Switzerland · HISTORICAL TOURS
The good historical tours fill weeks ahead and the best go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes, and how they differ once you look past the photograph.
Zurich Historic District tour in about 2 hours with a local guide, cable car viewpoints, medieval churches, and underground ruins for about $44.
“Maria was great! We had a group of six people and she kept a leisurely pace and engaged with both halves of the group. She was knowledgeable and answered all our questions. We were happy with the experience!”
Lucerne’s night watchman guides a 1.5 hour walk through medieval streets, law and war stories, ending with the Dance of Death.
“This was such a fun and informative tour. I wished it lasted longer!”
A 90-minute guided walk through Basel Old Town’s top landmarks, from the Roothus and Minster views to the opera house and Swiss sweets.
“Fabulous tour. Our guide Ray was outstanding. Extremely knowledgeable and accomodating! One of the best guided tours during our trip.”
2-hour small-group walk in Zurich Old Town with Einstein and Lenin stops, Fraumünster Chagall windows, cloisters, fountains, plus a quick Polybahn ride.
“The tour visited the significant historical sites of Zurich. The guide pointed out many details and her explanations were good. The tour is strenuous with hills and many steps. Our guide's pace was too fast (several people in our small group complained) and that made the walk more strenuous than necessary. If one stopped to take photos, you had to hurry to catch up because the guide kept going. We joked that she wanted to finish early to go home and, indeed, the "2 hour" tour was 1 3/4 hours. An extra 15 minutes of walking at a slower pace to enjoy the view would have made this tour better.”
A 1.5-hour guided walk through Basel’s old town, hitting the Münster, Roothus, Romanesque passageways, and the opera area.
“I had a really nice and interesting tour in Basel. The city is beautiful, and the tour made it even better. The guide, Gina, was super nice, explained everything really well, and made the experience fun and engaging. She was super cool and easy to listen to. Definitely recommend this tour if you want to learn more about Basel in a relaxed and enjoyable way!”
Geneva dark history quest: a self-guided phone game visiting Saint-Pierre, the Reformation Wall, prison, shelters, and ending at Sissi.
“This gave a real purpose to walking round geneva and we learned some interesting facts and historical stories. Much better than dry information read online. Loved it!”
Zurich chocolate-and-art walking tour with 10+ tastings at top chocolatiers, Old Town stories, art stops, and a chocolate gift in 2 hours.
“Vasi was a wonderful guide, full of informative stories, history, and facts about Switzerland and Zurich. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with him and a multitude of chocolates!”
Lucerne small-group walking tour of St. Leodegar, Lion Monument, Chapel Bridge, plus old-town squares, with local tips and free admissions.
“We had a great tour! it was a small group which we absolutely loved! everything was organized and the tour guide was very friendly and informative, she also shared some good tips with us for our trip to Como.”
Self-guided Historical Zürich audio tour of Old Town fountains and landmarks, with offline audio and maps in English.
“Patrica was such a wonderful guide. So kind and knowledgeable and very she was well prepared. I liked that it was a small group and felt like a friend was showing us around her home town.”
Visit the Forum of Swiss History Schwyz for hands-on medieval fun, multilingual exhibits, and a family trail. One-day ticket from $17.
2-hour guided old town walk in Chur, Switzerland, tracing 11,000 years of history through St. Martin, the cathedral, Arcas, and city walls.
“Guide weiss shr viel. Koordination der Erklärungen an den Standorten könnte harmonischer sein.”
2 hours on foot in Lugano with Rose. Cathedral, Luini fresco church, Via Pessina, lake views, park, and Piazza della Riforma.
“Such an amazing tour! Rose was super knowledgeable and welcoming, which made the experience even better. I really appreciated all of her great recommendations for shopping, coffee spots, and restaurants after the tour.”
Private 2-hour Zermatt tour with churches, Mountaineers’ Cemetery, Matterhorn Museum, old lanes, and a finish at Gornergrat Railway.
“If you like history, this is the tour for you! Our guide, Mike, was wonderful - great personality, engaging stories, and he included recommendations for dining and shopping. It was like having a good friend show you around their favorite city. We thoroughly enjoyed hearing about the history of Zermatt and seeing the sights.”
Private 2 to 3 hour Lugano walk mixing Swiss-Italian history, the famous fresco, local food tips, and optional San Salvatore views.
“Despite rainy weather, city and tour were still great. My parents said it was one of the best experiences during their trip. All thanks to the guide and her dedication. This activity and guide are well recommended by us.”
Private 2-hour walk in historic Lausanne with a local expert, from Bessières Bridge viewpoints to Musée de l’Elysée, plus major landmarks.
“We really enjoyed our time with Thomas touring Old Town Lusanne. We were able to hear the organ play at two of the churches we visited. That was fantastic!”
Pick a mountain, a factory, a lake or a train.
