Circumnavigate Switzerland on these road trips

A place of heart-stopping natural beauty and head-spinning efficiency, Switzerland lies in the center of Europe yet exhibits a unique blend of cultures. Dazzling outdoor scenery such as the ever-admired Alps, pristine lakes, lush meadows and chocolate-box chalets combines with local traditions, cosmopolitan cities and smooth infrastructure.

In short, Switzerland makes it easy for you to dive deep into its heart on a life-affirming road trip. Distances are manageable and variety is within easy reach: you can be perusing a farmers' market for picnic provisions in the morning, then feasting on them on a mountaintop come lunchtime. At nightfall, try gazing at stars in the night sky from cosy digs or revelling in the cultural offerings of one of Switzerland's urbane cities.

Conveniently, there are eight stages of a Grand Tour of Switzerland road trip can be tackled in one visit, or come back and explore one stage at a time. How long you spend on each stage is entirely up to you. For every corner of this itinerary you could while away your days hiking mountain trails, swimming in lakes, and dining on regional produce at traditional inns or modern restaurants.

Here's how to circumnavigate Switzerland one region at a time.

Things to know:

• The entire Grand Tour of Switzerland can be completed in an electric vehicle. The route was outfitted with charging stations in 2015, so you can make this a sustainable road trip.

• Renting a car through Switzerland's leading provider, Europcar offers freedom of movement and mind. They have a full fleet of vehicles, including compact and luxury sedans, 4x4s, family vans and a wide selection of electric vehicles, so you can choose whichever suits your travel style best. They also have 90 locations throughout Switzerland, and the option to rent in one city and return in another, for ultimate flexibility, so you can design the trip however you want. Plus, they offer round-the-clock roadside assistance, which makes it all feel easy-breezy.

• Swiss roads are well-built and well-maintained, so you'll find the drive quite pleasant. Additionally, the entire route is marked with some 650 Grand Tour of Switzerland designated signposts.

• Speed limits can be as low as 30 km per hour on city streets. Rising to 120 km per hour on dual lane freeways.

• There is an app that will help you plan and navigate your Grand Tour of Switzerland.

• You can purchase a snack box at the start of your trip to take along with you that features regional treats. There are 50 places listed in the Grand Tour of Switzerland app and on the Grand Tour of Switzerland homepage where you can top off your box with regional treats.

• The best viewing points along the route are marked with a red photo frame (photo spot) in order not to miss out on the most spectacular views.

1. Zurich to Appenzell for cultural capital and fairy-tale villages

2-3 days 
175 km (109 miles) 

Start: Start your Grand Tour of Switzerland in Zürich, a famous financial center with its artsy, post-industrial edge, epitomized by the transformation of the formerly industrial district Züri-West. Book a couple of nights at a boutique hotel in Old Town. We like Marktgasse Hotel housed in a building that dates back to 1425. 

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Stop 1: Once you’ve filled your cultural bucket in Zürich, head to the beautifully preserved medieval city of Schaffhausen for a half-day. Spend a morning at the tranquil cloister of the 12th-century Romanesque-style cathedral, Allerheiligen Münster, and its adjoining herb garden, which has been lovingly tended since the Middle Ages.

Stop 2: Just outside Schaffhausen is the Rheinfall, Europe’s largest plain waterfall. Trails thread up and along the shores, with viewpoints and abundant photo ops of the awe-inspiring cascade. 

Stop 3: Continue on to Lake Constance and spend at least one full day and a night in Arbon, enjoying the plethora of outdoor activities on offer. Rent bikes and pedal along the shore or through the region’s famed apple orchards.

Stop 4: Don’t miss St Gallen near Arbon. Its Altstadt is dominated by the UNESCO-listed Benedictine Abbey of St Gall, founded by itinerant Irish monk Gallus in 612. It houses Stiftsbibliothek, one of the oldest and most beautifully monastic libraries in the world. 

Stop 5: Finally, make your way to fairy-tale perfect Appenzell, about an hour from Lake Constance. Head to the local brewery, Brauquöll Appenzell, where the Locher family has been brewing since 1886, for a late afternoon beer tasting and then bed down for the night.

Car rental tip: Reserve your rental from Europcar in advance, but no need to pick it up until you're ready to leave Zürich. This is a great stretch for a compact EV.

2. Appenzell to St Moritz for record-breaking sights

2-5 days
200 km (124 miles)

Start: After overnighting and exploring Appenzell – with its lavishly muralled facades and shops selling everything from folk costumes to local cheese along the Hauptgasse – learn about the region's folk traditions at Appenzell Museum and enjoy some walks on well marked trails. 

Stop 1: Next, the Grand Tour brings you to the incredible UNESCO World Heritage listed Tectonic Arena Sardona where the continents of Africa and Europe collided.

