Anyone that has never been to the European country of Switzerland is missing out, as the country is home to some of the most beautiful Alpine scenery in the world. Beyond the country’s natural Alpine scenery, it’s small villages are also home to some incredibly unique culture that you won’t find anywhere else. There are plenty of awesome places to visit in the country of Switzerland, and we’ll be taking a look at some of our top picks in this video. From the Swiss National Park to the compact city of Lucerne, join ViewCation as we explore the best places to visit in Switzerland.
Swiss National Park
The Swiss National Park was founded back in 1914, which makes it the oldest piece of preserved land in the region. The park is located in the Engadine Valley, and sits right alongside the border of Italy. The park itself spans roughly 70 square miles. There’s plenty of beautiful scenery to take in while visiting the esteemed park, and this scenery changes drastically during the winter months. The park is a popular location amongst skiers during the winter months, when it’s many mountains are blanketed in beautiful, white snow.
Though the Swiss National Park is arguably most popular during the aforementioned winter months, there’s plenty to do and see at the park at other times of the year. The park features a fairly expansive network of hiking trails, though visitors are prohibited from venturing beyond these trails due to the park’s status as preserved land. While venturing along the multitude of hiking trails that can be found within the Swiss National Park, visitors may be afforded the opportunity to see such diverse creatures as marmots, deer, and foxes. The area is also home to plenty of different bird species.
The Rhine Falls
If you’re looking to experience what an Alpine waterfall is like for yourself, then visiting the Rhine Falls will give tourists that have found themselves in Switzerland the perfect opportunity to do so! The Rhine Falls is a waterfall that spans nearly 500 feet, making it the largest waterfall in not only the country of Switzerland but the entirety of Central Europe! Of course, the waterfall can offer a fairly impressive sight at any time of the year, but the time when the Rhine Falls is the most impressive is during the summer months. During the summer months, all of the snow in the region is melting, and this snowmelt causes the Rhine Falls to surge in a way that it doesn’t at any other time of the year. There are multiple ways for tourists visiting the country of Switzerland to experience the Rhine Falls for themselves, with one of the more popular ways to do so being by taking a boat trip.
Zurich
The city of Zurich may not be the capital of Switzerland, but it’s the largest city in the country and functions as a cultural hub of sorts. Because of this, it’s common to find tourists starting out their Switzerland journey in the city of Zurich. There’s plenty within the city to experience for tourists, though the city’s upper-class citizens may intimidate some.
The city of Zurich sits towards the northwest of Lake Zurich, which takes the city as it’s namesake. Some of the most interesting areas to explore within the city of Zurich include it’s Old Town area, as well as the shopping district that goes by the name of Bahnhofstrasse. The Old Town area goes by the name of Altstadt, and it features several notable buildings that are leftover from the city’s pre-medieval period. Meanwhile, the shopping district of Bahnhofstrasse exists to satiate more modern interests with it’s plethora of boutique shops, as well as designer clothing and jewelry stores.
The city of Zurich is also home to dozens and dozens of museums and art galleries, with some of the most notable being the Rietberg Museum and the Kunsthaus Zurich. The Rietberg Museum is an art museum that focuses on showcasing art from non-European countries, while the Kunsthaus Zurich focuses more on European art.
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Ticino
Ticino is a region in Switzerland that borders on Italy, and some say that being in the region feels more like being in the Mediterranean than it does like being in Switzerland itself. While this means that tourists shouldn’t come to this location to get a taste of what Switzerland is like as a whole, tourists that have already seen plenty of what Switzerland has to offer will certainly get a lot out of the unique region of Ticino.
One of the things that makes the region of Ticino feel more like it’s part of the Mediterranean than the comparatively Alpine Switzerland is it’s uniquely mild climate, which differs greatly from the decidedly harsh climate that can be found throughout Switzerland during the winter months. This mild climate allows for citrus and palm trees to bloom, even when the snowy Alpine mountains can be seen in the distance. One of the more popular landmarks within the region of Tocino is Lake Lugano, and another one is Lake Maggiore. Both of these lakes feature populated areas surrounding them that offer some unique culture. Much of the culture owes more to Italy than it does to Switzerland, with the majority of the people you’ll find being Italian-speaking.
