How to plan your trip in Switzerland

Switzerland is a very diverse country that has a lot to offer at any time of the year. It can be difficult to decide on a particular activity or destination. Let alone finding the right offer right away.

In this article, we'll help you plan your trip to Switzerland and guide you to the most important resources

There are numerous tools and platforms available to you, whose goal is to simplify your trip planning. Some of them are purely informative, while others allow you to book your trip or excursion directly.

The table below will help you get a first overview of the variety of your options

Overview platforms

name	Information and inspiration	booking option
MySwitzerland	✓
Freizeit.ch	✓
Famigros	✓
excursions.ch	✓
Outdooractive	✓
Suissemobile	✓
Swiss Activities	✓	✓
Viator		✓
Hyll		✓
Get your Guide	✓	✓
Sportsparadise Switzerland	✓	✓
Tiqets	✓	✓
Spontastic		✓
Jochen Schweizer		✓

Important sources of information for your excursion in Switzerland

Before you can decide on a trip, you need one thing above all

Information

Fortunately, there are numerous sources that will inform you about Switzerland. Below we list some interesting and helpful sources that will provide you with plenty of inspiration and information.

MySwitzerland

Switzerland Tourism has compiled a wealth of information about Switzerland on "MySwitzerland". There is hardly a topic that you won't find here. The articles are categorized by topics such as regions, accommodations, planning, events, sports, experiences, ski resorts and tours, to name just a few

You can also check the SBB timetable on the platform, which is always helpful when planning your trip

We recommend MySwitzerland to get a good overview of Switzerland and be inspired by beautiful photos. From our point of view, a look at MySwitzerland is a must before any trip through Switzerland. Since the site is translated into 14 languages, it appeals to visitors from all over the world.

Freizeit.ch

Freizeit.ch calls itself "the leisure portal for the whole family". You'll find tons of information and suggestions for leisure activities in all regions of Switzerland. Especially if you're looking for ideas with your family, you'll be well served on Freizeit.ch

Thanks to competitions that take place every now and then, you can win great tickets and other prizes for your next excursion.

To filter the information, you can select criteria such as budget, season, tips, category of excursion or region. For bargain hunters, there is also the "Promotions" section, where current discounts are advertised. And thanks to the current weather forecast for each article, you always know what to expect on site

Famigros

Famigros is the family club of Migros, Switzerland's largest retailer. On Famigros, you'll find ideas for outings, recipes, craft ideas and everything else that families appreciate for organizing their everyday lives.

With over 1000 excursion destinations, Famigros describes leisure activities of all kinds. Always with the focus on families. A distinction is made between free and paid excursion destinations

Thanks to a filter function you can sort by the topic you are interested in. Possible filters are infrastructure, cost, weather, occasion, season, canton and even life stage (pregnancy, baby, toddler, preschooler, schoolchild, teenager and adult).

There is also a Famigros membership that you can sign up for. This is available free of charge to all parents who have at least one child under the age of 25 and live in Switzerland or neighboring countries. The benefits of membership are exclusive club advantages and leisure discounts. However, you can also use Famigros for free without being a member

Ausflugsziele.ch

The aim of Ausflugsziele.ch is to publicize worthwhile and interesting excursion destinations in Switzerland. The website is a free and quick reference tool for anyone who wants to do something great in Switzerland

You'll find ideas for excursions of all kinds. This includes sights (museums, castles and zoos), outdoor activities, train rides, hikes, amusement and fun parks and much more

Here, too, you can choose from a practical filter with which you can search specifically by region, season, interests, group excursions, categories or current highlights

On Ausflugsziele.ch, insider tips are also shared that you've probably never heard of. So even those who already know Switzerland very well and would like to discover something new will find something here.

Outdooractive

Outdooractive is the ideal planning tool if you want to go on a hike or a mountain tour. Outdooractive is active worldwide and in Switzerland alone you can choose from over 1200 tours. You can choose between hikes, mountain bike routes, alpine tours, ski tours, mountain tours, snowshoe hikes, winter hikes and theme trails

Apart from the recorded route on the map, you will find information about the route, duration, altitude up and down, a general description of the tour and usually also photos.

If you create an account, you can also draw your own route and export it for your GPS.

