Where nature and culture meet

Geneva

Famed for its sharp-suited bankers, this polyphone city knows how to have fun with vineyard tours and Lake Léman excursions.

1. Head downtown

Geneva’s proximity to France and Italy can especially be felt in the downtown Carouge district, which used to be a separate city under both French and Sardinian rule. There is still a palpable Mediterranean attitude to life here, with plenty of art and craft studios, laid-back cafés and excellent restaurants. While Geneva’s centre quietens after dinner, the bars of Carouge stay open later into the night.

2. Dine in style

Geneva’s restaurant scene has become downright buzzy recently, thanks to classic brasseries such as La Lyrique and bustling openings including Bombar, Le Bologne and Coin Coin.

3. Taste the terroir

The bucolic hills around Geneva produce exceptional chardonnays and gamays, which can be tasted on vineyard tours organised on foot, e-bike or aboard an electric tuk-tuk.

4. Take the plunge

Geneva is at the meeting point of the Rhone and Arve, and overlooks western Europe’s largest lake. Outdoor bath Bains des Pâquis features a restaurant known for its fondue. Further down the shore is Plage des Eaux-Vives, a beach that gets predictably packed on hot days. At the Quai de Cologny, people sunbathe on a circular pontoon whose design is an attraction in its own right.

5. Sample sweetness

Never leave Geneva without some chocolate souvenirs. Bring home a box of truffles from Auer, a fifth-generation chocolatier that has occupied the same golden Rue de Rive shopfront since 1939.

A city of contrasts

Basel

The home of the world-class art fair also has top year-round exhibitions and a pace of life as calming as the Rhine that runs through it.

6. Admire great art

This Renzo Piano-designed home to the art collection of Ernst and Hildy Beyeler is a gem in Basel’s packed map of museums and galleries. Until 11 August, the foundation displays its first Sommerausstellung, a group show of contemporary artists, while it is followed in September by a major Henri Matisse retrospective. Set in verdant countryside a little out of town, the pavilion welcomes art lovers 365 days a year.

7. Go with the flow

Swimming in the Rhine is a time- honoured summer tradition in Basel. Stuff your clothes into a Wickelfisch, the colourful watertight bags available from tourist information centres, wade in and let the current carry you downstream. Start from behind the Museum Tinguely and stop off at a buvette for refreshments.

8. Head to a concrete church

Basel is home to Switzerland’s first concrete church. Designed in 1925 by Karl Moser and Gustav Doppler, the Antoniuskirche has an entrance composed of receding arches and a high, vaulted roof that make it a stunning early example of the Swiss knack for building with béton brut.

9. Tour local architecture

Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron lead projects the world over but nowhere is as dense with the firm’s buildings as their hometown. Touring even a fraction of them provides a great snapshot of this changing Swiss city, from polished high-rises to cosy Badis. You can visit Museum der Kulturen, a bold extension to a 19th-century ethnographic institution; swim at Naturbad Riehen just outside Basel; or tour the Novartis Campus, with buildings by Herzog & de Meuron and six more Pritzker Prize-winners. Don’t skip dinner at Volkshaus Basel, which swells with Baslers at any time of day.

10. Embrace new thought

This sprawling campus on the Dornach hill was built in the early 20th century by Rudolf Steiner, the father of antroposophy – a philosophical religious movement. Steiner schools are still common around the world, and especially so in Switzerland, where the Goethaneum still serves as the movement’s headquarters. The place is an architectural marvel: the monumental, off-kilter buildings avoid straight lines and have been cited as an influence on architects from Frank Lloyd Wright to Frank Gehry. The campus is about 10km south of Basel and open to visitors seven days a week.

Switzerland’s creative centre

Zürich

A cosmopolitan city without the stress or smog, Zürich’s enviable way of life includes swims, spritzes and al fresco dinners.

11. Splash out

Spend a summer’s day in Zürich and you might end up in the water without having planned to. Visitors quickly learn from locals, who often go for a plunge even on a short break from work. Along Lake Zürich, the best badis (open-air swimming pools) are Seebad Utoquai and Strandbad Wollishofen. For a faster pace, walk up the Limmat river to Flussbad Oberer Letten, which has a high wall to protect swimmers from floating away with the current. The Limmatschwimmen event takes place every summer and sees thousands of Zürchers bobbing on floatees through the inner city.

