Most people associate Switzerland with the world-class banks, watches, pocket knives, cheeses and chocolate. The country is not very often chosen as a holiday destination, although it offers everything that is necessary during the holidays. You can enjoy the wonderful nature, friendly atmosphere, well-developed tourist infrastructure, tasty local cuisine and beautiful landscapes.
Weekend in Zurich – a culture-packed adventure
Switzerland’s largest city is famous for its numerous museums and art galleries. Even if you plan to visit Zurich in 48 hours, you should go to some of them – but to which exactly? We recommend the Landesmuseum Zürich, The Uhrenmuseum Beyer (Beyer Watch and Clock Museum), the Kunsthaus Zurich art gallery and the chocolate museum – Schokoladenmuseum der Schweiz, which opened last year. The Old Town is also a must see.
Get carried away and soak up the atmosphere of the charming streets and squares with fountains, of which there are about 1,200! Look up too – on the tower of St. Peter’s Basilica, you will see a clock with a dial that has a diameter of as much as 9 meters, and in the windows of the Fraumunster church, you will see stained glass designed by Marc Chagall. As you stroll down the Bahnhofstrasse, Zurich’s main street running from the historic train station, you can admire the boutiques of the local as well as the most famous brands.
Holidays in Zurich – close to nature
Owing to the fact that Zurich is located on Lake Zurich and the two rivers, Limmat and Sihl, it is a great destination for summer holidays. You can go on a cruise while observing the picturesque scenery. Do you prefer active recreation? In Zurich, there are natural bathing areas scattered along the shores of lakes and rivers. Admission to the oldest of them – Flussbad Unterer Letten or the swimming pool on the Limmat Au-Höngg River is free! For a nominal fee, you will enter Tiefenbrunnen Beach, Utoquai or Enge, to name but a few. Are you planning a small town trip? Go for the charming Rapperswil – the city of roses, the Höcklistein vineyard or the island of Ufenau. The panorama of the area can be seen from the viewpoint on Mount Uetliberg.
Lucerne – Switzerland in a nutshell
Lucerne is undoubtedly the tourist gem of Switzerland. Located on Lake of the four forested settlements, the River Reuss and at the foot of Mount Pilatus, it impresses with views and opportunities to spend time actively. It is worth coming here especially in summer to take advantage of the natural bathing areas on the lake with crystal clear water. The most popular are Strandbad Lido, Seebad Lucerne and Ufschötti, but there are many more official swimming pools and beaches. Each of these places feature bars and restaurants, as well as lawns where you can have a picnic and feel like a resident of Lucerne. In the afternoon, take a cruise on a historic rowing steamboat on the lake and admire Lucerne covered in the rays of the setting sun. Remember to bring a camera!
Lucerne – Alpine paradise
Do you prefer mountain trips to water activities? The area is full of trekking and climbing routes with breathtaking views. Visit the TITLIS Cliff Walk Suspension Bridge and have an adrenaline rush as you walk 500 meters above the ground at over 3,000 meters above sea level. Do you like being on the move? Complete at least one of the stages of the new Tell-Trail trekking route. During the summer season, you can also take the cable car up the Stanserhorn and eat dinner at the revolving restaurant at the top of the mountain. Remember to make a reservation!
Traveling to Lucerne with kids? Go to the Pilatus mountain range, to the Fräkmüntegg rope park, the largest in Switzerland, famous for its extensive panorama. You can also take the steepest cable car in the world to the village of Stoos and then walk or take the chairlift up to the Fronalpstock observation deck, from which you will see ten lakes and countless Alpine peaks!
Lugano – a fairy tale lake
Known as the city of parks, flowers and villas, Lugano is also the third largest financial center in Switzerland. No wonder multi-million transactions in numerous banks as well as walks on the shores of the stunning lake with the same name as the city are part of everyday life here. The historic city center – thanks to the traffic ban for cars – encourages admiring the historic Lombard architecture and relaxing at the café tables. You will also get a moment of peace in numerous parks with subtropical vegetation, such as Parco Civico or Belvedere Gardens by the lake. Among the greenery you will also find modern sculptures. Can’t get enough of art? Visit the Museo Cantonale d’Arte to admire works by painters such as Klee, Renoir and Degas.
Lugano – Switzerland you don’t know
Located right on the border with Italy, Lugano enjoys pleasant summer temperatures that are great not only for relaxing in the shade of olive trees, but also for hiking in the mountains. And there will be no shortage of excursion destinations! Go to Monte San Salvatore, Monte San Giorgio, Monte Generoso or Monte Brè and see the lake and the most beautiful panorama in this part of Switzerland from above. Along the way, stop at traditional Alpine villages, such as Brè or Carona, to see up-close examples of Alpine architecture typical for the area. Would you like to see the city from the water? Go on a cruise ship or rent a boat. You can also admire the panorama on a bike tour around Lago di Lugano – both on the Swiss and the Italian side.
