11 Best Places to Visit in Switzerland

Switzerland is a fabulous destination both in winter, thanks to its abundance of snow, incredible slopes and some of the best ski resorts in the world, and in summer, thanks to the thousands of kilometres of hiking trails that crisscross the country, the beautiful medieval cities and the excellent museums of international value.

The lakes, over 1,500, are one of the riches of Switzerland. On Lake Geneva overlook the cities of Lausanne, a lively student center, and the beautiful Geneva. Not to be missed is the capital Bern with its magical medieval old town and Zurich, cosmopolitan and modern.

Other exceptional destinations include Basel, Lucerne, Geneva, St. Gallen, Chur and Fribourg. What can we say about the evocative Italian atmosphere and the temperate climate of the Canton of Ticino and its beautiful valleys.

The towns of Grindelwald and Interlaken are very pretty, the first specializing in Alpine tourism and the second a mecca for adventure sports.

If you want to go mountain biking in Switzerland, and discover mountain lakes, alpine streams and sensational rock faces, choose the prestigious trails of Verbier and Zermatt, the latter dominated by the magical Matterhorn mountain.

With over 3,000 kilometers of well-marked trails, you will be spoiled for choice.

The traditional villages of the Swiss Alps, such as Arona, St. Moritz, Davos, Saas Fee, Cras-Montana and Gstaad, have a timeless charm as do the castles, the most famous being Chillon Castle, near Montreux, and the 3 fortresses of Bellinzona, and the spas.

Among the most exciting experiences to be had in Switzerland, a trip on the Glacier Express, a panoramic train that crosses the Alps, is a must.

Road trip enthusiasts cannot miss the incredible experience of visiting Switzerland by car by taking the Grand Tour of Switzerland.

There are so many things to see in Switzerland: breathtaking landscapes, uncontaminated nature, but also dynamic cities and medieval villages. Here are the best destinations not to be missed in Switzerland.

1. Zurich

We begin the top 10 things to see in Switzerland with Zurich, its largest and most populous city, with a metropolitan area of almost 2 million inhabitants.

It is rich in religious architecture, including the Grossmunster, the ancient cathedral and undisputed symbol of the city, which overlooks the Limmat River, with its two iconic Gothic towers, the Fraumunster, a Gothic church of Carolingian origin, and the church of St. Peter, the oldest medieval parish in the city.

But Zurich is much more. You can visit the central station, impressive from the outside and with a beautiful shopping centre inside, the Rathaus, or town hall, and the Opernhaus Zurich, the sumptuous opera house located in the city centre, near Bellevue Square.

2. Bern

Bern is the capital of Switzerland, and its historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit it by wandering aimlessly, strolling under the arcades that hide shops and restaurants, and stop under the Zytgloggerturm, the clock tower that is the symbol of the city, dating back to 1218.

Don't miss the Bundeshaus, the seat of the Swiss parliament, and the Munster, the cathedral, which took over 450 years to build, from 1421 to 1893. Very interesting and curious is the Bärengraben, or bear pit, located on the bend of the Aare River, where bears were bred in ancient times, and it is still possible to see them today.

The importance of this place is such that it gives its name to the city: Bern in fact derives from Bär, which means bear in German. More information

3. Zermatt

We leave the cities and head towards the Alpine peaks to visit Zermatt, one of the most incredible destinations in Europe. It is a small Alpine village built at the foot of the Matterhorn, whose main characteristic is that it is completely pedestrian and car-free.

It can only be reached by train, leaving your car at the Tasch train station parking lot, where trains to Zermatt depart. Once you arrive, you will find your hotel's electric mini-car waiting for you to take your luggage to the hotel.

Strolling through the centre of Zermatt you can indulge in shopping in the many shops and taste the specialities of the local gastronomy, in a spectacular setting with the massive profile of the Matterhorn standing out in the background.

But Zermatt is above all a paradise for skiers, who can take advantage of the large differences in altitude and climb up to the Plateau Rosa glacier, at almost 3900 metres above sea level, from where it is possible to ski down to the valley returning to Zermatt or by deviating to the Italian side of the Matterhorn, in the Aosta Valley resorts of Breuil-Cervinia and Valtournanche.

4. St. Moritz

A renowned destination for the international jet-set, St. Moritz certainly needs no introduction. Its reputation precedes it, and it is a destination both in summer and winter, for walks, skiing or simply to breathe in the clean air, stroll around the lake and shop in the luxury boutiques of the center.

St. Moritz is an icon of luxury and one of the most expensive places in the world. Here, everything is allowed, if you have the money. But an original way to visit it without spending a fortune is to reach it via the Bernina train, a UNESCO heritage railway line that starts from the Lombard town of Tirano, in the province of Sondrio, goes over the Bernina Pass and reaches St. Moritz, crossing steep gorges and breathtaking views.

5. Geneva

On the shores of Lake Geneva lies Geneva, a splendid city in the canton of the same name. It is a very pleasant destination to visit, walking along the lakeside or in the historic center.

