Perfecting Your Trip Abroad to Switzerland

Switzerland, a lovely alpine haven, is bordered by four different countries: Austria, Italy, France and Germany, so this enchanting country truly is diverse in experiences depending on how close to one of the borders someone is. With that being said, planning your trip around this beautiful country depends on the mood of the trip. Do you want to go down south and enjoy the Swiss-Italian border with amazing lakes and food? Do you want to go up North, where you can see historical buildings mixing with modern architecture? Do you perhaps want to go East to ski on amazing mountains? The choice is all yours, but here are some of the places we recommend putting on your list.

Lucerne

Lucerne is a small town located in the center of Switzerland. It is known for its famous bridge called Kapellbrücke, which was constructed in the 1300s. Not only does the small town have medieval architecture, but is home to a beautiful lake that the town sits on. People can even take a boat tour around the lake and see the different communities that line it. If anyone wants to wander away from the town, there are multiple mountains within easy distance that boast tons of hiking trails and fun activities. One mountain in particular people can enjoy activities at is Mount Pilatus. At the top, there is a ropes course that has an absolutely beautiful view of the mountain. There is also a toboggan run, where you can sail down the side of the mountain.

Basel

On the Northern border, there is a city called Basel. It is the third largest city in Switzerland and is the location where France, Germany and Switzerland meet. The Rhine flows through the middle of the city and if you are brave enough, there is an opportunity in the summer to float down the river with flotation devices called Wickelfisch, which is an inflatable back in the shape of a fish. In addition to floating down the river, you can enjoy a nice afternoon tea at Les Trois Rois or the Three Kings. This hotel is famous for the celebrities that have stayed there, including Justin Bieber and The Rolling Stones, in addition to historical figures such as Napoleon and Pablo Picasso. If neither of those strikes your fancy, there are a multitude of art installations and museums scattered around the city to enjoy.

Lugano

On the Southern Border, there is the small lake town of Lugano. If you drove 30 minutes you would be in Italy and right next to Lake Como. The location boasts tons of day trips to see natural landmarks as well as taste the amazing Italian cuisine. We definitely recommend taking a boat to see the lake that Lugano is on as well as going over the Italian border to see Lake Como. Who knows, maybe you’ll even get a sighting of George Clooney.

Zermatt

We just had to include this location. Tucked up in the Swiss mountains is a beautiful town that has the historical landmark of the Matterhorn. This mountain peak can be reached by taking a gondola and boasts amazing views of the town below. In the town, people can enjoy the traditional cuisine of the Swiss with Raclette and Fondue….yum! For those who are a fan of the book series A Court of Thorns and Roses, Zermatt has been mentioned as the inspiration for some of the locations in the book.

Let us know @theedgemag the places you love to visit in Switzerland!