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.
This 870-meter (2850 foot mountain southeast of central Zurich offers tourists and locals a relaxing break from the hustle and bustle of the city. Known for its striking Alpine panoramas, seasonal sports trails, and mountain-top restaurant, easy-to-access Uetliberg remains a must-visit on any Zurich itinerary.
With its original knights’ hall and Romanesque towers, 12th-century Thun Castle is among Switzerland’s best-preserved medieval landmarks. Now a national heritage site and museum, the hilltop fort offers immersive insight into the region’s far-reaching history, as well as panoramic views of Lake Thun and the Bernese Oberland beyond.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Swiss Museum of Transport (Verkehrshaus der Schweiz) is dedicated to the past, present, and future of transport and mobility on land, at sea, in the air and even outer space. More than 3,000 displays bear witness to a moving history in the truest sense of the word and show the inventions and deeds of explorers and inventors.
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.
Kloster Engelberg is a working monastery that’s home to around 30 Benedictine monks. It was built in 1120, and then rebuilt after fire damaged it in the early 18th century. Visitors can take a guided tour to check out the beautiful interior, interesting artifacts, and the baroque monastery church.
Just an hour north of Zurich, the lively medieval town of Schaffhausen is best known as the gateway to one of Switzerland’s most famous tourist attractions: Rhine Falls. The mighty waterfall is Europe’s largest, stretching 450 feet (137 meters) across the Rhine River and cascading from heights of up to 75 feet (23 meters).
The Carouge district in Geneva was once its own town, and walking the neighborhood feels like strolling a quaint hamlet. This district ditches the buttoned-up architecture of Geneva's downtown in favor of pastel-colored buildings and hip boutiques and bars. With its Mediterranean feel and walkable streets, Carouge offers a pleasant change of pace.
Mt. Stanserhorn’s CabriO cable car is the first in the world to boast a roofless upper deck, bringing you closer to the Swiss landscape. Breathe in fresh Alpine air as you ascend to the 6,227-foot (1,898-meter) summit and enjoy panoramic views of the mountain towns, lakes, and meadows below.
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.
Watch enthusiasts find a home away from home at the Patek Philippe Museum, which showcases more than 2,000 timepieces from the 16th century onward. At this novel museum, visitors can find everything from pocket watches to jewelry-adorned pieces to the brand's intricate models while learning about watchmaking history and the Swiss horology tradition.
With more than 380 species in themed exhibits that reflect native habitats, the Zurich Zoo is dedicated to the protection and public education of animals. The zoo works to mimic the natural environments of its wild occupants as closely as possible.
A paradise for wine enthusiasts and photographers, these UNESCO-listed terraced vineyards rising steeply above Lake Geneva form one of the most magnificent landscapes in Switzerland. Grape vines have been cultivated in the Lavaux wine region for centuries, and today much of the Canton of Vaud’s wine is produced on these slopes.
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.
Kunsthaus Zurich (also known as Zurich’s Museum of Art) is over a century old and contains more than 4,000 works of (mostly) European art making it one of the most important art collections in Switzerland. Works on display span the centuries, ranging from the medieval period to the 21st century.
The Botanical Garden (Botanischer Garten) is one of two botanical gardens in Zurich, both of which are operated by the University of Zurich. This nearly 15-acre (6-hectare) natural space sits on the outskirts of the city and is home to 9,000 species of plants from all over the world.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Considered one of Switzerland’s best cultural attractions, the Geneva Museum of Art and History (MAH) is home to a whopping 650,000 artifacts spread across five floors. Themes cover archaeology and various arts, although the standout pieces are found in the fine arts section; works by Cézanne and Van Gogh are among the treasures.
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 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.
This low mountain just south of Bern draws locals and tourists in search of a break from the city buzz. The 2,808-foot (856-meter summit is home to family-friendly attractions including a playground, a toboggan run, and the 75-foot (23-meter viewing tower, while hikers and bikers can depart on various routes that wind down through the Alpine foothills.
Zurich’s Museum Rietberg is the only museum in Switzerland dedicated to non-European art and displays art and artefacts from Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Oceania. Visit to see the collection’s roughly 23,000 objects, ranging from Mayan masks to contemporary art from the Congo, and 37,000 ethnographic photographs.