One of the best ways to get acquainted with the scenery of the region of Tocino as a whole is to venture up the grand Monte San Salvatore, which is a large mountain that offers fantastic views of the region from it’s summit. As far as cultural hubs go, the city of Lugano is arguably the most popular place to visit within the region. The city is a particularly popular summer resort. Lugano sits along the aforementioned Lake Lugano, while the town of Locarno sits along the aforementioned Lake Maggiore. Locarno is another popular place, and it’s slightly quieter than Lugano.
Finally, those visiting the region of Tocino shouldn’t miss out on the three Castles of Bellinzona, which are located within the region’s capital city of Bellinzona. The three medieval castles, known collectively as the Castles of Bellinzona, are each considered their own UNESCO World Heritage site, which ensures that the historical landmarks are preserved.
Bern
While Zurich may be the largest city in Switzerland and may also be considered the country’s main financial hub, the European country’s true capital city goes by the name of Bern. As the capital of Switzerland, Bern has plenty to offer visiting tourists in terms of both historical and cultural appeal. One of the most charming aspects of the capital city would have to be it’s medieval Old Town area, which gives the Old Town area in the aforementioned city of Zurich a run for it’s money. While walking through Bern’s medieval Old Town area, visitors will get the chance to see such exuberant sights as a clock tower and several 16th-century fountains.
As with the city of Zurich, Switzerland’s capital city of Bern features plenty of museums that guests might want to step into while visiting the area. Among these museums can be found the Bern Museum of Art and the Zentrum Paul Klee. The Zentrum Paul Klee, as it’s name might suggest to some artistically inclined viewers, is a museum that houses the largest collection in the world of works credited to renowned Switzerland-born artist Paul Klee. Meanwhile, the Bern Museum of Art is a much more general art museum.
Beyond the plethora of museums and the appeal of the capital city’s Old Town area, Bern also plays host to a farmers’ market that is held within the Government Plaza known as the Bundesplatz. The Bundesplatz itself is a sight to behold with it’s Renaissance-era classical design, and visitors will find plenty of food to enjoy within the market. Finally, there’s also the Bern bear pit, which is a zoo housing a variety of bears. This zoo has become very popular.
Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva is known for being the largest Alpine lake in the entire continent of Europe, and it sits on the border between Switzerland and France. Lake Geneva takes it’s name from the city of Geneva, which is notable for being the location of the headquarters of Europe’s United Nations and the Red Cross. Besides the cultural significance of the city of Geneva itself, there’s a ton for tourists to enjoy around the area of Lake Geneva. There’s the Jet d’Eau, which is a fountain in the middle of the lake that shoots water 500 feet in the air. Out on the waters of Lake Geneva also stands the city of Laussane, which is home to a 12th-century Gothic Cathedral. There’s also the nearby resort town of Montreaux, which hosts the Montreaux Jazz Festival during the summer.
Lucerne
Finally, let’s take a look at Switzerland’s compact city of Lucerne. There’s plenty to enjoy in this city, from the beautiful scenery that surrounds it to the unique cultural locations within it. The city plays host to the Lucerne Musical Festival, which is an international music festival based out of the city’s historic Culture and Convention Center. There’s also the Chapel Bridge, which is a historical landmark that has been standing since the 14th century. Another notable landmark within the city is the Lion Monument, which is a sculpture that was created in memory of Swiss Guards that died fighting during the French Revolution.
Those looking to brush up on some unique history while visiting the compact city of Lucerne should venture into the Swiss Transport. As it’s name suggests, the museum’s function is to educate guests about the variety of modes of travel that have been utilized throughout the country.
There are numerous incredible locations for tourists to check out while visiting the European country of Switzerland, and we’ve taken a look at some of our favorite picks in this video! Now it’s time to hear from you: did you know that there’s a region by the name of Ticino in Switzerland that will make you feel like you’re actually in Italy, and that Switzerland is home to the headquarters of Europe’s United Nations? As always, like this video to show your support, and subscribe and hit the notification bell if you’d like to be among the first to know when more ViewCation videos are on their way!