Switzerland is one of the most gorgeous travel destinations in Europe. But which places should you put on your Switzerland Bucket List? Check it out!
Why is Switzerland such a great travel destination?
Clean air, endless blue lakes, and high mountains with snowy peaks. Switzerland is a top destination for hiking and outdoor enthusiasts. In addition to a lot of hiking trails, there are also many nice lovely cities to explore in Switzerland. What are you waiting for?
The most beautiful places in Switzerland
Which places in Switzerland are absolutely worth visiting? Here are 15 places to put on your Switzerland Bucket List.
Bern
Bern is the capital of Switzerland, but not the largest city in Switzerland, and therefore feels even cozier. The river Aare (a tributary of the Rhine) meanders through the city and it is great to check out the city from one of the beautiful bridges. Bern has a beautiful old city center where you can stroll around for hours to admire the historic buildings.
- Hotel tip: prizeotel Bern-City
- Fun thing to do: Learn about the historic city with this guided tour.
Photo: Danilo Capece | Unsplash
Zermatt & Matterhorn
Zermatt is a village at the foot of the impressive Matterhorn mountain and one of the most beautiful places to visit in Switzerland. The top of the mountain is at an altitude of no less than 4478 meters (14.691 feet). Does he also look familiar to you? That may be correct because the image of this mountain top is in the logo of Toblerone.
- Hotel tip: Hotel Hemizeus & Iremia Spa
- Best activity: Zermatt is a paradise for daredevils and outdoor enthusiasts. One of the coolest things to do is tandem paragliding with a view of the Matterhorn.
Photo: Phillip Gow | Unsplash
Ascona & Locarno
A piece of Italy in Switzerland! The towns of Ascona and Locarno are some really nice places in Switzerland. They are located right next to each other on the Italian Lake Maggiore and therefore have many Italian influences. Here you can see beautiful historic buildings, lots of flowers and (funnily enough) also palm trees. A walk along the lake is a must, the views are absolutely gorgeous.
- Hotel tip: Olive Boutique Hotel
Basel
If you’re a lover of art and architecture, Basel is one of the best cities in Switzerland to visit. It is bursting with impressive art museums and the buildings are spectacular. Take a look at Messe Basel for example. The eye in this building is a work of art in itself.
- Hotel tip: Hyperion Hotel Basel
- Fun thing to do: Take care of the inner man with this fun self-guided culinary tour.
Read more: The best things to do in Basel: 18 tips!
Grindelwald
Grindelwald is one of the most scenic villages in the Swiss Jungfrau region. Rolling green meadows full of cows (with bells!), Beautiful forests, and enormous mountains. A visit to the viewpoint of Grindelwald First is a must, the view is spectacular! You can get here by cable car, but it is also fantastic to hike to Grindelwald First.
- Hotel tip: Hotel Cabana
- Tip: Discover Grindelwald and its beautiful surroundings by train with the Jungfrau Travel Pass.
Lake Oeschinen
There are many beautiful lakes in Switzerland and Lake Oeschinen is certainly one of them. Steep rock faces and turquoise water. A lust for the eye! There are many beautiful hiking trails in the vicinity of the lake. And did you know that you can also swim in the lake during the summer months?
- Hotel tip: Bernerhof Swiss Quality Hotel
Aletsch Glacier
The longest glacier in Switzerland and the Alps is the Aletsch Glacier. The glacier has a length of 22.6 kilometers and unfortunately shrinks a bit every year. There are several viewpoints to check out the glacier and one of the most beautiful is at Bettmerhorn, which can be reached via a cable car.
- Hotel tip: Hotel Bettmerhof
Photo: Xavier von Erlach | Unsplash
Iseltwald & Giessbach waterfalls
Near Interlaken, there is a fairytale-like village called Iseltwald. It’s small and typically Swiss with all the wooden houses. Also interesting is that a part of the village is located on a peninsula in Lake Brienz.
Near Iseltwald, you will find the impressive Giessbach waterfalls. There are many fun hiking trails from Iseltwalt to the Giessbach waterfalls and you can also walk underneath these gorgeous waterfalls.
- Hotel tip: Grandhotel Giessbach
Rheinfall
Did you know that the largest waterfall in Europe is in Switzerland? The Rhine Falls is located in the river Rhine, north of Zurich, near the border with Germany. Although the waterfall is only 23 meters (75 feet) high, it is a whopping 150 meters (492 feet) wide and has tremendous power. A must-see when traveling in Switzerland.
- Hotel tip: Hotel Park Villa
- Fun thing to do: go on a boat trip along the Rhine Falls (with an audio tour).