12. Toast the best

Zürich is home to what many consider the world’s best bar: the Kronenhalle Bar, built in 1965, where patrons sit on green Moroccan leather settees, admiring Picasso originals and wrought-iron lighting by Diego Giacometti, while sipping negronis to the sound of clinking glasses. Fewer people know that there’s a bar by the same designer, Robert Haussmann, inside the Hauptbahnhof. Created with his partner, Trix, Da Capo is hidden in the upper mezzanine of Brasserie Süd. Built in 1980 and recently restored, it’s a postmodern time capsule complete with trompe-l’oeil walls.

13. Head high above town

In Zürich, bucolic countryside and mountain peaks are never more than a tram ride away. For a leisurely lunch, head up to Berg 8044, a summer restaurant where the tables are laid out in a field. For a higher hike, take the tram 9 to its end station and keep walking uphill. It’s about an hour to Mount Uetliberg, where the terrace of Uto Kulm serves a rewarding beer and bratwurst with handsome Alpine views.

14. Discover Swiss design

For anyone partial to clean-cut Swiss modernism, Museum für Gestaltung is one of the world’s best design museums. A second outpost opened in Toni-Areal.

15. Walk the gallery mile

The Kunsthaus Zürich and its David Chipperfield-designed extension sit at the heart of the city’s gallery district on Rämistrasse. Or head to Zürich West for creative spaces and contemporary art shows.

Switzerland’s finest Boutique & Design Hotels and Lodgings range from family-run hideaways to palatial mountain resorts. All guarantee plenty of local character and a cheerful greeting at the door, whether that’s bonjour, buongiorno, Grüezi or bun di.

Before Switzerland Tourism and Hotellerie Suisse award the Boutique & Design Hotels and Lodgings stamp of approval, they ask three questions: Is this establishment inspiring? Is it refreshing? And is it individual? In practice, this means that the hotels in this selection can be trusted to be thoughtfully designed, efficiently run and reflective of the places that they are located in.

Here are 10 of Monocle’s favourite hotels from Switzerland Tourism’s Boutique & Design Hotels and Lodgings collection, from a five-star St Moritz classic to a high-altitude new opening.
switzerland.com/boutiquedesign

1. The Omnia, Zermatt

This hotel’s location is so distinctive that it needed its own address: On the Rock, 3920 Zermatt. With all the trimmings of a five-star hotel, this is one of the few modern interpretations of a classic Swiss mountain lodge that doesn’t leave you yearning for the original. With a prime spot at the foot of the Matterhorn, it’s no wonder that The Omnia has topped lists of Switzerland’s best hotels.

2. Grand Hotel Belvedere, Wengen

Beaumier Hotels, the group behind some of the best boutique hotels in France, is opening its first location in Switzerland this autumn. Nestled in Wengen, a village high in the Lauterbrunnen Valley, Grand Hotel Belvedere is a historic establishment that is being given a warm and respectful refurbishment. At 1,270 metres above sea level and the foot of several of Switzerland’s highest peaks, Wengen is ideal for getting off the beaten track. There are no cars allowed in the village, just the gentle sound of the Wengernalp Railway and the Bise and Föhn winds.

3.Grand Hôtel du Lac, Vevey

Set on a glimmering stretch of Lake Léman shoreline, Vevey is a strong contender for the hard-won title of most scenic town in Switzerland. Take it all at the Grand Hotel du Lac, a five-star art nouveau institution complete with opulent rooms, a sun terrace with views, and a well-manicured garden, all of which hardly appear to have changed since the hotel opened in 1868. It’s best to book fast: the place fills up every summer with visitors to the Montreux Jazz Festival as well as during Images Vevey, Switzerland’s main visual arts biennale.

4. Nomad, Basel

Nomad might be a regular haunt of art-world impresarios but it makes a point of addressing all guests with the informal Du. Located in a 1950s apartment building in Basel’s former red-light district, the hotel opened in 2016 after an extensive renovation by local practice Buchner Bründler. The design is a masterclass in concrete, complemented inside by light wooden furnishings, black-tiled bathrooms and spindly Lumina lights.

