Things to Do
Switzerland has something for everyone. There are wonderful museums and historic, old-town city centers. There are world-class hiking routes, trail running expeditions, biking and skiing, and all manner of adventure sports, from paragliding to vie ferrate to river rafting. The entire country is accessible by train, cable car, or bus, and you can take great sightseeing tours of mountain passes, alpine villages, and wonderful viewpoints without even needing to hike far at all. It’s a superb family destination, with special deals for kids, exciting playgrounds, pools and spas, and a wonderful chance to enjoy being outdoors in a safe and stunning location. And to top it off, the hotels are among the best in the world, and the food is better than you think it will be, with regional specialties made from fresh local ingredients.
Culture
Ballenberg Museum
A living history museum in the Bernese Oberland. A full day trip that is great for learning about traditional crafts.
Lion of Lucerne
The dying lion is a monument to fallen Swiss soldiers fighting as mercenaries at the Tuileries in 1792. Mark Twain called it “the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world.”
Adventure
Gornergrat
The Gornergrat ridge separates Zermatt from Monte Rosa and most of the large mountains surrounding the village. This cogwheel train, over 100 years old, brings you to one of Zermatt’s best viewpoints.
Paragliding
Paragliding could easily be viewed as one of the more extreme sports available to Alpine adventurers. Alpinehikers employee, Mike Cullen, found it was surprisingly accessible and a ton of fun.
Sightseeing
Glacier Express
An 8 hour journey between Zermatt and St. Moritz, this panoramic train isn’t fast, but it is direct, and is Switzerland’s most famous train journey.
Jungfraujoch
Switzerland’s highest railway station – there are tunnels carved into the ice, but the main attraction is the view of the Aletsch glacier, the longest glacier in the Alps.
Family Fun
Lake Lucerne
Lake steamers offer boat tours of varying length. For spending a day around Lucerne, consider one of these relaxing trips.
Jungfraujoch
Switzerland’s highest railway station – there are tunnels carved into the ice, but the main attraction is the view of the Aletsch glacier, the longest glacier in the Alps.