Zurich Road Trip: A Route of Medieval Towns and Alpine Hikes

Difficulty

605 km

Distance

+7

Recom. Days

Adventure

Trip type

Image of Indie Campers freelance travel writer Jenn Zajac, outside a cafe.
Jenn Zajac

Ice coffee-addicted, pun-loving, Oxford comma-embracing writer. Currently based in beautiful Bali after too many winters in Boston and London. Specializes in crafting content for hotels and travel.

Zurich Road Trip Itinerary

Zurich Road Trip map itinerary

Google Maps

Not every country can boast breathtaking beauty year-round, but Switzerland’s glacial lakes, fairytale villages, and scenic mountain ranges are picture-perfect in every season. This makes Switzerland the ultimate road trip destination and this Zurich road trip covers many of the top highlights. 

Hire a campervan from our Zurich depot, lace up your trainers, and get started with a refreshing hike at Lake Walensee. The medieval Old Town in Chur beckons, along with la dolce vita in Switzerland’s Italian-speaking Ticino region.

Finally, the cosmopolitan and oh-so Swiss city of Lucerne makes a worthy final stop on this essential road trip itinerary.

Lucerne mountains and Lake Lucerne on this Zurich road trip
Pick-up in
Zurich depot
1

Take a hike and chase waterfalls at Lake Walensee

One of the most popular day trips from Zurich is also the perfect first stop on your Zurich road trip. Just over an hour’s drive from our campervan rental depot is Lake Walensee. 

Walensee is a prime example of Switzerland’s natural beauty, a large, fjord-like lake with bright blue water bordered by beautiful mountain ranges. We hope you remembered to pack your trainers!

Riverfront houses at Walensee

Close to your campsite is a ferry terminal from which you can rely on highly efficient transportation across the lake -- this is Switzerland, after all. Head to Quinten and follow the hiking trail towards Betlis, admiring the vistas along the way. 

The highlight of this route is the cascading Seerenbach Falls, the country’s tallest free-standing waterfall. After huffing and puffing your way through this considerably moderate hike, your reward is a crisp beer and a brat or two with a view. 

From there, simply grab the next ferry back to Murg and rest up for tomorrow’s adventure.

Visiting

Walensee

1

Recom. Days

Main route

65 miles

from our Zurich Pick-up center

1h25min

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

Visit

Lake Walensee

The main attraction, fjord-like and bright blue

Seerenbachfälle

Tallest free-falling waterfall in Switzerland

Signal

Eat at

Restaurant Paradiesli

$$

Scenic beers and brats after a long hike

RV icon

Parking

Camping Murg

$$

Park at campsite and catch the ferry

Signal

Stay at

Camping Murg

$$

Lakeside campground by ferry terminal

2

Explore Switzerland’s oldest city, Chur

Next on this Zurich road trip is the Alpine city of Chur, the oldest settlement in Switzerland, dating back over 5,000 years. It’s historic Altstadt (Old Town) is one of the best preserved in the country, though now completely car-free. 

Leave the campervan behind at lakeside Camp Au Chur, take advantage of the city’s public transportation, and explore on foot.

Sunrising view from a vineyard on this Zurich road trip

The Old Town’s winding cobblestone streets give way to pretty pastel buildings and lovely, open squares dotted with outdoor cafés. Chur itself looks like a work of art, but if you’d like to see some actual paintings, the spectacular Bündner Kunstmuseum is the place to go. 

While in town, catch a glimpse of the iconic, red Bernina Express train as it departs Chur bound for the Italian border. For a better vantage point, take a ride up the Brambrüesch cable car and enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding ski slopes and mountain ranges.

