Fodor's Essential Switzerland
Whether you want to ski in the shadow of the Matterhorn, try fondue in Gruyères, or hike...
Whether on snow-capped mountains or in glitzy resort towns, you can experience the high life in Switzerland. Visitors are elated by its soaring outdoor recreation, riding cable cars up peaks near the Matterhorn, sipping Swiss wine while cruising on a crystalline alpine lake, and skiing the immaculate slopes of St. Moritz. At the end of the day, lavish spas beckon, along with lively après ski scenes and pots of fondue. Sophisticated cities like Zurich and Geneva take luxury to new heights, with posh boutiques and upscale restaurants lining their cobblestoned streets.
Fodor's Essential Switzerland
Whether you want to ski in the shadow of the Matterhorn, try fondue in Gruyères, or hike...
Top Destinations
Top Destinations
Graubünden
Although the names of its biggest resorts, such as St. Moritz and Davos, register almost automatic recognition, the region wrapped around them remains surprisingly unsung...
Valais
For many visitors, Valais is the only part of Switzerland they ever see—and for good reason. After all, 40 of the 52 13,000-foot peaks in...
Vaud
In just one region, you can experience a complete cultural, gastronomic, and scenic sweep of Switzerland. Vaud (pronounced Voh) has a stunning Gothic cathedral (Lausanne)...
Zürich
Zürich, which sits astride the Limmat River at the point where it emerges from the Zürichsee (Lake Zürich), is a beautiful city. Its charming Altstadt...
Geneva
Long known for its watches, chocolate, and banks, Geneva is a postcard-perfect city with a rich history as a haven for cultural freethinkers and a...
Berner Oberland
There are times when the reality of Switzerland puts postcard idealization to shame, surpassing advertising-image peaks and skies. Those times happen most often in the...
Basel
Although it lacks the gilt and glitter of Zürich and the Latin grace of Geneva, in many ways Basel (Bâle in French) is more sophisticated...
Ticino
Ticino is a canton apart: graceful, open, laissez-faire. This is the most glamorous of Swiss regions: the waterfront promenades of Lugano, Locarno, and Ascona contain...
Luzern and Central Switzerland
With the mist rising off the water and the mountains looming above in the morning sun, it’s easy to understand why people are mesmerized by...
Bern
Bern, the federal capital of Switzerland, is a picturesque medieval city whose creators had a keen eye for detail—a trait shared by today’s inhabitants, who...
Eastern Switzerland
Switzerland’s Germanic region bordering Germany and Austria should scream authenticity. Instead, it moos. With almost more cows (and alphorns) than people, Zürich’s quiet neighbor offers...
Fribourg and Neuchâtel
Shouldered by the more prominent cantons of Bern and Vaud, Fribourg and Neuchâtel are easily overlooked by hurried visitors. If they do stop, it is...
Luzern
Luzern city is a convenient base for excursions all over central Switzerland. The countryside here is tame, and the vast Vierwaldstättersee offers a prime opportunity...
Lausanne
"Lausanne is a block of picturesque houses, spilling over two or three gorges, which spread from the same central knot, and are crowned by a...
Lugano
Strung around a sparkling bay like Venetian glass beads, with dark, conical mountains rising out of its waters and icy peaks framing the scene, Lugano...
St. Moritz
Who put the ritz in St. Moritz? Undoubtedly, St. Moritz's reputation was made by the people who go there and who have been going there...
Zermatt and the Matterhorn
Despite its fame—which stems from the iconic Matterhorn and its excellent ski facilities—Zermatt is a resort with its feet on the ground. It protects its...
Interlaken
Often touted as a town without character, Interlaken has patiently borne the brunt of being called "the best place in Switzerland to get away from"—but...
Crans-Montana
This French-speaking resort rises above the valley on a steep, sheltered shelf at 4,904 feet. It commands a broad view across the Rhône Valley to...
