Switzerland’s natural beauty offers numerous attractions. Here are 20 of the most beautiful places in the Alpine country!
Switzerland is known for its neutrality, but it cooperates with many organisations. The country’s capital is (de facto) Bern and its largest city is Zurich, but the capital is only the 5th most populous city in the country. Its neighbours are Germany, France, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein.
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Best places in Switzerland
Lucerne
Located at the northwestern end of Lake Lucerne, this city is one of the most visited destinations in central Switzerland.
Surrounded by the Pilatus and Rigi mountains, and the picturesque beauty of the lake, Lucerne quickly became a tourism hotspot. In addition to several other bridges, the world’s oldest covered wooden bridges, the Kapellbrücke and Spreuerbrücke, connect the old town (north) and the new town (south).
Lucerne is also a cultural center, home to many museums. Noteworthy are the Richard Wagner Museum and the Verkehrshaus der Schweiz, Switzerland’s largest and most visited transportation museum.
Rhine Falls
Located near Lake Constance, in the outskirts of Schaffhausen, it is Europe’s largest waterfall.
The 150-meter-wide river plunges from a height of 23 meters. Both sides of the river are accessible on foot. The best view of the falls is from the southern side, where a castle is located.
Tourists can take boats to the falls for an up-close view of this stunning natural wonder.
Bernina Railway
The highest adhesion railway in the Alps and one of the steepest in the world, it has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the Albula Railway since 2008.
It connects the Swiss resort of St. Moritz with Tirano in Italy via the Bernina Pass.
The route features 55 tunnels and nearly 200 bridges and is considered one of the most beautiful railway lines in Europe. It includes the famous Brusio spiral viaduct.
Basel
Located at the Swiss-German-French border along the Rhine, Basel is one of Europe’s most charming cities.
Often called Switzerland’s cultural capital, the city is known for its internationally renowned museums. It is home to the country’s oldest university, founded in 1460.
The medieval old town of Basel, with many 15th-century buildings, transports visitors back in time. The famous Basel Minster offers a fantastic panoramic view from its top.
Rhone Glacier
Located near the village of Gletsch, this glacier is at an altitude of 2300 meters and is one of the oldest in the Alps.
Tourists can walk through a 100-meter long tunnel carved into the glacier and see its interior. The tunnel is re-carved annually due to the glacier’s movement and melting. A large protective cover is used to reduce the area loss due to melting.
Interlaken
Nestled between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, the town’s name translates to „between lakes”. A popular resort in Switzerland, it’s beloved for its location and atmosphere.
From the Harder Kulm restaurant terrace on the northern side of the town, the panorama is unforgettable. You can easily reach the peak via a funicular.
Exploring around both lakes is worthwhile. Besides natural beauty, several magnificent castles can be seen. The town of Thun is also an essential visit.
Geneva
Situated at the outflow of the Rhône River near the French border, Switzerland’s second-largest city is encircled by three mountain ranges: the Jura Mountains from the northwest, Vuache Mountain from the south, and Salève Mountain from the southeast.
Geneva lies on the western shore of Lake Geneva, the second-largest freshwater lake in Central Europe after Lake Balaton. It’s famous for the Jet d’Eau, a fountain that shoots water 140 meters high.
Geneva is also the heartland of Swiss watchmaking. For centuries, it has been the headquarters of numerous world-famous watchmakers, such as Cartier and Piaget, with the latter operating a watch museum.
Zermatt and Matterhorn
Located near the Italian border, this area is a popular destination for skiers and mountaineers.
Zermatt is found in the northern Mattertal valley at an altitude of 1620 meters, end-closed by a large glacier, making it inaccessible by car.
The town serves as a starting point for many famous hikes, such as the Haute Route to Chamonix in France. Cable cars and ski lifts transport skiers in winter and hikers in summer to peaks, the highest being the Little Matterhorn at 3883 meters.
The Cervinia cable car provides a crossing to Italy. The Gornergrat Railway, Europe’s highest railway, takes passengers to the 3089-meter summit of Gornergrat. Zermatt is also the western terminus of the Glacier Express to St. Moritz via the narrow-gauge Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn.
The Matterhorn, on the Swiss-Italian border, is a triangular mountain peak rising to 4478 meters and is one of Europe’s most photographed tourist attractions.
Zurich
Often the first city that comes to mind when thinking of Switzerland, Zurich is not the capital but the most famous city.
Located at 406 meters above sea level on the shore of Lake Zurich, it’s surrounded by mid-range mountains. Zurich is Switzerland’s financial and commercial hub.
Wandering through the old town is a must, where you can see beautiful Reformation-era buildings and several notable churches, including the Grossmünster and St. Peter’s Church, known for its large clock tower.
Swiss Grand Canyon
Not far from the Liechtenstein border and west of Chur, this gorge was carved by the Rhine River.