Switzerland Mobility

The options on Switzerland Mobility are similar to those on Outdooractive. Here you decide between summer and winter on the overview map. You can then display all the corresponding routes and paths throughout Switzerland

In summer, these are bike, hiking, mountain bike, canoe and skating routes. In winter you will find winter hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, sledding and ski tours. From a short, half-hour round trip to crossing the whole of Switzerland, everything is here.

With a Pro account, you can also draw your own route here and take it with you on the GPS. We definitely recommend downloading the free Schweizmobil app to your cell phone. This way you can always check if you are still on the right track.

Blogs

As a supplement to more formal sources of information, blogs are a great way to get inspired. If you're one of those who likes to be inspired by personal articles, you'll love the following blogs.

• Princess.ch: Nicole has been running this awesome and extensive food and travel blog about Switzerland since 2009.
• Reisememo: Walter and Katja report from their travels all over the world. In Switzerland, they have written many great articles about hikes and destinations.
• Travelita: Anita has many informative and exciting travel tips for you on her blog.
• Lost in Switzerland: Seraina has made it her mission to compile tips for backpackers and budget travelers in Switzerland.
• Hike and Dine: Matthias and Solène's blog is the perfect place to go if you want to combine hiking with delicious food.
• Newly Swissed: Dimitri and his team have been writing about Switzerland for more than 10 years and publish informative as well as very entertaining reports
• Travelstory.ch: Helga loves Switzerland and has covered every corner of this enchanting country on her blog.
• MySwissAlps: Since the start in 2002 Arno helps you to plan your individual trip through Switzerland

The best platforms to book your excursion in Switzerland

If you are not only looking for information, but also for a booking option, booking platforms are a brilliant invention. For your leisure and travel planning in Switzerland, we present you eight important platforms. With their help, you'll be ready for your next adventure. No matter how long the trip should last.

Swiss Activities

On Swiss Activities you'll find both. Information and the possibility to book.

On the one hand you can use Swiss Activities if you are still looking for inspiration. On over 130 blog articles you will find more than enough information about Switzerland. The one you are reading right now is just one of many ;-)

Even if you already know exactly what you want and are still looking for the right offer, you are at the right place. You can book over 900 activities directly and start your adventure

Here is a small, non-exhaustive selection of bookable offers

• Guided and self-guided tours
• Entrance tickets to museums, castles, chocolate factories, etc.
• Rental of sports equipment such as skiing, cross-country skiing, climbing, mountain biking
• Tickets for mountain railroads and boat trips
• Indoor activities such as Escape Rooms and indoor theme parks
• Outdoor activities such as paragliding, canyoning, rafting, tobogganing, etc.
• Wellness and fitness offers
• Ski and toboggan passes
• Museum and city tours
• Culinary experiences and much, much more

A great advantage of Swiss Activities is that you can benefit from discounts with GA, Half-Fare, City Card, children and groups as well as early booking discounts. In addition, you book here not only the world's known highlights, but also discover new, lesser-known activities

Viator

Viator is a global booking platform with over 200,000 bookable activities and experiences worldwide. The website belongs to TripAdvisor and is translated into 11 languages. Here you can book whatever your heart desires anywhere in the world

In Switzerland you can find on Viator among others:

• Tours of one or more days
• entrance tickets
• Train passes, train and boat tickets
• Courses and workshops
• Museum and city tours
• Sightseeing flights and much, much more

Thanks to the personal photos that travelers have uploaded of their experiences, you'll see firsthand what to expect.

Viator does not have its own blog. That means you'll mainly find specific information about their many offerings. Therefore, we recommend that you first browse one of the informative websites and then look for your activity specifically on Viator.

Hyll

Hyll is the "Tinder for leisure activities" and is based on an app. Here you can discover, plan and book your next leisure activity.

The original wish of Hyll was that we go out again more, discover something new and be active. The smartphone should help us to elegantly jump over the first hurdle in planning and to find the right offer.