Fribourg
Between the rich pasturelands of the Swiss plateau and the Alpine foothills, the Sarine River (called the Saane by German speakers) twists in an S-curve...
St. Gallen
Switzerland's largest eastern city, bustling St. Gallen is dominated by students during the school year. The narrow streets of the Altstadt (Old Town) are flanked...
Verbier
A big part of Verbier's appeal is skiing on sunny slopes and the fact that it has a high-tech, state-of-the-art sports complex that links Quatre...
Davos
At 5,116 feet, this highest "city" (stretching the definition) in Europe is good for cold-weather sports even in the soggiest of winters. Davos is famous...
Arosa
Thanks to its altitude of 5,900 feet, the picturesque village of Arosa is a well-known year-round sports center, offering brisk hiking, paragliding, and other activities...
Neuchatel
At the foot of the Jura Mountains, flanked by vineyards and facing southeast, the city of Neuchâtel enjoys panoramic views of Lac de Neuchâtel and...
Vevey
In the 1870s Henry James captured this waterfront town's mood of prim grace while writing (and setting) Daisy Miller in the Hôtel des Trois Couronnes...
Montreux
Montreux might be called the Cannes of Lac Léman—though it might raise an eyebrow at the slur. Spilling down steep hillsides into a sunny south-facing...
Pontresina
On a south-facing shelf along the Flaz Valley, Pontresina is a beautiful resort town. It grew by converting its farmhouses to pensions and hotels for...
Locarno
Superbly placed on the sheltered curve of the northernmost tip of Lago Maggiore and surrounded on all sides by mountains, Locarno is Switzerland's sunniest town...
Saas-Fee
Quieter and more low-key than Zermatt is the village of Saas-Fee, a car-free mountain resort with a family-friendly vibe. Saas-Fee also has a fantastic network...
Gstaad
The four fingerlike valleys of the Saanenland find their palm at Gstaad, the Berner Oberland's most glamorous resort. Linking the Berner Oberland with the French-speaking...
Klosters
At one time simply a group of hamlets, Klosters has become a small but chic resort, made up mostly of weathered-wood and white-stucco chalets. The...
Grindelwald
Not counting its sheer Alpine beauty (3,393 feet), this town remains among the most popular in the Berner Oberland for the simple reason that it...
Schaffhausen
A city of about 37,000, Schaffhausen was from the early Middle Ages on an important depot for river cargoes, which—because of the rapids and waterfall...
Sion
Rearing up in the otherwise deltalike flatlands of the western Valais, two otherworldly twin hills flank the ancient city of Sion. The two hills together...
Appenzell
Isolated from St. Gallen by a ridge of green hills, Appenzell is divided into two sub-cantons, Appenzell Ausserrhoden and Appenzell Innerrhoden. Both make up one...
Chur
Narrow streets, cobblestone alleys, hidden courtyards, and ancient shuttered buildings hint that this Alpine city is the oldest city in Switzerland. The biggest little town...
Scuol and Tarasp-Vulpera
The villages of Scuol and Tarasp-Vulpera effectively form one large resort, although a car or bus is needed to travel between the two. The area...
Bellinzona
All roads lead to Bellinzona, the fortified valley city that guards the important European crossroads of the St. Gotthard and San Bernardino routes. The capital...
Ascona
Although it's only a few minutes from Locarno, tiny Ascona has a life of its own. The town was little more than a fishing village...
Stein-am-Rhein
The riverside Stein am Rhein is one of Switzerland's loveliest (and wealthiest) communities. It lies at a pivotal point where the Rhine leaves the Bodensee...
Leukerbad
At 4,628 feet, Leukerbad, called Loèche-les-Bains in French, is Europe's highest spa village; travelers have been ascending to this Alpine retreat for centuries to take...
Mürren
Mürren is perched on a mountaintop shelf—5,361 feet high, to be precise. This village, along with neighboring Wengen, has always lured the rich and famous...
Gruyères
Rising above the plain on a rocky crag against a backdrop of Alpine foothills, the castle village of Gruyères seduces from afar. This perfect specimen...
