Bernese Oberland  25

Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland region brims with natural beauty and cultural delights, from the dramatic peaks of the Jungfrau Region to the chic excursions of Gstaad and the serene valleys of Adelboden, Lenk and Kandersteg. Whether hiking verdant trails, indulging in fine restaurants or enjoying scenic railway journeys, a wealth of new experiences awaits.

Our guide was created in association with the following partners:

Jungfrau Region Tourism
Tourism Adelboden-Lenk-Kandersteg
Gstaad Holiday Region
Jungfrau Railways

1.
Jungfrau Marathon
Get fit, Alpine style
Jungfrau Region

September is all about running in the Jungfrau Region. The main event is the Jungfrau Marathon, which is billed as the world’s most beautiful – and rightly so. About 4,000 international runners start in Interlaken and climb to Eigergletscher at 2,320 metres. Not in peak condition? Shorter races are staged the day before.

2.
Fondue Backpacks
Melt on a long walk
Gstaad

Forget trail mix: take your hiking lunch to the next level with a fondue backpack. For as little as CHF18 per person, many of the region’s molkereien (dairy shops) will lend you a rucksack filled with the essential kit for whipping up an al fresco fondue wherever your feet take you. Aim for eight extra-large caquelons – kitschy but fun fondue-pot-shaped picnic booths – placed at scenic locations near Gstaad, Schönried, Saanen and beyond. You can use the hike back to work off all that excess cheese.

3.
Ruedihus
Eat a Bernese classic
Kandersteg

Landgasthof Ruedihus offers traditional Swiss cuisine in a charming, historic house. The three rustic dining rooms serve a cosy fondue, raclette or rösti speciality, lovingly prepared using regional ingredients.

4.
Glacier 3000
Scale new heights
Gstaad

At Col du Pillon near Gstaad, Glacier 3000 is a thrill-seeker’s winter wonderland, named after the altitude of its peaks. Its slopes are the longest in the region, allowing passholders to streak down from Dôme at 3,000m to Reusch at 1,300m (the daunting Black Wall slope is one of the steepest in the world). But skis aren’t necessary to get your adrenalin fix here: take the cable car from the Col du Pillon pass up to Scex Rouge peak, where you will find tobogganing slopes, dog-sled rides and a restaurant designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta.

5.
Skiing
Slope off downhill
Jungfrau Region

With three mountains and more than 200km of ski areas, the Jungfrau Region is a winter sports dreamland. The serene town of Wengen comes alive every January when it hosts the infamous Lauberhorn downhill, a steep incline for the brave (or foolhardy). For a more relaxed experience, explore the smoother trails around Kleine Scheidegg and Männlichen. Most of the pistes are 1,800 metres or higher, so your views will be spectacular regardless.

6.
Swiss Open Gstaad
Watch pro tennis
Gstaad

Swiss Open Gstaad dates back to 1915 and the tournament’s clay courts host top ATP pros every summer: Roger Federer made his debut here in 1998. The 2025 event starts on 13 July and tickets go on sale at the end of January.

7.
Männlichen
Get in peak condition
Jungfrau Region

The Royal Ride cable car is a majestic way to ascend from the village of Wengen to the Männlichen peak. After a bracing photo opp on the open-air balcony, pick up the Panorama Trail to Kleine Scheidegg, a leisurely, largely downhill walk through green pastures.

8.
Big Pintenfritz
Go for a big run
Jungfrau Region

When the snow starts to come down and the powder is perfect, sporty types head for the Big Pintenfritz, which once laid claim to being the longest sledging run in the world. We say “sporty” because the gondola ride to the First, at 2,166 metres above sea level, is the easy part. You must then hoist your sledge for more than two hours along the Bachalpsee to Faulhorn. It’s worth it for the picturesque hour-long, 1,600-metre descent.

9.
Lake Thun
Make a day of it
Jungfrau Region

With a day in the Bernese Oberland, you are blessed with options. Start with a morning hike through lazy green pastures near River Aare before climbing aboard a boat cruise from Interlaken West that sails around Neuhaus nature reserve and majestic Lake Thun – the region’s largest lake and one best seen from its clear blue waters.