Stop 2: A pilgrimage for fans of the beloved novel children’s book Heidi, stop in Maienfeld, the setting for the world-famous story by Johanna Spyri. For everyone else, there’s the internationally acclaimed Blauburgunder wine to be discovered.

Stop 3: Next stop on the Grand Tour is, Chur, the oldest city in Switzerland. You’ll want to linger for a day or two in this charismatic, high-spirited, festival-loving city, whether to nose around the lanes of the historic Altstadt or dig into the rustic hearty Bündner specialities in a woody warm medieval tavern.

Detour: In nearby Guarda discover traditional houses with ornate sgraffiti. Sgraffito has a language all of its own, with protective and lucky symbols hidden on the historic facades of the region’s houses.

Stop 4: Stop by the visitor center in Zernez on your Grand Tour before exploring the surrounding mountains, lakes and river valleys of Swiss National Park on its 100kms of hiking paths and nature trails. 

Stop 5: Don’t miss Kloster St. Johann Müstair, the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage listed church with vibrant Carolingian and Romanesque frescos.

Stop 6: Climb 700m from Punt Muragl up to the Muottas Muragl on a funicular before exploring the iconic mountain resort of St Moritz. 

Stop 7: Sitting astride a sparkling aquamarine lake, rimmed by emerald forests and peering up to the snow-sprinkled heights of the Albula and Bernina Alps, this iconic destination looks a million dollars. If you have a budget to match, book a night at the lakeside five-star Badrutts Palace. 

Car rental tip: This is a great road trip for an AWD SUV. It is a dramatic Alpine route with mountain passes and changing weather. You can return the SUV in St Moritz.

3. St Moritz to Bellinzona for a dramatic change in altitude

2-5 days
157 km (98 miles)

Stop 1: After you’ve fully explored St Moritz head to the remote and silent Parc Ela, a 30 min drive away and an idyllic hiking destination on the Grand Tour. Nature runs riot here, with rocky, snow-frosted peaks looming above cottongrass-stippled moors, and turquoise lakes glimmering in flowery pastures. It’s also a haven for wildlife including ibex, chamois, marmots and golden eagles.

Stop 2: Rail lovers won’t want to miss Thusis. If time allows, experience the Bernina Express, one of the world's most sensational train rides.

Stop 3: Between Thusis and Andeer, the Grand Tour takes you through Viamala Gorge, the entrance portal to Beverin Nature Park, home to historically, culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Admire the spectacular gorge was carved by ice and water.

Detour: Take in dramatic views of the Il Spir observation platform over the Rhine Gorge in Graubünden. Parking nearby comes at a cost. You can also stretch your legs and hike up from Flims Waldhaus Wellness resort through the forest. 

Stop 4: Next take a detour from the Grand Tour and tackle the hairpin turns of Splügen pass on the Italian border, and visit the sun-browned wooden Walser houses of its namesake village.

Stop 5: A gem of a wildlife habitat with diverse landscapes, chestnut trees and dry stone walls, the undeveloped Parco Val Calanca is the perfect stop for some hiking with a good chance to spot deer, chamois, golden eagles, and grouse. 

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Stop 6: Finally, you’ve made it to Bellinzona where medieval allure comes alive at hilltop UNESCO-listed castles, Castelgrande, Montebello and Sasso Corbaro, and bustling markets. You can rent e-bikes at the tourist office located on Piazza Collegiata. They also hand out brochures with suggested itineraries and maps.

Rental car tip: This is one of the most scenic legs. If weather is good, its the best section for a convertible. Its giving BMW 4 Series Convertible vibes. Pick up your rental in St Moritz.

4. Bellinzona to Zermatt for lovers of mountain roads

3-5 days
195 km (121 miles)

Start: Once you’ve explored the beauty and history of Bellinzona, you’re about to head out on to one of the most famous high mountain passes in Europe (from May to October, when it is open, that is).

Stop 1: Located at an altitude of 2106m St Gotthard Pass connects Italian- and German- speaking Switzerland. It’s also an iconic cycling destination. At the top there is an historic hospice, the St Gotthard Museum and the Sasso San Gottardo fortress. 

Stop 2: Next, immortalized in a car chase in the 1964 James Bond classic Goldfinger, the vertiginous Furka Pass in Valais' far northeastern corner is Switzerland's king of alpine passes. Be sure to stop in Gletsch, where an information point and food truck by the historic Grand Hotel Glacier du Rhône signals the path to the Rhône Glacier.

Detour: Andermatt, once an important staging post at a four-way crossroads, is now famous for winter sports plus hiking and cycling in the Alps and an ideal stop on the Grand Tour. You’ll love the sun-blackened houses and cosy taverns along cobbled streets, soundtracked by the rush of the Unteralpreuss River.

