There are so many great places to visit in Switzerland that many consider it to be the most beautiful country in the world. Switzerland is a landlocked country in Central Europe and the heart of the Alps.
The impressive mountain range boasts many 4,000-metre-high mountains, glaciers, alpine meadows and huts scattered throughout the countryside. My first visit to Switzerland will never be forgotten. I stood atop Mount Pilatus near Lucerne, where cows graze on green meadows and the distant lakes glisten in the early morning sun.
However, the beauty does not end with Switzerland’s impressive mountains and waterfalls. Its historic cities with cobbled stone streets, wooden bridges, and affluent old towns beckon travelers to defend from the mountains. Writing a list of the best places to visit in Switzerland inn’t easy.. However, we`ve tried with this list of where to go in Switzerland for you!
The Best Places To Visit In Switzerland
Grindelwald
Grindelwald village is like a movie set that looks too good to be true, like something you see in dreams. Then combined with the two valleys and surrounding villages such as Wengen and Lauterbrunnen, it creates a soul-stirring region in Switzerland. Strolling the streets of this charming town with the famous Eiger North Face rising overhead is all you’d expect in Switzerland.
Grindelwald is the perfect getaway for all seasons and one of the best places to visit in Switzerland. During Grindelwald’s winter, everything turns white, the trees shed their last leaves and the stars shine brighter than ever. Winter in Grindelwald means the slopes become playgrounds for snowboarders and skiers with a relatively good selection of pistes for all tastes. Snowboarding in Grindelwald first
What can be said about spring and summer? Everything thaws out, and wildflowers fill the lush meadows; the snow melts from the high Alps, creating natural flows of water conversing its way around Grindelwald.
The whole atmosphere pulls at your heartstrings. Grindelwald during the summer is a trekker`s paradise with hundreds of kilometers worth of trails, and a large percentage of those leads to mountain tops, meadows, or glacial lakes.
Lucerne
Despite attracting more tourists year after year, Lucerne is a relaxed mountain hamlet and one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Lucerne sits aside Lake Lucerne; a stunning lake often dotted with black swans; a historic bridge famed across the globe stretches across its alpine waters. Naturally, the Chapel Bridge has become a symbol of Switzerland and one of Lucerne’s most popular photo spots.
Lucerne is close to the city center and Mount Pilatus seen from the Chapel Bridge. Lucerne is a great place to stay, especially if you plan to explore Pilatus and Lake Lucerne in detail.
Ticino
If you are looking for the sun, Ticino is for you as it is one of the best places in Switzerland! This part of Switzerland has the most rainless days in all of Switzerland. Because Ticino is close to the Italian border, it has a lot of Italian influences. If you don’t fancy a trip to Italy, why not just pay a visit to the vibrant towns of Locarno and Lugano, where you are bound to find a piece of Italian culture and food.
While you’re likely to find mouth-watering pasta, this region is also known for its rolling Alpine landscapes. Ticino has everything from sandy beaches, alpine lakes, meadows, small cottages, cows with bells, and an endless number of hiking trails that lead to UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Ticino`s natural beauty goes to show that every corner of Switzerland is heaven upon earth. The romantic bridge Ponte dei salti is located near Ticino, and is well known for being the “jump bridge,” where plenty of travelers head to jump in the crystal clear waters of the Verzasca Valley
Bern
Switzerland`s capital city of Bern is one of the most beautiful city in the country. Bern is not known to be in the Alps like most Swiss cities. Instead, it is located in a hilly area facing the French border in the northwest. Bern is an ideal city formed on the banks of the Aare River. The heart of the 15th-century town is why it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The River Aare is located in the heart of Bern and is one of Switzerland’s top swimming spots in spring and summer. Locals and tourists alike plunge into the “warm” waters to paddle, kayak or swim with friends and family.
Planning a visit to Bern, but not sure? The nearby Emmental Valley will always tempt you to visit beautiful Bern. Emmental Valley overlooks Swiss farms in all directions, sheep, primarily dairy and cheese, the region’s original products. On a clear day, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Alps, including the Matterhorn.
