A mountainous Central European country, Switzerland is home to numerous beautiful villages, turquoise lakes, and the high peaks of the Alps. Switzerland’s cities contain medieval quarters, with popular landmarks such as Bern’s Zytglogge clock tower and Lucerne’s wooden chapel bridge. It is also a favorite destination for sports lovers, most especially for skiing and hiking. Finance and banking are some of the key industries, chocolate and Swiss watches are very popular around the world. Visitors come here for the breathtaking scenery but are enticed by the many cultural attractions. Visit cities such as Zurich, Laussane, and Geneva to see excellent galleries and museums, historic buildings, music festivals, and a stunning chalet in Switzerland.
Zurich’s Bahnoffstrasse
One of the finest shopping areas anywhere in Europe is Zurich traffic-free Bahnoffstrasse. During Christmas season, the streets are lined with colorful lights, while people are busy shopping or window-shop. You’ll also see vendors offering toasted almonds and hot cider, Christmas cookies are everywhere, and tasty fresh-baked goods. During the summer season, the linden trees give respite from the sun. This big shopping area runs from Central Station to Lake Zurich, and to Renweg and Augustinergasse, the two historic streets.
Lucerne
Set against the backdrop of Mount Rigi and Mount Pilatus, Lucerne is a car-free Old Town, where visitors can stroll through the town. In the afternoon, you can spend your time sailing on one of the many ships that depart regularly from the Viewaldstattersee dock. One of the most popular landmarks in Lucerne is the Chapel Bridge, built in 1333, is an oldest roofed wooden bridge in Europe. In 1993, most of it destroyed by fire, but it was restored to resemble its original structure. To experience everything Lucerne has to offer, you can join a five-hour excursion, which combines a cogwheel railway train ride, boat trip, and cable car.
Engelberg
Located in central Switzerland, Engelberg is a very popular place for sports enthusiasts. The meaning of its name is “Angel Mountain”, the main village in Canton Obwalden and located at the foot of Mount Titlis, which originally is a monastery village. Today, it is well-known as the top ski-destination and home to many restaurants and hotels. To go near the summit, from Engelberg, ride a cable car to the middle station of Mount Titlis via Trubsee, then board another cable car known as the Rotair.
Harder Kulm
Harder Kulm offers a stunning bird’s-eye view of the Jungfrau region, rising more than 4,000 feet between Brienz and Lakes Thun and can be reached from Interlaken in less than 15 minutes. At the summit, you can also visit the Art Noveau-style restaurant or walk out unto Two Lakes Bridge for an unforgettable experience. A funicular leaves daily from near the Interlaken Ost station.
Murren
Situated on a sun-drenched terrace atop the Lauterbrunnen valley, Murren is a friendly and car-free holiday resort. Visitors can easily reach this place from both Interlaken train stations by cogwheel train. It’s the main stop on the way to the Schilthron and Piz Gloria. During the summer season, it is the popular base for hiking in the Alps. There are directional signs abound since no marked roads run through Murren.
The Schilthorn
Atop Piz Gloria, The Schilthorn offers a breathtaking panoramic view of more than 200 mountain peaks, where you can see the three famous mountains – Eiger, Jungfrau, and Monch. You can stand outside on the observation deck to get a better view or sit inside the world-famous revolving restaurant. For the ice cream lover, don’t miss out to order the “007” dessert, five scoops of a different flavor of ice cream smothered with fresh fruits. Getting to the Schilthorn is easy, you can just take a cable car from Murren.
Jungfraujoch
You need to ride a series of trains and trams to the Jungfraujoch to get to the highest point in Europe. It sits 300 feet below the summit of the foot of Jungfrau. There are trains that leave once a day from Interlaken West and stopping to four stops. The last part of the journey will take you an hour, also passing through a four-mile tunnel. Some of the places to visit in Jungfraujoch are the six restaurants with terraces, scientific research station, observation center known as The Sphinx and the Ice Palace. At the observatory center, you can take an elevator to bring you to another 364 feet up to the observatory. There are some skiing lessons and dog sledding being offered during good weather, and on clear days, you can see countries such as Germany and France.
Zermatt
Home to some of the most amazing mountains, including the most popular Matterhorn, Zermatt is located in the Alpine village of Zermatt. This mountain is also the most photographed mountain in the country. To get the best view of this mountain and its surrounding glaciers, you can ride the Gornergratbahn, the highest open-air cog railway in Europe. You can stay overnight at Atop Gornergrat and enjoy your meal at this highest-altitude hotel in Europe. You can also visit its planetarium. For another amazing experience, you can ride the highest altitude cable car in Europe, the Klein Matterhorn. Skiing at Zermatt is available year-round, where you can also ski to Italy for a meal but don’t forget to bring your passport. One of the most popular trails for hikers is the Matterhorn Trail, which is part of a network of more than 300 miles of trails in and around the Zermatt area.