Stop 3: Next on the Grand Tour of Switzerland, is the UNESCO World Heritage listed Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch with its breathtaking 23km-long superhighway of a glacier . Views from above are soul-soaring, but for a hardcore adrenaline surge nothing beats getting stuck in between crevasses on the ice.

Stop 4: Stop by the idyllic mountain village of Ernen, on the left side of the valley of Goms, above Fiesch. Hike in Binntal Nature Park – or even better, time your trip for Ernen’s famous classical music festival.

Stop 5: The last leg of this stage of the Grand Tour is a stay in the car-free town of Zermatt (park your vehicle in nearby Täsch). One of Switzerland's few ski resorts to buzz with local life year-round, this historic town at the foot of the Matterhorn is an unparalleled alpine playground.

Rental car tip: Rent your vehicle at the Europcar office in Bellinzona for this is a long scenic drive through Ticino and Valais. Efficient but comfortable is ideal, choose a comfortable hybrid or a luxury sedan. Zermatt itself is car-free, so you’ll park in Täsch before taking the shuttle train.

5. Zermatt to Lausanne for postcard-perfect villages

1-3 days
178 km (111 miles)

Start: After a few days in Zermatt, enjoying chair lifts to walk or mountain bike between lake beaches, and riding the world's highest-altitude cable car to 3883m to gaze at 14 glaciers and 38 mountain peaks over 4000m from the Panoramic Platform, it’s time to hit the road again on your Grand Tour of Switzerland.

Detour: Grimentz is a picture-postcard village with panoramic views of the crown of peaks – from the Matterhorn to the Weisshorn, Zinalrothorn, and Dent Blanche. In the snowfree months, book dinner at Espace Weisshorn for an elevated experience in every sense. 

Stop 1: The small medieval city of Saint-Maurice was once an ancient Roman outpost, and the abbey here is the oldest Christian monastery in the Western world.

Detour: Vertigo suffers look away: the dizzying, 107m-long Peak Walk by Tissot on the Tsanfleuron Glacier is one of many exciting experiences at Les Diablerets.

Stop 2: Next, it’s time to experience the history baked into Chillon Castle with its medieval arrow-slit turrets and witch-capped towers on Lake Geneva. ​​

Stop 3: Today you’ll want to nominate a driver (or hop aboard the Train des Vignes) for this part of your Grand Tour – it is time to taste the wines made famous by Saint-Saphorin, Dézaley, Epesses at the gravity-defying vineyards in Lavaux which are so steep they're UNESCO-listed.

Stop 4: Finally, pull up on the banks of Lake Geneva in Lausanne. A city of steps and steep hills where staircases zigzag up through the Gothic old town and down to trendy bars squatting in the arches of the majestic old bridge. Meander the Ouchy lakefront, visit the Cathédrale de Notre Dame and the Olympic Museum, and (thanks to its hillside location) spy the sun-flecked lake wherever you go.

Planning tip: This stretch is well equipped with smooth roads and EV charging stations. Rent an EV or luxury EV and return to the Europcar office in Lausanne.

6. Lausanne to Neuchâtel for watch-making and cheese

1-3 days
171 km (106 miles)

Start: Lausanne’s student population lends itself to creativity, check out the city's sassy art district before you head off. 

Stop 1: Nature junkies will have a field day in the expansive Jura Vaudois Nature Park and the Vallée de Joux. When persecuted Protestants (Huguenots) fled here from neighboring France, they brought their horological know-how: “Watchmaker’s Valley” has stuck as a nickname ever since. And meanwhile alpine Gruyère AOC cheese is produced here using traditional methods in the mountain huts. 

Stop 2: It’s time to indulge yourself on the Grand Tour as the Romans once did. Drop into the thermal spa of Yverdon-les-Bains for the healing power of the mineral rich water. 

Stop 3: Next see the natural spectacle of the Creux du Van amphitheatre with 200m-high rock faces, wide views and pristine nature. 

Stop 4: Join the locals for some summertime swimming on the sandy beaches of Lake Neuchâtel, then take a boat trip or canoe tour on the pristine water.

Stop 5: Now in Neuchâtel, you have the perfect base for day trips into the Jura mountains, see the medieval castle, and immerse yourself in the buzzy pedestrian old town with its characterful fountains, 18th-century houses and colorful shutters, plus numerous bars, cafes and restaurants. 

Rental car tip: Pick up your car at the Europcar office in Lausanne. This stretch is relaxed lakeside driving through wine country and French-speaking Switzerland. This is another great “top-down” stretch if weather cooperates.

6. Neuchâtel to Bern for waterfalls, boat rides and secret caves

3-5 days
252 km (157 miles)

Stop 1: From Neuchâtel, head to Murten, a charming 12th-century town that stands on a hill above Murtensee and Schloss Murten, ramparts and cobbled Hauptgasse (main street) are beautifully preserved.

