Part of our Switzerland guide.
Two itineraries from our Switzerland coverage: 48 hours in Geneva and a weekend on Lake Maggiore.
Related travel guides: Itineraries For Netherlands, Hidden Gems In Switzerland, and How To Travel In Switzerland.
How To Spend 48 Hours In Geneva
Geneva sits on the banks of Lake Geneva and functions as the diplomatic capital of the world, hosting the Red Cross and the United Nations. Start your first morning at the Jet d’Eau fountain on the lake, then walk through the Old Town to St. Pierre Cathedral. Climb the tower for a view of the lake and the Alps. For lunch, head to the Carouge district for its Italianate architecture and market stalls. Spend the afternoon at the Museum of Art and History or, if the weather holds, take a boat cruise on Lake Geneva. On day two, visit the United Nations Office at the Palais des Nations and the broken-chair sculpture in Place des Nations. Walk through the Ariana Park to the Botanical Gardens. For your final evening, dine in the Eaux-Vives neighbourhood along the lakefront. Geneva’s tram and bus network covers all these points; a single ticket costs around 3 CHF and is valid for 60 minutes. This itinerary also touches on things to do in Switzerland from a city perspective.
A Weekend In Lake Maggiore, Switzerland
Lake Maggiore is the second-largest lake in Switzerland, straddling the border with Italy. Its Swiss shore is dominated by the town of Locarno, which enjoys a mild climate year-round. On Saturday morning, walk the old town of Locarno and its Piazza Grande, then take the funicular up to the Madonna del Sasso sanctuary for a view over the lake. After lunch, drive or take the bus to Ascona, a car-free lakeside village with pastel-coloured houses and a long promenade. Sunday is best spent on the water: ferries connect Locarno to the Brissago Islands, where the botanical garden holds subtropical plants that thrive in the microclimate. The ferry crossing takes about 30 minutes and costs around 15 CHF return. If you prefer to stay on land, hike the trail from Locarno to the Cardada cable car station, then ride up to the Cimetta summit for a panorama that stretches to the Alps. This region is also covered in our Swiss destinations and experiences in Switzerland content. For active travellers, hiking and the outdoors in Switzerland are accessible directly from Locarno’s waterfront.
