Switzerland is like one big postcard. From one side of the country to the other, you can see beautiful, rugged mountain views with picturesque villages hugging the valley floors. In the summer, hikers love it, and skiers love it in the winter. The best locations to visit in Switzerland are the small towns, which are the gateways to this paradise in the mountains. But before you leave Switzerland for parts unknown, you should spend some time in these charming towns.
Gimmelwald
Leave your car at the house if you’re going to Gimmelwald, a place in the Bernese Alps off the beaten path. Since there are no routes to the village, you must walk or take a cable car to get there. Gimmelwald is a small town of farmers surrounded by hay fields and beautiful mountains.
Because the village is so small, there is no school there. Instead, students have to go to Lauterbrunnen. The houses in Gimmelwald are known for the stones called Schindlers that sit on top of the roofs to defend them from the strong winds that come off Jungfrau Mountain in the winter.
Andermatt
Andermatt is a small village in the Alps. It is in a valley where eight mountain passes meet. It is the largest of these passes and looks like a jewel set in the countryside. Andermatt is one of the most beautiful places in Switzerland. It is in the middle of the Gothard Massif.
You can get around this beautiful place by steam train, five-horse-drawn post coach, or on your own two feet. Andermatt may be best known for its skiing in the winter. From the village, lifts go to Gemsstock and Natschen.
Sion
Sion may not be a small town since it has 34,000 people unless you count its small-town charm. The canton of Valais and a hub for smaller towns in the canton. People talk about the sun, the mountains, and the castles in Sion. Two castles, the Castle of Valeria and the Castle Tourbillon, are on mountains that look out over one of the oldest cities in Switzerland.
Soglio
Soglio is a small Swiss town with more beautiful scenery. In the summer, wildflowers grow on hills, and snow-capped mountains fill the horizon. Soglio’s most famous building is the Church of San Lorenzo, which has a bell tower and stands on top of the village. It looks out over the beautiful scenery.
You can get to the Palazzo Solis, now a hotel, by walking along the narrow streets with cobblestones. The hotel has a Mediterranean feel and giant sequoia trees. Enjoy the peace of this small village, especially if you are walking on the Bergell trail or via the chestnut forest.
Morcote
Morcote is pretty, just like other small towns in Switzerland. But this 771-person town goes one step further. Morcote was chosen to name the most beautiful town in Switzerland in 2016. It is on the shores of Lake Lugano.
A famous piece of architecture in the village is an arcade from the Middle Ages. You can also see homes from the 1600s and the Santa Maria del Sasso church, which was built in the 1300s. The Botanical and Art Park is also worth seeing because it displays plants and art.
Interlaken
Interlaken is the starting point for trips to mountain villages in the Bernese Alps, but it is also a nice place to visit. It has been a tourist spot since the early 1800s when landscape painters like Franz Konig used it as a subject for their work.
Back then, people came to the mountains to breathe fresh air and get spa treatments. Music festivals are a big deal in Interlaken. Since it’s near Lakes Thun and Brienz, you should take a relaxing paddleboat ride on one (or both) of them.
Murren
If you like the James Bond movies, there’s a good chance you know about the cable car and restaurant on Schilthorn. Her Majesty’s Secret Service, filmed at Murren, had scenes with them. Or, if you read Heidi books as a child and liked Heidi’s home, this traditional Alpine village will remind you of it. You’ll see beautiful sights everywhere you look in Murren, from the huge Eiger and Jungfrau mountains to flower-filled meadows.
Grindelwald
Even though they have the same name, Grindelwald and Gilbert Grindelwald are nothing alike. Gilbert Grindelwald is a bad guy in the Harry Potter books, and the town of Grindelwald is a beautiful place in the Bernese Alps.
The view here is beautiful, and you can see Eiger’s north face. Since the 18th century, Grindelwald has been a popular place for tourists. It is home to the largest ski resort in the Jungfrau region. There are many good places to hike during the summer, like the Eiger Trail.
Lauterbrunnen
Lauterbrunnen is full of waterfalls. This beautiful valley has 72 waterfalls that flow down the mountains. The most notable of these is Staubbach Falls, which drops nearly 1,000 feet and is one of the highest waterfalls in Europe.
The town is a starting point for trips into the Jungfrau area, such as to Murren, across the valley. Many writers, including Goethe, were inspired by this small, beautiful village nestled in the mountains. You have to walk through the valley, but people who like to try new things might enjoy skydiving or paragliding.
Zermatt
Zermatt is a popular place to ski and climb in Switzerland, which makes sense since it is at the bottom of the Matterhorn, one of the country’s highest peaks. Zermatt is the location to go if you want to go outside and look good while doing it. Even though Zermatt is close to Italy, most of the people who live there speak German. You can walk up the mountains or start taking a cable car to see amazing views of the famous Matterhorn.