Hiking in Switzerland: Best Day Hikes in the Swiss Alps

Why Hiking in Switzerland Is So Special

My initial inspiration for visiting Switzerland, funnily enough, came from one Instagram reel randomly watched one evening. It was a short video of the village of Grindelwald in the Swiss alps and it looked like a fairytale. I felt like I had to go and so I did!

Hiking in Switzerland feels almost unreal. The Swiss Alps offer some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world, but what makes hiking here truly special is how easy and accessible everything is. You don’t need to be an expert hiker to enjoy dramatic mountain views, turquoise lakes, or peaceful alpine meadows.

Breathtaking views, trails for days, easy travel and charming villages. Are you ready?

Trail at a Glance

Best time to go: June to October (hiking season)
Some trails may have snow later in the season so make sure to check trail conditions, especially for higher peaks!
Bring layers: weather may change quickly in the Alps so bring layers and a light rain jacket
Public transport makes hiking effortless: you can literally take the train to get to the hiking trails
Most hikes are accessible as day trips: thanks again to the train system, you can easily travel and hike around the country easily
Water is often drinkable: from fountains in towns and villages (“Trinkwasser”)
Learning a bit of German may be useful: especially in small towns, people may mainly speak German (e.g. Wasser, pronounced ‘’Vasser’’, means water)
Download offline maps: Use AllTrails or other tools to download maps before your hike
Gondolas and cables cars: there are many available on popular hiking trails, which you can take, for example, to go down. They do close early so make sure to check the schedules.

a woman hiking in switzerland overlooking views of mountains in grindelwald

How to Prepare for Hiking in Switzerland

Hiking in the Swiss Alps, especially for day hikes, doesn’t require intense training or advanced skills, most trails are well‑maintained, clearly marked, and accessible by gondola or train. But a little preparation goes a long way in making your day on the trails more enjoyable.

Know Your Comfort Level

In the Swiss Alps, there are trails for everyone and every difficulty levels, it really comes down to how much hiking you want to do as part of your trip to Switzerland.

Hike and Explore Villages

I strongly recommend doing at least one hike as the views are absolutely stunning all along the trails.

I also recommend planning to visit a few villages in the Alps as each of them are uniquely beautiful and offer different hiking opportunities. Most villages are very easily accessible by train and are usually only a few hours away from each other, which facilitates day trips.

Build a Bit of Walking Stamina

The classic travel phenomenon of walking 10k+ steps a day may apply here.

Go on regular walks, do a bit of cardio and do a few local hikes before your trip if possible.

Wear Proper Hiking Shoes

Choose comfortable, supportive shoes with good grip.

Make sure they’re broken in before your trip (speaking from experience). Swiss trails can be rocky, and you’ll want shoes that feel familiar.

Layers, Layers, Layers

Bring layers as it gets hot and sunny during the hiking season days, but it may get chilly during the evening.

Also bring a light rain/wind jacket and a fleece in case of weather changes.

Budgeting

In my opinion, Switzerland is not the cheapest country to travel to, but it’s very much worth it to go.

I recommend heading to grocery stores and packing snacks and drinks for your hikes. Also bring a reusable water bottle, you can refill it at many places since water is drinkable even from fountains!

For budget-friendly accommodations options, there are great hostels where you can stay in the Swiss Alps.

Best Day Hikes in Switzerland (By Difficulty)

Beginner‑Friendly Day Hikes

Uetliberg Mountain Hike (Zurich)

uetliberg mountain hike views in zurich switzerland

a woman setting at a cable car seating looking at the view of uetliberg mountain in zurich switzerland

Uetliberg is Zurich’s beloved local mountain, an easy, forested hike that rewards you with sweeping views over the city, Lake Zurich, and the distant Alps.

The trail is well‑marked and gentle enough for beginners, with a mix of shaded woodland paths and open viewpoints along the way. At the top, you can climb the lookout tower for an even better panorama (totally worth it on a clear day). It’s the perfect half‑day hike if you’re staying in Zurich and want a simple, accessible taste of Swiss nature without traveling far.

Grindelwald Village Panorama Trails

grindelwald village panoramic hike views

The panorama trails are easily accessible and start directly in the village of Grindelwald. Now, this is a hiker’s playground as there are trails everywhere that allow you to explore your surroundings and hike up as high as you want to get the best views of the Swiss Alps village.

This hike could be a morning hike just as much as an afternoon one or an evening one for sunset.

Do keep in mind that there isn’t much shade and the higher you get, the stronger the sun is, so bring sunscreen!

Gurten Park (Bern)

Gurten is Bern’s easygoing local mountain, the kind of place where you can take a relaxed forest walk, enjoy wide views over the city, and still see the Alps stretching across the horizon. The trail is gentle and well‑marked, making it perfect for beginners or anyone looking for a low‑effort hiking day. You can hike up through the woods or take the funicular to the top and explore the walking paths, viewpoints, and grassy picnic areas.

Intermediate Day Hikes

Eiger Trail (Alpiglen → Eigergletscher)

woman hiking in switzerland, the eiger trail in grindelwald village

The Eiger Trail is one of the most iconic hikes in Switzerland, and you don’t need to be an expert hiker to enjoy it. I started from Grindelwald, took the train up to Alpiglen, and hiked up toward the glacier, a steeper route than the classic downhill version, but incredibly rewarding. The trail winds beneath the famous Eiger North Face, with dramatic cliffs, waterfalls, and wide views over the valley the entire way and cows!

The trail ends right at Eigergletscher (let’s practice your German, it means Eiger glacier), a small mountain station sitting at the foot of the glacier. There’s a visitor area, a Swiss flag viewpoint, and the train center where the Jungfraujoch train departs.

From Eigergletscher, you can explore the glacier area a bit, grab a snack, or take the train back down to Grindelwald. If you want to make a full day of it, you can even continue up to Jungfraujoch from the same station.

Be careful if you go during Spring or Fall, it may be covered in snow and ice.

Advanced Day Hikes

Harder Kulm (Interlaken)

The trail starts from the Interlake village. You can hike up or take the funicular.

If you hiked up, it’s definitely a hard hike (there’s even the word hard in the trail name), steep, long, and sweaty.

If you took the funicular up and hiked around, you can still include it as a viewpoint and optional hike.

There is also a great viewpoint at the top with an observation deck and a restaurant so you can relax and enjoy the views of the Swiss Alps village!

Pilatus Kulm (Lucerne) – Hike or Cable Car

pilatus kulm hike views in lucerne, switzerland

Located in the stunning village of Lucerne, there are multiple routes for this trail:

Alpnachstad → Pilatus = very hard
Kriens → Pilatus = moderate to hard
Cable car = easy access + optional hiking loops

If you want a flexible mountain day: hike up if you want a challenge, or take the gondola and explore the summit trails.

Make sure to plan a bit of time to walk around Lucerne and explore. Try some famous cheese fondue (Käsefondue in German) and Rösti. Go see the Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge) in Lucerne, a beautifully preserved covered wooden bridge dating back to the 1300s and one of Switzerland’s most iconic landmarks.