Switzerland
Five Visits. One Country. A Thousand Memories.
TL;DR – For The Impatient Traveller
My first Switzerland travel experience happened in 2014 on a business trip when my boss Milind gave me the chance to route my journey through Switzerland on the way to Belgium. That short detour taught me something important: Switzerland is one of the rare countries where the journey often feels better than the destination.
Over the next few years, I returned several times, but the trip closest to my heart was our December 2019 family road trip with Sunitha, Julius, and Jordan. It combined everything that makes a Switzerland family travel adventure unforgettable — mountain roads, Swiss villages, DDLJ locations, unexpected expenses, children’s humor, and memories that still make us smile years later.
If you only have 5–7 days, focus your Switzerland itinerary on Interlaken, Jungfraujoch, Lauterbrunnen, Lucerne, Zermatt, Gstaad, and Lake Lungern. Rent a car if possible.
And don’t over-plan.
Switzerland has a habit of creating its own itinerary.
The Lost Mumbaikar says:
“Standing in Saanen, Gstaad, and Lake Lungern, I realised something beautiful. We were no longer watching Raj and Simran’s story. We were living our own.”
The Trip That Started It All
My relationship with Switzerland began in 2014.
At that time, I had recently joined Pentair and was fortunate to work with a wonderful boss named Milind. When an opportunity came to travel to Belgium (Pentair EMEA Head Office), he allowed me to route my journey through Switzerland. Looking back now, I don’t think either of us realised that this small decision would begin a relationship with a country I would keep returning to over the years.
Like most first-time visitors, I did what every Switzerland travel guide recommended.
I used public transport.
The trains were efficient, clean, comfortable, and punctual. Everything worked exactly as Switzerland’s reputation promised. Yet by the second day, I realised something was wrong.
Not with Switzerland — but with my travel style. Every few minutes, the train would pass a mountain lake, a tiny village, a scenic road, or a viewpoint that looked better than the destination I was heading towards. I wanted to stop. I wanted to walk around. I wanted to take photographs and spend an hour doing absolutely nothing.
But trains don’t stop for curiosity. That first trip taught me a lesson I still follow today.
Some countries are perfect for trains. Switzerland is perfect for a road trip itinerary. Every visit after that was done with a rental car, and I never once regretted the decision.
Why Switzerland Feels Different
Every country has beautiful places.
Switzerland is one of the few where beauty feels constant.
The moment you leave the airport, the scenery begins. Lakes sit beside roads. Snow-covered mountains rise in the distance. Villages look like they belong inside storybooks. Even random roadside stops seem designed for photography.
What makes Switzerland special is that there is no single attraction that defines it.
It is not just the Matterhorn. It is not only Jungfraujoch. It is not simply Interlaken. It is all of them together.
And somehow the roads connecting them are just as memorable.
Over the years, I visited Zurich, Engelberg, Lucerne, Interlaken, Zermatt, Gstaad, Lake Lungern, and many places in between. Zurich gave me my first glimpse of Swiss city life. Engelberg introduced me to the mountains. Lucerne showed me why so many travelers fall in love with the country. Yet every trip seemed to leave me with the same feeling.
I needed to come back.
The funny thing about Switzerland is that even after five visits, it still feels unfinished.
There is always another road. Another village. Another mountain waiting around the corner.
For anyone planning a Switzerland itinerary, this is why the country feels different — it’s not about ticking off attractions, but about embracing the endless roads and unexpected discoveries that make a Switzerland road trip unforgettable.
The Switzerland I Remember Most
By December 2019, I had already visited Switzerland four times. I thought I knew the country. Then I arrived with Sunitha, Julius, and Jordan — and discovered it all over again.
Our Switzerland adventure was part of an epic 22-day European road trip covering nearly 12,000 kilometers. Switzerland was only one chapter before we continued into Italy, but it quickly became the chapter we still talk about most often.
The reason was simple. This time I was not traveling alone. I was experiencing Switzerland through the eyes of my family. And children have a remarkable ability to make familiar places feel new again.
The Day Lauterbrunnen Became The Salt Bae Valley
Like most travelers, I was excited to show the family Lauterbrunnen. Every Switzerland travel guide describes it as one of the most beautiful valleys in Europe — and they are absolutely right. Waterfalls cascade down dramatic cliffs while traditional Swiss villages sit beneath towering mountains.
I expected admiration. I expected photographs. I expected a few “wow” moments.
Instead, my children started laughing.
After seeing Niagara Falls and several powerful waterfalls during earlier travels, they looked at one of Lauterbrunnen’s thin Staubbach waterfalls and decided it looked less like a waterfall and more like Salt Bae sprinkling water from the top of the mountain.
For the rest of the day, Switzerland’s most famous valley became known as “The Salt Bae Waterfall Valley.”
Travel with children teaches you something adults often forget.
Adults admire scenery. Children create stories. Years later, when somebody mentions Lauterbrunnen, I don’t immediately think of the waterfalls.