Switzerland – where is it worth going? Locarno awaits
If you’re dreaming of a Swiss, Italian-style vacation, don’t miss out on Locarno. A town located on Lake Maggiore, through which the Swiss-Italian border passes, is a guarantee of not only effective rest, but also predictable weather. Locarno, with 2,300 hours of sunny weather a year, is considered the warmest place in the country. The local climate is conducive not only to sunbathing and swimming in the crystal clear waters of Lago Maggiore, but also to the blossoming of local, southern European nature with lemon trees, palm trees and camellias.
What’s worth seeing here? Certainly the Madonna del Sasso church in Orselina, which can be viewed either through using the funicular towering above the town or on foot along the marked trail. It is also a stop on the way to the Passerelle or Cardada observation platforms or to the Cimetta peak, from where you will see amazing panoramas of the city and the Alps reflecting in the lake’s surface.
Not only the Locarno Film Festival
In Locarno itself, it is worth taking a walk along the well-kept boulevard on the shores of the lake and its narrow, atmospheric streets or going to the Piazza Grande square. There you will find a variety of stalls with local delicacies such as sheep milk cheese, sweet chestnuts, polenta and fresh pasta. In August, film screenings take place here as part of the world-class Locarno Film Festival. Do you like monuments? Feel the spirit of the past at the 12th-century Castello Visconteo.
A must-do during a tourist trip to Locarno is a cruise on Lago Maggiore. Interestingly, its route leads not only along the Swiss part of the lake, but also along the Italian shore with picturesque villages. Alternatively, you can take the Lago Maggiore Express Tour that includes a boat and a narrow-gauge train ride from Locarno to Domodossola and Stresa in Italy. Do you like trekking? Go to the valleys of Verzasca, Maggia or the peaks nearby.
Lausanne – Switzerland in a nutshell
Although Lausanne is one of Switzerland’s largest cities, it has far more of a tourist resort than a metropolitan center. It is situated on three hills, in the vicinity of vineyards and on Lake Geneva, i.e. Lac Léman, where you can see the peaks of the Savoyard Alps lying on the opposite, already French, shore. This place offers a huge range of possibilities not only to culture and history aficionados, but also fans of active leisure – swimming, trekking, jogging or cycling. No wonder that this is where since the beginning of the 20th century the International Olympic Committee has had its headquarters!
The close proximity to France clearly influences the atmosphere of Lausanne – both its architecture, urban planning of the city with narrow streets and numerous squares with cafes, as well as local cuisine, e.g. sausages stewed with cabbage and leek casserole, i.e. Papet Vaudois. From the port in the city center, you can travel by boat to the French towns on the other side of the lake, Évian-les-Bains and Thonon-les-Bains.
What to do in Lausanne?
How can you spend time in Lausanne? A perfect place for walking and eating in atmospheric cafes and bistros is the medieval old town almost entirely car-free, with the early Gothic Notre Dame cathedral towering over the city. You will also go to Pauld Square with Lausanne’s oldest fountain and to the Ouchy district by the water, famous for its parks with Mediterranean vegetation, medieval castles and splendid historic hotels.
Do you like interacting with art? In Lausanne you will find interesting exhibitions at the Beaulie Castle, Musée de l’Elysée, Palais de Rumine, Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts or at the Fondation de l’Hermitage. Lausanne is also home to the famous Béjart ballet – buy tickets for a performance in advance! Are you planning a vacation in Lausanne with children? Go to Aquatis, the largest freshwater aquarium in Europe.
Bern – Switzerland for a vacation
Is Bern, the capital of Switzerland, a good choice for a vacation? Definitely! Despite its status, it is only the fourth largest urban center in the country and fortunately boasts a peaceful atmosphere conducive to a comfortable rest. Bern is considered to be one of the safest and most enjoyable places in the world. In the city center, girded almost entirely by the Aare River, the historic character of the architecture has been successfully preserved. You will find here, among others, the UNESCO World Heritage Site Old Town with six-kilometer-long arcades known as Lauben, the 101-meter-high Münster cathedral tower with an observation platform, and the streets of Marktgasse and Kramgasse with historic fountains and buildings with sandstone facades.
Swiss city break in Bern
So you would like to spend a weekend in Bern and wonder what’s there to see? In addition to the delightful old town, the city is also famous for its bear park (BärenPark). Located on the river bank, since 1513 the park has been home to brown bears, the symbol of the city. In the vicinity, it is also worth visiting the Rose Garden. The area, which is now a park, delights with the multitude of species including roses, rhododendrons, irises and lavender. For centuries the park served the residents of Bern as a cemetery. Today, you can admire not only flowering plants, but also the gardeners, who take care of each of them with due diligence.
If you get hungry, you will find here one of Bern’s most famous restaurants, Rosengarten. Art lovers cannot miss out on Zentrum Paul Klee with the painter’s works, in turn science enthusiasts must visit the Albert Einstein Museum. Do you prefer active leisure? The people of Bern swim in the river that is clean but has strong current, the Aare River. If you want to give yourself a try at this activity, you can go to the rocky beach at the Eichholz campsite or visit the area of the Schönausteg.