Switzerland: All destinations, advice & information for your holidays!
The 48 peaks over 4,000 meters high create a unique mountain backdrop in Switzerland. In between, clear waters like Lake Lucerne invite you to enjoy water sports. Look forward to a country full of traditions and noteworthy cities: Lucerne with the Chapel Bridge or Zurich with the Grossmünster are some of them.
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Switzerland - 8 most beautiful natural sights
Aletsch Glacier
The massive Aletsch Glacier significantly shapes the landscape of the Bernese Alps in the south of Switzerland. From an altitude of over 4,000 m in the Jungfrau region, it stretches down to the Massa Gorge, 2,500 m lower. The ice surfaces, which have been changing for millennia, create smoothed rock peaks and make room for dense mountain forests. You can best discover the icy natural beauty of the UNESCO World Heritage Aletsch Glacier on guided glacier hikes. Secured with a rope, you climb rugged ice formations, where sparkling glacial lakes and mysterious ice caves are hidden. A highlight of multi-day hiking tours is the morning and evening sun, which is colorfully reflected by ice and snow.
Matterhorn
With a proud height of 4,478 meters, the Matterhorn is one of the highest peaks in all of Europe. As early as the mid-19th century, the legendary summit was first climbed, and to this day, professionals ascend its four faces. The mountain is also on the list for hikers. Embark on extensive tours along the valley and be enchanted by the various views of the Matterhorn. In the winter months, a variety of ski resorts in the immediate vicinity invite you to ski and snowboard. In the summer, the Riffelsee and the Schwarzsee promise a refreshing cool down.
Rhine Falls Schaffhausen
There are many ways to discover the 150-meter-wide Rhine Falls in Schaffhausen. You can do this quite comfortably from one of the viewing platforms. Or how about a boat trip with the Rhyfall Mändli or the Schiffnändli? The boats get very close to the masses of water. Pure thrill is promised by the Adventure Park at the Rhine Falls. In one of the largest rope parks in Switzerland, you can prove your courage and balance on 170 elements. You can learn about many landmarks of Switzerland in the miniature world Smilestones. In addition to the Rhine Falls, the Matterhorn and the Bernese Oberland, among others, are recreated.
Blue Lake
The Blausee, fed by underground springs, is located at an altitude of nearly 900 m in a forest-rich nature park in the Kander Valley. In the crystal-clear water, tree trunks and rocks can be clearly seen at a depth of 12 m. Look out for the mermaid sculpture resting on the bottom, which recalls a famous legend. In the magnificent nature around the lake, there are exciting walking paths, idyllic picnic spots, and great playgrounds. Take a boat trip over the crystal-clear water and hear the story of the mermaid. In summer, alpacas and llamas graze by the lake. A restaurant on the shore invites you to linger comfortably.
Devil's Cellar
In the Teufelskeller, nature enthusiasts can find some primeval plants. Impressive, 20-meter-high rocks and giant trees are waiting to be discovered by you. This hiking paradise is part of the foothills of the Heitersberg, located on the eastern slope of the Baregg. The adventurer's heart can beat faster here. A primitive hiking pleasure with numerous barbecue spots along the way provides a sense of ease. Here you can leave your everyday life behind. For those who enjoy visiting historical places, the nearby Knight and Dragon Castle Lenzburg is recommended. The former count's residence is a depiction of a 1,000-year history and shows the life of the castle's former inhabitants.
Creux du Van
This natural spectacle of special magnitude is home to many wild animals. Lynxes are also native to the Creux du Van. The arctic-alpine plant world and the bubbling Fontaine Froide spring give visitors the feeling of being in a completely different world. Wildly romantic gorges, bridges, and picturesque hiking trails invite you to explore this extraordinary area. Hiking and cycling tours stretch through the rocky landscape. Enjoy fascinating views over the Mittelland lakes, Jura valleys, and the Alps. Hike to the rock arch along the Areuse Gorge and let your gaze wander as far as France. The Creux du Van loop takes you past farms, sinkholes, forests, and alpine meadows.
Underground Lake of Saint-Léonard
The clear water of the Lake of Saint-Léonard lies beneath the vineyards of Sion. Visitors are taken into the cave in rowing boats to reveal a mysterious universe to them. A holographic exhibition also enhances the mystical impact of this place. In summer, the water-filled cave is a wonderful way to cool off. The Lake of Saint-Léonard, at 300 meters long and 10 meters deep, is the largest underground lake in Europe. It was discovered by the renowned speleologist Jean-Jacques Pittard in 1943. For many, the grotto with its magnificent play of colors on the rock walls is a place of peace and strength.
Tamina Gorge
The narrow, dark Tamina Gorge in the southeast of the Swiss canton of St. Gallen is a phenomenon that has fascinated people since its discovery in the 13th century. The water from its 36.5 °C warm, healing spring travels for over ten years before it continuously emerges, almost 8,000 liters per minute, from a rugged rock. From April to October, the Tamina Gorge is open and enchants visitors every evening from summer onwards with the Light Ragaz show, featuring an artistic light spectacle. Not far from the Old Bad Pfäfers, the oldest Swiss baroque bath, is the entrance to the gorge. A walk on secured paths between mighty rock faces offers an unforgettable experience.
Switzerland - Climate
The climate in the mountainous Switzerland varies depending on the altitude. Significant differences can be observed in the different seasons. In summer, for example, temperatures in the valleys rise to 25 to 30 degrees Celsius, sometimes even higher. The average annual precipitation is 2,000 millimeters, with it being wetter in the canton of Ticino and the Jura than in Valais or Engadine. In the Bernese Alps, the average temperature is the lowest: In March, the snow cover is on average 234 centimeters thick. The temperatures drop significantly below freezing.
The following graph shows the average weather conditions for the country. Historical weather conditions may vary by region.