10.
Gstaad Menuhin Festival
Listen within tent
Gstaad

The late classical violinist Yehudi Menuhin was one of the area’s most illustrious residents and founded the Gstaad Menuhin Festival in 1957. The themed annual event attracts thousands of visitors to dozens of musical performances between July and September, including symphony concerts in Gstaad’s purpose-built festival tent.

11.
1910 Gourmet
Taste the difference
Jungfrau Region

The haute-cuisine scene is thriving in the village of Grindelwald, where refined culinary excellence comes with a side order of stunning mountain vistas. Leading the charge is 1910 Gourmet by Hausers, a Michelin-starred gem in the Hotel Belvedere. With just six tables, the restaurant is an intimate setting to savour the artistry of head chef Dávid Imre Rózsa. His menu showcases meticulously sourced local ingredients, transformed through highly technical cooking into modern masterpieces. Highlights include alp pike sashimi, which sees fresh local pike perch transformed through lacto-fermentation and dry-aging before each delicate slice is adorned with vibrant garden flowers and mountain herbs. With limited seats, book ahead to secure your taste of this Alpine gastronomical experience.

12. 
Lauensee
Dive straight in
Gstaad

The Gstaad Holiday Region boasts some of the most beautiful lakes in Switzerland – but Lauenensee takes some beating. It is really two lakes in the heart of the Gelten-Iffigen nature reserve: a stunning blend of waterfalls, forests, alpine pastures and floodplains. Head to the smaller lake’s Restaurant Lauenensee to dive in from the pontoons or rent a rowing boat. Local park rangers are on call to give tips for the best hiking routes around the larger lake.

13.
Molkeri Gstaad
Dig deep for dairy
Gstaad

Molkerei Gstaad, a dairy shop open since 1931 and run by the town’s “king of cheese”, René Ryser, has a trick up its sleeve: guests can visit its candle-lit grotto which stores 3,000 wheels of Alpine cheeses, including Berner Alpkäse and Hobelkäse. “These cheeses are from about 50 different producers, all from the region’s mountain pastures,” says Ryser. Listen out for the soundtrack accompanying your grotto visit; it includes a rousing recording of “Amazing Grace”, performed on an Alphorn.

14.
Lauterbrunnen
Watch the falls
Jungfrau Region

You would be hard pressed to visit all the waterfalls in Berner Oberland on a single visit. There are 72 in the Lauterbrunnen Valley alone. Check out Trümmelbach’s 10 thundering glacier-fed waterfalls (inside a mountain and accessible via underground lift) or head to Staubbach waterfall to witness a free-falling, 297-metre-high beauty. For a full immersion, pull out your hiking poles and trek from Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg with the sound of the falls as your soundtrack. This is, after all, a valley that inspired the author JRR Tolkien – the inspiration for your own literary masterwork might be just around the corner.

15.
Nordwand Bräu 3790
Raise a glass
Jungfrau Region

Leipzig-born Steffen Seidel is a painter, waiter and master brewer. His Grindelwald microbrewery, Nordwand Bräu 3790 (named after the height in metres of the Eiger Mountain’s north face), has been making four types of beer – from pale ale to unfiltered lager – since 2015. “When I came here, everyone said that there was no local beer,” says Seidel. “I thought, I can do that.” Made with the purest mountain water, his beer is available in the village’s regional produce shop, Eigerness Der Laden.

16.
Choleren Gorge
Immerse in nature
Adelboden

The Choleren Gorge captivates visitors with its dramatic cliffs, cascading waters and rock formations. Accessible via a scenic one-hour hike from Adelboden, the 100-metre-long gorge is best viewed from its dramatic base. Wooden walkways and staircases also wind along the short length, revealing natural water mills and twists carved by nature’s power. Extend your adventure nearby at Pochtenkessel, where two rivers converge in a striking natural basin. Finish with a rejuvenating plunge in the Jungbrunnen pool below the gorge.

