Firsthand Switzerland
always lived, never looked up
THE SWITZERLAND
YOU CAN'T LOOK UP
Private Guided Hikes, One-on-One Trip Planning and a Self-Guided Zurich Urban Adventure built from eight years of walking this country. Firsthand, Local, Unscripted.
5.0 on TripAdvisor
Certified Swiss Travel Expert Switzerland Tourism
English · Italiano · Español
THREE WAYS TO TRAVEL UNSCRIPTED
PICK YOUR SWISS ADVENTURE
Private Guided Hikes * One-on-One Trip Planning * Self-Guided Zurich
Zurich Urban Hikes
Not your typical city tour. Not a mountain hike. Something in between.
Designed for curious travelers who want to experience the city actively, beyond the obvious.
Explore Zurich the way locals do: along quiet paths, hidden staircases, secret doors, local shops and unexpected panoramic viewpoints, where nature, history and everyday life naturally connect. This is sightseeing in motion, and a way to experience Zurich that most visitors never discover.
9km
DISTANCE
~3 h
Duration
Loop
From Bürkliplatz
Personal · Immersive · Memorable
Guided Adventures
Zurich Urban Hikes · Private Guide half day & full day
Join me on the trail. From city walks to alpine days, I'll guide you through the Switzerland I know: its trails, its people, its stories.
from CHF 175
per group, up to 4 people
Ready-Made Itinerary
Zurich Urban Hike: The Classic, self-guided PDF
The one product I've distilled everything I know about Zurich into. Nine kilometres of secret doors, canals and viewpoints, at your own pace.
from CHF 45
per download, yours forever
FEEDBACK
WHAT GUESTS
SAY ABOUT US
5.0
Excellent on TripAdvisor
"I'd let Giada guide me to space!"
We had the most wonderful walking tour with Giada as our guide. Her storytelling is exceptional and her enthusiasm is completely infectious. She kept every single person in the group engaged throughout, which is no easy feat. One of the highlights of our trip.
"Giada rocks"
My wife and I had the best 2 days exploring Zurich and Switzerland with Giada! She speaks several languages and was really helpful putting together an itinerary that satisfied both of us. Everything including transportation, tickets and her restaurant suggestions were absolutely amazing! She packed a picnic for our Alps hike and I ate everything she brought.
"Superb urban hike with enchanting little surprises!"
I felt like I was on some wellbeing tour with all the beautiful sites of Zurich, enchanting little hidden gems, and great end surprise: mini picnic with Swiss cheese! Giada was brilliant, she had keys and access to secret little doors and hidden gems, we all utterly enjoyed the experience.
A GUIDE WHO HAS ACTUALLY WALKED IT, NOT MEMORIZED A SCRIPT
Because a guided hike should be more than someone walking in front of you. Here's what firsthand, local expertise actually gets you.
Certified Swiss Travel Expert
Certified by Switzerland Tourism after completing the Switzerland Travel Academy. So what you get isn't just personal opinion, it's firsthand experience backed by formal expertise.
01
Local stories, not tourist facts
Local stories, not tourist facts: What are "honesty shops" and how do they work? How do we greet each other in Swiss German? Are all cowbells created equal? The small details are what make a trip memorable.
02
A pace built around your group
3+ years as a local guide means I know how to read a group's energy and adjust: pacing, stops and route choices that keep the day enjoyable for everyone.
03
Real, on-the-ground problem-solving
Trail conditions change, weather shifts, plans need adjusting. Firsthand experience means I adapt in real time instead of following a fixed itinerary.
04
Backed by real credentials
I'm a certified Swiss Travel Expert through Switzerland Tourism: firsthand experience, formally recognized. Over 200 trails hiked, countless places explored and vetted firsthand for you.
Think of me as your personal Swiss Army knife
Whatever the situation calls for, I've got a tool for it: SwissTopo maps, Switzerland Mobility, Meteo Swiss, SBB, ZVV, webcams, schedules, and all the knowledge to navigate the trains, ships and mountain gondolas that actually get you there.
MY NAME IS GIADA
WALKING HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY WAY OF TRULY ARRIVING SOMEWHERE
Not just visiting it. There's a different kind of knowing that comes from moving through a place slowly, on foot, at a pace that lets you take it all in. You don't get that from a bus window. You get it step by step.
I've lived in Switzerland for over eight years, and in that time this country has become something I don't just visit: I actually know it. For the past three-plus years I've worked as a local guide, a mix of "local friend" and personal Swiss Army knife, doing all the planning, thinking and problem-solving so my guests get to enjoy their Swiss adventure in good hands.
Then it hit me, almost embarrassingly simple: what if the real Switzerland was never something you could look up?
SNAPSHOTS FROM THE TRAIL
FROM THE BLOG
NOTES FROM 20,000 STEPS A DAY
STAY IN THE LOOP
NEW TRAILS, SEASONAL TIPS, THE OCCASIONAL CHOCOLATE STOP
A short note when there's something worth walking to. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