Les Alpes Vaudoises
At the eastern tip of Lac Léman, the Alps on the French and Swiss sides close in on the Rhône, and the lakefront highways begin...
St-Saphorin
At the end of the Corniche Road, just west of Vevey, St-Saphorin is perched above the water. With its impossibly narrow, steep cobbled streets and...
Maienfeld
Above this graceful little village full of fountains, vineyards, and old stucco houses, the Zürich author Johanna Spyri set Heidi, the much-loved children's story of...
Murten
The ancient town of Murten, known in French as Morat, is a popular resort on the Murtensee/Lac de Morat (Lake Murten). The bilingual town has...
Aletsch
Ice-capped peaks with small mountain resorts staggered up their spines rim the Aletsch, a glacier that shares its name with the area surrounding it, paralleling...
Les Diablerets
This small resort (3,806 feet) lies at the base of the 10,525-foot peak of the same name—which sheds the dramatic namesake 9,840-foot glacier. The village...
Lauterbrunnen
Acclaimed by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, as "the stateliest bit of landstrip," the Lauterbrunnen Valley is often ranked as one of the most beautiful places in...
Brienz
The romantic waterfront village of Brienz, world renowned for its wood carving, is a favorite stop for people traveling by boat as well as by...
Vitznau
For a quintessentially scenic spot, stop over in Vitznau, a tiny waterfront resort that competes with Weggis for the balmiest weather. Small as this village...
Val d'Anniviers
If you drive east of Sierre and south of the Rhône, following signs for Vissoie, you enter a wild and craggy valley called Val d'Anniviers...
Thun
Built on an island in the River Aare as it flows from Lake Thun, this picturesque market town is laced with rushing streams crossed by...
Morges
On the waterfront just west of the urban sprawl of Lausanne, Morges is a pleasant lake town favored by sailors and devotees of its Fête...
Nyon
Lovely Nyon, with its waterfront drive, shops, museums, and a castle dominating its cliff-top Old Town, was founded by Julius Caesar around 45 BC as...
Weggis
With a pretty waterfront park and promenade, Weggis is a summer resort town known for its mild, almost subtropical climate—little wonder that it is a...
Stans
In the heart of lush valley terrain and mossy meadows, Stans is an old village whose appealing Old Town center is dotted with the deep-roof...
Yverdon-les-Bains
With a center closed to traffic, Yverdon-les-Bains is a charming, bustling place. Located at the southernmost tip of Lac de Neuchâtel, this pastel-colored lakefront town...
Schwyz
This historic town is the capital of the canton Schwyz, root of the name Switzerland and source of the nation's flag. Switzerland's most precious archives...
Toggenburg Valley
...
Walensee
Between Liechtenstein and Zürich, the spectacular, blue-green lake called the Walensee stretches 16 km (10 miles) through the mountains, reflecting the jagged Churfirsten peaks. Once...
Prangins
You'll see the elegant hillside château that's home to the national museum before you reach this little commune, where the pace of life moves gently...
Morcote
At the southernmost tip of the glorious Ceresio Peninsula is the atmospheric village of Morcote, its clay-colored houses and arcades looking directly over the waterfront...
Estavayer-le-Lac
Along with its history-soaked and highly picturesque Old Town (in summer, don't miss the Saturday morning market bursting with local produce), lakeside Estavayer is a...
Martigny
At the foot of the Col du Grand St-Bernard, Martigny has long been a commercial crossroads. A small, primarily residential town backed by vineyards, it...
Meiringen
Set apart from the twin lakes and saddled between the roads to the Sustenpass and the Brünigpass, Meiringen is a resort town with more than...
Spiez
With its mild climate and lakeside location, Spiez provides a striking contrast to the snowy Alps. A good reason to visit might be the nearby...
Parc Naziunal Svizzer
This Swiss National Park is a magnificent federal preserve of virtually virgin wilderness teeming with local wildlife...
