Top 100 places to visit in Switzerland
100 must-see places and attractions in Switzerland, from famous landmarks to hidden gems, each with a map and photos.
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100 places
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1Mountain & viewpoint
Matterhorn
Pyramid-shaped 4,478-metre peak on the Italian border, rising above the car-free resort of Zermatt.
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2Mountain & viewpoint
Jungfraujoch
High-altitude saddle reached by cog railway, with an observatory, ice palace and glacier views.
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3Landmark
Chapel Bridge
Covered wooden bridge from the 14th century with a stone water tower and painted panels.
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4Castle & palace
Chillon Castle
Medieval island castle on the shore of Lake Geneva, made famous by Lord Byron's poem.
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5Nature & national park
Lauterbrunnen Valley
Glacial valley with sheer cliffs and 72 waterfalls, including Staubbach and Trümmelbach Falls.
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6Nature & national park
Rhine Falls
Broad waterfall on the Rhine, 23 metres high, with boats to a rock in the middle of the falls.
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7Old town & city
Bern Old Town
Medieval capital centre of arcades, fountains and the Zytglogge clock tower, a UNESCO site.
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8Lake & river
Lake Geneva
Large crescent-shaped lake shared with France, lined by Geneva, Lausanne and Montreux.
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9Nature & national park
Great Aletsch Glacier
Largest glacier in the Alps, seen from viewpoints such as Eggishorn and Bettmerhorn.
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10Mountain & viewpoint
Gornergrat
Ridge reached by cog railway with views of the Matterhorn and surrounding glaciers.
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11Mountain & viewpoint
Mount Pilatus
Mountain above Lucerne reached by the world's steepest cogwheel railway and cable cars.
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12Lake & river
Lake Lucerne
Fjord-like lake surrounded by mountains, crossed by historic paddle steamers.
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13Mountain & viewpoint
Mount Rigi
Mountain between lakes Lucerne and Zug, served by Europe's first mountain railway.
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14Mountain & viewpoint
Schilthorn
Summit with a revolving restaurant used in a James Bond film, facing Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.
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15Lake & river
Oeschinen Lake
Turquoise mountain lake below towering cliffs, reached by gondola and a walk.
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16Mountain & viewpoint
Grindelwald First
Mountain area above Grindelwald with a cliff walk, trails to Bachalpsee and adventure rides.
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17Nature & national park
Lavaux Vineyard Terraces
Steep terraced vineyards above Lake Geneva with walking trails, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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18Old town & city
Zurich Old Town
Medieval lanes on both banks of the Limmat, with the Grossmünster and Fraumünster churches.
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19Nature & national park
Swiss National Park
Switzerland's only national park, strictly protected alpine wilderness with ibex and chamois.
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20Religious site
Abbey of St Gall
Baroque abbey cathedral and historic library with early medieval manuscripts, a UNESCO site.
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21Castle & palace
Castles of Bellinzona
Three medieval castles and linking walls guarding an alpine valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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22Mountain & viewpoint
Titlis
Glacier mountain reached by a rotating cable car, with an ice cave and suspension bridge.
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23Museum & gallery
Swiss Museum of Transport
Large museum of rail, road, air and space travel with a planetarium.
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24Landmark
Lion Monument
Carving of a dying lion in a sandstone cliff, honouring Swiss Guards killed in 1792.
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25Nature & national park
Verzasca Valley
Rocky valley with clear green river pools and the double-arched Ponte dei Salti.
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26Lake & river
Lake Brienz
Turquoise lake east of Interlaken, crossed by boats serving woodcarving villages.
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27Lake & river
Lake Thun
Lake west of Interlaken lined with castles, including Spiez, Oberhofen and Thun.
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28Old town & city
Gruyères
Hilltop medieval town with a castle and the HR Giger Museum, in cheese-making country.
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29Lake & river
Lake Lugano
Lake between steep wooded mountains in Ticino, with the lakeside city of Lugano.
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30
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31
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32Nature & national park
Aare Gorge
Narrow limestone gorge with walkways fixed to the rock walls above the Aare river.
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33Old town & city
Stein am Rhein
Small medieval town on the Rhine with painted facades on its market square.
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34
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35
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36Museum & gallery
Kunstmuseum Basel
Public art collection spanning the Middle Ages to the present, including Holbein and Picasso.
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37
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38Religious site
Basel Minster
Red sandstone Romanesque and Gothic cathedral above the Rhine, with the grave of Erasmus.
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39Religious site
Lausanne Cathedral
Gothic cathedral where a night watchman still calls out the hours from the tower.
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40Religious site
Einsiedeln Abbey
Baroque Benedictine abbey and pilgrimage site housing the Black Madonna.
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41Mountain & viewpoint
Harder Kulm
Viewpoint above Interlaken reached by funicular, overlooking two lakes and the Jungfrau.
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42Landmark
Landwasser Viaduct
Curved stone railway viaduct leading into a tunnel, part of the UNESCO-listed Albula line.
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43Museum & gallery
CERN Science Gateway
Visitor centre of the particle physics laboratory with exhibitions and hands-on labs.
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44Museum & gallery
Swiss National Museum
Museum of Swiss history and culture in a castle-like building beside Zurich station.
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45Museum & gallery
Kunsthaus Zürich
Art museum with works from the Middle Ages to today, including Giacometti and Munch.
