Must-see things in Switzerland- depends on you and your tourist ambitions. Switzerland is unique in its own way: by visiting only one country, you have the chance to experience the cultures of four different countries. The northeast of Switzerland is similar to the south of Germany - meticulous and well-groomed; Western Switzerland reeks of French carelessness and grace; the south of Switzerland is Italy with a touch of Swiss precision, luxuriously beautiful and ever green; and the core of Switzerland is the alpine culture of Swiss shepherds, delicious cheese combined with the forbidding beauty of the rocky mountains.
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Brief recommendations for those who are in Switzerland for the first time are below. Questions from the series “ I’m too lazy to read here, I’m flying to Switzerland tomorrow, figure out where I should go" will remain unanswered: if you are sorry to waste your time, respect other people's! A short summary has already been written, but repeating it for the hundred and first time is pointless. As a last resort, use thematic collections Top 10 in Switzerland .
How to create your own travel guide to Switzerland?
If this is your first time in Switzerland, read the recommendations for the most popular cities (below). If you want to get to know the country more closely, look through the information on the cities and photographs: it is likely that you will like some other small towns.
If you want to see not only tourist Switzerland, but the real one, like from the postcards, then in the summer you can go to the mountains, taking a walk. On your own or by ordering. The impressions will be unforgettable!
Lake Geneva:
The second most famous city after Zurich is. However, many tourists find themselves disappointed by the noisy, dirty city, where most of the population is made up of immigrants. But after it, most people are very touched by the multi-level beauty and French grace with a coastline covered with numerous vineyards. This coastline is listed as a World Heritage Site (in and around the area).
The lake's attraction is also famous near the Swiss Riviera, Nabokov's favorite place.
North of Zurich:
Among other famous places - located near Zurich. Next to it is located one of the best preserved medieval cities with painted facades of houses and many bay windows. In good weather, it's worth taking a Rhine cruise (or just a trip) to - a small but surprisingly lushly painted town east of the falls, closer to. Stein am Rhein is especially beautiful when the streets are complemented by Christmas decor, Christmas trees and garlands of lights, turning it into a fairy tale come true.
Central Switzerland:
The pearl among Swiss cities is. Located in the heart of Switzerland, this city is steeped in myths and legends. It was here that William Tell became famous for his exploits, and on Mount Pilatus, towering above the city, according to legend, the body of Pontius Pilate is buried. Lucerne itself is a gingerbread town with painted houses, graceful bridges, and the ancient wooden Kappelbrücke bridge, one of the symbols of Switzerland. From Lucerne you can cruise along the winding lake past the Alpine mountains. Well, the Lucerne Carnival is one of the most impressive in Europe. Lucerne captivates the hearts of all tourists who have ever visited this city.
Capital of Switzerland:
After Lucerne, Bern and Basel will definitely be on the list. - like the capital of Switzerland, a city of bears, galleries and high bridges over the river. Bern's old town is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It takes more than four hours to walk from the station through the main street to the river, from where you can photograph the high spans of bridges and bears in the pit. However, after the painted Lucerne, this city seems concrete-gray; only painted medieval fountains and an abundance of red geraniums on the windows enliven it.
It is a city of culture; world exhibitions of famous artists are held here. The Kunsthaus Basel contains many beautiful paintings by the most famous impressionists and is included in the. People either fall in love with Basel forever or remain indifferent. But in principle, many prefer more characteristic places to cosmopolitan Basel. However, if you are lucky enough to be in Switzerland during the carnivals, then the Basel Carnival is definitely worth a visit!
Southern Switzerland:
In Italian Switzerland, a must-see is the city of three castles, listed in. If you wish, you can look into other famous cities: where agreements were concluded on the unchanged borders between Germany and France with Belgium in 1925, and - just a picturesque town with unforgettable views from the Orket mountains. Near Locarno there is a favorite town of all kinds of intellectuals of the early 20th century -. But in essence, this is a small resort village with an abundance of shops and a wealthy public, whose main advantage is nature. Local residents joke that if all the hotels and restaurants are removed from Ascona, only a few houses will remain.
View mountains in Switzerland:
Among other popular places is the city, located between two and, at the foot of the highest mountains and the most popular mountain route to the Jungfraujoch. However, it is more of a village, consisting mainly of hotels, shops and tourists, boring enough to spend more than one day there. However, if your goal is to skydive or travel, then Interlaken is a convenient starting point. The widely promoted one is impressive, but it is so expensive that many tourists prefer to limit themselves to the lower mountains.
