In Photo: The Chapel Bridge in Lucerne
I cannot think of a much better to place to spend our family Christmas holidays than Switzerland! Its snowy landscapes, majestic alps, fewer crowds, festive Christmas markets and the scenic train rides make it the ideal winter destination.
Our 7-day DIY Swiss tour brought us to 6 wonderful Swiss cities/towns, each one offering a unique and magical holiday experience.
Our first stop was Lucerne ranked as one of the world’s prettiest cities, rich in sights and attractions. Travelling mostly by foot, we visited the world-famous Chapel Bridge and Water Tower, the Spreuer Bridge, and the Jesuit Church. The lighted streets, bridges and buildings add to Lucerne’s charming cityscape.
Zurich is a vibrant city with all the colorful structures lining and the Christmas lights hanging on the street of Augustinergasse in its Old Town. Their train station also serves as their main Christmas Market where the iconic Lindt Christmas tree is displayed. A must watch is Zurich’s unique singing Christmas tree.
St Gallen is home to the Abbey of St Gall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The complex includes a beautiful library with a rich collection of ancient books and a twin-towered cathedral.
Interlaken is a cute uniquely situated city between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. It’s popular for outside activities like skiing and paragliding. Strolling along its alleys and main streets gives you the feel from those Hallmark Christmas movies. But the highlight of our Interlaken visit was the tour to Iseltwald Pier of Crash Landing On You.
The car-free town of Zermatt is the gateway to Mattehorn (the famous mountain of Toblerone) and the surrounding Alps. The stunning views going up and down and atop the Gornergrat Summit (gives the best view of Matterhorn) are truly a sight to behold.
We purposely chose Grindelwald as the last stop of our Swiss holiday. Strolling through this village with its traditional wooden houses and the Swiss Alps as backdrop was the perfect venue to celebrate our Christmas Day. We definitely enjoyed frolicking on the snow atop the Grindelwald First.
We breezed through these cities/towns via the very effective and efficient Swiss train system. Everything was on point! Availing the Swiss Pass was a wise decision. It may look expensive but it’s good value for our money.
If you’re already planning for your 2026 Holiday vacation, I definitely recommend spending it in Switzerland. Cheers to a bountiful 2026!