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46Museum & gallery
Zentrum Paul Klee
Museum dedicated to Paul Klee in a wave-shaped building by Renzo Piano.
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47Nature & national park
Rhine Gorge Ruinaulta
Canyon carved by the Vorderrhein through landslide debris, with trails and viewing platforms.
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48
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49Old town & city
Appenzell
Village of painted wooden houses, the centre of the traditional Appenzell region.
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50Mountain & viewpoint
Säntis
Highest peak in the Alpstein, reached by cable car, with views over six countries.
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51Mountain & viewpoint
Ebenalp
Mountain with the Wildkirchli caves and the cliff-side Aescher guesthouse.
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52
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53Nature & national park
Creux du Van
Natural rock amphitheatre with 160-metre limestone cliffs in the Jura.
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54Nature & national park
Rhône Glacier
Source glacier of the Rhône with a man-made ice grotto near the Furka Pass.
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55Nature & national park
Morteratsch Glacier
Valley glacier reached by an easy trail with markers showing its retreat.
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56Mountain & viewpoint
Muottas Muragl
Viewpoint reached by funicular, overlooking the Upper Engadine lakes.
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57Religious site
Benedictine Convent of St John
Carolingian convent with early medieval frescoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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58Nature & national park
Viamala Gorge
Deep, narrow gorge on the Hinterrhein explored by steps down to the river.
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59Old town & city
Chur Old Town
Historic centre of one of Switzerland's oldest towns, with a Romanesque cathedral.
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60
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61Religious site
Valère Basilica
Fortified hilltop church in Sion with one of the oldest playable organs in the world.
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62
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63Historic site
Rütli Meadow
Lakeside meadow regarded as the legendary birthplace of the Swiss Confederation.
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64Museum & gallery
Ballenberg Open-Air Museum
Open-air museum of over 100 historic rural buildings from across Switzerland.
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65Nature & national park
Giessbach Falls
Waterfall cascading in 14 stages to Lake Brienz, beside a historic grand hotel.
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66Mountain & viewpoint
Schynige Platte
Mountain reached by a vintage cog railway, with an alpine garden and ridge walks.
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67Mountain & viewpoint
Männlichen
Viewpoint between Grindelwald and Wengen, starting point of a panoramic trail.
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68Castle & palace
Oberhofen Castle
Castle with a turret rising from Lake Thun, surrounded by a landscaped park.
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69Castle & palace
Thun Castle
12th-century castle with four corner towers above the old town, now a museum.
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70Nature & national park
St. Beatus Caves
Limestone caves above Lake Thun linked to the legend of an Irish monk.
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71
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72
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73
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74Old town & city
Fribourg Old Town
Bilingual Gothic town on a bend of the Sarine with a cathedral and medieval bridges.
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75Old town & city
La Chaux-de-Fonds
Watchmaking town laid out on a grid plan, a UNESCO site with a watch museum.
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76Museum & gallery
Laténium
Archaeology museum and park on Lake Neuchâtel, named after the La Tène Celtic culture.
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77Archaeological site
Augusta Raurica
Roman town with a theatre, restored villa and a museum with a silver treasure.
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78Archaeological site
Aventicum
Remains of the Roman capital of Helvetia, with an amphitheatre and museum.
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79
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80Mountain & viewpoint
Monte San Salvatore
Mountain above Lugano reached by funicular, with views over the lake.
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81Mountain & viewpoint
Monte Generoso
Summit reached by cog railway, topped by a restaurant building by Mario Botta.
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82Religious site
Madonna del Sasso
Pilgrimage church on a wooded crag above Locarno and Lake Maggiore.
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83
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84
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85
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86Landmark
Grande Dixence Dam
Concrete gravity dam, among the tallest in the world, with a lake and walking trails.
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87Mountain & viewpoint
Great St Bernard Pass
Historic alpine pass with a hospice founded around 1050 and a St Bernard dog kennel.
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88Museum & gallery
Fondation Pierre Gianadda
Art museum with a sculpture park, vintage cars and Roman remains.
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89Religious site
Abbey of Saint-Maurice
Abbey founded in 515 with a treasury of early medieval religious objects.
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90Mountain & viewpoint
Glacier 3000
Glacier area with a suspension bridge linking two peaks in the Vaud Alps.
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91Mountain & viewpoint
Rochers de Naye
Summit above Montreux reached by cog railway, with views over Lake Geneva.
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92Religious site
St Peter's Cathedral
Cathedral where Calvin preached, with towers and an archaeological site below.
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93Museum & gallery
Patek Philippe Museum
Museum of watchmaking with Geneva timepieces, automata and enamel work.
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94Historic site
Musegg Wall
Medieval city wall with towers, several open to visitors, above Lucerne's old town.
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95Mountain & viewpoint
Uetliberg
Zurich's local mountain with a lookout tower and trails, reached by train.
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96
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97Museum & gallery
Lindt Home of Chocolate
Chocolate museum and factory showroom with a giant chocolate fountain.
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98Museum & gallery
Kunstmuseum Bern
Art museum with a collection spanning eight centuries, from Italian primitives to Klee and Picasso.
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99Theme park & attraction
Swissminiatur
Open-air park of detailed scale models of Swiss landmarks on Lake Lugano.
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100
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