8 Best Cities to Visit in Switzerland (And Which I’d Choose)

Switzerland is famous for mountains and lakes, but some of my favorite days in the country have been spent in its cities.

If I had to choose just one, Zurich would be my best all-round city to visit in Switzerland. It has a beautiful old town, Lake Zurich, museums, great food and some of the best transport connections in the country.

But I would not recommend the same city to everyone.

Lucerne is better if scenery is your priority. Bern is my pick for medieval atmosphere. Lausanne combines a proper city with Lake Geneva. Basel is strongest for museums. Lugano almost feels Italian. Thun is the city I would choose if I wanted to stay close to the mountains.

And then there is Geneva. It is one of Switzerland’s most famous cities, but personally it is not one of my favorites.

I have travelled through Switzerland repeatedly since 2019, and these are the cities I would recommend depending on the kind of trip you want.

Quick comparison: which Swiss city is best for you?

City	Best for	My verdict
Zurich	Best overall	Best choice if you only visit one Swiss city
Lucerne	Scenery + first trip	Best mix of city, lake and mountains
Bern	History	Most beautiful historic atmosphere
Lausanne	Lake Geneva	Best city-and-lake combination
Lugano	Mediterranean atmosphere	Most different from the rest of Switzerland
Basel	Museums + culture	Best for art and architecture
Thun	Mountains + smaller-city feel	Best underrated city
Geneva	International institutions	Worth visiting, but not my first choice

Which is the best city to visit in Switzerland?

For most first-time visitors, I would choose Zurich or Lucerne.

Zurich is the more complete city. It has a strong food scene, museums, shopping, neighborhoods with very different atmospheres and excellent connections to the rest of Switzerland.

Lucerne is more immediately scenic. The lake, old town and mountain backdrop make it feel more like the Switzerland many people imagine before they arrive.

If you prefer historic atmosphere, I would choose Bern.

If you want a city directly on Lake Geneva with easy access to vineyards and the French-speaking part of the country, Lausanne is a better fit.

If you want something warmer and more Mediterranean, Lugano is the obvious choice.

That is the main thing to understand: there is no single best Swiss city for everyone, but there is usually a best city for the kind of trip you want.

1. Zurich — Best overall

Zurich is the city I fell in love with when I first came to Switzerland with my girlfriend in 2019.

It is the city that gives you a little bit of everything: a walkable old town, Lake Zurich, museums, design, restaurants, neighborhoods with very different moods and excellent transport.

Zurich is also one of the easiest Swiss cities to use as a base.

You can spend a full day exploring the city and then travel almost anywhere in the country by train.

Why I like Zurich

Zurich feels polished, but not sterile.

The old town is compact and easy to explore on foot, while areas like Zurich West feel much more modern and creative.

It is also one of my favorite Swiss cities for photography.

The Limmat, church towers, trams and the soft light around Lake Zurich give you plenty to work with.

If photography is your thing, I also put together a street photography route in Zurich.

Don’t miss

• Old Town
• Lindenhof
• Lake Zurich promenade
• Polybahn and ETH Terrace
• Kunsthaus Zürich
• Zurich West
• Uetliberg

Best for

First-time visitors, food, museums, shopping, city breaks and good transport connections.

How long do you need?

1–3 days.

You can see the center in a day, but two or three days gives you time for museums, neighborhoods and a slower pace.

My verdict

If someone asked me to recommend just one Swiss city without giving me any other preferences, Zurich would probably be my answer.

You can also read my full Zurich travel guide.

2. Lucerne — Best for scenery and first-time visitors

Lucerne is one of the easiest cities to recommend in Switzerland.

It has everything people usually want from a first Swiss trip:

• a historic center
• a beautiful lake
• mountain views
• easy train connections
• day trips to famous peaks

The city itself is compact, and you can explore most of the center on foot.

Why Lucerne works so well

Lucerne is very easy to understand as a destination.

The old town is attractive, the lake is right there, and you can add mountain trips without changing accommodation.

That makes it one of the strongest choices for travelers who want both a city and alpine scenery.