Much like Interlaken, towns near popular ski resorts, such as, are exclusively touristic. Zermatt is interesting for its original architecture and the famous peak towering above the city, but it is so inconvenient to get to it (you can’t get there by car, only electric cars are allowed in the city, so the only option left is the train from the town), that, other things being equal, it’s worth postponing Then.
Architectural masterpieces of Switzerland:
Another popular tourist city is mentioned St. Gallen, however, apart from the ancient abbey library (really impressive with its interior), included in the museum, and the not particularly interesting textile museum, there is nothing to see in the city.
It is worth mentioning - as undeservedly forgotten by tourists. To a certain extent, this is an unusually luxurious town for Switzerland, famous for its baroque architecture and one of the largest weapons museums in Europe. It is located in northwestern Switzerland, near the Jura Mountains. Once completed, you can visit the Swiss version of the Grand Canyon.
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Switzerland is a unique country that is worth visiting if possible. And not only to see how rich she is, but to enjoy her extraordinary beauty and amazing regularity and calmness. Driving through Swiss cities, walking along the streets of any city, one can only be amazed at the silence and confidence reigning everywhere. Don’t be surprised if in the evening, even when you enter the capital of Switzerland, Bern, you see empty streets. It's quite normal. People are used to working here and earning money, and not wasting time on empty pastimes. Therefore, prepare in advance for the fact that in the evening in the very center of any city, even the capital, you can see mostly tourists walking. At the same time, when you find yourself in the same place in the morning, you will be amazed by the traffic filling the streets: hurrying people, cyclists in business suits and helmets, and beautiful buns from the coffee seller. Although major tourist centers are, of course, an exception to this rule, showcasing a vibrant nightlife.
When planning a vacation to Switzerland, it is worth remembering that this is perhaps the most expensive European country. Therefore, prices in stores can be a little scary, to put it mildly. Even for a magnet, in most cases you will have to pay about 10 - 12 euros, which cannot be compared even with the French or German 4 - 5 in tourist centers. Although some products are not so different in cost. For example, some clothing brands adhere to approximately the same... read more
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The modest charm of Grisons, or how we got stuck in the outskirts of St. Moritz.
In winter, when you travel around Switzerland, the peace, quiet and unique Swiss atmosphere there “sucks you in”, making you want to stay anywhere for a long time.
This is what happened to us on the way to St. Moritz. We drove through Grisons, the easternmost region of Switzerland, and headed to the famous resort of Davos. Extraordinary clean streets, such silence that you can hear snowflakes falling from the sky, and suddenly... the sound of horse hooves, and a picturesque carriage, as if from the last century, floated past us. It seems like the twenty-first century, fashionable cars are scurrying around, what has such an unmodern form of transport lost here?
Switzerland is a country of interest to travelers from various countries.
On the territory of this amazing country there are numerous resorts where all conditions for winter and summer recreation are created. Winter holidays in Switzerland are very popular, and it consists of winter sports. A variety of tours attract with a rich program and include interesting and exciting entertainment. It's no surprise that Switzerland is one of the most popular ski destinations.
Winter holidays in Switzerland are suitable for people of all ages; ski resorts will be interesting for both adults and children.
A classic tour that includes travel on the famous Glacier Express through the Alps. The train journey takes about 7.5 hours. During this time, the train crosses 291 bridges, passes through 91 tunnels and rises to a height of 2033 m. During the trip, stunning views of natural landscapes open up. The price of the tour starts from 600 francs and depends on the route, the number of passengers, the date of booking, the room where you will be staying and some other factors.
Winter holidays in Switzerland can be different. So choosing another tour, which is suitable for those who have only a few days to rest. An excellent option would be a 5-day vacation, including a visit to two cities at once - Interlaken and Lucerne. An exciting unaccompanied excursion through the mountains will give you an unforgettable experience. Tourists spend the first 2 nights in the city of Interlaken, and then 2 days in Lucerne with a trip to Mount Pilatus. In addition, during your visit to Lucerne there will be time to explore the sights of the city. This tour involves accommodation in three-star hotels located in city centers. Hotel rooms are equipped with everything necessary, in particular shower, toilet, TV, radio, telephone.