17.
Café culture
Roast in the snow
Jungfrau Region

Café culture is alive and kicking in Grindelwald. Eigerbean’s Marco Münch roasts coffee beans using a Stronghold S9X. “I’m one of only two people in Switzerland who have this machine,” he says proudly. Eigerbean sells whole beans and also serves single-origin drip coffees and perfectly balanced flat whites. Down the road at Qraftwerk, wife-and-husband team Nadja and Oliver Fuhrer also serve coffee – but it’s really all about the baked goods. Oliver started out making energy bars for a bike trip to Spain, which morphed into a fully-fledged business selling croissants, quiche, marshmallow-and-praline Schokoküsse and much more.

18.
Sportzentrum Gstaad
Curl up post-swim
Gstaad

Too cold to take a dip in a nearby lake? The majestic swimming hall of Sportzentrum Gstaad has you covered. Bask in the warmth of the gigantic wooden arches, designed by architecture firm Ernst & Schweizer in the 1970s and, between laps, enjoy the spectacular views of the snowy peaks through the bay windows. Post-swim, indulge in the wellness centre’s many saunas and steam baths or relax in the bubble jets of the heated outdoor pool area. If your ski suit took up all your luggage space, don’t fret: swimwear is available for rent or purchase.

At sundown, it’s time for a game of curling, the Olympic sport that is played on ice sheets and feels a bit like the French game of petanque – albeit with furious brushing thrown in for good measure. Anyone can rent curling shoes, grab a broom and play a few ends with their friends before heading to the Curl Bar, which overlooks the sheets. Mingle with members of Curling Club Gstaad for tips on refining your game and order from a selection of beers and reasonably priced wines.

We host the Swiss national championships here in March, which will determine who goes to the Winter Olympics,” says club president Stefan Karnusian. If you’re new to curling, booking an instructor at the front desk a day in advance is mandatory.

19.
Simmen Falls
Follow the meltwater
Lenk

The Simmen Falls, located in the Simmental Valley, is a spectacular sight. Begin your hike at Restaurant Simmenfälle, where a wide path leads to a great view of the rushing falls from the Barbara Bridge. Seasoned hikers can continue to Alp Rezliberg and the Seven Fountains – the source of the Simme river.

20.
The Brecon
Refine your stay
Adelboden

Built in 1912, this chalet turned guesthouse exudes timeless charm, offering a refined alternative to the rustic feel of Adelboden’s other spots. “My family has been coming to Adelboden since I can remember,” co-owner Grant Maunder tells Monocle. “I want guests to feel that sense of staying in a generous home.”

21.
Arvenseeli
Get active
Kandersteg

Set in a cluster high above the mountain town of Kandersteg, the three Arvenseeli lakes provide the backdrop to one of Switzerland’s most underrated waterfront hikes (during summer months only – the lakes are formed from meltwater). Take the cable car from the valley to Sunnbüel and embark on a leisurely hike up through the Swiss stone pines. Less than an hour into your walk, three gleaming pools will be revealed, their clear blue waters a bountiful reward for your (relatively minimal) exertion. Rarely is such a view so easily won in this part of the world. Fed by meltwater from the glaciers and snow high above, the lakes remain icy cool and crystalline, even in the warmer months. Peel off and go for a dip, if you dare.

22.
Erlebnisbad Wallbach
Relax in warm waters
Lenk

The soothing 34C warmth of the whirlpool at Erlebnisbad Wallbach is the perfect setting for relaxation. Surrounded by stunning mountainous scenery, the bubbling water revitalises tired muscles. With its consistent temperature, the whirlpool is a year-round perk – ideal after a long hike, a day on the slopes or simply to unwind. Experience tranquillity and the unique sensation of recharging in the heart of the Alps.

23.
First Flyer
Take a flyer
Jungfrau Region

From Grindelwald, it’s a 25-minute ride by cable car over to First, a minor summit on the slopes of the Schwarzhorn. From here you could choose to take the First Flyer, a speedy and fully-harnessed zipwire which covers a distance of 800 metres with a potential top speed of more than 80km/h. Monocle prefers the epic feat of engineering that is the Cliff Walk, which allows the opportunity to ponder the magnificent Bernese Oberland peaks from a metal walkway that hugs the rock’s surface and isn’t for those afraid of heights (our advice: don’t look down). At one point during the walk, you must manoeuvre your body around rocks that jut out from the cliff and traverse a bridge section that bounces ever so slightly as you cross it. Not that we were afraid, mind you.

