Ticino
The centrepiece of Cevio is its vibrant 16th-century Pretorio (magistrate’s court), covered in the family coats-of-arms of many of the area’s rulers,…
Must-see attractions in Switzerland
Central Switzerland
This teensy museum displays historical knives from prehistoric, Roman and medieval times, including folding precursors to the Victorinox classic. Touch…
Northeastern Switzerland
Located at 1350m, this stuck-in-time Walser-speaking hamlet is great for slipping off the map for a while, with its ludicrously picturesque cluster of…
Northeastern Switzerland
This series of three colossal waterfalls, thundering 585m from top to bottom, is fuelled by underground rivers running through the mountain rock from as…
Graubünden
Soglio (1090m), a hamlet of 300 near the Italian border, faces the smooth-sided Pizzo Badile (3308m). Segantini claimed it was 'the gateway to paradise'…
Northeastern Switzerland
Looking proudly back on 1000 years of history, the medieval Schloss Laufen offers a close-quarters view of the Rheinfall cascade. You can buy a ticket at…
Ticino
Marooned in the glimmering waters of Lake Maggiore, this tiny pair of islands is famous for its botanic gardens designed in the 19th century. Magnolias,…
Interlaken
For far-reaching views to the 4000m giants, take the eight-minute funicular ride to 1322m Harder Kulm. Many hiking paths begin here, and the vertigo-free…
Lake Lucerne
This impressive double-decker cable car lets you head up top out into the open air for spectacular views as it whisks you over 1100 vertical metres from…
Lugano
This lakefront promenade necklaces the shore of glassy Lago di Lugano, set against a backdrop of rugged mountains. Notice the distinctive profiles of cone…
Zürich
Zürich is home to one of the largest collections of succulents in the world: more than 4500 species from more than 78 families. With seven greenhouses, an…
Brienz
This is the only steam-powered cogwheel train still operating in Switzerland, climbing up to Rothorn at 2350m, from where you can set out on hikes or…
Chiesa di Santa Maria degli Angioli
Lugano
This simple Romanesque church contains two frescos by Bernardino Luini dating from 1529. Covering the entire wall that divides the church in two is a…
Zürich
This hands-on university museum reveals the treasures of the earth, explaining what makes volcanoes erupt, where gems come from and what fossils tell us…
Lucerne
A great kid-pleaser, the fascinating interactive Verkehrshaus is deservedly Switzerland’s most popular museum. Alongside rockets, steam locomotives,…
Geneva
A stroll around Geneva's beautiful Old Town is a must. Its main street, the Grand-Rue, shelters the Maison de Rousseau et de la Literature at No 40, where…
Bernese Oberland
The formerly top-secret bunkers at Faulensee were built to house troops defending Thun, Spiez and the Lötschberg railway. During summer, they’re open to…
Valais
If in Chandolin, make sure to visit Espace Ella Maillart, dedicated to the remarkable Swiss adventurer Ella Maillart (1903-1997), who lived in Chandolin…
Wengen
Rising between the Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen Valleys, 2230m Männlichen has sensational views deep into the glaciated heart of the region. These are…
Canton of Zürich
For a satisfying stroll through a solid collection of 19th- and 20th-century classics, head to Winterthur's city art museum. Many of the standard suspects…
Lucerne
The medieval Old Town, with its ancient rampart walls and towers, 15th-century buildings with painted facades and two covered bridges, is fascinating…
Basel
Begin exploring Basel's delightful medieval Old Town in the Marktplatz, dominated by the astonishingly vivid red facade of the 16th-century Rathaus. From…
Zürich
Inside a purpose-built cross between a mansion and a castle sprawls this eclectic and imaginatively presented museum. The permanent collection offers an…
Ticino
River deep, mountain high... To see the valley in beautiful slow motion, hop aboard the staggering Centovalli Railway. Departing from Locarno for…
Zermatt
Take the Sunnegga Express 'tunnel funicular' up to Sunnegga (2288m) for amazing views of the Matterhorn. This is a top spot for families – take the Leisee…
Interlaken
It doesn't get more Swiss than the alpenhorn, that fabulous-looking instrument often played by bearded Alpine men with ruddy cheeks and a good set of…
Museo d'Arte della Svizzera Italiana
Lugano
The showpiece of Lugano's striking new LAC cultural centre, the MASI zooms in predominantly on 20th-century and contemporary art – from the abstract to…
Ticino
Housed in the late-16th-century Palazzo Pancaldi, this museum showcases paintings by artists connected with the town, among them Paul Klee, Ben Nicholson,…
Locarno
You can feel just how close you are to Italy when exploring Locarno's hilly Città Vecchia (Old Town), an appealing jumble of piazzas, arcades, churches…
Canton of Zürich
Had enough art while you've been in Winterthur? What about a science session? Technorama is an extraordinary voyage into the multiple worlds of hands-on…
Lugano
Rising dramatically above Lago di Lugano, the conical peak of Monte Brè (925m) is the trailhead for hiking and mountain-biking trails that afford wide…
The Engadine
At the hands-on Swiss National Park Centre, an audioguide gives you the low-down on conservation, wildlife and environmental change. Staff can provide…
Montreux
A fabulous cogwheel-train ride (return adult/child Sfr70/35, 55 minutes, hourly) from Montreux station is half the reason to ascend the mountain to…
Zürich
With more than 380 species in as-nature-intended enclosures, Zoo Zürich is home to elephants, lemurs, chameleons, camels, yaks and penguins. With one eye…
Canton of Zürich
The vast collection at Winterthur’s outstanding photography museum features great names and styles from the 19th century to the present, zooming in on…
Valais
The exhibition at this museum, in the same building as the Auberge de l’Hospice on the Col du Grand St Bernard, tells the complete story of this remote…
Central Switzerland
This museum is worth a visit just to eyeball the original 1291 charter of federation signed by Nidwalden, Schwyz and Uri cantons. It’s accompanied by some…
Basel
One of Basel's most entrancing landmarks, the 16th-century Rathaus takes pride of place on Marktplatz. Its ornate red sandstone facade is smothered in…
Zürich
Escape the hustle of the city at the botanical garden, home to some 8000 species of the world's flora. Flowers, trees and mosses can be admired in the…
Bernese Oberland
Utterly entrancing in the still of early morning, with its perfect reflection of the white pyramid of Schreckhorn (4078m), this glacial lake is less than…