In addition to ski resorts, thermal resorts in Switzerland are in demand, where you can have a pleasant and healthy vacation, enjoying the amazing mountain scenery while simultaneously being in pools with hot water right in the open air. Such a winter holiday in Switzerland is accompanied by skiing and snowboarding along the mountain slopes located on the territory of the resorts. There are ski slopes.
During the winter season in Switzerland you can have a great time skiing or snowboarding. Another exciting activity is paragliding, which will be a real delight for adventure and thrill seekers. Paragliding is possible on skis or snowboards. Beginners fly accompanied by an instructor. The flight lasts from 15 to 20 minutes, at different altitudes. Winter holidays in Switzerland in the form of paragliding are popular from December to April. A suitable place for this sport is Belalp. In addition, you can appreciate the beauty of the snow-capped mountains by taking a hot air balloon flight.
Ski resorts in Switzerland have several types of slopes, including toboggan runs. This entertainment will give you an unforgettable experience; sledding is no less interesting than skiing and a very popular winter holiday in Switzerland.
Another fun way to diversify your winter holiday in Switzerland is to stay in an igloo village. Depending on preferences and capabilities, igloos are offered in different price categories. Igloos designed for more than 4 people are perfect for relaxing with the whole family or company. Some ice and snow rooms include Jacuzzis and hot water baths. Special feelings arise while being in a jacuzzi located in the open air. At night, those who wish can go snowshoeing. Guests are offered hot dishes and mulled wine. The beds are made of ice, and people sleep on warm sheepskins. For young and married couples, there are special romantic igloos with carved walls depicting pretty patterns, swans, and dolphins. Therefore, a winter holiday in Switzerland can be romantic
Popular ski resorts in Switzerland
- Davos
- Zermatt
- Crans Montana
- Verbier
- Adelboden
- Grindelwald
- Gstaad
- Champery is a resort located high in the mountains.
- Arosa is a small ski resort for families.
- Villars
- St. Moritz
According to an ancient legend, when God distributed the wealth of the earth's bowels, there was not enough of it for the country in the very heart of Europe, Switzerland. To correct this injustice, God gave her high mountains, shining glaciers, stormy waterfalls, picturesque valleys, beautiful rivers and clear azure lakes. The unusually beautiful views of Switzerland attract thousands of tourists; it is like a special world - magical and bewitching, making you believe that paradise does exist. And it doesn’t matter what time of year you travel, the landscapes of Switzerland will not disappoint in any season and in any weather.
The climate in Switzerland as a whole can be called moderate, however, this is very general, because each canton, depending on its geographical location, has its own landscape and climate. The natural areas of Switzerland are diverse - from the Arctic to the tropics: mosses and lichens grow high in the mountains, the slopes are covered with coniferous and deciduous forests, and in the south of the country, on the coast of lakes, the lush southern greenery of cypresses, magnolias and palm trees pleases the eye. Switzerland attracts tourists in winter with its famous ski resorts; in summer, the mountains and passes of Switzerland are greeted with amazing landscapes, and crystal clear lakes offer beach holidays comparable in level to the resorts of the Mediterranean Sea.
Holidays in the Swiss Alps
Switzerland and mountains are two inseparable concepts, because mountains occupy more than half of the country’s territory. In Switzerland, there are three natural regions: the Jura mountain range stretches in the northwest, the Swiss Plateau in the center, and the Alps, which occupy the entire southeast of the country. According to scientific data, the Alps appeared as a result of the collision of tectonic plates in ancient times, but, amazingly, researchers claim that the Swiss Alps are still in the process of formation - their height increases every year, however, by only one millimeter. Experts believe that a powerful earthquake can cause the mountains to grow faster, and they will reach 7 thousand meters, however, this may not happen very, very soon, in about a couple of million years.
The Swiss Alps stretch for almost 200 kilometers, presenting a unique landscape of beautiful mountain passes and valleys, sloping slopes and snow-capped peaks.
Holidays in the Swiss Alps in winter include, of course, ski resorts, which are considered the best in the world. Abundance of snow, impeccable slopes, the best ski training, cozy hotels, cafes and restaurants with excellent cuisine, the highest level of service - everything here is created for an ideal holiday. Sports fans will find excellent trails for alpine and cross-country skiing, snowboarding and airboarding, sledding slopes, speed skating areas and even ice diving. Those who love more relaxing leisure activities will be offered hiking, sledding, healing at thermal springs, winter fishing, and getting to know the unique culture and traditions of Switzerland, so this is not just a vacation, but a real winter fairy tale come to life!