Stop 2: Modern day Fribourg blends past and present as easily as it does languages, with craft-beer breweries, contemporary art exhibitions and lively student-nightlife venues existing in harmony with well-preserved medieval churches, bridges, fountains and fortifications.

Stop 3: Carry on your Grand Tour to the bucolic pre-Alps where cheese, chocolate and cow-grazed countryside await. The centerpiece of the area is the hilltop village of Gruyères, the epitome of traditional Switzerland with its cobbled streets, flower-strewn wooden houses and fairy-tale castle.

Stop 4: Swiss pistes don’t get fancier than those in Gstaad, where skiing comes with a spritz of glamor and celebrity-spotting magic. From Gstaad you can explore the idyllic side valleys and the mountains around the Sanetsch and Pillon Passes.

Detour: Grindelwald’ s sublime natural assets are film-set stuff. Here the Jungfrau railway has been making its journey to Europe’s highest-altitude railway station at 3454 metres.

Detour: As if cupped in celestial hands, Lauterbrunnen spellbinding valley entranced Goethe, Lord Byron and other romantic souls like you, with 72 waterfalls that crash over vertical cliffs in summer and freeze solid in winter.

Stop 7: Holding up a blue mirror to the Jungfrau Alps, Lake Thun will have you rubbing your eyes in disbelief. Navigate Thun and Brienz on a boat tour, offering a unique view of Switzerland’s unrivalled natural beauty.

Detour: Word has it Tolkien also seized inspiration for The Lord of the Rings from St Beatus Caves above Lake Thun. Dress warmly and follow the trail which whisks you through grottoes stippled with stalagmites and stalactites and past underground lakes.

Stop 8: And lastly, pulsing with culture, the pocket-sized Swiss capital of Bern,  framed by the Aare River and offers spectacular views of the Alps, will woo you with its World Heritage treat of a medieval old town, Einstein connections and phenomenal stash of Paul Klee art. Try Am Pavillon for a B&B steeped in art nouveau charm. 

Rental car tip: Pick up a rental at the Europcar office inNeuchâtel. Choose an EV for this stretch too. It is a short, easy drive.

8. Bern to Zurich for more castles, hikes and culinary delights

2-5 days 
315 km (196 miles)

Start: Once you’ve had your fill of culture, dust off your walking boots: alpine hiking doesn’t get any better than in the Bernese Oberland, where almost every inch of the sublime mountainous terrain has been diligently mapped, apped and waymarked.

Stop 1: Emmental nails the country dream on the Grand Tour in this lushly green region, cow-nibbled pastures and hip-roof farmhouses snuggle in among wooded hills. Its dairy farms produce the holey cheese that couldn't be more Swiss if it tried. 

Stop 2: The valley of Entlebuch is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve meaning its farmland and forests generate no end of quality produce. Eat stunning dishes crafted from local produce at local restaurants then hit the numerous well-marked cycling trails.  

Stop 3: Pop by Hallwyl Castle, one of the most beautiful moated castles on The Grand Tour of Switzerland. Exhibitions here illuminate its 900 year history and the everyday lives of its subjects.

Stop 4: Lucerne is home to music, the most popular museum in Switzerland, an energetic carnival and a beautifully preserved old town. Beyond the cobbled streets and decorative buildings of the Altstadt, the less crowded Neustadt offers a diverse array of restaurants and a community vibe around the pretty Vögeligärtli park.

Stop 5: There are several ways to ascend Mt Rigi, the “Queen of the Mountains”, including by cogwheel train. Lose the summer crowds by hiking one of its trails or book a day at the Mineral Baths & Spa Rigi Kaltbad.

Stop 6: Brunnen enjoys mesmerising views of Lake Lucerne and Lake Uri, and is a picturesque base for boat trips, hikes and outdoors activities. The lakeside terrace of Seehotel Waldstätterhof is the ideal spot for an aperitif as the sun sets. 

Detour: The sleepy town of Einsiedeln is dominated the imposing Klosterkirche with its baroque smorgasbord of dramatic ceiling frescoes, pudgy pink cherub sculptures and gold flourishes. You can also taste wine from the monastery's own vineyards on Lake Zurich.

Stop 7: And now you’re back to the beginning of your Grand Tour. When it comes to a recipe for the good life, Zürich has it covered. Don’t be surprised if you find it hard to leave.

Rental car tip: Fast, efficient motorway leg. Comfortable cruiser works best.

Plan your Switzerland holiday with the Swiss travel experts and turn your dream journey through Switzerland’s breathtaking landscapes into reality – book a vehicle for your Grand Tour of Switzerland through Europcar today.