Mountains, lakes, monuments, museums, cathedrals – there is a lot to see and discover in Switzerland. This Alpine country offers picture-perfect scenery wherever you go. Iconic architecture set against the backdrop of the Alps is a common sight, as are the bright blue lakes fed by pristine mountains just a few miles away. in this country. It’s almost hard to choose what you’ll need to see with your own eyes, but there are some sights more iconic than the others. A trip to Switzerland will always be one for the books. But since you’re already there, make sure to see some of the most important attractions with your own eyes.
It’s almost hard to choose what you’ll want to see when you come to Switzerland, but there are some sights that are definitely more iconic than the others. And in this post, I am going to highlight some of the best places to visit in Switzerland, just so you don’t miss anything.
Lucerne
Lucerne is a great city to visit if you want to have it all – city, lake, and mountains. When you are here, make sure you get to see the iconic Chapel Bridge. It’s one of the oldest wooden bridges in Europe, dating back to the 14th century. Today, the bridge serves as an outdoor art gallery of sorts with pictorial panels that depict the history of the city and of Switzerland. It leads to the Water Tower, built around 1300 as part of the city wall and used as an archive, treasury, prison and torture chamber. From here, there are fantastic day trips that you can take, making Lucerne a good home base for different kinds of adventures.
Zermatt
If there’s absolutely one image that people associate with Switzerland, it’s the Matterhorn. Even the chocolate from Toblerone is rumored to be modeled after it!
This world-famous mountain towers over the car-free, picturesque town of Zermatt. It also happens to sits right at the foot of the Matterhorn and is nestled in the middle of a ski region that covers 54 mountain railways and 360 kilometers of pistes. This is certainly a skier’s and snowboarder’s paradise, but it’s also a perfect place for families to have a memorable vacation. The mere sight of the Matterhorn is awe-inspiring in itself, but there are a lot of activities, attractions, and restaurants you can experience a mere cog railway ride up the mountain. Such things as panoramic hikes, feeding the local wildlife (in the wild), mountaineer spotting on the Matterhorn and much more.
Zurich
Zurich, Switzerland’s financial capital, is on almost every traveler’s itinerary when visiting Switzerland. It’s a perfect mix of cosmopolitan life, historical buildings, and nature’s splendor. While it’s known for being an expensive city to visit (it is the banking capital after all), there are a wealth of less expensive experiences to be had too. One thing you can’t miss, however, is a trip to the Old Town. Almost every Swiss has its own version of Old Town, but in Zurich, you’ll experience the an almost perfect harmony of old and new. This Medieval town brings history to life and lets visitors live the city’s multifaceted culture. The architecture, shops and restaurants, parks, and people of the Old Town will definitely be a highlight of your Switzerland trip. Especially with a river running right through the middle of it, and a lake at the end. What more could you ask for?
A common debate among travelers is to visit Zurich or another popular city, Geneva. If you don’t have time for both, this detailed guide can help you decide.
Gruyeres
The town of Gruyeres is like a fairytale come to life. This picture-perfect medieval town comes with its own iconic castle, and one of the main attractions you cannot miss. Castle of Gruyeres dates back to the 13th century, perfectly maintained like the rest of the town. It’s now a museum that packed with artifacts and art that depicting 800 years of regional architecture, history, and culture. As it sits on top of a hill, visitors are stunned by spectacular views all around. It’s also located near the H.R. Giger museum and bar (the crazy guy who created the aliens in Alien), which is another must-visit when in the town of Gruyere.
Interlaken
Interlaken is known for paragliding and parasailing, among so many other adventure tours you can take in the city. But no trip to Interlaken is complete without a trip to its local mountain, Harder Kulm. The funicular that scales 735 meters of altitude from Interlaken to Harder Kulm has been doing so for over 100 years. A viewing platform stands at 1,322 meters above sea level. It boasts a 360-degree view that includes Lake Brienz and Lake Thun, or admire the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. Visitors can also enjoy a hearty meal at the Harder Kulm Panorama Restaurant, reminiscent of a castle, which is also overlooking Interlaken.
If you miss one of these fantastic destinations in Switzerland, don’t worry you can always come for a second visit. Because, one thing is for sure, there is so much to see here it make take you a long time to tick it all off your list!
Roger is a drone enthusiast, traveler and lover of the outdoors. Originally from Australia, he is now living in Switzerland where he spends most of his time blogging, hiking, mountain biking or flying his Mavic Pro drone. You can find him online via his blog.
Looking for more information on Switzerland? Check out this 4 days in Switzerland itinerary.
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Nice post! My personal pick is Zermatt and the Glacier Express 🙂
Raring to go back and explore the Christmas Markets among the Swiss.
Awesome post Roger.
Never been to Switzerland but your amazing pictures definitely smart some interest. Thanks for sharing!
~bibi
I have pretty much been to these places except Zermatt. Considering the limited time I had when I went, I had to cut it out of my schedule 🙁 It looks so amazing in your pictures, I feel bad that I didn’t go! Switzerland is pretty awesome isn’t it ?
Beautiful pictures and such detailed post .. Loved reading it .. Have bookmarked it for my next trip .