Wengen
Lord Byron, Consuelo Vanderbilt (the Duchess of Marlborough), and other posh folks put Wengen on the map, spreading the word about its incomparable eagle's-nest perch...
Brig
A rail and road junction joining four cantons, this small but vital town for centuries has been a center of trade with Italy. Often overlooked...
Hilterfingen and Oberhofen
Lake Thun is famous for its waterside castles, and Hilterfingen and Oberhofen, a little farther along the shore, have two of the best...
Altdorf
Schiller's play Wilhelm Tell sums up the tale for the Swiss, who perform his play religiously in venues all over the country—including the town of...
St-Maurice
Pushed up against a stern, gray rock face, this small town is quiet and peaceful, with patrician homes lining its Grand-Rue. Once a customs station...
Bodensee
Known in English as Lake Constance, the Bodensee is about 65 km (40 miles) long and 15 km (9 miles) wide, making it second in...
Campione
In the heart of Swiss Italy lies Campione. Here, in this southernmost of regions, the police cars have Swiss license plates but the officers inside...
Gandria
Although its narrow waterfront streets are crowded with tourists, the tiny historic village of Gandria still merits a visit, either by boat or by car...
Zernez
This friendly little crossroads, the last town before the higher valley of the Inn, lies along the route over the Ofen Pass to the Val...
Payerne
The meandering streets in this market town are filled with pastel-painted 18th-century buildings, now converted to shops and restaurants. The star attraction, however, remains the...
Iseltwald
Set on a lovely and picturesque peninsula jutting out into the quiet waters of the lake, Iseltwald has a bevy of cafés, rental chalets, and...
Lutry
From its origins as a simple fishing village, this medieval town on the skirt hem of Lausanne expanded in the 11th century with the installation...
Kreuzlingen and Konstanz
The German city of Konstanz, with its Swiss-side twin of Kreuzlingen, dominates the straits that open into the Bodensee. Though Kreuzlingen itself offers little of...
Coppet
...
Mt. Pilatus
Unlike Queen Victoria, who rode to the summit of this 6,953-foot mountain by mule in 1868, you can travel to Mt. Pilatus via cable car...
Route du Vignoble
Parallel to the waterfront highway, threading through the steep-sloping vineyards between Nyon and Lausanne, the Route du Vignoble (Vineyard Road) unfolds a rolling green landscape...
Col du Grand St-Bernard
...
Arenenberg
East of Stein-am-Rhein the Rhine opens up into the Untersee, the lower branch of the Bodensee. In its center lies the German island of Reichenau...
Bulle
With more than 17,000 inhabitants, the town of Bulle has many attractions worthy of a larger destination: a castle (not open to the public), three-story...
Grandson
A tour of the Old Town of Grandson is eminently worthwhile. The church, tower, fountains, and narrow streets lined with extraordinary facades make this a...
Gottlieben
The village of Gottlieben has a Dominican monastery-castle, where the Protestant reformers Jan Hus and Jerome of Prague were imprisoned in the 15th century by...
Valle Verzasca
Ticino's mountain valleys, just a short distance from its major cities, are rugged reminders of the region's modest history. Stone homes, called rustici, dot the...
Bürgenstock
The rich have always headed to Lake Luzern, thanks, in good part, to the famous Bürgenstock hotel resort. This high-end hideaway, perched atop its own...
Bürglen
Wilhelm Tell was supposedly from the tiny, turreted town of Bürglen, just up the road from Altdorf...
Mt. Santis
Mt. Säntis bills itself as “the mountain,” and it’s hard to argue with that. Soaring 8,209 feet, it offers Alpine views as stunning as its...
Guarda
The former main road through the Inn Valley (Engadine) was higher up on the slopes than today's road. It passed through Guarda, one of a...
Romont
The best way to approach this 13th-century town of two broad streets is to leave the highway and drive up to its castle terrace. The...
