For many travellers, Switzerland means snowy peaks and alpine villages. Thomas has another recommendation. One with palm trees, aperitivo and lake swims.
This route isn’t designed around checking off attractions. It’s designed around staying longer than planned.
One swim becomes an afternoon. One aperitivo becomes dinner. One stop becomes the highlight of the trip.
Thomas’s Swiss Bliss formula: Palm trees + lake swims + aperitivo = unexpected Switzerland.
To introduce this journey, Thomas skipped the email and sent a postcard instead. It felt more appropriate. After all, this route is built around slower trains, longer lunches and leaving room for the unexpected. This postcard became Rosie’s invitation to discover a side of Switzerland she never expected to find.
— See you on the sunniest side of Switzerland!
Leaving Zurich, you’ll pass through the Gotthard route and slowly watch Switzerland change. The mountains remain, but suddenly there are palm trees, lakeside promenades and a rhythm that feels noticeably different.
The Maggia Valley is where Thomas sends travellers looking for a slower side of Switzerland.
Best enjoyed by the window. Without an itinerary. With nowhere urgent to be.
Because the best moments rarely happen according to plan.
Have extra time? Take the boat across Lake Maggiore and spend an afternoon moving between lakeside villages at your own pace.
Most visitors never slow down enough to try it.
The slower the better.Stay for another aperitivo, swim a little longer or take the boat instead of the train. The best parts of this route aren’t always the ones on the map.
All of this works seamlessly with a Swiss Travel Pass — from Zurich to Locarno, Ascona, Bellinzona and beyond, combining trains, PostBus connections and lake boats across multiple regions.
This itinerary combines trains, PostBus connections, lake boats and a funicular across multiple regions. Here’s how to travel it.
Exploring multiple towns while staying flexible? One pass makes this route wonderfully simple.
Planning to build your own version of this itinerary? Save 50% off most trains, buses, boats and many mountain railways for one month — a great choice for travellers who want flexibility while paying only for the journeys they take.
Best for: flexible itineraries & longer staysExplore the Half Fare Card →Visiting just one or two destinations? Book only the journeys you need with individual tickets. Ideal for Zurich → Locarno weekends, Bellinzona day trips, and fixed itineraries.
Best for: fixed plans & single destinationsExplore train tickets →Already exploring Ticino? Take the rack railway to Monte Generoso for sweeping views across Switzerland, Italy and Lake Lugano. The perfect way to add one more slow afternoon to your itinerary.
Best for: extending the trip with a summit stopCompare options →Compare Swiss Travel Passes, Swiss Half Fare Cards, point-to-point tickets and mountain excursions in one place with Rail Europe, and choose the option that best fits your version of Swiss Bliss.
Best for: comparing before you commitCompare passes and tickets →
Whether you choose a Swiss Travel Pass, Swiss Half Fare Card or point-to-point tickets, Rail Europe makes it easy to compare your options and find the best fit for your journey.