Jungfraujoch
We travel from the hilly Emmental Valley to the Jungfraujoch, one of Switzerland’s highest points. The Jungfraujoch is a train station, research station, museum and restaurant perched on a high alpine peak. From the top you can see year-round snow-capped mountains and the mighty Aletsch Glacier.
The majority of travelers arrive by train, the highest in Europe. Of course, if you want to climb a mountain worthy of world-class climbers, there is always that option.
The train takes about 2 hours from Interlaken, with a transfer at Kleine Scheidek. When you reach the top, the views of the Bernese Alps, one of the harshest mountains in the Alps, are breathtaking. In summer they also open a sign.
Neuchâtel
Neuchâtel may be the solely vicinity on this listing of lovely locations that you haven’t heard of earlier than now and is a French-influenced city given its locality to France and the Jura Mountains to the east.
The Harbour of Neuchatel approves for exploration of this stunning location by way of water, so why no longer rent a boat and have a expert sail you round for the morning!
Neuchâtel is one of the quieter areas of Switzerland, so escaping the rush of Zurich and Lausanne has by no means been nearer and easier!
St Moritz – Graubünden
Switzerland is recognised for its awesome exceptional of snowboarding and snowboarding. There is hardly ever a region extra famed for luxurious and world-class ski than St. Moritz. It’s the vacation spot for celebrities, royalty, and the wealthy, with masses of luxurious locations to eat, drink, and stay.
I have considered a lot of ski inns on my travels, however none evaluate to St. Moritz. The village and its environment encapsulate the satisfactory of Switzerland. It’s a must-visit for these who can have enough money the rate or have the time. The hardest section will be finding out whether or not to go to at some stage in summer time or winter.
Starting with winter, given that St Moritz used to be developed to host avid skiers and adventurers courting again to 1935 when the nearby mountains grew to become handy through chair lift. St Moritz grew to be so intrinsically tied to iciness sports activities many years later that it hosted the Winter Olympics twice.
Summer is constantly the fine month to go to Switzerland outdoor of the chillier months, and that’s due to the fact the entirety starts to bloom, days get hotter and longer, developing one of the first-rate out of doors life in the country.
You can get the first-class view of St Moritz by using heading up the Muottas Muragl cogwheel, which ascends to the mountain top. From the top, you can see a ways into Italy in addition to the magnificent views of St. Moritz.
Zermatt
Zermatt is the quintessential Swiss city perched at the base of Switzerland’s most well-known mountain, The Matterhorn. It is one of the most surreal locations one can go to in Switzerland, specially throughout the chillier months when you can ski in Zermatt.
Zermatt is regarded to be the region to go for all matters snowboarding, skiing, trekking, biking holidaying and photography.
A day trip to Zermatt is on many people’s Switzerland bucket list. It’s one of the pleasant locations to go to in Switzerland, regarded for its infinite journey things to do and, of course, one of the most iconic mountains in the world that you can revel in many hikes under.
We’ve visited Zermatt in each the iciness and summer time and it’s definitely challenging to choose a favorite. In the iciness you can revel in some of the exceptional snowboarding in Europe, earlier than eating at a lovely restaurant in the village.
While in the summer time you can mountain bike, revel in the alpine lakes, and even climb The Matterhorn if you are a climber!
Even if you don’t love journey sports, Zermatt is a photographer’s paradise. Especially at night time with the orange and yellow glow of the townhouses flickering away to The Matterhorn, a mere 10 or so kilometers away.
Lauterbrunnen
One of the most lovely locations to go to in Switzerland! Lauterbrunnen is a location you have probable considered time and time again, and it’s that type of vicinity that you would prefer to go to over and over as it is one of Switzerland’s most magical places.
If there have been a listing of the most lovely locations to go to on planet earth, Lauterbrunnen would be a contender for the range one position. Lauterbrunnen is solely a few mountains away from Grindelwald and Interlaken, which makes get admission to handy for these exploring the Jungfrau region.
Lauterbrunnen is recognised for its cascading Swiss waterfalls plummeting from the cliffs above, fed by means of melting glacial waters, and that’s one of the primary motives why lots come to visit.
