A Week Around Switzerland in Winter

If flying into Zurich, hop on the train and head to Lucerne. Starting off in this beautiful little city, you can ride across the entire lake (for free if using a rail pass) where drinks and snacks are available for purchase. Taking the boat a short ride to Stans, go atop The Stanserhorn, a mountain that the top is reachable via cable car. Walk across the famous Chapel Bridge and view the internal paintings that cover the roof. If the weather permits, take the worlds steepest cogwheel railway up to Mount Pilatus to catch the view of Lucerne. Depending on overall trip, the Swiss Travel Pass should be purchase which not only includes rail/boat fares but also may include free or discounted excursions.

From Lucerne, travel to Interlaken for two days. Here you can visit the famous "Top of Europe" in the Jungfraujoch region which I highly recommend. The trek from the city center does take quite some time, so do be sure to leave early enough that allows you enough time to explore each of the different exhibits at the top. Their website has a helpful planning tool that maps out each train time you should aim to follow for a smooth day.

For the second day in Interlaken, you can take a funicular to Harder Kulm or if you opted out of "Top of Europe" you can visit the more accessible Schilthorn. If you've had your fill of mountain tops, you can travel underground and visit St. Beatus Caves which are accessible via a short bus ride.

In Zermatt, you must see the Matterhorn up close and personal! The Gornergrat Train takes you to the observatory where you can learn more about the infamous Toblerone candy logo. The city is small so take some time to get fresh mountain air and relax with a great view.

If your budget allows, take the official "Glacier" Express from Zermatt to St. Moritz. If not, you can take the route on public transportation, but this option will take up the entire day. If going the self created route, be sure to map out the train path that crosses over the Landwasser Viaduct.

With any remaining time, spent it in Zurich and Bern making sure to walk and see both cities in full. The Bern Zoo is a nice pastime and be sure to check out the Lindt Home of Chocolate which includes unlimited (yes, you heard me) samples with the price of a tour.