The Swiss Alps in summer attract, first of all, their stunning mountain panoramas, but relaxation, of course, is not limited to simple contemplation of beauty. In almost any region of the Alps, tourists are offered bicycle tours and walking routes of varying difficulty, and some of the most beautiful places in Switzerland can only be reached on foot; beginners and experienced climbers will also try their hand at the Alps. In any case, all tourist routes run among uniquely beautiful peaks and valleys with colorful villages, and in each, even the smallest, they will certainly offer accommodation with maximum comfort. By the way, all night stops take place only in special mountain shelters; you won’t be able to sit by the fire here - lighting a fire is allowed only in emergency cases to attract the attention of rescue services, and you can set up a tent camp only far from the shelters and only for the duration of the night from 8 pm to 8 a.m. The summer Alps will also greet you with their amazingly beautiful and clean lakes, some of which are suitable for diving, windsurfing or fishing.
Mount Matterhorn
The most famous of the Alpine peaks is the Matterhorn, located in the Pennine Alps on the very border of Switzerland and Italy. The peak, which has an almost regular pyramidal shape, rises far from other peaks, among plains and low hills, so nothing prevents you from admiring it from all sides, and perhaps it is this isolation that gives Mount Matterhorn so much charm. The Matterhorn is caught in the cameras of travelers much more often than other attractions. On this occasion, local residents even made a joke that for tourists on a trip to Switzerland, the main thing is that the Matterhorn appears in the background of the photo. However, the Swiss themselves could not help but appreciate the beauty of this mountain; it was not without reason that the producers of the world-famous Swiss chocolate Toblerone placed its image on the packaging of their products, and in 2004 the Matterhorn took pride of place on a commemorative gold coin worth 50 francs. So this mountain can safely be considered a symbol of Switzerland!
The Matterhorn rises to 4,478 meters above sea level; if you look closely, you can see that the mountain has two peaks, located at a distance of about a hundred meters from each other. One of them, located in the east of the ridge, is called the Swiss peak, and the western one, which is only one meter lower than its “neighbor”, is called the Italian peak, but they are called that not at all according to their countries - both are located on the very border, just to the east The first ascent was made from the territory of Switzerland, to the west - from Italy. By the way, Matterhon with its steep cliffs is one of the most extreme destinations for climbers, so the mountain remained inaccessible for a long time, and only in 1865 a group of professional climbers managed to conquer the peak. But no matter how harsh and dangerous the Matterhorn is, it invariably attracts climbers in any season.
Often, to admire the Matterhorn in its full glory, they climb the nearby Gornergrat mountain - a journey to a height of more than three thousand meters can be covered on foot or on a panoramic train that can overcome steep climbs. It will take you to the very top, and along the way you will see amazing views of forests and picturesque waterfalls.
At the foot of the Matterhorn there are famous resorts: on the Italian side - Breuil-Cervinia, and on the Swiss side - Zermatt, which is one of the ten best resorts in the Alps in terms of the quality of snow cover and ski slopes. In the summer, Zermatt invites fans of hiking, climbers and simply lovers of a relaxing holiday and the landscapes of Switzerland. You can get to Zermatt by train from the major cities of Switzerland, Milan, Stuttgart and Munich. By car you can get to the Tasch resort, and from there you can take an electric taxi to Zermatt or take an electric bus.