Most of the year, the waterfalls or wasserfall in Swiss proceed to drift with excessive soften charges of the glaciers that feed them. One of the most iconic waterfalls is positioned at once in the back of the fundamental avenue in Lauterbrunnen, recognised as the Staubbach Wasserfall. On a windy day, you can experience the freezing water blowing onto your face as you stroll down the most important street!
Just backyard of the city of Lauterbrunnen, quite a few lifts can take you above the valley flooring and onto the mountain tops, which opens up a entire new world. Heading to cities like Murren and Wengen is one of the nice matters to do in Lauterbrunnen.
The Lauterbrunnen-Grutschalp carry can help you on your way to trekking alongside the cliffs of Lauterbrunnen or head onto Wengen, the place get entry to to the greater mountains, trekking routes, ski fields, and additionally Grindelwald for a extra scenic route.
Lauterbrunnen is one of the most famous locations in Switzerland, so I would endorse going early in the morning to keep away from the crowds.
Thun
Thun is roughly positioned midway between Bern and Interlaken making it without difficulty available for these wandering out of Bern or Lucerne.
Thun has one of the most jaw-dropping backdrops of any city in Switzerland, with the Swiss Alps dominating the views.
Thun has a trace of Bern about it with an Old Town, church, and even a fort that dates again to the twelfth century. Thun has a shut connection with Bern regardless of being an hour or so force away.
The Aare River flows thru the Old Town of Bern and flows via proper close to Thun, making it idyllic for summer season swims and water activities.
Thun is a superb region to be primarily based at some point of the iciness months if Interlaken and Grindelwald are full with solely a 1.5-hour power or educate to some of Switzerland’s most prized mountains.
Gimmelwald
If you are journeying the astounding waterfall valley of Lauterbrunnen, why no longer go to Gimmelwald? Gimmelwald is a tiny city with a populace of fewer than 200 people; that’s 2.7 human beings per waterfall (locals only).
So why go to Gimmelwald? Yes, it is shut to Lauterbrunnen, however if you are an avid adventurer and can’t face up to the outdoors, Gimmelwald permits you to get a few summits and ridges below your belt. You can stroll thru some of the most surreal mountainside environments that have to be excessive on your locations to go to in Switzerland!
When you idea Gimmelwald ought to no longer get any extra beautiful, Jungfraujoch Mountain pops its head out of the clouds in all of its glory.
Murren
Murren Village is set at the very give up of the Lauterbrunnen valley, proper above Gimmelwald. This is a basic Swiss-style hamlet that is absolutely car-free like different close by towns.
It’s solely a short, 20-minute ride through cable vehicle from the valley floor. Just the journey up to Murren in the cable automobile is nicely really worth the trip in itself. Once in Murren, there’s a large array of lovely cafes with outside seating so you can experience the mountain views. Many of these eating places serve up basic nearby cuisines like fondue.
You can take the funicular up to Allmendhubel and saunter round the flower path from Murren. Or take the cable vehicle up to the Schilthorn Viewpoint to get views searching out over the Big Three; Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau. Up here, you can spend a morning at the revolving restaurant, Piz Gloria.
One of our preferred matters to do in Murren is the Via Ferrata path that leaves proper from down. It’s a exciting trip no longer for the faint of heart!
Vals
The tiny village of Vals may additionally no longer be on your Switzerland bucket listing radar; we truly by no means had heard of it, however we are so completely happy we made the trip thru this land of limitless waterfalls.
The tiny hamlet of Vals is a ways from the madding crowds that you see in Switzerland in the summer. Nestled deep in a lengthy valley in the mountains, Vals is acknowledged round Switzerland for the Therme Vals baths.
The 7132 Therme Vals spa involves 60,000 slabs of the neighborhood Vals quartzite and disappears into the landscape. It is a landmark in the world of architecture, and you don’t want to be an architect to admire the constructing as its repute is apparent.
