One of the most famous mountain systems in the world, located in Europe, is the Swiss Alps.
Here is a fantastic route through the Swiss Alps. A fascinating journey through the Alps by car, between mountains that seem to touch the sky. Green meadows surround romantic transparent lakes and the largest glaciers on the continent.
Some important points about the Swiss Alps
- More than 60% of the territory of Switzerland can be considered as part of the Alps. The Swiss Alps are, therefore, a fundamental element of the country’s idiosyncrasy.
- The main peaks of the Swiss Alps are the Dofourspitze (4,634m) and the Dom (4,545m), but there are many others above 4,000 m.
- If you think about skiing in the Swiss Alps, there are options for all levels and pockets. From the most modest Alps in the canton of Vaud (Diablerets, Villars) to the exclusive resort of St Moritz (in the canton of Grison). Other highly recommended Swiss ski resorts are Zinal, Crans Montana, Portes du Soleil (union of several Swiss resorts with other French ones), Leukerbad, Saas-Fee, and Davos.
- The Swiss Alps are the origin of important European rivers such as the Rhine, they are limited by Lake Leman and Constance and are divided into two large areas: the western and the eastern.
- If you decide to combine nature with cultural activities, the best option is to base yourself in a city near the Swiss Alps: there are many luxury ski chalets that can be easily reached by train to the base of the cable car.
- The Swiss authorities have made great efforts to allow tourism development in the area without giving up on maintaining the originality and charm of its towns and villages. The policy of minimising the use of private tours is based on an advanced public transport network that will allow you to get anywhere in the Swiss Alps, no matter how remote and inaccessible a place may be. There is always a good combination of trains and coaches to reach. The buses wait for the train to arrive, and the tickets are bought together. This allows you to visit all the towns without the need for private means of transport.
- To find cheap flights to the Swiss Alps you have to fly to Geneva or Zurich. To survey the entire area of the Alps it is better to rent a car. If you are going to spend your entire vacation in one place, you can go directly by train from the airport to the place where you have booked a hotel.
The route through the Swiss Alps
Here is a quick tour of the Swiss Alps between small mountain villages and elegant cosmopolitan cities, travelling through the country of watches and chocolate.
This route through the Swiss Alps will take you, for eight days, to visit the best places in the most mountainous country in Europe.
Day 1: Geneva
On the shores of Lake Geneva is this active Swiss city, a small inland sea nestled at the foot of the Alps. Some motorboats, called mouettes, will allow you to obtain excellent views of the city.
In the old town, its most typical streets and the most emblematic buildings converge, such as the Cathedral of San Pedro. In addition, Geneva is known as the City of Parks, as it is the one with the most square metres of green areas per inhabitant in the entire country.
Day 2: Lake Geneva
Bordering Lake Geneva you will discover the most characteristic places: its slopes covered with vineyards and the alpine peaks in the background. You can visit Lausanne, the capital of the Olympic movement, with its beautiful old town with steep streets and covered stairs.
It is also worth visiting Montreux, a city of gardens and stately homes, internationally famous for its Jazz Festival in July. You will also have the opportunity to visit Chillon Castle, a 13th-century fortress with large towers, beautiful halls, and gloomy dungeons.
Day 3: Zermatt, a fairytale town
Zermatt is a charming wooden town with typical mountain architecture at the foot of the Matterhorn.
An excursion that you cannot miss is the one that leads from the Zermatt railway station to Gornergrat, at 3,089 metres of altitude. The visual spectacle is indescribable, with more than twenty peaks that exceed four thousand metres.
Day 4: Between lakes and glaciers
You dedicate the fourth day of this tour through the Swiss Alps to visit lakes and glaciers. Starting with the Aletsch glacier, the largest in Europe, four thousand metres high on the Jungfrau mountain.
After visiting Interlaken and Brienz you will have the opportunity to go up to the Harder Kulm viewpoint, a small excursion with great rewards. And in neighbouring Thun, you can visit the magnificent Zähringer Castle, which houses the History Museum.
Day 5: The best railway excursion
The fifth day will be devoted entirely to the most famous railway excursion in Switzerland: the ascent by narrow-gauge train from Interlaken to the Jungfraujoch station, the highest on the European continent, at 3,454 metres, and surrounded by the largest glaciers in Europe. Europe.
From the terrace of the Jungfraujoch plateau, you can admire a breathtaking view of the longest and most fascinating frozen desert in the Alps, the Aletsch Glacier, which is probably one of the most beautiful places on the planet.
Day 6: Trümmelbachfälle Waterfall
You start the day with a beautiful excursion to the Trümmelbachfälle waterfall, the largest underground waterfall in Europe.
On Schilthorn Mountain you can eat or drink at the futuristic revolving restaurant Piz Gloria, with its fantastic panoramic view. Famous for appearing in a memorable scene in the James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service De Ella.
Later, you will visit Lucerne, set against an impressive alpine panorama. It is a town of Roman origin that shines as one of the most beautiful in Switzerland and nearby, with its 1,898 metres high, the Stanserhorn is part of the top ten of the Swiss mountains.
Day 7: The top of Mount Pilatus
Near Lucerne, Mount Pilatus is the ideal mount for the young and old. Two cable cars, the world’s steepest cogwheel railway, and an exciting adventure park promise an exciting outing for the whole family.
From the top, you will enjoy the dizzying panorama of successive alpine peaks and the unique view of Lucerne and the lakes of central Switzerland.
Day 8: Little Gruyères
To end your trip through the Alps by car, you can opt for an excursion to Mount Titlis or come to discover Bern.
Be that as it may, you have to finish in the small town of Gruyères, a mediaeval town with a superb castle from the 13th century in the style of storybooks, known throughout the world for the fame of its cheese.
