
But everything else – the nature, the beautiful cities, the food (aka cheese)…We loved (and ate) it all.

We booked a private room in Basel on AirBnb (which is pretty much the cheapest place in Switzerland that we could find for accommodation) and hit it off with our hosts. They showered us in chocolate and beer our first night there, and even invited us to go dancing with them!
They asked what we had planned, and I proudly announced our chosen destinations. Our hosts looked at each other, shook their heads, and were like nahhh we have MUCH BETTER IDEAS FOR YOU.
So, here are the best places to go in Switzerland in winter according to 2 Swiss locals!
BASEL MAKES FOR A GOOD BASE


Apparently all the AirBnbs/hotels offer this perk which is pretty cool. And no, that doesn’t mean you get a free train to the alps, but it means that all the trams/buses you take within Basel are all free! And this includes to and from the Basel airport, which is pretty lit if you ask me – usually getting to and from the airport is ridiculously expensive.



But to be honest, wandering was really nice.
All the following day trips take place from the Basel SBB railway station, the central station in Basel.
THE BEST WINTER DAY TRIPS FROM BASEL, SWITZERLAND
COLMAR, FRANCE IS THE PRETTIEST LITTLE FRENCH TOWN

I would suggest you bypass the annoying machine and just purchase your tickets inside the Basel train station from people that can help you in the information section. Don’t even bother with the machines. That’s what we did on our second attempt and it was so much easier.


But, once we made it to Colmar we forgot all of our train station woes. It was stunning!
It’s usually a very touristy place, but it wasn’t that crowded since we went on a weekday in February. That is my advice to you if you want to avoid all the people.


LUCERNE IS MORE THAN JUST A BRAND OF DAIRY PRODUCTS

You can also get up earlier so you can enjoy more time in Lucerne before taking the ferry to Rigi (I believe ferries leave every hour or 2). Or you can just come back to Lucerne on your own because it’s so freaking pretty??? Especially dusted in snow??

RIGI IS THE COOLEST MOUNTAIN


I’d highly recommend this or Pilatus (the other mountain similar to Rigi, although I believe Pilatus is a little higher), as it’s really really cool to be above the clouds!
Especially during a cloudy winter – great way to get some sunshine. Although remember to bring your sunglasses and sunscreen, PLEASE – and a hat if you’re feeling crazy. The sun is really strong up there, especially since it’s reflecting off the snow.

Oh and try and tell me that seeing toddlers in snowsuits isn’t the CUTEST THING EVER. Ok actually, toddlers in snowsuits riding in old wooden sleds was the cutest thing ever. One kid was totally passed out in the sled with his limbs just flopping around, which was absolutely adorable.
LAUTERBRUNNEN HAS SOME EPIC VIEWS


MÜRREN IS THE PERFECT SWISS ALPS SKI TOWN


You have to switch trains at Interlaken (so you still get to see it if it’s really on your list), then take a cable car/gondola thing up the mountain, then another train. But it’s soooo freaking beautiful and worth it, I promise! Even if you’re a non-skier, it’s fun to just walk around! OR they have ski lessons and sleds you can rent.




And we opted not to go to many big cities simply because we’re not city people, and really wanted to see nature! But if you’re a city person, by all means check out Zurich and Bern! You can also check out the southern parts of Switzerland like Geneva or Lugano. We just didn’t feel like riding on a train ALL DAY to get there and then head back.
HOW TO GET AROUND
We mostly took trains to explore Switzerland! In Basel, you can use the trams and buses (for free!) and we just used Google Maps to plan everything out. We used the SBB website (the Swiss train site) to look up tickets, but you can also use their app which is a little more handy.
Having AirBnb hosts was also really great as they helped us out with purchasing our tickets, too! And again – Google Maps is your BFF.
Keep in mind that Swiss train tickets can be pretty pricey, so book early if you can!

LOVE IT? PIN IT!
Oooh so I like the look of the buildings in Basel, but wooooow for the views at Rigi and the others areas up in the mountains. Wowza!
p.s. I think you might need some microspikes to strap over your shoes/allow you to walk on snow and ice! 😉
Yeah the views at Rigi were unlike any other! I’ve never been above the clouds like that before (besides being on a plane lol.)
And haha, yes I definitely should invest in some microspikes! They look handy. And then I wouldn’t have to worry about suffering any potential broken bones…
We took a day trip to Lucerne from Basel! Was a wonderful day!!! I just loved Switzerland so much! Already dying to go back again one day.
Ah yes I loved Lucerne! Such a pretty place. And same – I’d love to explore more mountain towns next time (and perhaps stay closer to them lol)!
Loved reading about your trip to Basel. We were there in the summer not the winter. Think a winter trip would be fun too!
I’d also love to see Switzerland in the summer for hiking! I’m sure the Alps are just gorgeous with flowers blooming, too.
Those epic views indeed! I’m in love with the Alps, safe to say I’ll be back, so bookmarking this for later.
Yes, I also have a fascination (obsession?) with the Alps haha. There’s just something about them!
Colmar and Murren would be my first two picks but all of these day trips from Basel look amazing. I need to go explore more of that area sometime soon!
Yeah there are so many cool places to see! They were my favorites, too, haha. Lauterbrunnen was also gorgeous but I just didn’t get any great photos.
It looks like you had such a good time! Your photos are beautiful!! That is so cool the buses and trams are free within Basel! This has really made me want to visit Switzerland in the winter!
Glad you enjoyed the photos, and yes, Switzerland is so pretty! And the free transportation in Basel was clutch haha
I actually visited Colmar this summer. It’s indeed a pretty amazing place. I only had a long weekend and so I did Colmar and Strasbourg, but I am kicking myself for not booking a day in Basel. It looks pretty awesome and I am totally in love with that type of architecture.
Oh I wanted to go to Strasbourg!! And yes, I loved Basel, but I (personally) thought Colmar was prettier so I think you def lucked out there 🙂
OMG this looks beautiful! Definitely adding it to the bucket list 🙂
I’m glad you think so, Amy! Yes, Switzerland is such a beautiful place and I’d love to go back. 🙂
Very happy to come across your blog as I am considering relocating to Basel from near Zurich. I laughed out loud at the “Lucerne is more than a dairy brand” comment. I literally had the same first thought when I went there! Not many cows though haha.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Jacqueline! I was hoping people would find that comment funny, so nice to know it’s worked 🙂 Best of luck relocating. I genuinely loved Basel – it’s such a pretty city.