On the home page of their app, you can scroll through various activities that are backed by a video. In this way, you will inevitably be inspired and have the opportunity to book your excursion right away

Apart from the bookable offers, Hyll also offers a large amount of suggestions, tips and "free activities". This includes descriptions of hikes, mountain bike trails and much more

Among the bookable offers are

• Rentals of ski or snowboard equipment, e-scooters, etc.
• Ski passes (with or without rental)
• Guided tours such as snowshoe hikes, full moon tours or ice climbing
• Activities like trampolining, badminton, go-karting or bouldering
• Various entrance tickets such as for the Zurich Zoo
• Paragliding flights
• Escape Games, VR Escape Rooms and Foxtrails

Hyll is particularly suitable for you if you are an active adventurer and want to experience something in Switzerland. The focus is especially on seasonal outdoor experiences. By limiting the search radius, you define in which radius you want to search for activities.

Like Viator, Hyll is a pure booking platform without a blog. You will find a lot of specific offers that you can book right away. But there is no general information about Switzerland.

Get your Guide

Get your Guide has its origins in guided tours. However, the world-renowned booking platform now offers almost everything. From activities to tours and sightseeing to courses and workshops, it has it all

Get your Guide offers over 30,000 bookable activities. Of these, just under 500 are in Switzerland. These include:

• Tours lasting one or more days
• Hop-on / Hop-off tours
• Entrance tickets of all kinds
• transfers
• City tickets
• Tickets for mountain railroads and boat trips
• Courses and workshops
• city tours
• paragliding flights and much more

In addition, exciting and inspiring articles await you on their blog. Especially handy is also the Get your Guide App, through which you can make your bookings

Sportsparadise Switzerland

Sportsparadise Switzerland focuses, as the name suggests, on sports. You will find here everything related to sports activities, sports accommodations, sports experiences and sports events.

On Sportsparadise Switzerland you will find, among other things:

• Accommodations such as hotels, chalets, group accommodations, vacation rentals, etc.
• Tickets to various sporting events
• Running events such as the Iron Man, city runs and marathons
• Sports courses like ski or mountain bike courses
• Guided tours like kayaking, snowshoeing and many more
• Aerial activities like paragliding and parachute jumps
• Social games like Farmer Olympics and Highland Games
• Water activities like canyoning and rafting

On the Sportnews blog you will also find great blog articles about sports.

Tiqets

You've probably already guessed what you'll find on Tiqets

This booking platform offers tickets of all kinds worldwide. In their assortment you will find in Switzerland, among other things, tickets for:

• museums
• Tours and round trips
• Trains, ships and mountain railways
• zoos and chocolate factories
• Sights like castles and palaces

Tiqets also has their own blog. Here they publish inspiring and helpful articles to help you plan your next trip

However, since Tiqets operates worldwide, the information about Switzerland is not as specific and comprehensive as for example on MySwitzerland, Ausflugsziele.ch or Swiss Activities. Therefore, we recommend you to consult some of the above mentioned information sources for your planning with Tiqets

Spontastic

Spontastic focuses on spontaneity, flexibility and short notice. If you're short-tempered and looking for an activity for today, tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, you'll love Spontastic.

The offer is extremely diverse. The assortment includes among others:

• concerts
• Restaurant reservations
• entrance tickets to museums, rope parks, wellness, etc.
• numerous outdoor activities and indoor activities
• city and church tours
• sport events
• cabarets and theater performances
• and even massage or dentist appointments!

You won't find a blog with extensive information about Switzerland here. But Spontastic is your perfect place to go if you are looking for something for the next 48 hours. You can filter by region, category or price for a better overview.

Jochen Schweizer

At Jochen Schweizer you will find countless experiences, trips and gifts in Switzerland, Austria and Germany. You have the choice between a voucher and a fixed booking. You will receive the voucher either gift-wrapped or immediately by e-mail

The range of the Jochen Schweizer universe includes, among others:

• Trips such as city breaks, short trips, wellness vacations, event and theme trips
• Airy experiences such as parachute jumps or sightseeing flights
• Fast-paced adventures such as rides in a race car, your dream car or quads
• Adventure and sports offers like alpaca hikes, paintball games, archery or trampoline parks
• Culinary, art, culture and lifestyle
• Experiences with animals
• Water and wind activities like surfing, sailing, rafting
• Digital experiences like online courses and much, much more

Jochen Schweizer is suitable for you if you are looking for either a gift or inspiration for the next weekend or vacation in Switzerland

All these platforms will help you to simplify the planning of your next trip in Switzerland. We hope we could help you with this article and that you are now perfectly equipped for your next adventure

Do you know a platform that you can't find here, but is worth mentioning? Then feel free to write a message to our Support