Don’t miss

• Chapel Bridge
• Old Town
• Lake Lucerne promenade
• Lion Monument
• Mount Pilatus
• Mount Rigi

If you are planning a mountain day, I have separate guides for Mount Pilatus from Lucerne and Lucerne to Mount Rigi.

Best for

First-time Switzerland trips, scenery, couples and travelers who want city + mountain access.

How long do you need?

1–3 days.

My verdict

Lucerne is probably the best choice if your mental image of Switzerland is lake + old town + mountains.

3. Bern — Best for history and atmosphere

Bern is one of the most beautiful cities in Switzerland.

Technically, Switzerland does not have an official capital, but Bern is the seat of the federal government.

Despite that, it does not feel like a political or administrative city.

It feels calm, historic and surprisingly relaxed.

The old town sits inside a bend of the Aare and is full of arcades, fountains, sandstone buildings and views over red rooftops.

Why I like Bern

Bern is one of those cities where walking around without a strict plan works very well.

The old town is compact, and the city has a slower rhythm than Zurich.

One of my favorite viewpoints is the Rosengarten.

And in summer, the Aare becomes part of daily life.

People swim in the river, sit along the banks and treat it almost like a natural swimming pool.

Don’t miss

• Bern Old Town
• Zytglogge
• Rosengarten
• Federal Palace
• Aare river
• Bear Park

Best for

History, medieval architecture, slow travel and photography.

How long do you need?

1–2 days.

My verdict

If Zurich feels too modern and you want something more atmospheric, Bern is probably the best city for you.

Read more in my Bern travel guide.

4. Lausanne — Best city on Lake Geneva

Lausanne gives you a very different version of Switzerland.

It is French-speaking, built on hills and sits directly above Lake Geneva.

The city feels more urban than Montreux, but you still get easy access to the lake, vineyards and nearby towns.

Why I like Lausanne

Lausanne feels like a proper city rather than a resort town.

You have:

• an old town
• a cathedral
• a metro
• cafes and restaurants
• a university atmosphere
• Ouchy on the lake

That combination makes it one of the best places in western Switzerland if you want both city life and scenery.

Don’t miss

• Lausanne Cathedral
• Old Town
• Ouchy
• Lake Geneva promenade
• Olympic Museum
• Lavaux vineyards

If you want a more detailed overview, see my guide to things to do in Lausanne.

Best for

Lake Geneva, food, wine, French-speaking Switzerland and travelers without a car.

How long do you need?

1–2 days, or longer if you want day trips.

My verdict

Lausanne is one of the best Swiss cities if you want a real city but still want Lake Geneva right beside you.

5. Lugano — Best for a Mediterranean feel

Lugano feels completely different from the rest of this list.

If you like Switzerland but also love northern Italy, this is probably the city you should choose.

The language, cafes, architecture and pace all feel more Mediterranean.

Add palm trees, Lake Lugano and warm summer weather and it can almost feel like you have crossed into another country.

Why I like Lugano

Lugano feels more like a holiday destination than most Swiss cities.

You notice people spending more time outside, walking the lake and sitting at cafes.

The mountains around the lake also make the city very scenic.

Don’t miss

• Lake Lugano promenade
• Monte Brè
• Monte San Salvatore
• Parco Ciani
• Old Town

Best for

Warm weather, relaxed travel, Italian atmosphere and lake views.

How long do you need?

1–2 days.

My verdict

If you want the most different-feeling Swiss city, Lugano is the one.

You can read my full Lugano guide.

6. Basel — Best for museums and culture

Basel is Switzerland’s strongest city for art and museums.

It sits on the Rhine close to both Germany and France, and the city feels more international and culturally focused than many other Swiss destinations.

Why Basel stands out

Basel mixes historic streets with very modern architecture.

You can walk through the old town, visit major museums and then end up along the Rhine surrounded by completely different urban scenery.

The city is particularly good if your trip is more about culture than mountains.

