The Swiss capital, Bern, is a charming old city filled with classic examples of Germen, French and Swiss architecture. The great cathedral, in the centre of Bern's old district, dominate the city, which otherwise also contains numerous other historic sights. The river Aare traverses the city and also contributes to the very special charm and idyll of the Swiss capital.
Switzerland's oldest town, Chur, has benefited from its good location by the pass roads to Italy for centuries. Chur's long history has marked the city, and you'll among other things, find a fantastic cathedral, filled with art treasures.
St. Moritz hosted the Olympic Winter Games in 1928 and 1948, and the area is fantastically well suited for all kinds of winter sports. All the slopes and pistes are located at 1,800 metres height and above, and ski lifts and aerial ropeways en masse takes care of the transport between the various areas. St. Moritz can also offer a stay at a health resort by the city's hot springs, whose health-bringing qualities have been known for centuries.
Around 200,000 tourists visit the Swiss National Park every year, and with good reason. The park contains unique examples of Switzerland's flora and fauna, and cars are permitted. The national park has been situated south of the Inn River for more than 100 years, and strict surveillance makes sure that visitors get a great experience.
The charming Fribourg is situated at the bank of the curly Saane River, and is the capital of the canton of Fribourg as well. A walk through the streets of the city is like a walk back in time. Fribourg is rightly proud of its many historical buildings, of which the church Église des Cordeliers, with its famous altarpieces, should be mentioned.
Le Jet d'Eau is a fountain located in Lake Geneva and serves in the summer as the city's landmark. The fantastic jet of water can reach as high as 145 metres, and the fountain is lit on Sundays and holidays. It doesn't spurt during the winter.
Cathédrale de Saint Pierre, from the 12th century, has been the object of several interesting excavations. It has been burned several times, but has always been rebuilt. The church is situated on Place du Bourg-de-Four, constituting Geneva's actual city centre, and a tour of the church can turn into a longer trip.
Geneva contains a large number of idyllic parks, where the fountains and intimate concert music constitute a perfect setting for a relaxing trip away from the sometimes rather hectic city.
Gstaad, in western Berner Oberland, is on the same level as St. Moritz, regarding winter sports facilities. The city has almost everything a traveller can expect from an international winter sport resort. In the summer, Gstaad hosts the international tennis tournament Swiss Open and a just as international classical music festival.
Interlaken is the essence of Swiss tourism, where you'll find a fantastic view of the immense Jungfrau, the more than 100 year old hotel Grand Hotel Victoria-Jungfrau and an atmosphere of classical Swiss romanticism.
La Chaux-de-Fonds is the centre of Switzerland's famous production of clocks. There's an interesting museum of clocks, where you can experience the fascinating art of time measurement, from the Antiquity to today. The city can furthermore boast of a house, designed by the famous architect Le Corbusier.
Below Notre Dame is Place de la Riponne, where you will find the beautiful Palais de Rumine, which among other things contains the art museum of Lausanne, Musée Cantonal des Beaux-Arts, where works of Swiss and French artists are exhibited.
Cathédrale de Notre Dame belongs to some of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in Switzerland. The cathedral was built in 1275, and the night watchers have sung out their romantic song over the rooftops every hour since.
Lausanne is the home of the Olympic Committee, as well as an Olympic Museum, where you can explore historical sports performances from the antiquity to today. There are video recordings of the more recent Games and the Olympic Flame burns in the surrounding park.
Locarno, by the banks of the lake Lago Maggiore, is a well-visited destination for many tourists. You can take a boat to both Italian and Swiss destinations from the shores of the lake, and the city host a long series of events throughout the year, such as a film festival in August.
A tour of Western Switzerland necessarily also includes a trip to Central Europe's largest waterfall, Rheinfall. The mighty river Rhône throws itself off the cliffs - a sight which will take most people's breath away.
Schaffhausen, the capital of the canton also called Schaffhausen, is, besides being an important industrial city, also an idyllic, charming city with an old district. This is also symbolizes through the city's attractions, which ranges form ancient monasteries and fortifications to a museum of modern international art.
The small town of Saignelégier is known for its horse breeding, and every summer a famous horse market is held, along with races, parades and presentations of new breeds. The surroundings are suited for a horseback holiday, and there are lot of places to rent a horse, with or without a carriage. In the winter, the area is a perfect place for cross-country skiing.
Strada Alta, on the eastside of Leventina, is a 45-km long hiking trail. The trip can be divided into lapses (there are many places to spend the night along the trail) and takes you through beautiful nature and by historical buildings.
Val Verzasca is a 30 km deep, beautiful valley, where a more than 200 years old bridge is used for bungee jumping. The valley contains a lot of small, cosy villages, old romantic bridges and marked hiking trails.
Situated picturesquely by Lake Geneva in Montreux, a visit at the Chateau de Chillon is a must. The castle, located on a small rocky island, served as prison for a series of years, and has in this role been the home of several celebrities.
The 4159 metres high peak, Jungfrau, is situated in the middle of an area with almost 100 km of mountain rail, and the road to Jungfrau is a must. The trip can start in Interlaken, where you take the train to Europe's highest situated train station, Jungfraujoch. From here, you go on by elevator, until you reach the Sfinx terrace about 3569 metres above sea level, where you can enjoy the view, go for a walk or both. You can also go skiing in the summer.
The view from the banks of Lake Geneva is magnificent and only improves the further up you get in the town of Montreux, which spreads out on a scenic mountain side. Partly because of Lake Geneva, Montreux has a very pleasant climate, covering the city with flowers during the summer months.
Tall snow clad peaks surround Lake Lugano, while the climate by the lake is most often warm and pleasant, due to its southern location. It is a very picturesque region, and Lake Lugano, along with its traditional hotels, long promenades and many parks, is also a great tourist magnet.
Zermatt is a classic of Swiss tourism, and with its unique location in 1600 metres height, and a fantastic view of Mt. Matterhorn (4478 m), it is understandable. Matterhorn's peak attracts thousands of mountain climbers each year, while the surrounding area is the object of massive ski tourism.
A shopping spree in Zürich's most exclusive shopping street, Bahnhofstrasse, can get very expensive very quickly. Here you'll find stylish jewellery- and fashion shops en masse, and it isn't unusual to meet a famous movie- or rock star.
The Roman church of Grossmünster, finished around the year 1200, serves as the city's landmark and is situated beautifully where Limmat River flows into Lake Zürich. The church contains treasures dating form Carl the Great, and is often used for concerts.
The Zürich Kunsthaus is internationally renowned for its many spectacular artworks. The museum concentrates on 19th and 20th century art and contains, among other things, a very large collection of the Norwegian artist Edward Munch's works.