Mount Pilatus in Switzerland
In central Switzerland, southeast of the city of Lucerne, Mount Pilatus rises - no less famous than the Matterhorn, but if the latter became famous thanks to its image on chocolate, then Pilatus gained fame because of the legends associated with it. According to one version, the name of the mountain is translated as “wearing a hat” - its peak is tightly shrouded in clouds, it seems as if it is actually wearing a snow-white headdress. But a more common version explains the name of the peak after Pontius Pilate, the procurator who condemned Jesus Christ to execution. Tradition says that Pilate, tormented by remorse, committed suicide, and then his body was thrown into the Tiber, but the river did not accept the sinner and carried the remains to the shore. The same thing happened when trying to drown the body of a suicide in the Rhone and Lake Geneva, after which he was taken to a remote corner of the Alps and thrown into a deep reservoir at the foot of a high mountain. After this, the peak began to be called Pilatus, and local residents believed that the restless soul of the procurator was wandering along the mountain paths, and woe to anyone who met him. And so Pontius Pilate constantly brought troubles - villages in the vicinity of the mountain suffered from rockfalls, mudflows, floods and hurricanes. This continued for a long time, until one theological student, who was fond of black magic, achieved that the soul of the procurator began to appear only once a year, but for several more centuries the authorities, believing the legend, forbade anyone to climb the mountain. And in the Middle Ages, it was believed that winged dragons lived here, guarding palaces with untold riches and kidnapping beautiful girls.
Fortunately, the times when people were afraid to visit Pilatus have long gone into oblivion, because this mountain is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful places in Switzerland, and tourists with great pleasure climb to its top to enjoy the grandeur of the mountain landscapes, wonderful clean air and entertainment that will take your breath away.
The height of Pilatus is 2128 meters above sea level. There are three ways to get to the top: on foot (the climb will take about four hours), using the cable car from the town of Kriens or by train from the town of Alpnachstadt. This train, by the way, is the steepest in the whole world - the angle of inclination of the railway in some places reaches 48°, and only special gears and rails allow it to overcome such a rise.
At the top of Pilatus, tourists, in addition to breathtaking views, will find a wide variety of leisure options. The winter Pilatus and Snow&Fun park will give you the most impressions - along four tracks of different lengths you can ride on sleds, snow scooters, “bagels” and other snow-entertaining types of transport. From a height of just under one and a half thousand meters, you can ride on a toboggan - a useless sleigh of the Indians of North America, or test your own courage with the help of the Powerfun attraction, where you will have to “fall” from a height of about 20 meters and only at the very ground will the daredevil be caught by a thin rope. You should definitely take the Dragon Pass route - the road will go through caves and grottoes, where the walls are painted with illustrations of legends about dragons - they were drawn by local artist Hans Erni at the beginning of the 20th century. And, of course, restaurants with traditional Swiss cuisine and souvenir shops with cute little things will complement the impression of being on Mount Pilatus - one of the best and most mysterious places in Switzerland.
Lake Geneva
Switzerland is often called the “country of mountains and lakes”; the mountains here really occupy a significant territory, and the lakes of Switzerland, of which there are more than one and a half thousand, are distinguished by their extraordinary beauty and crystal clear water. The largest lake in the Swiss Alps and the second largest freshwater body of water in Central Europe is Lake Geneva, lying in the floodplain of the Rhone River, often called Leman by locals.
Lake Geneva, even in photographs, amazes with its magnificence, let alone when you see it in person! It simply fascinates with its pristine beauty and the unusually deep and pure color of the water; it is often compared to a mirror - the Alps shelter it so reliably from the wind that the surface of the water is almost always unshakable, and in it, as if in a mirror, mountain peaks, vineyards, tall fir trees, houses and medieval castles on the slopes.
The crescent-shaped Swiss lake is located on the border with France, or rather, the border runs right in the middle of the reservoir. Along the northern coast, which belongs to Switzerland, there are numerous resort towns, which are called the Swiss Riviera for their luxury and respectability. Lake Geneva is protected from the cold northern winds by the Alpine mountains, so it has a pleasant mild climate, and the coast is surrounded by the greenery of subtropical plants. Beach holidays in Switzerland are truly unique - only here you can sunbathe on the beach while admiring the snow-capped mountain peaks. However, the swimming season here is quite short - the water warms up very slowly and only becomes warm in July-August. However, a variety of water sports and cruises are available for tourists, as well as horse riding, cycling, walking, golf, mountaineering, paragliding and hot air ballooning.
One of the most impressive natural attractions of Switzerland is the Rhine Falls, located in the canton of Schaffhausen near the small town of Neuhausen am Rheinfall. Despite the fact that the height of the Rhine Falls is only 23 meters (about the size of a seven-story building), it is considered the largest in Europe, because it has no equal in terms of the volume of water falling from the rocks - in winter, 250 cubic meters fall down every second, in summer, During the period of rapid melting of mountain glaciers, up to 700 cubic meters fall from the cliff.