Don’t miss

• Basel Old Town
• Rhine river
• Kunstmuseum Basel
• Fondation Beyeler
• Tinguely Museum
• Basel Minster

Best for

Museums, architecture, culture and design.

How long do you need?

1–2 days.

My verdict

Basel would not be my first recommendation for a classic Switzerland trip, but if museums and architecture are your priority, it might actually be the best city on this list.

7. Thun — Best underrated Swiss city

Thun is much smaller than Zurich, Bern or Basel, but that is exactly why I like it.

It sits between Lake Thun and the Bernese Alps and feels much closer to the mountain landscapes most people associate with Switzerland.

Why I like Thun

Thun is easy.

You can walk through the old town, cross the wooden bridges, climb to the castle and then walk toward the lake.

The city feels relaxed without being boring.

It is also very easy to combine with Interlaken or the Bernese Oberland.

Don’t miss

• Thun Castle
• Old Town
• Wooden bridges
• Schadau Park
• Lake Thun
• Boat trips

Best for

Mountains, lakes, quieter travel and shorter city stays.

How long do you need?

Half a day to 1 day.

My verdict

Thun is the city I would recommend if you want something smaller, calmer and closer to the mountains.

8. Geneva — Famous and international, but not my favorite

Geneva is one of Switzerland’s best-known cities.

It has Lake Geneva, the Jet d’Eau, international institutions and some of the most important political organizations in the world.

But personally, it is not one of my favorite Swiss cities.

Why Geneva feels different

Geneva feels more international and business-like than places such as Bern, Lausanne or Zurich.

That is not necessarily a bad thing.

If you are interested in:

• the United Nations
• international politics
• diplomacy
• Lake Geneva
• luxury shopping

then Geneva makes a lot of sense.

But if your goal is simply to visit the most charming or atmospheric Swiss city, I would choose several others before Geneva.

Don’t miss

• Jet d’Eau
• Old Town
• St Pierre Cathedral
• United Nations
• Lake Geneva
• Parc des Bastions

Best for

International institutions, politics, luxury and travelers flying through Geneva Airport.

How long do you need?

1 day is enough for most visitors.

My verdict

Geneva is worth visiting, but I would not choose it over Zurich, Bern, Lausanne or Lucerne for a first Switzerland trip.

And I think it is useful to say that plainly.

Best Swiss city by travel style

If you are still deciding, this is how I would break it down.

Best overall city

Zurich

Best for scenery

Lucerne

Best for history

Bern

Best for Lake Geneva

Lausanne

Best for museums

Basel

Best for Mediterranean atmosphere

Lugano

Best smaller city

Thun

Best for international institutions

Geneva

Which Swiss city should first-time visitors choose?

If this is your first trip and you only have time for one city, I would choose:

Zurich if you want the most complete city experience.

Lucerne if you want a more scenic and immediately “Swiss” feeling.

Bern if you care most about old-town atmosphere.

For most people, those three are the easiest recommendations.

Can you visit several Swiss cities in one trip?

Yes, easily.

Switzerland’s train network makes it very practical to combine multiple cities.

For example:

Zurich → Lucerne → Bern → Lausanne

works very well.

Or:

Zurich → Bern → Thun → Interlaken

if you want to combine cities with the Bernese Oberland.

You do not need a car for any of these routes.

If you are unsure about rail passes, see my comparison of the Swiss Travel Pass vs Berner Oberland Pass.

Final thoughts

The best city in Switzerland depends on what kind of trip you want.

If I had to choose one, I would still pick Zurich.

It gives you the strongest all-round mix of old town, lake, food, museums, neighborhoods and transport.

But for scenery, Lucerne is difficult to beat.

For history, I would choose Bern.

For western Switzerland, Lausanne is my favorite.

For something completely different, go to Lugano.

And if you want a smaller city close to the mountains, Thun deserves much more attention than it usually gets.

Geneva is the one city on this list I appreciate more than I personally love.

And that is probably the most useful way to think about this list.

Not:

Which Swiss city is objectively the best?

But:

Which one is best for the kind of trip you actually want?