5 days in Swiss Alps Itinerary

Located in the popular holiday region of Ticino, Lugano is the largest Italian-speaking town in Switzerland.

Start off your visit on the 19th (Thu): walk around Parco Ciani and then buy something for everyone on your list at Fox Town Factory Stores.

To see reviews, ratings, maps, and other tourist information, you can read our Lugano road trip planning tool.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates to Lugano is an approximately 10.5-hour combination of flight and train. You can also do a combination of car, flight, and train. The time zone changes from Gulf Standard Time (GST) to Central European Standard Time (CET), which is usually a -3 hour difference. Traveling from Abu Dhabi in January, expect Lugano to be colder, temps between 9°C and -1°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 19th (Thu) to allow time to travel to Zermatt.

Best known as home the Matterhorn mountain, Zermatt serves as a chic ski resort town of the Swiss Alps.

Venture out of the city with trips to Pfarrkirche Ernen (in Ernen) and Saas-Fee Ski Resort (in Saas-Fee). And it doesn't end there: take your sightseeing to a higher altitude at The Matterhorn, hop aboard Scenic Railroads, explore the different monuments and memorials at Mountaineers' Cemetery, and enjoy breathtaking views from Sunnegga.

To find photos, traveler tips, and other tourist information, refer to the Zermatt attractions planner.

Getting from Lugano to Zermatt by combination of car and ferry takes about 4.5 hours. Other options: take a train; or do a combination of train and tram. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 23rd (Mon) early enough to travel back home.