day Road Trip in Switzerland

Our recent trip to Switzerland was nothing short of perfection (seriously, I did not want to leave). With only three days, we decided to make the most of our trip by renting a car and hitting the road. If you’re planning a trip, here is the perfect Switzerland road trip itinerary.

Ultimate 3 day Switzerland road trip itinerary

Know before your Switzerland Road Trip

Driving in Switzerland

Driving in Switzerland is relatively straightforward. The roads are very well kept and it’s fairly easy to navigate. We used parking garages for the majority of our Switzerland road trip and found those to be a little nerve-racking just given how tight some of the spots are.

Renting a Car in Switzerland

Renting a car in Switzerland isn’t difficult but it can be pricy. There are a few things to consider when you rent your car, however. For example, picking your car up at the airport may be more convenient but it also may be more expensive. Some rental agencies include a surcharge for airport rentals. Also, be sure to understand what car insurance benefits (if any) your credit card provides. This can help you save some money in the rental.

Weather in Grindelwald

The weather in Grindelwald is an important factor to consider when planning out your trip. We absolutely loved our one day in Grindelwald but it was fairly cloudy, meaning that a trip up the cable cars would have been pointless. If seeing the epic views from the top is important to you, consider adding more time here.

Where to go in Switzerland

I truly believe you can’t go wrong exploring Switzerland. For this itinerary, you will go to Zurich, Bern, Thun, Grindelwald, and Lucerne. If you have more time in Switzerland, consider adding Interlaken and Zermatt.

Best Time to Visit Switzerland

Ah, this is the big question you ask for any destination. In fact I also found myself googling “best time to visit Switzerland” multiple times before my trip. I believe that any destination is worth visiting in the off season. Though we visited in November (very off season), we still enjoyed our time. However, if you want to maximize weather, views, and opening hours I think the best time to visit Switzerland is between April and October.

3-Day Road Trip in Switzerland

Day 0: Zurich

Your Switzerland road trip starts from Zurich. Once you land, grab your car from the airport (or city) and head to your hotel. We opted to stay a bit outside of the city center since we came in late and were leaving the next morning for our road trip. It’s up to you!

If you have some time in Zurich, head to Old Town for a taste of the city.

Overnight: Zurich

Day 1: Bern

Wake up early and start your drive to Bern. Once you get into the city your goal is to find parking (if your hotel doesn’t have it). Luckily there are plenty of parking garages however, if you miss them you’ll get stuck on one-way streets and it’ll take a bit to turn around. (We missed the garage twice…)

Check into your hotel and get ready to explore Bern. Trust me, you’re going to love it! Located on the water, Bern is truly spectacular.

Things to do in Bern

We did this self-guided walking tour to get an overview of the city to start with. After you explore the sights, stop for lunch in the old town.

Next, head to Rose Garden for some stunning views of both the water and the city. It’s a bit of a steep incline to get to the top but very worth it. There is also a cafe up here if you want to grab a bite to eat.

Head down from the Rose Garden and grab a beer on the water at Altes Tramdepot Brauerei Restaurant. I’ll admit, we found this place to be a bit overhyped but grabbing a beer with the view of the river is worth it. I wouldn’t necessarily eat here.

Time to check out sunset at the Federal Building (one of your earlier stops on your-self guided walking tour). If you head through the pillars into the back you’ll get sweeping views that are to die for.

We were in Bern on a Sunday which meant a lot of the restaurants were closed. Luckily, we found Casino Bern restaurant which ended up being a fantastic dinner. I highly recommend it!

Overnight: Bern. We stayed at Hotel Baren which was centrally located, perfectly comfortable for our stay, and included free breakfast.

Day 2: Thun & Grindelwald

Grab breakfast in the morning and then hit the road again. First stop is Thun which is only about 30 minutes away from Bern. You don’t need a ton of time here as it’s really small but it’s definitely worth walking through and checking out the castle.

Next, head on to Grindelwald. We chose to drive through Interlaken so we could have a view of the lakes on the drive. We didn’t stop in Interlaken as the weather was pretty bad but the views along the way were definitely worth it!

Things to do in Grindelwald

Be prepared to fall head over heels. Grindelwald is an idyllic mountain resort town. Even though it was quite cloudy, we still coudn’t get over the jaw dropping views. We personally spent most of our time in the town relaxing, taking in the views, and spending time in the hot tub at our our hotel, Aspen.

If you’re feeling like doing more during your time here, then here are top things to do in Grindelwald. (Note, we didn’t get to do any of these but these are suggestions from locals and other travelers)

Take the cable car up the mountain to First for stunning views

First Glider is a zip line experience that you can access from the top of First

Hike to Bachalpsee Lake from First

Hike the Eiger Trail (about 2 hours)

Overnight: Grindelwald. We absolutely loved our stay at Aspen. The hotel was gorgeous, the spa area out of this world, and the food delectable. I can’t recommend it enough!

Day 3: Lucerne

Enjoy a phenomenal breakfast if you’re staying at Aspen. Fun fact, prosecco is apparently a normal part of breakfast and we definitely indulged in this.

Your final stop of the road trip is Lucerne. Trust me, this one was worth waiting for. It’s known for its stunning medieval architecture and gorgeous location on the edge of Lake Lucerne.

While there are plenty of things to do in Lucerne, I recommend just exploring and stumbling upon what you want to do. The entire town is so picturesque that you really don’t need a pre defined list. We thoroughly enjoyed walking on the old wooden bridges, exploring old town, and eating lunch near the water.

It’s also the perfect spot to end your Switzerland road trip because it’s located only 45 minutes from Zurich. We opted to spend the day exploring here and then took an evening flight out of Zurich since we were tight on time but if you have the time, consider spending the night here.

Bottom Line

A Switzerland road trip is completely doable in 3 days. Sure, it would be fantastic to spend weeks endlessly exploring this incredible country but if you’re short on time, this itinerary will give you a good taste! Warning: you will find yourself wanting to come back!