Rütli Meadow
At the south end of Lake Luzern, past the gorgeously scenic Seelisberg Peninsula, the narrow, majestic Urnersee accesses some of the most legendary landmarks in...
Zürich
Zürich, which sits astride the Limmat River at the point where it emerges from the Zürichsee (Lake Zürich), is a beautiful city. Its charming Altstadt...
Geneva
Long known for its watches, chocolate, and banks, Geneva is a postcard-perfect city with a rich history as a haven for cultural freethinkers and a...
Basel
Although it lacks the gilt and glitter of Zürich and the Latin grace of Geneva, in many ways Basel (Bâle in French) is more sophisticated...
Bern
Bern, the federal capital of Switzerland, is a picturesque medieval city whose creators had a keen eye for detail—a trait shared by today’s inhabitants, who...
Luzern
Luzern city is a convenient base for excursions all over central Switzerland. The countryside here is tame, and the vast Vierwaldstättersee offers a prime opportunity...
Lausanne
"Lausanne is a block of picturesque houses, spilling over two or three gorges, which spread from the same central knot, and are crowned by a...
Lugano
Strung around a sparkling bay like Venetian glass beads, with dark, conical mountains rising out of its waters and icy peaks framing the scene, Lugano...
St. Moritz
Who put the ritz in St. Moritz? Undoubtedly, St. Moritz's reputation was made by the people who go there and who have been going there...
Zermatt and the Matterhorn
Despite its fame—which stems from the iconic Matterhorn and its excellent ski facilities—Zermatt is a resort with its feet on the ground. It protects its...
Interlaken
Often touted as a town without character, Interlaken has patiently borne the brunt of being called "the best place in Switzerland to get away from"—but...
Crans-Montana
This French-speaking resort rises above the valley on a steep, sheltered shelf at 4,904 feet. It commands a broad view across the Rhône Valley to...
Fribourg
Between the rich pasturelands of the Swiss plateau and the Alpine foothills, the Sarine River (called the Saane by German speakers) twists in an S-curve...
Verbier
A big part of Verbier's appeal is skiing on sunny slopes and the fact that it has a high-tech, state-of-the-art sports complex that links Quatre...
St. Gallen
Switzerland's largest eastern city, bustling St. Gallen is dominated by students during the school year. The narrow streets of the Altstadt (Old Town) are flanked...
Davos
At 5,116 feet, this highest "city" (stretching the definition) in Europe is good for cold-weather sports even in the soggiest of winters. Davos is famous...
Arosa
Thanks to its altitude of 5,900 feet, the picturesque village of Arosa is a well-known year-round sports center, offering brisk hiking, paragliding, and other activities...
Vevey
In the 1870s Henry James captured this waterfront town's mood of prim grace while writing (and setting) Daisy Miller in the Hôtel des Trois Couronnes...
Neuchatel
At the foot of the Jura Mountains, flanked by vineyards and facing southeast, the city of Neuchâtel enjoys panoramic views of Lac de Neuchâtel and...
Montreux
Montreux might be called the Cannes of Lac Léman—though it might raise an eyebrow at the slur. Spilling down steep hillsides into a sunny south-facing...
Pontresina
On a south-facing shelf along the Flaz Valley, Pontresina is a beautiful resort town. It grew by converting its farmhouses to pensions and hotels for...
Locarno
Superbly placed on the sheltered curve of the northernmost tip of Lago Maggiore and surrounded on all sides by mountains, Locarno is Switzerland's sunniest town...
Grindelwald
Not counting its sheer Alpine beauty (3,393 feet), this town remains among the most popular in the Berner Oberland for the simple reason that it...
Saas-Fee
Quieter and more low-key than Zermatt is the village of Saas-Fee, a car-free mountain resort with a family-friendly vibe. Saas-Fee also has a fantastic network...
Klosters
At one time simply a group of hamlets, Klosters has become a small but chic resort, made up mostly of weathered-wood and white-stucco chalets. The...