While only 13 kilometers long (compared to the 446-kilometer Grand Canyon in the USA), it’s a must-visit in Switzerland. The Rhine has impressively „sliced” through the mountain, creating huge, white cliffs.
Several excellent hiking trails along the gorge offer stunning views, and the river is popular among rafters.
Bern
Switzerland’s capital city, located along the Aare River, has a UNESCO-listed old town.
The old town lies in a loop of the river, with streets lined with 16th-century fountains. The astronomical clock tower Zytglogge, originally the western city gate between 1191 and 1256, is a masterpiece.
Also noteworthy are the 15th-16th century Gothic Münster Cathedral and the 15th-century Town Hall.
Lauterbrunnen
South of previously mentioned Interlaken, this village is nestled in a stunning valley.
Its main attraction visible from the village is the Staubbach Falls, cascading from a massive cliff. Additionally, there are numerous waterfalls in the area, some accessible by a short hike. The most famous is Trümmelbachfälle, a series of waterfalls inside the mountain.
The Wengernalpbahn cogwheel train to Wengen and Kleine Scheidegg, and onto Grindelwald, is the world’s longest continuous cogwheel railway. The journey offers unparalleled views.
Lugano
Situated on Lake Lugano’s shores at the foot of Monte Brè, close to the Italian border.
Known as the Swiss Riviera, the area is a tourist magnet with lavish villas, palm trees, and stunning views. Taking a funicular to the top of Monte Brè offers the best views.
A trip to nearby Lake Maggiore and the town of Locarno is also worthwhile for a similar ambiance.
Lugano attractions, museums, weather
Chateau de Chillon
Located between Villeneuve and Montreux at the eastern end of Lake Geneva, Chillon Castle is a water castle and Switzerland’s most-visited historic building.
Owned for centuries by the Savoy family, it’s accessible via a wooden bridge built in the 18th century to replace a drawbridge. The complex consists of 25 buildings grouped around three courtyards, protected by double-wall systems. Highlights include the chapel, an architectural gem with 14th-century frescoes.
Today, it hosts regular performances and events. Interestingly, the castle produces its own wine, „Clos de Chillon”, made from nearby vineyards and sold exclusively at the castle.
Rapperswil-Jona
Located at the southeastern tip of Lake Zurich, where a bridge separates it from Obersee.
The city is famous for its medieval ambiance, thanks to the well-preserved historical buildings and cobblestone streets. The Rapperswil Castle, standing on the lakeshore, offers a wonderful view of the lake and the surrounding mountains, making it one of the city’s main attractions.
We can also walk across to the other side via the Seedamm causeway bridge, making this location even more atmospheric.
Appenzell
A settlement near the Austrian border, exceptionally not situated among high mountains, but on a hilly area.
The town is a typical example of traditional Swiss architectural style, dominated by colorfully painted wooden houses and intricately carved balconies.
Famous for the Appenzeller cheese, a strong-flavored cheese made by local dairy farmers. The town has numerous cheese workshops and stores where we can taste the delicacies.
It is also notable for its rich folk art traditions, including embroidery, wood carving, and traditional music performances.
Sankt Moritz
A world-famous resort near the Italian border, which hosted two Winter Olympics in the 20th century.
It has a special microclimate with more than 300 sunny days a year, making it particularly attractive. In the town’s St. Moritz-Dorf area, many hotels were built, including several luxury lodges.
A cable car from the town goes up to the Corviglia viewpoint at 2488 meters high, from where not only the valley can be seen but also the peaks of the Bernina mountain range behind it.
Montreux
The town and its surroundings on the eastern part of Lake Geneva are also known as the Swiss Riviera.
Most famous for the world-renowned Montreux Jazz Festival, which takes place every July and is considered one of the world’s largest jazz festivals. The festival has been attracting the biggest names in the music world and music fans from all over the globe since 1967.
The town and the neighboring localities have a long lakeside promenade, allowing for several kilometers of walking along the magnificent lake.
Lavaux Terraced Vineyards
Located on the northern shore of Lake Geneva, this vineyard region has been under UNESCO World Heritage protection since 2007.
The south-facing slopes’ moderate climate and limestone soil are favorable for viticulture and winemaking. The 898-hectare area, consisting of about ten thousand stone-supported terraces, stretches between Lausanne and Montreux along the sloping lakeside. Its most famous grape variety is Chasselas.
The vast plantation on the hillside offers a magnificent view, with the shimmering blue waters of Lake Geneva below.
Oeschinen Lake
Among the smaller lakes in the Alps, this might be the most beautiful and one of the most visited.
The lake is located at an altitude of 1578 meters, created by a landslide. Its turquoise waters and stunning surroundings have made it popular. Restaurants and accommodation facilities have been developed nearby.
It can be reached from Kandersteg via several hiking trails and a cable car. In the summer, an electric minibus also operates between the lake and the cable car.
