Switzerland has become one of my favorite places in the world to visit. Now, I will admit, I haven’t yet been everywhere. But I have decided that no matter what I see in the years ahead, I will continue to remain entranced by Switzerland’s awe. Switzerland has the Swiss Alps, skiing, lakes, hunting and fishing, boat excursions, tourist attractions and more, and it even has palm trees! What a diverse land!
1. Schilthorn and Piz Gloria. The Schilthorn is a mountain in the Swiss Alps. The Piz Gloria is a revolving restaurant on the top of this mountain that was the location for the James Bond film “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.” To reach this destination, 2970m above sea level, one must travel by a combination of train, bus and cable car. The cable cars up the mountain give an excellent panoramic view of the valley below. Once you reach the restaurant, you can dine for breakfast or lunch as you revolve around and get a 360 degree spectacular view. You can walk outside and out onto the edge of the top of the mountain (which is actually pretty scary, but well worth it.) From the top of this mountain, you can see the Jungfrau, Monch and Eiger mountains, part of the Unesco World Heritage, as well as Interlaken and Lakes Brienz and Thunzersee below.
2. Jungfraujoch. This is an adjacent Swiss mountain peak to the Schilthorn. You start off on the same train, whether going to Schilthorn or Jungfraujoch. Once you reach a certain point, you get on the Jungfrau railway. At the top of Jungfrau, you are at the highest point in Switzerland, 3454m. Once at the top, you can visit the observatory deck, where you can stand outside or inside glass walls and engage in the wonderful scenery. On a clear day, you can see down to Interlaken below! This mountain also hosts an indoor ice palace, where everything is made of ice, including the walkways and walls. Different ice sculptures abound and you can take your picture with them! A tourist area hosts some restaurants and a gift shop as well. This is one of the most spectacular sights I have seen, from the top of this mountain. It is worth every minute and you will never forget the experience!
3.Wengen- Murren. This is the place where waterfalls run down the sides of mountains. It is beautiful. It is as if the waterfalls come from nowhere and go nowhere. You just see the waterfalls and become entranced in the moment. Wengen and Murren are part of the Lauterbrunnen Valley, which you will pass through on your way to the Schilthorn. Trummelbach falls is a great stop in this area. You will pay about $10 to see spectacular waterfalls inside the mountain! There are many places to hike and picnic in this area, and the scenery is out of this world!
4. Interlaken. Interlaken is the last stop on the top ten for the Bernese-Oberland region of Switzerland. This region is mostly German speaking, so in any of the first four hot spots, people will speak mainly German. Interlaken is the valley below all the Swiss mountains such as the Schilthorn and Jungfraujoch. Interlaken is the land between the two lakes- Thunersee and Brienzersee. In Interlaken, you will find many picturesque hotels, such as the Hotel du Lac (www.associatedcontent.com). Interlaken runs between the lakes, from east to west. In the east, you will find the train station that takes you anywhere in Switzerland, and is the starting place for many excursions to the mountains listed above. The shopping is great and the food is great. You will find authentic Swiss delicacy, such as fondue pots of chocolate, cheese or meat. You will find Swiss watch shops and souvenir places. But most of all, you will find a small tourist town, friendly and not too crowded, to see what Switzerland is all about.
5. Swiss National Park. This is located in the very east of Switzerland in the Canton Graubunden. The local language spoken is Romansch. The park is huge, and hosts a variety of animals and plant species. Some common animals are golden eagles, bearded vultures, marmots, chamois and elk. There is only one road open to the public, and it is suggested to travel by bus through the park on this road. Over 80 km of hiking trails will keep you very busy hiking and exploring and watching the animals in their true setting! See www.about.ch/various/ for more information on the park.
6. The Tropical Alps. Believe it or not, you will find palm trees here! Ticino is a 100-km stretch between the Germanic mountain north and Mediterranean south (Italy). Ticino is very close to Italy, and offers glaciers as well as palm trees. The culture is rich and diverse in this area, and is little known to those who don’t live in Switzerland. For more information, visit www.myswitzerland.com.
7. Aletsch glacier. This is the longest and most breathtaking glacier in the Alps at 23 km long. It is the easiest to access, and is the sight of the first UNESCO World Heritage sight. This glacier is found in the western-southern part of Switzerland in the Aletsch region. You can take a two hour tour of the glacier from Betteralp with guides. The Aletsch forest, found here, houses Switzerland’s oldest stone pines.
8. Lake Geneva region. This area is known for cyclists and wine lovers. Lake Geneva is situated on the westernmost part of Switzerland, toward the south. The lake goes from Geneve’ (Geneva, Switzerland) to Lausanne. In Lausanne, there is an Olympic museum. In the Lake Geneva region, the main language is French, and you will get a taste of French flair when visiting this area. There are nine interconnected touring routes for cyclists with over 3300 km of road and cycle paths. The area is rich in culture, with many museums and archaeological sites, such as the Chillon Castle. Many Roman ruins remain here.
9. Appenzellerland. This is the land home to Heidi! It lies between Lake Walen and Bad Ragaz in Northeastern Switzerland. Here you will find all sorts of walking trails and the largest Nordic fitness park in Switzerland. Big in this area is Swiss cheese and cows, just like you remember from Heidi. Cow shows are popular, and the locals enjoy dressing up in traditional costumes. A spa resort is located at Bad Ragaz.
10. Zurich. You can’t forget about the 2000 year old town rich in history. This is the city area of Switzerland, with trendy cafes, international boutiques, and the hustle and bustle of modern life. The buildings retain their historical impression, despite the advances in technology that await indoors. There are many cool shops and restaurants on the Bahnhoffstrasse (main road). At night, bars and lounges open and buzz, as well as operas and open-air concerts. You can still hike nearby, see wildlife, and swim in the rivers in lakes like many other places in Switzerland. One cool event is to take a boat trip by steamer on Lake Zurich.
Other great articles:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/212887/hotel_review_hotel_du_lac_in_interlaken.html
http://www.about.ch/various/nationalpark/index.html#location
http://www.myswitzerland.com/en.cfm/destinations/regions/offer-Destinations_Regions-Regions_General-101565.html