Gstaad
The four fingerlike valleys of the Saanenland find their palm at Gstaad, the Berner Oberland's most glamorous resort. Linking the Berner Oberland with the French-speaking...
Schaffhausen
A city of about 37,000, Schaffhausen was from the early Middle Ages on an important depot for river cargoes, which—because of the rapids and waterfall...
Sion
Rearing up in the otherwise deltalike flatlands of the western Valais, two otherworldly twin hills flank the ancient city of Sion. The two hills together...
Appenzell
Isolated from St. Gallen by a ridge of green hills, Appenzell is divided into two sub-cantons, Appenzell Ausserrhoden and Appenzell Innerrhoden. Both make up one...
Chur
Narrow streets, cobblestone alleys, hidden courtyards, and ancient shuttered buildings hint that this Alpine city is the oldest city in Switzerland. The biggest little town...
Scuol and Tarasp-Vulpera
The villages of Scuol and Tarasp-Vulpera effectively form one large resort, although a car or bus is needed to travel between the two. The area...
Bellinzona
All roads lead to Bellinzona, the fortified valley city that guards the important European crossroads of the St. Gotthard and San Bernardino routes. The capital...
Stein-am-Rhein
The riverside Stein am Rhein is one of Switzerland's loveliest (and wealthiest) communities. It lies at a pivotal point where the Rhine leaves the Bodensee...
Ascona
Although it's only a few minutes from Locarno, tiny Ascona has a life of its own. The town was little more than a fishing village...
Leukerbad
At 4,628 feet, Leukerbad, called Loèche-les-Bains in French, is Europe's highest spa village; travelers have been ascending to this Alpine retreat for centuries to take...
Mürren
Mürren is perched on a mountaintop shelf—5,361 feet high, to be precise. This village, along with neighboring Wengen, has always lured the rich and famous...
Gruyères
Rising above the plain on a rocky crag against a backdrop of Alpine foothills, the castle village of Gruyères seduces from afar. This perfect specimen...
Les Alpes Vaudoises
At the eastern tip of Lac Léman, the Alps on the French and Swiss sides close in on the Rhône, and the lakefront highways begin...
St-Saphorin
At the end of the Corniche Road, just west of Vevey, St-Saphorin is perched above the water. With its impossibly narrow, steep cobbled streets and...
Maienfeld
Above this graceful little village full of fountains, vineyards, and old stucco houses, the Zürich author Johanna Spyri set Heidi, the much-loved children's story of...
Murten
The ancient town of Murten, known in French as Morat, is a popular resort on the Murtensee/Lac de Morat (Lake Murten). The bilingual town has...
Aletsch
Ice-capped peaks with small mountain resorts staggered up their spines rim the Aletsch, a glacier that shares its name with the area surrounding it, paralleling...
Lauterbrunnen
Acclaimed by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, as "the stateliest bit of landstrip," the Lauterbrunnen Valley is often ranked as one of the most beautiful places in...
Brienz
The romantic waterfront village of Brienz, world renowned for its wood carving, is a favorite stop for people traveling by boat as well as by...
Les Diablerets
This small resort (3,806 feet) lies at the base of the 10,525-foot peak of the same name—which sheds the dramatic namesake 9,840-foot glacier. The village...
Vitznau
For a quintessentially scenic spot, stop over in Vitznau, a tiny waterfront resort that competes with Weggis for the balmiest weather. Small as this village...
Thun
Built on an island in the River Aare as it flows from Lake Thun, this picturesque market town is laced with rushing streams crossed by...
Weggis
With a pretty waterfront park and promenade, Weggis is a summer resort town known for its mild, almost subtropical climate—little wonder that it is a...
Morges
On the waterfront just west of the urban sprawl of Lausanne, Morges is a pleasant lake town favored by sailors and devotees of its Fête...
Val d'Anniviers
If you drive east of Sierre and south of the Rhône, following signs for Vissoie, you enter a wild and craggy valley called Val d'Anniviers...
