The Best Places To Stay In Switzerland For Hiking
When it comes to hiking, Switzerland is one of the best places in the world to explore. With its stunning Alps and varied terrain, there is a hike for everyone in Switzerland.
Whether you’re looking for a challenging hike with breathtaking views or a leisurely stroll through a charming Swiss village, you will be amazed by how beautiful the outdoors can be.
Here are the best places to stay in Switzerland for hiking, along with some popular hikes to try and hotel ideas.
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1. Lucerne
Lucerne is a picturesque city in central Switzerland, located on Lake Lucerne. The city is surrounded by mountains, making it the perfect place for a hike. There are many trails to choose from, and are easy to get to from Lucerne. You can get the best of both worlds with the city and great outdoors just a short ride away.
Tell Trail
If you want to hike through the 6 peaks of Central Switzerland, the Tell Trail is perfect for you. It is a long distance hike that covers Stoos, Rigi, Pilatus, Stanserhorn, Titlis and Brienzer Rothorn.
This 8-stage trail is a welcome challenge for many experienced hikers. You can even enjoy rewarding views of the lakes in the region. Alternatively, you can break this trail into shorter sections based on the mountain you want to hike.
Mount Rigi
This day hike to Mount Rigi takes you from the valley all the way to the Rigi Kulm peak where you will be overlooking Lake Lucerne. Panoramic views of the alps start revealing themselves along the hike. It is easily doable in a day, and you can even visit the nearby cheese farm at the end of your hike.
Mount Pilatus
Although you can plan a day hike to the peak of Mount Pilatus, it would also be cool to take the world’s steepest cogwheel railway up. Mount Pilatus is also known as the dragon’s back, and you can take a short hike around the peak. You will be able to see Lake Lucerne and the surrounding alps from there as well.
Where to stay – Hotels in Lucerne
Mountain views: Hotel Pilatus-Kulm
Convenient location: Waldstatterhof Swiss Quality Hotel
Hostel atmosphere: Backpackers Luzern
2. Grindelwald
Grindelwald is a village at the base of the Jungfrau mountainous region. It is a popular place to explore the Swiss alps even if you have a short amount of time. If you enjoy hiking to lakes and glaciers in the mountains, consider staying in Grindelwald.
Aside from experiencing the iconic Switzerland hiking trails, you can make a trip to the First Cliff Walk high up on the mountainside. This would be just beside the First Station.
Hike to Berghaus Baregg Hut
A hike to the Berghaus Baregg Hut brings you up close to the Lower Grindelwald Glacier. You can either start your hike from the Grindelwald valley, or take the gondola up to Pfingstegg.
After the day’s adventure you can have a meal or some snacks at the hut. You can even make this an overnight trip by making a reservation to stay in Berghaus Baregg Hut.
First to Bachalpsee or Faulhorn Hike
From Grindelwald valley, take a hike up to First where you can go on a short hike to Bachalpsee Lake. Sometimes the lake is so still that you can see a reflection of the mountains behind it.
You can even go slightly further to the top of Faulhorn to enjoy the views and have a snack at Berghotel Faulhorn. This can be done as a round trip within a day.
Where to stay – Hotels in Grindelwald
Mountain views: Bergwelt Grindelwald – Alpine Design Resort
Convenient location: Hotel Gletscherblick
Hostel atmosphere: Berggasthaus First
Mountain huts and guesthouses: Berghaus Baregg, Berghotel Faulhorn
3. Wengen
Wengen is a quieter alternative to Lauterbrunnen and sits 400m above they valley. It is a car-free village that is well-connected by gondolas and trams and there are plenty of hiking options. If you have come to Switzerland for a hiking trip, Wengen is not to be missed.
Eiger Trail
On the Eiger Trail, you will be walking just beneath the face of the Eiger mountain cliffs. You can start the hike from Eigergletscher, and this 2 to 3-hour day hike takes you to Alpiglen. Afterwards, it is easy to take the train back to Wengen or enjoy other short excursions in the area.
Mannlichen to Kleinne Scheidegg
Another popular hike is the Panorama Trail from Mannlichen to Kleinne Scheidegg. Along this day hike, you will see stunning mountain views of Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau. If you fancy a stay on the mountains, you can consider an overnight reservation at the berghaus on either end of the hike.
Where to stay – Hotels in Wengen
Mountain views: Hotel Bellevue-Wengen
Convenient location: Swiss Lodge Hotel Bernerhof
Mountain huts and guesthouses: Berghaus Mannlichen, Berghaus Grindelwaldblick
4. Murren
Murren is another village that is just outside the Lauterbrunnen valley, and it is easy to get there via the trains and cable cars. If you are planning a long hike from Lauterbrunnen, consider staying in Murren for the night. You will be near many of the best hiking trails in Switzerland, and it also gives you a head start to beat the crowd.
Flower Trail
This is an easy 1-hour trail that brings you on a relaxing walk through the alpine flower gardens. It is family friendly and even has a playground at the start of the trail. This is suitable for a day where you want to rest from long hikes and just admire the beauty of the flower valley.
Hike to Oeschinensee Lake
You can hike towards Oeschinensee Lake from Murren via a section of the Via Alpina national route. It is a stunning 2-day hike that involves an overnight stay in a mountain hut. As you make your way up the mountain, you will pass by Rotstockhutte where you can take a short break.
Afterwards, the hike brings you over the Sefinafurgga pass towards Gspaltenhornhutte where you can rest for the night. There is an outdoor deck where you can meet other travellers and enjoy the view.
The next day you can continue hiking to Oeschinensee Lake, arguably the most beautiful lake in the Swiss Alps. From there, you are just a short ride away from the nearest town of Kandersteg.
If you are interested in more of such hikes, check out these awesome hut-to-hut hike ideas for beginners.
Where to stay – Hotels in Murren
Mountain views: Eiger Murren Swiss Quality Hotel
Convenient location: Eiger Guesthouse
Mountain huts and guesthouses: Rotstockhutte, Gspaltenhornhutte
5. Zermatt
When you are in Switzerland, Zermatt is one of the destinations not to be missed. The Valais region of southern Switzerland offers many hiking trails to see the glaciers, lakes and mountains.
The iconic Matterhorn can be seen from various parts of the town center. You can even take a cable car ride all the way up to Gornergrat to enjoy it up close.
Riffelsee Lake
From Gornergrat, continue to Rotenboden station to hike to Riffelsee Lake. It is a short distance away and you should go there to see a reflection of the Matterhorn on the lake. You can go there during sunrise to catch the golden sunrays on the mountain face.
Five Lake Trail
Another amazing place to see the Matterhorn is on the popular Five Lake Trail. As the name suggests, it takes you on a loop through 5 different lakes and can be completed in half a day.
Starting at Blauherd, you can go on a relatively easy walk along the loop, which ends at Sunnega where you can take the funicular back to Zermatt. There is also a mountain lodge where you can stop by for some food.
Monte Rosa Hut Hike
This an incredible 2-day adventure that takes you across the Gorner Glacier, all the way to the Monte Rosa Hut on the mountain. It is a challenging but rewarding experience, because you get to stay overnight in one of the most unique huts in the world.
The Monte Rosa Hut can only be accessed by crossing the glacier, and you are highly encouraged to go there with a guide. It can get tricky in different weather conditions, and knowing you’re in good hands makes the experience more fun.
Where to stay – Hotels in Zermatt
Mountain views: Hotel Capricorn
Convenient location: Petit Helvetia Budget Hotel
Hostel atmosphere: Zermatt Youth Hostel
Mountain huts and guesthouses: Monte Rosa Hut, Trift Berggasthaus