According to scientists' research, this waterfall is very ancient and began to form about 500 thousand years ago during the Ice Age, when huge masses of ice easily changed the topography and sharply turned river beds. The Rhine Falls finally acquired their appearance about 15 thousand years ago - this is how we can see it today.
The spectacle of the Rhine Falls is not just impressive, it shakes to the core - the width of the threshold reaches 150 meters, huge streams of water fall down with noise and roar, and, swirling with snow-white foam, disintegrate into millions of splashes, shimmering like a rainbow in the sun.
The best way to enjoy the unusually beautiful and menacing spectacle is from observation platforms. One of them departs from the shore and extends above the river, very close to the place where the waterfall falls; it seems that the water colossus is moving straight towards you and the wildly roaring stream is about to pick you up and carry you away in an unknown direction. Another site is located on a high rock, rising like an island in the middle of the river; a small ship sailing from both banks will take you here. From this site, the Rhine Falls can be seen from above; from here it will not seem so formidable, but will fascinate you for a long time with its stunning view.
It is easy to get to the Rhine Falls from Zurich through the cities of Winterthur, Schaffhausen, Newhausen or Bülach; this can be done either by car or by public transport - train or bus, depending on the chosen route.
Swiss national park
For those who want to see all the truly alpine landscapes at once, the ideal place is the Swiss National Park, located in the canton of Grisons in the Engadin Valley. An area of 172 square kilometers covers harsh bare rocks, densely pine-forested slopes and alpine and subalpine meadows dotted with fragrant flowers, home to chamois, mountain goats, deer, elk, wolves, brown bears, foxes, lynxes, golden eagles and many other representatives of the animal. peace.
Swiss National Park is the oldest national park in Europe and the only one in Switzerland. The history of its creation is very interesting. By the beginning of the twentieth century, this territory was completely developed by man, and, as usual, in a very barbaric way - forests were mercilessly cut down, scarce natural resources were thoughtlessly used. In 1914, it was decided to completely stop any economic activity here and monitor how capable nature is of self-healing. And the result was not long in coming - nature, freed from human intervention, came into its own - dense forests rustled on the slopes again, meadows were covered with flowers, and animals and birds found shelter.
Today, the Swiss National Park continues to develop naturally and live a quiet, peaceful life, disturbed only by tourists, while visiting rules are very strict. Only walking is allowed here, it is forbidden to leave the paved paths, light fires, set up camps, leave any traces of your presence, fishing and hunting, collecting herbs and flowers are prohibited, even for loud noises you can be fined. If you want to spend more time in the national park (it’s still not possible to walk around it in one day - the total length of the trails is 80 kilometers), then you can stay overnight at the Il Fuorn hotel or the Chamana Cluozza hut, where guests will be provided with comfortable rooms and will be pampered with delicious national cuisine.
Entrance to the park is free, and there are also free parking lots nearby. The best time to visit the park is considered to be the warm season; in winter it is also open, but only short walks are provided along some paths cleared of snow. But just in winter, in the nearby village of Zernez, where the information office of the national park is located, winter sports competitions, festivals and marathons, farmers' markets are held, and you can go on an entertaining tour to the unusual 17th-century village of Guarda.
The easiest way to get to the Swiss National Park is from Zurich by train to Zernez, and then take a bus to the park, or by car, the journey takes about 2.5-3 hours.
Verzasca River
Probably, the definition of “the most” fits many places in Switzerland: the best ski resorts in Switzerland, the most picturesque lakes, the most beautiful mountains and the cleanest rivers are also located in Switzerland, and of them the most transparent in the world is Verzasca. It originates on the glaciers of a mountain 2864 meters high and carries its waters to Lake Maggiore, located between Italy and Switzerland. The Verzasca path lies through the picturesque valleys of the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, the length of the river is very short - only 30 kilometers, but this entire distance is simply replete with amazing landscapes - Verzasca runs between mountain slopes, dressed in the lush greenery of chestnut forests and vineyards, and along the banks there are ancient stone buildings Swiss villages, which only adds to the charm of the amazing views. The depth of Verzasca in some places reaches 15 meters, the water in it changes color from bright blue to emerald green and is so transparent that the bottom, strewn with multi-colored stones, is visible to the smallest detail.