Nyon
Lovely Nyon, with its waterfront drive, shops, museums, and a castle dominating its cliff-top Old Town, was founded by Julius Caesar around 45 BC as...
Stans
In the heart of lush valley terrain and mossy meadows, Stans is an old village whose appealing Old Town center is dotted with the deep-roof...
Schwyz
This historic town is the capital of the canton Schwyz, root of the name Switzerland and source of the nation's flag. Switzerland's most precious archives...
Yverdon-les-Bains
With a center closed to traffic, Yverdon-les-Bains is a charming, bustling place. Located at the southernmost tip of Lac de Neuchâtel, this pastel-colored lakefront town...
Prangins
You'll see the elegant hillside château that's home to the national museum before you reach this little commune, where the pace of life moves gently...
Spiez
With its mild climate and lakeside location, Spiez provides a striking contrast to the snowy Alps. A good reason to visit might be the nearby...
Estavayer-le-Lac
Along with its history-soaked and highly picturesque Old Town (in summer, don't miss the Saturday morning market bursting with local produce), lakeside Estavayer is a...
Morcote
At the southernmost tip of the glorious Ceresio Peninsula is the atmospheric village of Morcote, its clay-colored houses and arcades looking directly over the waterfront...
Walensee
Between Liechtenstein and Zürich, the spectacular, blue-green lake called the Walensee stretches 16 km (10 miles) through the mountains, reflecting the jagged Churfirsten peaks. Once...
Martigny
At the foot of the Col du Grand St-Bernard, Martigny has long been a commercial crossroads. A small, primarily residential town backed by vineyards, it...
Meiringen
Set apart from the twin lakes and saddled between the roads to the Sustenpass and the Brünigpass, Meiringen is a resort town with more than...
St-Maurice
Pushed up against a stern, gray rock face, this small town is quiet and peaceful, with patrician homes lining its Grand-Rue. Once a customs station...
Wengen
Lord Byron, Consuelo Vanderbilt (the Duchess of Marlborough), and other posh folks put Wengen on the map, spreading the word about its incomparable eagle's-nest perch...
Brig
A rail and road junction joining four cantons, this small but vital town for centuries has been a center of trade with Italy. Often overlooked...
Parc Naziunal Svizzer
This Swiss National Park is a magnificent federal preserve of virtually virgin wilderness teeming with local wildlife...
Bodensee
Known in English as Lake Constance, the Bodensee is about 65 km (40 miles) long and 15 km (9 miles) wide, making it second in...
Altdorf
Schiller's play Wilhelm Tell sums up the tale for the Swiss, who perform his play religiously in venues all over the country—including the town of...
Hilterfingen and Oberhofen
Lake Thun is famous for its waterside castles, and Hilterfingen and Oberhofen, a little farther along the shore, have two of the best...
Mt. Pilatus
Unlike Queen Victoria, who rode to the summit of this 6,953-foot mountain by mule in 1868, you can travel to Mt. Pilatus via cable car...
Gandria
Although its narrow waterfront streets are crowded with tourists, the tiny historic village of Gandria still merits a visit, either by boat or by car...
Campione
In the heart of Swiss Italy lies Campione. Here, in this southernmost of regions, the police cars have Swiss license plates but the officers inside...
Payerne
The meandering streets in this market town are filled with pastel-painted 18th-century buildings, now converted to shops and restaurants. The star attraction, however, remains the...
Kreuzlingen and Konstanz
The German city of Konstanz, with its Swiss-side twin of Kreuzlingen, dominates the straits that open into the Bodensee. Though Kreuzlingen itself offers little of...
Zernez
This friendly little crossroads, the last town before the higher valley of the Inn, lies along the route over the Ofen Pass to the Val...
Lenzerheide and Valbella
...
Iseltwald
Set on a lovely and picturesque peninsula jutting out into the quiet waters of the lake, Iseltwald has a bevy of cafés, rental chalets, and...