5. Hotel Schlüssel, Lucerne

Located in Lucerne’s old town in the same square as the Franciscan church, Hotel Schlüssel is one of the city’s oldest guesthouses. The medieval building’s 10 rooms have been spruced up under new ownership. The Schlüssel’s tavern, which first served guests in the 16th century, also reopened this summer as a top-notch stube that covers three floors of the old house.

6. Marktgasse Hotel, Zürich

Marktgasse Hotel has occupied the same building in Zürich’s old town since at least 1291. It doesn’t get more central than this: located behind the town hall, guests are only a few minutes away from Lindenhof, the Grossmünster and the Kunsthalle Zürich. The hotel’s interiors have preserved the building’s features but the furnishings are fresh and modern. There are plenty of communal spaces, including a well-stocked library as well as a bar and two restaurants, including Andreas Caminada’s Igniv, with its adventurous sharing plates.

7. Relais Castello di Morcote, Vico Morcote

In the hills above Lake Lugano on the southernmost tip of Switzerland, Relais Castello di Morcote welcomes guests to a 7th-century patrician house. The estate is family-run and contains a vineyard, two restaurants and the 12-room boutique hotel. With crisp air, impeccable views, excellent wine and Italy across the lake, this getaway distils the very best of Ticino.

8. Bellevue Parkhotel, Adelboden

Picture a Swiss hotel and it probably looks something like the Bellevue. With an off-white facade, wraparound balconies and a Swiss flag waving from the top, it stands proudly against the near-vertical mountain wall that rises behind it. This is a 120-year-old institution in Adelboden, one of the most beautiful valleys in the Bernese Oberland, where pristine mountain lakes and waterfalls inspire visitors to put their hiking boots (and swimsuits) to serious use. After a brisk day outdoors, the Bellevue helps guests recover in a choice of three saunas and a pool with a view.

9. Grace La Margna, St Moritz

Named after the nearby Piz La Margna peak, this St Moritz hotel opened in 1907 to serve travellers arriving at the town’s new railway station. It reopened last summer after a major renovation that upgraded the heritage-protected building and added a modern wing. It now has 74 rooms, three restaurants and all the amenities of a five-star stay. In summer, a mountain railway ticket is included if you stay at least two nights.

10. International au Lac, Lugano

What distinguishes the International au Lac Historic Lakeside Hotel is its prime location on the promenade, in the heart of the historic town centre and its garden, a romantic oasis with a swimming pool and terrace with games. Many of the rooms have been renovated recently, giving them a modern refresh while still preserving the historic charm of the building, which since 1906 has been under the ownership of the same family, now in its fourth generation.

Experience the high life

Lugano Region

This Ticino area bridges Swiss and Italian cultures, attracting entrepreneurs, artists and adventurers by blending the very best of both.

16. Cultural gems

Lugano might have the lifestyle and feel of a resort town but looks are deceiving: the city is the third-largest financial centre in Switzerland and a major manufacturing hub.

When it comes to cultural offering, Lugano gives many European capitals a run for their money – this city of 68,000 people boasts no less than 35 museums in the region. A vibrant arts scene is centred on the Museo d’Arte della Svizzera Italiana (MASI), with its two locations, and LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura, a cultural centre with a packed programme of music, theatre and dance. Other cultural gems include the GAL, the city’s galleries, the 20th and 21st century art museum Collezione Giancarlo e Danna Olgiati, and the Bally Foundation, which facilitates multi-disciplinary arts collaborations.

17. Eat in a grotto

Ticino’s grotti came into being when caves that used to store food and wine became sites for picnics. Today, most grotti have ample outdoor seating and a kitchen that serves taglieri misti (regional meat and cheese boards) and hearty polenta dishes. In Lugano, many of these are on the lake, while some are only reachable by boat. Spend a day on the water and dock for lunch at Grotto Descanso or Grotto dei Pescatori.

18. Book a peaceful stay

For a different angle on Lugano life, head inland and book a stay in a convent. Between beekeeping and vegetable-tending, Convento del Bigorio also houses a charming bed and breakfast.

