Switzerland Insider

Here are my top 10 things to do in Switzerland when you travel.

Climb a mountain

Almost half of Switzerlands surface are mountains. They are breathtaking to look at but it’s such a great experience to be on top of one. Of course you can walk but nowadays there are a lot of Swiss mountains that run cable cars or cogwheel trains so you can get up there in comfort and focus on enjoy the stunning surroundings! Famous mountains are JungfraujochPilatusRigiBrienzer Rothorn, Titlis, Rochers-de-Naye and Diablerets.

The photo is the view from Titlis in Central Switzerland.

View from Titlis in Switzerland

Visit an authentic Swiss village

Of course one of the reasons you travel to Switzerland is to see the traditional chalets! You may now think that they are everywhere, but they only really exist in the Interlaken region. To visit them it is suggested to rent a car or plan some time as they are often a bit remote and buses run only a couple times a day. You will be most lucky around Lake Thun and Lake Brienz.

The village in the photo is called Habkern and a short drive from Interlaken.

Swiss village

Eat food the locals eat

Cheese Fondue and Raclette. Some Swiss dishes are popular, whereas others such as sliced veal and hash browns or Vogelheu, a dish with apples, bread and eggs are only for insiders. Don’t feel shy to ask locals what’s popular in the region and you will be surprised how interesting Swiss cuisine can be. You still have to try cheese fondue though. The best place to eat cheese dishes is in the Canton of Valais.

In the photo: Traditional Bratwurst (left) and Cervelat

Swiss Bratwurst (authentic Swiss sausage)

Ride on a Swiss train

Switzerland is famous for its public transportation system which is known for its punctuality, reliability and comfort. “Swiss trains run like clockwork” – this can be checked at train stations where many trains depart just seconds after the scheduled time. Many train lines run through picturesque landscapes, sometimes just meters next to lakes or through snow y paradise in the  Swiss Alps.

If you want to treat yourself you can book a first class train seat just like in the photo.

First class seat on Swiss train
Powered by GetYourGuide

Touch some snow

To experience snow in Switzerland travellers are not limited to winter months. There are some mountains that have year round snow. Of course this can’t be compared to a bright and crisp winter morning with powder snow. This means that you have got the opportunity to get to touch some snow if you have never done this before and this is good news! If you plan on coming in summer you have got an excuse now to come a second time during the winter months.

Maybe you will enjoy snowshoe hiking like in the photo?

Snow in Switzerland

Experience Swiss culture

Switzerland is rich in culture and only a few know how diverse it is. There is a rich history of folklore that goes beyond music and includes events celebrating traditional farm live (Alpabzug) as much as concerts, markets and sport events. If you are looking for more traditional Swiss culture then you need to look outside of the cities. The Canton of Appenzell is maybe the one that’s most traditional.

Maybe you hear the sound of the Alphorn one day (photo).

Swiss Alphorn

Take a lake cruise

Water and Switzerland go together like Raclette and potatoes. There are many lakes in Switzerland and the closer they are to the Swiss Alps, the more teal they look and the more magic a lake cruise is on them. There are restaurants on these cruises and some of them take up to 5 hours. It’s the perfect way to enjoy a slow travel day.

On bigger lakes there are steam ships in operation, some of them are older than 100 year like the one in the photo.

Lake cruise in Switzerland
Powered by GetYourGuide

Visit less known regions

Jungfrau, Lucerne, Titlis… But have you heard about Creux-du-Van, Sempach or Säntis? Probably not. For this reason it’s worth looking at regions and attractions that are less popular but don’t fall behind in attractiveness at all. Like this you get to explore Switzerland like a local and because you are on their route you will get to immerse in the Swiss culture more easily. Underrated regions for international travellers are: Graubünden and Ticino. Now, that’s a top 10 thing to do!

Grand Canyon of Switzerland is called Creux-du-Van (photo).

Let a sunset kiss you

No one travels to Switzerland to experience sunsets. Until now. There are a few particular spots that offer sunsets that let you skip the next beach holiday. Before rushing for dinner it is sometimes worth to check the sky for the possibility and then to have a seat at a beautiful location to enjoy the last sun rays of the day. Swiss locations with amazing sunsets are: Montreux, Sempach and Basel.

Enjoy the end of your travel like in Sempach (photo).

Sunset in Switzerland

Visit a big Swiss city

All the cliches you ever heard about Switzerland (except from banks) play only outside of cities. Zurich for example is often skipped by travellers although the city is very unique and has a noteworthy history of its own. The Swiss cities play a big part in what Switzerland is today and all have their own vibe, so much so that many of them have friendly rivalries. So Zurich, Basel, Bern and Geneva are not only for flying into and changing trains.

Enjoy the view in the photo with a cold drink in Zurich.

Grossmünster church in Zurich

Where ever you go to, try to eat outside as often as you can. Either sit on a restaurant terrace or take away your food to a lake. You can also enjoy an adult drink alongside and this will not be a problem. This way you get the experience the beauty of Switzerland even longer.

____

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means that if you click on the link and purchase the item, I may receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products and services that I personally use and/ or believe will add value to travelers to Switzerland. Thank you for your support!