Switzerland Travelers Recommend

With high-speed trains that will take you from lakeside Zurich into the mountains in mere minutes, there’s nothing stopping you from escaping the city to explore the dramatic Swiss Alps. Winter ski resorts like Engelberg, Andermatt and Davos are all easily reached from the city center, but the best way to take in the sights is to book on a day or multi-day tour from Zurich. Visit the ‘Queen of the Swiss Mountains’, Mount Rigi on a day trip to the Lake Lucerne region, where you can ride Europe’s oldest cogwheel railway to the 1,800-meter summit, or head to nearby Mount Pilatus, where the world’s steepest cog railway climbs to the 2,132-meter peak. An even more thrilling way to scale the Alps is on the famous CabriO – a unique double-decker cable car, which offers unbeatable panoramas from its open-air top deck as you scale the peak of Mount Stanserhorn.

The lakeside medieval town of Lucerne is a cozy base for trips to Switzerland’s snow-capped Alps and mountain landscapes of the Bernese Oberland. The picture-perfect, orderly town takes to the streets for the March Fasnacht carnival, with lantern parades, costumed revelers, strolling musicians, and fireworks. Lucerne is one of Switzerland’s prettiest destinations, well deserving a day’s exploration of its historic sites. Then head to the hills of the Bernese Oberland and soaring Swiss Alps. Lucerne’s proud symbol is the 14th-century Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke) spanning the lake. Seventeenth-century paintings line the interior, and the bridge leads to an eight-sided water tower. The half-timbered medieval buildings of Lucerne’s Old Town are surrounded by rampart walls and watchtowers. The town’s poignant sculpture of a dying lion is unforgettable, and its Picasso Museum is another must-see.

Day 1: Art and the Old Town Zurich is home to a number of museums, of which the Landesmuseum , the biggest in Switzerland, is by far the most visited, with a permanent exhibition on the History of Switzerland and a beautiful park out the back. Art lovers should head to the Kunsthaus gallery to marvel at works by Giacometti and works by Monet, Fuseli and Dada. Day 2: Relax by day, party by night One of Zurich’s biggest attractions is its vast lake, and the best way to experience it is by taking a boat trip, many of which head up the river and afford some great views of the riverside sights. If the cool, still waters don’t pack enough of a punch, it’s an easy 45-minute train ride to the Rhine Falls, the largest waterfall in Europe. Day 3: Shopping in the city Zurich’s main shopping street, Bahnhofstrasse, is renowned throughout Europe, and it would be rude to leave the city without indulging in at least some window-shopping.

A nature lover’s playground tucked in the valleys of the Bernese Alps; Interlaken has earned itself a reputation as one of Switzerland’s most-visited destinations. Day 1: Explore the lakes Lake Thun is the region’s largest lake and a great place to start exploring the region. Take a dip in the water, try your hand at some water sports like wakeboarding or windsurfing, or hire a rowing boat to navigate the waters. Day 2: Get your adrenaline pumping Interlaken has earned itself a reputation as one of Europe’s premier adventure sport hotspots, so make sure you raise your heart rate with at least one new activity while you’re in town. Day 3: Take to the hills The surrounding mountains are the best place to fully appreciate the area’s stunning alpine scenery, with expansive vistas over the mountains, lakes and valleys.