The Swiss mountain village of Maienfeld is best known as the setting of the classic children’s book Heidi—but the alpine beauty of Maienfeld would have attracted flocks of visitors even without the help of a bestseller. Mountain landscapes aside, the village, flanked by the Bündner Herrschaft vineyards, is a popular destination thanks to its robust and fruity red wines.
Covering a total area of over 45 square miles (72 square kilometers, the Great Aletsch Glacier is the largest glacial landscape in Europe. It’s located in the eastern Swiss Alps flanked by the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau mountains.
The Mönch is the middle peak of a mighty trio of mountains in the Swiss Alps—the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau—set in the Bernese Oberland. With a 1,347-foot (4,107-meter) summit altitude that’s more for mountaineers than everyday folk, the Mönch can still be viewed in all its glory from the nearby Jungfraujoch saddle or the Schilthorn summit.
Legend has it that in the 6th century, a dragon took shelter in these caves while the monk and hermit Beatus of Lungern was hunting him. The St. Beatus Caves (St. Beatus Hohlen), which sit next to the lakes of Interlaken, were formed over many centuries and are full of stunning stalagmites, stalactites, lakes, and waterfalls.
This luxury shopping mall, not far from the Swiss-Italian border, sells all sorts of designer names at cut prices. Drawing Swiss locals, Italian day trippers, and fashion-loving tourists, the center is home to more than 100 outlets, including Armani, Michael Kors, and Swarovski, and offers discounts of up to 70%.
Grindelwald First sits at an altitude of 7,106 feet (2,166 meters) on a ridge of the Schwarzhorn. This summit station offers a grand welcome with the Grindelwald Valley at its feet and mighty mountain peaks all around. While clear-day vistas provide the wow factor alone, the summit also offers access to winter ski slopes along with different adventure attractions. Highlights include the First Cliff Walk by Tissot, First Flyer, First Glider, and First Cart.
Bird enthusiasts and nature lovers will enjoy the chance to get up close to birds of prey at Falconeria Locarno. Dressed in medieval-inspired costumes, trained handlers put on shows with majestic eagles, hawks, owls, vultures, marabous, and ibis. Visitors can view the aviaries after the show, and kids can take pony rides.
On the shores of Lake Lugano, against a backdrop of the Swiss Alps, the Swiss Miniature Park (Swissminiatur) is the only one of its kind in Switzerland. Take a tour of Switzerland—recreated in 1:125 scale models—to see everything from historic landmarks to alpine vistas, and even a working miniature railway.
Forces of nature are on full display in Glacier Canyon, which was formed as the Lower Grindelwald Glacier slowly carved its way through the rock in the area. As waterfalls and streams pour down into the Lütschine River, a walk through Glacier Canyon is a total sensory experience.
The Grimsel Pass route through the Swiss Alps reaches some 6,500 feet (1981 meters above sea level—linking the canton of Bern with the canton of Valais. Wild and often treacherous, the path was once used by traders and mules to transport Swiss cheese, and holds a sacred place in Switzerland’s history.
Seeming to defy gravity, the First Cliff Walk by Tissot is a metal walkway desperately clinging to the cliffside in Switzerland’s Jungfrau region. The suspension bridge and viewing platform offer adventurous travelers heart-racing views over the Alps and give the ethereal sensation of flying over the valleys below.
Home to nine unique courses of varying difficulty level, this high ropes park in Interlaken is a nature lover and thrill seeker’s paradise. Adventurers can experience more than 120 unique physical challenges across the park’s treetop ziplines, bridges, and swings, while little ones can have a go on the family-friendly Butterfly Walk.
Europe’s highest aerial cableway leads to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, beneath the north face of the mighty triangular peak made famous by the Toblerone logo. At an altitude of 12,740 feet (3,883 meters), the glacial wonderland offers incredible views over the Alps and thrilling activities year-round.
The bright-red Glacier Express passes over glaciers, across gorges, and above river valleys through Switzerland’s spectacular mountain scenery. This narrow-gauge line is the only direct service between the exclusive ski resort of Zermatt and chic St. Moritz—and is considered among the most beautiful scenic trains in Europe.
Located in the Western Rhaetian Alps in the far eastern corner of Switzerland, the Swiss National Park (Parc Naziunal Svizzer) is Switzerland’s only national park and the country’s largest protected natural area. Virtually untouched by human development, the park offers a huge variety of hiking trails for all abilities and excellent wildlife viewing opportunities.