Coppet
...
Lutry
From its origins as a simple fishing village, this medieval town on the skirt hem of Lausanne expanded in the 11th century with the installation...
Guarda
The former main road through the Inn Valley (Engadine) was higher up on the slopes than today's road. It passed through Guarda, one of a...
Romont
The best way to approach this 13th-century town of two broad streets is to leave the highway and drive up to its castle terrace. The...
Mt. Santis
Mt. Säntis bills itself as “the mountain,” and it’s hard to argue with that. Soaring 8,209 feet, it offers Alpine views as stunning as its...
Bürgenstock
The rich have always headed to Lake Luzern, thanks, in good part, to the famous Bürgenstock hotel resort. This high-end hideaway, perched atop its own...
Bürglen
Wilhelm Tell was supposedly from the tiny, turreted town of Bürglen, just up the road from Altdorf...
Gottlieben
The village of Gottlieben has a Dominican monastery-castle, where the Protestant reformers Jan Hus and Jerome of Prague were imprisoned in the 15th century by...
Rütli Meadow
At the south end of Lake Luzern, past the gorgeously scenic Seelisberg Peninsula, the narrow, majestic Urnersee accesses some of the most legendary landmarks in...
Arenenberg
East of Stein-am-Rhein the Rhine opens up into the Untersee, the lower branch of the Bodensee. In its center lies the German island of Reichenau...
Bulle
With more than 17,000 inhabitants, the town of Bulle has many attractions worthy of a larger destination: a castle (not open to the public), three-story...
Valle Verzasca
Ticino's mountain valleys, just a short distance from its major cities, are rugged reminders of the region's modest history. Stone homes, called rustici, dot the...
Grandson
A tour of the Old Town of Grandson is eminently worthwhile. The church, tower, fountains, and narrow streets lined with extraordinary facades make this a...
Engelberg
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Graubünden
Although the names of its biggest resorts, such as St. Moritz and Davos, register almost automatic recognition, the region wrapped around them remains surprisingly unsung...
Valais
For many visitors, Valais is the only part of Switzerland they ever see—and for good reason. After all, 40 of the 52 13,000-foot peaks in...
Vaud
In just one region, you can experience a complete cultural, gastronomic, and scenic sweep of Switzerland. Vaud (pronounced Voh) has a stunning Gothic cathedral (Lausanne)...
Berner Oberland
There are times when the reality of Switzerland puts postcard idealization to shame, surpassing advertising-image peaks and skies. Those times happen most often in the...
Ticino
Ticino is a canton apart: graceful, open, laissez-faire. This is the most glamorous of Swiss regions: the waterfront promenades of Lugano, Locarno, and Ascona contain...
Luzern and Central Switzerland
With the mist rising off the water and the mountains looming above in the morning sun, it’s easy to understand why people are mesmerized by...
Eastern Switzerland
Switzerland’s Germanic region bordering Germany and Austria should scream authenticity. Instead, it moos. With almost more cows (and alphorns) than people, Zürich’s quiet neighbor offers...
Fribourg and Neuchâtel
Shouldered by the more prominent cantons of Bern and Vaud, Fribourg and Neuchâtel are easily overlooked by hurried visitors. If they do stop, it is...
Toggenburg Valley
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Route du Vignoble
Parallel to the waterfront highway, threading through the steep-sloping vineyards between Nyon and Lausanne, the Route du Vignoble (Vineyard Road) unfolds a rolling green landscape...
Col du Grand St-Bernard
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Simplon Pass
Beginning just outside Brig, this historic road meanders through deep gorges and wide, barren, rock-strewn pastures to offer increasingly beautiful views back toward Brig. At...
Tellskapelle
Have your camera ready for this magnificently picturesque lakeside chapel, set at the foot of the Axen mountain...
Kander Valley
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Shop NowFodor's Essential Switzerland
Whether you want to ski in the shadow of the Matterhorn, try fondue in Gruyères, or hike...