Visiting

Chur

2

Recom. Days

Main route

34 miles

from Walensee

40 min

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

Visit

Altstadt Chur

Chur’s Old Town, one of the oldest & best-preserved

Bündner Kunstmuseum

Art collection stored in villa and modern annex

Chur Bergbahnen (Brambrüesch)

Scenic aerial cablecar running year-round

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Eat at

Zum Metzgertor

$$

Vegan and Mexican food in pretty square

Restaurant & Bar Calanda

$$$

Bar with contemporary Swiss food

RV icon

Parking

Parkhaus Otto & Alex

$$

Parking garage at train station, max height 2.90 m

Signal

Stay at

Camp Au Chur

$$

Lakeside facilities, reach town by bus

3

Get a taste of the Mediterranean in Ticino

Heading south from Chur is a scenic stretch of highway that Zurich road trip dreams are made of. Try to keep your eyes on the road, but enjoy passing snow-covered mountain ranges and pretty little villages as you make your way into southern Switzerland’s canton of Ticino.

We hope you’ve brushed up on your Italian!

You’ll find that glacial Lake Lugano attracts a certain glitterati, not unlike its Clooney-approved Italian neighbour, Como. Stay overnight and enjoy the luxe Mediterranean vibes while sipping espresso alfresco and strolling the palm-lined promenade. 

Aerial view of Ticino

Next on this road trip itinerary, venture north to Locarno, also known as the sunniest town in Switzerland. Its art-filled Catholic sanctuary offers stunning panoramic views of Lake Maggiore and the surrounding Alps. 

On your third day in Ticino, head to the regional capital, Bellinzona, and spend the day exploring its three iconic medieval castles before driving onward to the next stop on your Zurich road trip itinerary.

Visiting

Ticino

3

Recom. Days

Main route

90 miles

from Chur

1h57min

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

Visit

Lake Lugano

Rent a boat & ogle some prime lakeside real estate

Madonna del Sasso

Art-filled Catholic sanctuary overlooking Locarno

The three castles of Bellinzona

Trifecta of medieval castles in the Ticino capital

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Eat at

La Cucina di Alice

$$$

Trendy, cheerful spot with lake views

Bottegone

€€€

Loads of authentic charm, rotating menu

L'Archetto

$

Popular, local pizza joint in Locarno

RV icon

Parking

Autosilo Piazza del Sole SA

$$$

Parking garage near Bellinzona castles

Autosilo Piazza del Sole Via Mollinazo

Free

Street parking, only 7 spots available

Signal

Stay at

TCS Camping Lugano

$$

Clean, modern facilities on Lake Lugano

Camping Delta

$$$

Lakeside campsite near center of Locarno

4

Arrive in Lucerne, a quintessentially Swiss city

After exploring the Italian-speaking Ticino region, arriving in Lucerne marks your return to a place that feels distinctly Swiss.

This lakefront locale is perched among snow-capped mountain ranges, boasting beautifully preserved medieval architecture and a colourful Old Town. 

Feel free to leave your campervan at the lakeside campground and take advantage of the efficient ferry system to cross Lake Lucerne and explore the town on foot.

Distinctly Swiss architecture and riverside houses will be part of this  Zurich road trip

For a truly Instagram-worthy photo, head to Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge) to snap the iconic wooden footbridge and its stone water tower, with the medieval Old Town and mountain ranges beyond. 

No Zurich road trip with Lucerne on the itinerary is complete without an excursion up to the top of Pilatus, the steadfast mountain peak standing guard over the city for centuries.

You could hike or take a modern cable car, but our preferred route up to the top is by vintage train, along the steepest cogwheel railway in the world. Don’t look down!

Visiting

Lucerne

3

Recom. Days

Main route

88 miles

from Ticino via Bellinzona

1h46min

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

Visit

Kapellbrücke

Lucerne’s landmark wooden bridge, built in 1333

Museggmauer

Medieval city wall with 9 iconic, turreted towers

Mount Pilatus

Take the vintage cogwheel train up to the top

Signal

Eat at

Mill’Feuille

$$

Low-key place for breakfast & brunch

Wirtshaus Taube Luzern

$$$

Cosy vibe, with authentic local cuisine

Dean&David

$

Simple salads & smoothies, affordable

RV icon

Parking

Franziskanerplatz

$$$

Small parking lot, 15 spaces

Hirschengraben 10

$$$

Another small car park, 16 spaces

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Stay at

Camping International Lido Luzern

$$

Convenient to town via ferry

Drop-off in
Zurich depot

95 km

from Zurich depot

1h17 min

drive