I think of Salt Bae.
That’s the charm of a family vacation in Switzerland — the places may be famous, but the memories are always personal.
The Matterhorn Cost Me Extra AED 2,500 for Two Days
My original plan for Zermatt was simple.
Arrive. See the Matterhorn. Stay one night. Continue towards Italy.
The plan lasted about thirty minutes.
The moment the children saw the Matterhorn, everything changed. The village was beautiful. The scenery was breathtaking. And suddenly nobody wanted to leave.
Jordan immediately launched into a detailed explanation about Toblerone chocolate. According to him, the Matterhorn appears on the logo and there is a hidden bear inside it. The lecture continued for quite some time, delivered with the confidence of somebody addressing a university audience rather than his own family.
Somewhere during that conversation, Julius and Jordan decided we should stay another day.
The problem was accommodation.
Normally I manage room arrangements creatively while traveling. Unfortunately, our hotel was run by an elderly Swiss couple who noticed everything within minutes. They politely but firmly explained that another room would be required.
The result?
An additional room costing nearly AED 2,500.
The hotel owners were happy. The children were delighted. My wallet was less enthusiastic. Looking back, however, I have absolutely no regrets.
That extra day in Zermatt became one of the highlights of the entire trip.
Sometimes the most expensive memories become the most valuable ones.
For anyone planning a Zermatt travel guide or Matterhorn itinerary, my advice is simple: leave room for flexibility. Switzerland has a way of convincing you to stay longer than planned.
When Children Become the Bosses
One thing nobody tells you about family travel is that eventually children become the decision-makers. You may think you are planning the itinerary.
You are not. They are. You simply don’t know it yet.
Every destination in Switzerland seemed to trigger a new conversation, a new discovery, or a new lesson from Julius and Jordan. Whether it was explaining Toblerone logos, discussing mountains, identifying trains, or comparing waterfalls, they constantly found details that I would have completely overlooked.
That is one of the reasons I enjoy traveling with them so much.
Children don’t just visit places. They interact with them. And in doing so, they make adults see them differently too.
Sunitha’s Switzerland
For me, Switzerland was already familiar.
For Sunitha, it was something much deeper.
Like millions of Indians who grew up in the 1990s, she had spent years watching Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. Long before Switzerland appeared in her passport, it had already found a place in her imagination. It was never simply another country on a map. It was Raj and Simran’s Switzerland — the villages, the churches, the mountain landscapes, and the iconic DDLJ shooting locations in Switzerland that had lived in her memories for decades.
Naturally, when we planned our family road trip, visiting those locations became a priority. We drove through Saanen, explored Gstaad, visited St. Mauritius Church, stood on the famous Palat Palat Bridge, stopped at the railway station featured in the movie, wandered through the village streets, and even visited the souvenir shop area where Kajol’s character spent time in the film. Watching Sunitha experience those places was often more enjoyable than visiting them myself. There was a childlike excitement in finally standing at locations she had only seen on a television screen for more than twenty years.
One particular stop brought back an unexpected memory.
While exploring the village, we bought a traditional Swiss cowbell. Years earlier, in 2008, my brother had visited Switzerland and brought a cowbell home for us. Like many souvenirs, it eventually blended into everyday life, but the memory remained. Standing there more than a decade later with my own family, it felt right to buy one for him and bring the story full circle.
The problem was that Julius and Jordan immediately claimed ownership of the bell.
For most of the drive from Switzerland towards Italy, the cowbell rarely stopped ringing. Every tunnel, every mountain road, and every scenic viewpoint became an excuse to ring it again. By the time we crossed into Italy, they had used it with such enthusiasm that the clapper had come loose and the bell barely worked anymore.
At the time, it felt like another casualty of traveling with children. Today, it is probably my favorite souvenir from the entire trip.
The damaged cowbell still sits in our home, not because it is valuable, but because it reminds us of that journey. Every scratch, every dent, and even its broken sound carries a memory that no expensive souvenir could ever replace.
The biggest challenge with our DDLJ adventure was that the movie had sunshine, green meadows, and perfect romantic weather.
We had snow. And two children.
Every time Sunitha tried to recreate a classic Bollywood moment, Julius or Jordan would somehow appear in the frame. A joke, a photobomb, a random comment, or an unexpected interruption would instantly transform romance into comedy. At first it felt as though they were ruining the moment.
Looking back, they were creating a better one.
Because the truth is that travel rarely gives us the moments we carefully plan for. The best memories are usually the ones we never expected. Somewhere between the churches, the railway stations, the mountain villages, the cowbell, and the endless interruptions, we stopped following Raj and Simran’s story and started creating our own.
And years later, that is the Switzerland we remember most.
Cakes, Pastries, and A Chalet in Gstaad
Some of my strongest memories of Switzerland have nothing to do with famous attractions.
They involve cakes, pastries, coffee, and a wooden chalet.