19. Snack Italian-style

Lugano benefits from its proximity to Italy by adopting many of the country’s culinary classics. The Laboratorio San Giorgio makes excellent amaretti (almond biscuits) that are best enjoyed with a coffee.

20. Stop halfway

If you trek up Monte San Salvatore, be sure to stop for lunch at Locanda dal Bigatt, a scenic inn run by a non-profit cooperative that serves Italian dishes with produce grown in its garden.

A Swiss take on la dolce vita

Ascona-Locarno

On Lake Maggiore’s northern shore lies this sun-kissed settlement of palms and piazzas, as winding streets lead to pastel-hued palazzi.

21. Take a hike

With more than 1,400km of hiking trails winding through the valleys, the region around Lake Maggiore will leave any walker spoilt for choice. One of the most beautiful among these runs along Valle Verzasca, where a jade-green river has carved wild formations in the rock. The valley starts at Contra Dam, known for its hydroelectric power station and immortalised in the opening scene of the 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye.

22. Gather by the pool

Both Ascona and Locarno have lidos near the city centre. In summer, they double as the towns’ main piazzas, serving as lively gathering places for locals.

23. Put down roots

Making the most of its subtropical microclimate, Lake Maggiore boasts gorgeous botanical gardens, including one on the tiny Brissago Islands.

24. Watch top films

Every summer since 1946, this sun-kissed town has hosted the Locarno Film Festival – an 11-day jamboree that sees a silver screen installed on the cobbled Piazza Grande and smaller cinemas popping up in venues across the city. This year’s 77th edition of the festival runs from 7-17 August and will screen more than 300 Swiss and international films, one of which will take home the coveted Golden Leopard for best picture. Locarno has some of the star-studded glamour of its film-festival rivals Cannes and Venice but none of the velvet-rope exclusivity: with no vip zones, everyone can walk the red carpet.

25. Discover an art haven

Many imagine Swiss culture is all precision and pragmatism but a wilder side can be found at Fondazione Monte Verità. In the first decades of the 20th century, its namesake hill became a haven for countercultural artists, writers and political exiles – among them Herman Hesse, Carl Jung and Isadora Duncan – who gathered for spiritual retreats that involved vegetarian fare and gardening in the nude (Ticino locals referred to the group as balabiott, Lombard dialect for “dancing naked”).

The sanatorium is preserved as a foundation that hosts talks and exhibitions; a beautiful Bauhaus building operates as a hotel.

Plan your journey to perfection

Transport

In the mood for a grand tour? Switzerland’s world-famous public transport network makes any city-hopping itinerary a breeze.

26. Move with ease

In Switzerland, public transport is not a convenience reserved for the biggest cities. Even remote mountain villages are well plugged into the country’s well-oiled network of buses, trains and boats, which allows for swift and free movement even without a car.

Visitors from abroad can enjoy the full scope of the network with the Swiss Travel Pass, which provides unlimited journeys within the country and can be purchased for periods from three to 15 days. It is good value when planning to be on the move and comes with the added bonus of free entry to more than 500 museums and exhibitions.

27. Connect by train

The Grand Train Tour of Switzerland connects the most scenic routes into one looping journey. Highlights include the GoldenPass Express, which crosses the idyllic Bernese Oberland. All routes are included in the Swiss Travel Pass as long as you have a seat reservation.

28. Escape the traffic

Many mountain regions, including the Bernese Oberland villages of Mürren and Wengen, are only reachable by cable car or mountain railway. Swiss Travel Pass holders go half price.

29. Zip through the city

Most Swiss cities also offer all-access tickets for trams and buses – with many extra perks – at good value. Look out for the Zürich Card, Basel Card and Geneva City Pass.

30. Be punctual

Swiss trains and trams don’t wait for anyone so make sure to be at the platform at least a few minutes in advance of departure.

Whether in the mood for gallery-hopping, mountaineering or a grand tour that covers all that and more, Switzerland caters to visitors of all stripes.

Switzerland Tourism has an easy-to-use website that collates all you need to know about every canton.
myswitzerland.com

Tickets for the Swiss Travel Pass and itineraries for the Grand Train Tour can also be bought online.
stc.ch

Pack your bags, not forgetting to include The Monocle Travel Guide: Zürich, Geneva and Basel, and you’ll be all set.