Switzerland’s parks combine exceptional landscapes, vibrant traditions and sustainable regional economies. They are complemented by Alpine landmarks, glacial landscapes, historic castles, waterfalls and centuries-old craft traditions. In German, Switzerland is called Schweiz, in French Suisse, in Italian Svizzera and in Romansh Svizra; the official German name is Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft.

Nature

The Swiss National Park has 100 km of hiking trails and 21 official routes for hiking and wildlife observation. Visitors can be accompanied by knowledgeable guides. The information desk at the National Park Centre provides advice on planning hikes in the Swiss National Park and enables visitors to book excursions. The exhibition «Wilderness at the Centre» presents the Swiss National Park in four exhibition rooms; interactive stations explain its natural processes. For younger children, the exhibition includes dedicated play stations.

The Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch area is an Alpine UNESCO World Heritage natural site and was inscribed in 2001. The World Heritage area covers 82,400 hectares, includes the most heavily glaciated part of the mountain range and is home to Eurasia’s largest glacier. Its great diversity of ecosystems demonstrates stages of ecological succession, particularly those associated with the retreat of glaciers caused by climate change.

Mountains

The Matterhorn is 4,478 metres high and, with its pyramid-shaped silhouette, is considered a symbol of Switzerland. Matterhorn Glacier Paradise can be reached by cable car and includes the Glacier Palace, with fascinating ice sculptures and centuries-old ice formations. Matterhorn Ski Paradise is described as one of the largest ski areas in the Alps.

The Jungfrau Railway leads to the Jungfraujoch, reaching Europe’s highest railway station at 3,454 metres above sea level within the UNESCO World Heritage site of Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch. At the Jungfraujoch, visitors can experience the high-Alpine world from the «Sphinx» and «Plateau» viewing platforms.

Lakes and Water

The Lavaux vineyard terraces stretch for around 30 km along the northern shore of Lake Geneva, from Château de Chillon to the eastern outskirts of Lausanne. The present-day terraces can be traced back to the 11th century and were developed to produce economically significant, highly prized wine.

Chillon Castle is a waterside castle that follows the oval shape of the rocky island and is accessible from all sides across the lake. It is considered an outstanding cultural heritage site and displays around 300 objects. Chillon Castle can be visited independently and at your own pace; the tour usually takes around one and a half to two hours. Regional trains on line S5 run hourly to Veytaux-Chillon station; from there, it is a six-minute walk to Chillon Castle.

Rhine Falls is Europe’s largest waterfall, plunging over a 150-metre-wide and 23-metre-high rock ledge. It is accessible around the clock, 365 days a year. A visit to Laufen Castle at Rhine Falls includes the Historama, walks along the Belvedere Trail, viewing platforms and a panoramic lift. The Laufen Castle complex has been open to the public and used for tourism since 1861.

Getting Around

The Glacier Express route runs between Zermatt and St. Moritz. Its panoramic windows offer views of the mountain landscape between these two places. The journey through the Alps on the Glacier Express takes around eight hours and passes through 91 tunnels and over 291 bridges. Oberalp Pass is located at 2,033 metres above sea level, is the highest point of the Glacier Express journey and is a popular photography stop year-round.

Culture and Tradition

Regional specialities are also part of Switzerland’s image. Appenzeller cheese is a tangy Swiss cheese that has been made by hand according to an old tradition for over 700 years. Together with the vibrant traditions and sustainable regional economy associated with Switzerland’s parks, it represents a culture in which the landscape and traditional production methods exist closely side by side.

If you would like to continue exploring Switzerland by region, you can find Basel-Land, Zurich, St. Gallen, Bern, Vaud, Valais, Ticino, Neuchâtel, Jura, Graubünden, Geneva, Fribourg, Uri, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Schwyz, Lucerne, Zug, Solothurn, Aargau, Appenzell, Thurgau, Schaffhausen and Glarus.