Many, having seen the purest Verzasca, feel the desire to take a dip, however, the water in it is icy even in the hottest weather, its temperature does not exceed 10 degrees, and due to strong undercurrents it is quite dangerous, as the signs on its banks warn about. But still, there are extreme sports enthusiasts who don’t mind the cold, and more heat-loving tourists have the opportunity to swim - along the riverbed there are natural depressions where the water has time to warm up to an acceptable temperature. Verzasca is especially popular among divers, who are certainly not deterred by the icy water, because from the bottom they take stunning photographs; the most spectacular photographs are from the depths, where, through the crystal clear water, the shores and the sky with running clouds are visible. The only thing that divers will not be able to see and capture is the underwater world of Verzasca, since, despite the cleanest water, there is a complete absence of flora and fauna. For a long time it was believed that the reason for this was the increased acidity of the water, but studies carried out in 2009 showed that the pH composition of the water is the most common, but why there is no flora and fauna in the river remains a mystery.
Among the land attractions of Verzasca, charming Swiss villages are noted, where the age of houses made of layered gneiss stone reaches several hundred years; a stone arched bridge, built in the 17th century and called Roman either because of its authorship by the Italians, or because of the similarity of architecture, and a gigantic stone dam 220 meters high. It gained worldwide fame thanks to the filming of one of the Bond films, GoldenEye, where Pete Brosnan spectacularly jumps into the water from a great height. By the way, anyone can repeat Bond's mind-blowing stunt - there is a bungee jumping area on the dam - if you're brave enough, an unforgettable experience is guaranteed!
The area around the city of Locarno is called the most beautiful place on the Verzaschi River; you can get to it by train from Zurich, Basel or Lucerne. By car, the route will be along the A2 highway to Magadino airport, and then you need to turn onto the A13 highway.
Lauterbrunnen Valley
Experienced travelers call the Lauterbrunnen Valley one of the most beautiful and amazing in the whole earth - in fact, it is a deep crevice located between steep kilometer-long cliffs, the valley stretches eight kilometers in length, and it is no more than a kilometer wide. From here you can see three majestic peaks - Jungfrau, Mönch and Eiger (translated as Virgin, Monk and Ogre), landscapes of a mountain valley, but the main thing here is the numerous waterfalls. The name Lauterbrunnen itself translates as “many springs.” There are 72 waterfalls in the valley, stunning in their beauty.
The journey to the waterfalls begins from a picturesque village that bears the same name as the valley - Lauterbrunnen. It is here that you can book sightseeing tours or guided walking tours.
The most famous and impressive waterfalls are Staubbach and Trümmelbach. Staubbach amazes with its power and natural strength - streams of melt water fall from 300-meter cliffs; due to the great height, the water, reaching the ground, breaks on the stones and turns into the smallest water dust, reminiscent of fog or a cloud. The Trümmelbach waterfalls are the only ones in Europe located deep in the rocks and accessible to the public. Over thousands of years, melt waters descending from the peaks have washed spiral depressions in the stone, through which thundering streams, overcoming a dozen cascades, descend into the valley. You can get to the waterfall by underground funicular, and then tourists, following galleries and bridges, descend to the foot of the mountain, admiring the incredibly beautiful spectacle of running water.
The most beautiful places in Switzerland can be seen from the top of the Schilthorn, which can be reached using a ski lift. There, at the top, in addition to the observation deck, which offers a panorama of eternal glaciers and mountain peaks, there is a revolving restaurant “Piz Gloria”, where the filming of the film about the famous agent 007 “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” took place.
Another attraction of Lauterbrunnen is the Jungfrauban railway - its final station is located at an altitude of 3545 meters above sea level and is the highest railway station in the whole world and is called the “Top of Europe”.
You can get to Lauterbrunnen by car or train from Zurich to Interlaken, from where a train runs to the valley.
The last ten kilometers of the Jungfrauban railway go through a tunnel, from where the train emerges into the dazzling whiteness of another natural landmark of Switzerland - the largest glacier in the Alps, called Aletsch. Its length is approximately 25 kilometers, area is about 120 square kilometers. Glaciers are formed from compacted layers of snow that turn into ice under their own weight. Aletsch consists of three glaciers with an average thickness of about one hundred meters, the branches of the glacier, converging at Concordia, reach a maximum thickness of about 1 thousand meters, here the glacier turns into a frozen river one and a half kilometers wide. The apparent silence and silence of Aletsch are deceptive - it lives and moves, sliding at a speed of 200 meters per year to the southeast, and at an altitude of about 1500 meters above sea level, the Aletsch turns into the Massa River, which flows into the Rhone.