The Lavaux Vineyard Terraces
Do you like wine? Then you are in the right place in Switzerland! One of the most beautiful places in Switzerland is The Lavaux Vineyard Terraces, which are also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It seems as if the vineyards extend into the lake, a picture to behold!
- Hotel tip: Crêt-Bérard
Photo: Gabriel Garcia Marengo | Unsplash
Lucerne
The city of Lucerne is located in central Switzerland and is surrounded by all the best things that Switzerland has to offer. It’s located on the shores of the gorgeous Lake Lucerne. The city is home to some interesting sights, like the Chapel Bridge, which is the oldest covered wooden bridge in Europe.
in addition, you have a great view of the Swiss Alps from Lucerne, with Mount Rigi and Mount Pilatus. If you enjoy hiking, you definitely need to get to Mount Pilatus, since it’s really scenic!
- Hotel tip: Château Gütsch – this 19th-century castle overlooking the city is a unique place to stay in Lucerne.
- Fun thing to do: Take the Panorama Gondola up Mount Pilatus and ride the world’s steepest cogwheel railway.
- Travel guide: Lucerne, Switzerland: And the Lake Lucerne Area
Lauterbrunnen
One of the reasons that I wanted to make a trip to Switzerland myself is because of the village of Lauterbrunnen. This village is located in a valley with very steep cliffs on both sides and there are many waterfalls to see. It is a real pleasure to go on a day hike in Lauterbrunnen, you will be amazed!
- Hotel tip: Hotel Silberhorn
- Fun thing to do: travel from Lauterbrunnen to Jungfraujoch, the highest railway station in Europe.
Geneva
In the very west of Switzerland is Geneva, Switzerland’s second-largest city. The location on Lake Geneva is really beautiful and the huge fountain is an eye-catcher. Geneva has a historic center with narrow streets and beautiful old buildings and it is wonderful to wander through it.
- Hoteltip: Ruby Claire Hotel Geneva
- Tip: Purchase a Geneva City Pass for great discounts on museums and attractions. In addition, you can also travel for free with public transport.
- Travel guide: Geneva, Switzerland: And the Lake Geneva Area
Read more: 18 Fun things to do in Geneva Switzerland
Creux du Van
Do you like spectacular nature reserves? Then you should definitely take a look at Creux du Van. This is an enormous steep rock face that’s 160 meters (525 feet) high. From Noiraigue you can go on a wonderful day hike to see this natural spectacle.
- Hotel tip: BNB Les Prises
Photo: Luca Pellegrini | Unsplash
Interlaken
Interlaken was my first encounter with Switzerland and I truly loved staying in this town. It is beautifully situated between two clear blue lakes, it has a pleasant old center and there are many beautiful hiking trails in the area. Interlaken is also a perfect base to visit other places on this list of the most beautiful places in Switzerland, including Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald.
- Hotel tip: Hotel Bernerhof
- Fun thing to do: Go paragliding in Interlaken and see the city, lakes and mountains from above.
Read more: The best things to do in Interlaken
Book a trip to Switzerland
Are you curious and would you like to travel to Switzerland and visit one (or more) places on this list of the most beautiful places in Switzerland? Switzerland is very centrally located in Europe and easy to travel to.
Travel to Switzerland by plane
Switzerland has a couple of international airports. For example, you can fly to Zurich, Basel, and Geneva. and make your way from there. The cheapest plane tickets can be found through Skyscanner.
Train Travel in Switzerland
In Switzerland, it’s very easy to travel by train, it actually has some of the most scenic train journeys in all of Europe. You can buy tickets at any station, but it can also be smart to buy a special Swiss Rail Pass, which can give a you big discount if you plan to travel a lot by train in Switzerland. Check Rail Europe for train tickets in Switzerland.
Rental Car in Switzerland
Do you prefer the flexibility of a car during your trip in Switzerland? You can rent a car in any (large) city. Making a reservation in advance is usually the cheapest way to rent a car in Europe. A toll sticker is almost always included with a rental car. Check out Rental Cars or Discover Cars to find the best deals on rental cars in Switzerland.
Want to read more about Switzerland?
You now know which places to add to your Switzerland Bucket List! Would you like some more Switzerland travel tips? Order one of these wonderful travel guides:
You can also find more information about a Switzerland vacation on this website. You might like to check out one of these articles:
- Switzerland on a budget: this is how you do it!
- 15 fun things to do in Chur Switzerland
- How to get to Grindelwald First
If you’d like some more travel inspiration about the most beautiful places in Europe, make sure to subscribe to my monthly newsletter.
This article was published in December 2020. Last update with even more Switzerland tips: September 2022.
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