Its undisputed icon is the enormous Jet d'eau fountain, or water jet, located in the middle of the lake, which sprays water up to 140 meters high and is visible even when passing over Geneva in a plane.

Walking through the streets of the center of Geneva you can admire the cathedral of Saint Peter, with an imposing portal in neoclassical style created by Benedetto Alfieri.

The religious history of the city also shines through in the Monument international de la Réformation, the so-called Reformation wall, a bas-relief that honors the main figures of the Protestant Reformation.

A short distance from the centre of Geneva is the UNOG, the United Nations Office at Geneva, the second operational centre of the UN in the world after the Glass Palace in New York. More information

6. Lausanne

We remain on Lake Geneva, moving a little further east from Geneva. Here we meet Lausanne, another city not to be missed during a visit to Switzerland. An important banking and university center, the IOC, the International Olympic Committee, is based here.

The Olympic spirit of the city can be savored by visiting the Musée olympique, the Olympic museum, dedicated to the ancient and modern Olympics; it is one of the most visited museums in Switzerland, with over 200 thousand visitors a year.

Spend your days in Lausanne strolling along the beautiful lakeside, well-kept and decorated with flowers and flowerbeds, from where you can take the boat to Evian, a French city on the opposite shore where the source of the world-famous water of the same name is located.

Then go and visit the historic center, where you will find the beautiful cathedral, from whose tower you can admire a magnificent panorama of Lausanne and the surrounding area. Don't miss the Mudac (Museum of Design and Contemporary Applied Arts) and the imposing castle of Saint-Marie, declared a cultural asset of national importance.

7. Ticino

During your itinerant holiday in Switzerland you cannot miss the Canton of Ticino, one of the 26 cantons of the country. There are three most important cities in the region: Lugano, Locarno and Bellinzona. Lugano is located on the shores of the lake of the same name, a short distance from the Italian border.

Locarno also lies on the shores of a lake, to be precise at the northern end of Lake Maggiore; a well-known film festival is held here every year, attracting internationally famous actors and visitors from all over the world.

Bellinzona, on the other hand, is located further inland, and is the perfect starting point for visiting the length and breadth of the Canton.

8. Davos

Davos, located in the Canton of Grisons, is a town of almost 20 thousand inhabitants that manages to skillfully mix the atmosphere of a mountain village with that of a cosmopolitan city.

In fact, every year the World Economic Forum is held here, where world-famous politicians and economists meet to discuss the urgent issues that the world must face.

Davos is the starting point for discovering the ski resort of the same name, which extends for over 300 kilometers covering the areas of Parsenn/Gotschna, Jakobshorn, Pischahorn, Rinerhorn, Schatzalp and Madris, on the border with Austria.

Davos is also the place where the first international bobsleigh race was held, and regularly hosts stages of the Alpine and cross-country skiing World Cups.

9. Grindelwald

Another mountain village, Grindelwald is located in the Bernese Oberland, a region of the Canton of Bern.

It has been a tourist destination since the 19th century, so much so that the first cable car was built in 1908, while in 1912 it was the turn of the Jungfrau railway, which takes you up to Mount Jungfrau at over 3,400 meters above sea level.

A member town of the Best of the Alps association, which includes 12 of the most prestigious resorts in the Alps, Grindelwald is a destination to visit both in summer, for mountaineering and mountain walking enthusiasts, and in winter, when it becomes the beating heart of the Jungfrau ski area, which includes Grindelwald, Wengen, First and Murren-Schilthorn.

10. Gstaad

The last destination not to be missed in Switzerland, but certainly not in order of importance, is the magnificent Gstaad. It is located in the Canton of Bern, in the municipality of Saanen. It is an Alpine village of about 9,000 inhabitants, located at 1,000 meters above sea level.

Like many others on this list, it is a tourist destination both in summer and winter, and is very popular with the international jet-set, so much so that it is notoriously one of the most expensive resorts in Switzerland.

One of the symbols of the city is the Gstaad Palace, a luxury hotel in the shape of a castle opened in 1913, a member of the luxury hotel association The Leading Hotels of the World. Gstaad is also home to numerous events of international importance, including the Swiss Open tennis tournament, the Snow Bike Festival and the FIVB Beach Volleyball SWATCH World Tour beach volleyball tournament.

11. Lucerne

Located in the center of Switzerland, Lucerne is a romantic city that stands on the shores of the lake of the same name. Symbols of the city are the Wasserturm Tower and the 19th-century Sleeping Lion Monument, dedicated to the Swiss soldiers who lost their lives fighting in the French Revolution.

One of the most interesting places to visit in Lucerne with kids is the train station.

A very interesting destination is the Glacier Garden, which reconstructs the geological history of Switzerland. Another attraction not to be missed is the Am Rhyn-Haus, the museum dedicated to Picasso.

Between art and science, however, the most fascinating experience is certainly getting lost in the streets of the old town and its picturesque corners, until you cross the Kapellbrücke, the oldest covered bridge in Europe.