We spent time in Gstaad visiting DDLJ shooting locations in Switzerland, exploring the village, and enjoying far too many pastries. Early Beck bakery became one of those places where you walk in for coffee and somehow remain much longer than intended for their cakes, pastries, and all homemade produce.
The real magic, however, happened every evening. We stayed in a beautiful wooden chalet surrounded by snow-covered scenery. After long days of driving through the Swiss Alps, visiting villages, and exploring mountain roads, we would return to a warm fireplace, good food, and complete silence outside.
Those evenings remain among my strongest Switzerland memories. Not because they were extraordinary. Because they were simple.
Travel has taught me that destinations attract us. Moments keep us coming back. And in a Switzerland family travel itinerary, it’s often the quiet evenings that become the most unforgettable.
Jordan Becomes Shah Rukh Khan
One of the funniest moments of the trip happened at the Saanen Airfield, a location Bollywood fans will instantly recognize from DDLJ.
Before the trip, while researching Switzerland travel tips and DDLJ locations on YouTube, we had watched the famous scene where Shah Rukh Khan runs alongside the aircraft. Like most children, Jordan had been quietly observing everything, even when we thought he wasn’t paying attention.
The moment we arrived at the airfield, he suddenly took off running.
Without any warning, he started recreating his own version of the SRK scene, sprinting across the open space and striking dramatic Bollywood poses while the rest of us struggled to stop laughing. For a few minutes, DDLJ was no longer about Raj and Simran.
It was about Jordan.
Watching him run across the same airfield that had appeared on screen decades earlier became one of those unexpected family moments that no itinerary could ever plan.
Years later, I barely remember the exact photographs we took there.
But I still remember Jordan trying to become Shah Rukh Khan.
And that is the thing about family travel.
The famous locations may attract us, but it is the unscripted moments that stay with us forever.
Dinner With Yash Chopra’s Switzerland
No Bollywood journey through Switzerland feels complete without Interlaken.
Like countless Indian travelers, we visited the Yash Chopra Statue. We also made time for dinner at the famous Victoria Jungfrau Hotel, where Yash Chopra spent time during many of his visits.
We didn’t stay there. We didn’t need to. Having dinner there was enough.
As we sat looking towards the mountains, I understood something that had probably drawn him back repeatedly.
Some countries impress you. A few inspire you. Switzerland somehow manages to do both.
For anyone planning an Interlaken travel guide, this is one of those places where cinema, culture, and scenery merge — making it a must on any Switzerland bucket list.
Final Thoughts
This article deliberately leaves out destinations such as Geneva, Lausanne, Montreux, and many others. Not because they are not beautiful, but because most travelers have limited time and I wanted to focus on a realistic Switzerland itinerary rather than an endless list.
After five visits, I still find it difficult to explain why Switzerland keeps pulling me back.
Perhaps it is the roads.
Perhaps it is the lakes.
Perhaps it is the mountains.
Or perhaps it is the memories attached to them.
When I think about Switzerland today, I don’t immediately remember Jungfraujoch or even the Matterhorn.
I remember Jordan running across Saanen Airfield.
I remember the Salt Bae waterfall.
I remember spending AED 2,500 because two children refused to leave Zermatt.
I remember pastries in Gstaad.
I remember evenings beside a fireplace.
And I remember watching Sunitha finally visit the Switzerland she had dreamed about for more than twenty years.
“Some countries give you photographs. The special ones give you stories. Switzerland somehow manages to give you both.”
Your Turn
- Have you ever visited a place that lived in your imagination long before it appeared in your passport?
- Has a movie, book, or travel story ever inspired one of your journeys?
- And twenty years from now, what do you think you will remember most from your travels — the places you visited, or the people who experienced them with you?
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the best time to visit Switzerland?
The best time to visit Switzerland depends on your interests. Summer (June–September) is ideal for hiking and scenic road trips, while winter (December–February) is perfect for skiing and snow-covered landscapes.
2. Is Switzerland better explored by train or car?
Switzerland is famous for scenic trains like the Glacier Express and Bernina Express, but a Switzerland road trip itinerary offers more flexibility. Driving lets you stop at villages, lakes, and viewpoints that trains simply pass by.
3. How many days are enough for a Switzerland itinerary?
A 7-day Switzerland itinerary is perfect for first-time visitors. Focus on highlights like Interlaken, Jungfraujoch, Lucerne, Zermatt, Lauterbrunnen, and Lake Lungern. With more time, add Montreux, Geneva, and Rhine Falls.
4. What are the must-visit places in Switzerland for families?
Families love destinations like Zermatt (Matterhorn), Lauterbrunnen Valley, Lucerne, Interlaken, and Gstaad. These combine scenic beauty with child-friendly experiences, making them ideal for a family vacation in Switzerland.
5. Do I need a Swiss Travel Pass for my trip?
The Swiss Travel Pass is useful for train-based itineraries, covering unlimited rides on scenic trains, buses, and boats. However, if you plan a Switzerland car rental road trip, driving may be more cost-effective and flexible.
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