Local residents have always treated Aletsch with respect and even fear; if he was mentioned in legends, they were certainly called the “white giant”, and this is not surprising - at night, sounds similar to groans and the ringing of steel swords are clearly heard from the direction of the glacier. Even skeptics find it difficult to believe that they are created by the movement of a huge mass of ice, and therefore there are many tales about ghosts and human souls languishing under the thickness of ice.
Despite the outward coldness and inaccessibility of Aletsch, tourists with great pleasure go to see the unique glacier frozen in a bizarrely curved canyon-gorge, overgrown with relict forest; the Big Aletsch branch, reminiscent of an ice-bound river or a man-made winter road, is especially interesting. Aletsch looks very unusual in the summer, when the slopes of the canyon are covered with green grass and flowers, and a snowy river lies below your feet in icy silence.
Since 2001, Aletsch has been under the protection of UNESCO, and is also included in the list of candidates for the title of “Seven Wonders of Nature”.
Caves of Saint Beatus
In the canton of Bern, near the town of Interlaken on the north-eastern shore of Lake Thun, tourists are treated to a fascinating journey into the depths of the rocks - to the caves of St. Beatus. As the legend says, a long time ago, wealthy parents sent their son Suetonius to study in Rome, but the apostle Peter he met led him astray from the path of science, and the young man plunged headlong into religion, replacing hot Italy with the mountains of Switzerland. Suetonius took a new name for himself - Beatus and settled in a cave on Lake Thun, but first he had to fight the terrible fire-breathing monsters that lived in the mountain grottoes. For his numerous good deeds, local residents began to venerate him as a saint, and over time the caves acquired the name of Saint Beatus.
Since legends are associated with dragons, everything here is reminiscent of mythical creatures - right at the entrance and in the cave there are figures of fire-breathing monsters, in underground lakes you can sail on a boat in the form of a dragon, and nature itself seems to support the legend - stone blocks in some places are stacked like this in a bizarre way that, in fact, resembles the terrible toothy jaws of a monster.
Caves and passages located at a depth of 500 meters merge into mysterious labyrinths, overgrown with stalactites and stalagmites more than 40 thousand years old, underground rivers flow here and even small waterfalls rustle. In one of the grottoes you can meet the “owner” - St. Beatus himself, and those interested in science can look into the Mineral Museum.
Not far from the caves there is a restaurant that serves delicious dishes prepared according to ancient recipes, and on its roof you can admire the picturesque landscapes of Switzerland from observation platforms.
The best winter holiday is rightfully considered ski holiday in Switzerland thanks to the most picturesque nature of the Alps, as well as the fact that the slopes of this region themselves are simply ideal for skiing, snowboarding and relaxing in the mountains.
It is not for nothing that ski Switzerland is a real paradise for skiers and climbers, because mountains occupy almost two-thirds of the entire country. The Swiss Alps are the birthplace of mountaineering and skiing.
Unique ski tours to Switzerland are very much appreciated, because, first of all, these are high-quality slopes and the best ski resorts in Switzerland, excellent service in hotels, as well as not inflated prices, the same as at other ski resorts in Europe.
When they say Switzerland is alpine skiing, it means that we are talking about impeccable reliability, the strongest guarantees of safety and high quality of service. The undisputed leaders in winter tourism are the ski resorts of Switzerland, this is an indisputable fact.
The reasons why downhill skiing in Switzerland has always been considered the best are that there are a lot of pistes here that are of high quality, you can choose the piste according to the level of difficulty, according to its length, and, of course, there is the highest level of service
And it doesn’t matter whether you are an experienced skier or a beginner, the beautiful country of Switzerland offers alpine skiing tours - these are ideal places to relax.
The level of preparation of the slopes of the ski resorts of Switzerland is a standard throughout the world, as well as the level of service and comfort, and reasonable prices are a distinctive feature of Swiss resorts.
The absence, even at the height of the season, of queues for the ski lifts, their large number and high capacity, significant altitudes of the resorts - all this makes it possible to visit the ski resorts of Switzerland from November to April, and such as Zermatt - possibly in the summer.