This sunny peak on Mount Rothorn is one of the most popular in the Zermatt-Matterhorn resort, a haven for family-friendly skiing in the winter and scenic hiking up to Blauherd and Rothorn in the summer. Take the funicular from Zermatt to explore the gentle pistes, relax on the Leisee Alpine lake, or hit the trails on foot or wheels.
Encircled by the vast Staz forest, Lake Staz (Lej da Staz) takes on a mythical ambiance with its floating islands of marsh clover and towering reeds. An easy 30-minute walk from St.Moritz leads to the lake, passing through some incredible mountain scenery, or if you fancy an alternative, horse-drawn carriage rides are available along the pathways surrounding the lake.
Made up of more than 100 historic buildings from across the country, this open-air museum is one of Switzerland’s top heritage sites. You can meet costumed characters, explore renovated houses and cultivated gardens, or enjoy a close encounter with farmyard animals as you learn more about traditional Swiss life at this 66-hectare museum.
This dramatic mountain pass high in the Swiss Alps is widely considered one of Europe’s most exciting roads. Reaching an elevation of almost 8000 feet (2500 meters, the route is known for its dramatic bends and striking vistas, as well as its role in 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger.
The Rhône Glacier in the Swiss Alps is the source of the Rhône River, which travels through Switzerland and France into the Mediterranean Sea, and contributes to Lake Geneva. It’s estimated to be more than 10,000 years old. Visitors can view it from the outside and also walk inside the glacier.
Step inside one of the wooden coaches of the historic cogwheel railway that trundles up to Switzerland’s Schynige Platte, and you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time. Then get out on the Alpine plateau, where sweeping views of the Eiger mountain and the Jungfrau countryside await you.
Home to the longest glacial downhill ski route in Switzerland, as well as a varied network of ski runs, it’s not hard to see why Diavolezza is a popular haunt for powder junkies. Standing over 9,800 feet (3,000 meters) proud, Diavolezza Mountain adds an impressive eight peaks to the Bernina skyline, and is accessible by gondola from the Diavolezza train station.
The oldest town in Switzerland, Chur boasts one of the best-preserved old towns in the country, with narrow cobblestone streets, medieval architecture, and historic buildings. In addition to the Bishop's Palace and the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary (Chur Cathedral), Old Town Chur offers cultural activities, shopping, restaurants, and bars.
Make your trip to the mountains even more enriching with a visit to Zermatlantis, aka the Matterhorn Museum. This site focuses on the triumphs and tragedies of the mountaineers who have been drawn to climb one of the world’s most dramatic and dangerous peaks, and also traces the development of Zermatt from farming village to the alpine tourist town it is today.
With a network of cable cars and cogwheel railways traversing the snow-clad slopes of the mighty Matterhorn mountain, Zermatt Mountain Railways (Zermatt Bergbahnen) provides the link between the car-free mountain resort of Zermatt and the iconic peak.
Rapperswil is a town on the east side of Lake Zürich in Switzerland’s canton of St. Gallen. The lakeside location and surrounding rolling hillsides create a picturesque riviera-like feel, while the town combines history and culture with a thriving outdoor lifestyle.
The little mirror lake by the Matterhorn, Riffelsee has become the must-see site for many summertime Zermatt visitors. Catch it on a calm, cloud-free day, and it warrants an overused cliché—it takes your breath away. It’s easy to visit, too, making it a popular destination for families, hikers, photographers, and those who want a beautiful alpine view.
Paying homage to Giovanni Segantini, the Segantini Museum showcases the Italian painter’s 19th-century canvas paintings of the Swiss Engadin Alps. Go there to admire yesteryear alpine scenes—long before St. Moritz found fame—and to learn a little about the man himself. His unfinished triptych La Vita, La Natura, La Morte (Life, Nature, and Death) is the standout piece.
The Wengen Männlichen aerial cableway is a high-speed cable car situated in the Swiss Alps that offers unparalleled views of the surrounding landscape. It’s the perfect way to experience the scenic beauty of the region.
The grand showpiece of Swiss silk merchant Kaspar Stockalper, Stockalper Palace was one of the most impressive buildings of 17th-century Switzerland. Today, it’s a Swiss National Heritage Site and a popular visitor attraction, presiding over the alpine town of Brig.
