We Think We’ve Just Created Switzerland’s Best Christmas Trip, According to Locals
What are your plans for December?
Christmas in Switzerland never looked this good! We’ve been dreaming this one up for a while. It’s even ‘locals’ approved.
It’s got four world-class train journeys that’ll knock your socks off, dozens of alpine villages dusted in snow, and enough Swiss chocolate to keep you going all the way to New Year. We have to say, this one’s something special.
So, why Switzerland at Christmas? Simple! Nowhere does winter quite like this. The villages look like they’ve been plucked straight from a snow globe, the mountains are covered in the kind of fresh powder skiers dream about, and the festive season is given the full attention it deserves.
Honestly, the whole trip feels like one big highlight reel, but if we had to pick our three favourite bits, they’d be:
🎅 A Christmas Eve to Remember in Thun – but it’s not what you think!
Everyone flocks to the ‘big-name’ cities for Christmas, but Thun does things differently. Right by the edge of a lake that comes from melting glaciers, it’s got a medieval old town, a castle on the hill and a Christmas market that doesn’t feel like a tourist trap (no mean feat these days)… although you didn’t come here for that.
Away from all the usual, commercialised chaos, Christmas Eve – or as the Swiss say, Heiliger Abend – is so peaceful and cosy here, which is rather nice for a change. No shoulder-to-shoulder crowds and Christmas tunes blasting so loud you can’t hear yourself think. Instead, it’s just fairy lights reflecting on the water, carols being sung in the distance and the smell of roasted chestnuts in the air. It will give you a chance to reflect, and mindfully connect with the way it’s celebrated locally, by sticking to tradition and community spirit.
Traditions?
Christmas Eve in Switzerland is actually the main night of the holiday season. Families gather, trees (real ones) are decorated on the day itself, usually with real candles, and gift-swapping starts after the festive evening meal.
❄️ Andermatt – by Horse-Drawn Carriage
Andermatt doesn’t just do winter – it defines it. It’s a small mountain village where the wooden chalets are decorated with pine wreaths, smoke drifts from chimneys and the streets stay dusted with fresh snow 24/7.
Instead of rushing through, you can opt to take it all in the old-fashioned way, wrapped in a warm blanket in a horse-drawn sleigh. Perhaps pulled by the Swiss Freiberger draught horses. The pace is nice and slow, with just the sound of hooves on the snow and the occasional jingle of bells as you pass tiny lodges decked out for Christmas.
Once you’re out of the village, it’s just you, the mountainous views and fresh alpine air. If time allows, take a quick stop for a mulled wine or steaming hot chocolate (Swiss of course!) then make it back into town, the odd lantern light guiding the way just as that wintery sunset glow disappears behind the peaks. The stars begin pricking tiny bright holes in the sky. If a Christmas card could come to life, it would pretty much look like this.
🚠 Touch the Sky – at Glacier 3000
The journey to Glacier 3000 starts on solid ground, but the real magic begins when the cable car lifts off from Col du Pillon. If you thought Switzerland looked good from ground level, this takes it to, literally, a whole other level. At the top, 24 mountain peaks including Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn and the Eiger, fill the horizon.
This is surely a dream-state-like moment!
Whilst you’re here, you can’t miss the Peak Walk by Tissot. It’s the only suspension bridge in the world that connects two mountain summits, and stepping onto it, swinging 107 metres above the ground, you’ll feel like you’re flying. If heights aren’t your thing, no judgement: There’s plenty to enjoy without leaving solid ground. The views from the summit restaurant are just as impressive, and if you time it right, you can warm up with a fondue while watching the last light hit the peaks.
Swiss Christmas – More Locals, Less Crowds
It’s fair to say, Switzerland knows what it’s doing when it comes to Christmas, and we’re ready to show it off to you. But you won’t be alone. All of our Fencox trips, including this one, are limited to a small group of just 12 – with a private supplement for each traveller – meaning plenty of merry moments, no getting lost in a crowd and a ready-made crew to clink Glühwein mugs with. What could be better?