Stone slabs resemble a cave, and its graph highlights the panorama outdoor from within, and the spa’s exterior disappears into the hillside. It’s a spa that lets in company to disappear into the panorama in a fog of steam and herbal thermal waters.
Beyond the thermal water and spa, there is an awful lot extra to love about Vals. The city is rustic and extraordinary, with an abundance of herbal splendor and charm.
Nearby there are some tremendous Switzerland hikes up to see the three lakes of Guraletschsee, Ampervreilsee, and Selvasee.
Wengen
Wengen is some other true alpine village close to Lautebrunnen, Gimmelwald, and Murren. You can without problems go to this car-free city from Lauterbrunnen with the aid of a rapid cogwheel instruct ride. Wengen is full of lovely bushes chalets and presents the most stunning views over the Lauterbrunnen Valley.
In the winter, you can take a toboggan down the Fox Run Wengen, which runs for 4.5 kilometers from Kleine Scheidegg to the city of Wengen.
Meiringen
The village of Meiringen at the foot of Lake Brienz is surrounded via giant peaks and is one of the excellent locations to base your self for exploring the Bernese Oberland. Meiringen is the best factor of departure for many adventures round the Haslital.
Meiringen is properly recognised for two things. First, it’s stated to be the birthplace of the Meringue, the ethereal sugary egg white shell cakes created in the 1600s., which you will no doubt locate all over town. And 2d for Reichenbach Falls.
These falls have been famously featured in an episode of the BBC drama Sherlock and as the putting for The Final Problem in the series The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. The dramatic drop is a complete of 820 feet, falling at some stage in seven steps, and is without problems one of the most well-known Swiss waterfalls.
From Meiringen, one of the first-class matters to do in Switzerland is take the gondola up to the Alpine Tower and hike the Horizon Trail.
From Planplatten by way of Balmeregghorn, the path winds its way alongside the mountain to the Tannensee Lake. It’s one of the most lovely trails in Switzerland and if you hit it on a sunny summer season day, reflect onconsideration on your self more fortunate.
Reichenbach Valley
The Reichenbach Valley is a amazing valley nicely really worth a day of exploration. It’s domestic to the Rosenlaui Glacier Gorge and Old Sawmill Schwarzwaldalp.
The sawmill at Schwarzwaldalp is definitely historic and magnificent. Built in 1896 and totally restored in 2000, it’s a enjoyable sight to see. Catch it at the proper time, and you may additionally even see human beings working in there. This sawmill is the solely water-driven planing computing device in Switzerland!
Nearby is the Rosenlaui glacier gorge, a famous appeal in Switzerland that will have traffic exploring the weird cliff formations that have shaped over lots of years.
Saastal Valley
The Saastal Valley is comprised of Saas-Almagell, Saas-Grund, Saas-Fee, and Saas-Balen. All are really worth visiting, however we selected to base ourselves in Saas-Fee at The Capra. Saas-Fee is the biggest village in the Saastal Valley and serves as the central hub for tourism in the iciness and summer.
Hiking in Saas Fee
Saas-Fee is famed for its year-round ski that attracts in dozens of expert ski groups to educate at some point of the summer season months. However, the village has so a good deal extra such as awesome trekking trails by Ferrata routes, fantastic dining, mind-blowing landscapes, climbing, mountain biking, and get admission to to over a dozen 4,000-meter mountains making it effortlessly one of the fantastic locations to go to in Switzerland.
Saas-Fee is any other car-free village; however, there is no educate service, which means the tourism numbers right here are plenty decrease than close by Zermatt.
Kandersteg
Lake Oeschinen is without difficulty one of the nice locations to go to in Switzerland
Kandersteg is a lovely mountain city with stellar views of the Blümlisalp Massif and is one of the pleasant locations to go to in Switzerland. It’s an outside mecca with move united states ski trails in the iciness and lots of trekking trails in the summer.
The spotlight of Kandersteg is the stunningly blue Lake Oeschinen, which is without doubt one of the most stunning lakes in Switzerland. Nearby is additionally the Mountain Coaster Oeschinensee Kandersteg, which has made its rounds on social media for being the most stunning coaster globally.
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