24.
Hohliebestübli
Taste seasonal goodness
Adelboden

Andy Schranz and his team at Hohliebestübli have been delighting guests since 2003. This 300-year-old chalet restaurant sits just 30 guests, creating an intimate and welcoming atmosphere. Great importance is placed on top quality regional ingredients. “I draw inspiration from the changing seasons and regionality to create a unique menu,” says Schranz.

Dishes include Hereford beef ribeye with grilled vegetables and oven-baked potatoes, all lovingly prepared on a nostalgic wood-fired stove.

25.
Drei Berge
Sip a secret cocktail
Jungfrau Region

The bar at the Drei Berge (or “Three Mountains”) is the place to be. Owned by Parisian entrepreneur Ramdane Touhami since 2023, it’s safe to say it stands out from the pack with its painted green exterior and red-and-white striped shutters. Touhami knows a thing or two about good design, having overhauled the menswear department at Liberty and reinvigorated the beauty brand Officine Universelle Buly 1803.

Drei Berge is nestled in the car-free village of Mürren (accessible by gondola or train), which has just 400 year-round residents yet attracts everyone from writers to hikers during the warmer months. In winter, you can literally ski to the door and enjoy après-ski on the deck, where Swiss army blankets are available if it’s chilly. Sip a “Heidi’s Secret” (a twist on a gin and tonic) or warm yourself with a steaming glass of gluhwein and marvel at the spectacular views. “You have the feeling of being fully surrounded by mountains here,” says Drei Berge’s guest service operations manager Stephan Pereira Procacci. “It’s unique.”

Jungfrau Railways

Head to the top

In the Bernese Alps, distances that appear short on a map can end up taking longer to cross due to the rugged terrain. At times, certain roads simply cease to exist. Which is where the ever-pioneering Jungfrau Railways comes in. The company traces its roots to 1893 when Swiss industrialist Adolf Guyer-Zeller, aka “the railway king”, came up with the idea of taming the Eiger and Mönch mountains by running a cogwheel train track inside the rockface. It was a gruelling and long task to finally get all the way up to Jungfraujoch – hampered by deaths among the Italian labourers during rock blasting, financial problems and labour strikes. “Construction work took 16 years and the whole project was done by hand without machines,” says Jungfrau Railways’ Kathrin Naegeli. “Sometimes morethan 300 people lived and worked at Eigergletscher Station.” When the work was finally completed in 1912, Jungfraujoch became the highest train station in Europe, standing 3,454 metres above sea level.

The railway today continues to push the limits of what can be done with mountain terrain, under the tutelage of director Urs Kessler who has been in charge for more than 16 years. The showpiece trip is undoubtedly from Grindelwald up to Jungfraujoch – the “Top of Europe”. It only takes about 45 minutes thanks to the first leg now being in a cable car called the Eiger Express that launched in 2020 and seats 26 people. (You can still travel the old way via a slower train from Grindelwald Grund to Kleine Scheidegg). Marvel at the feat of engineering and the huge pylons that support the car as you gaze down at snow-dusted trees on the way to the Eigerletscher station.

From here, transfer to the cogwheel train that enters a rock tunnel for the remainder of the trip, with a quick five-minute stop at the Eismeer station to admire the views and marvel at the tunnelling expertise of the railway line’s makers.

Alongside the high-altitude weather research station, there is plenty to enjoy on arrival, from shops and restaurants to ice sculptures. But our favourite part is heading outside to marvel at the Unesco World Heritage Aletsch glacier and snowy peaks that glint in the sunshine as they jut above the clouds at the Sphinx Terrace and Plateau viewing galleries. Be sure to wrap up warm: it was a balmy -14C when Monocle visited.

Inside track

Discover three more Jungfrau Railways routes:

1. Harder Kulm
   Above Interlaken, this funicular gazes down on Lakes Thun and Brienz, encircled by a jagged frame of mountains.
2. Lauterbrunnen-Mürren
   Take a cable car from Lauterbrunnen to the Grütschalp summit station and switch to a train for the final leg.
3. Schynige Platte
   A beautiful trip during the summer months, this route to the mountain ridge starts in the village of Wilderswil.

The high life

The regions:

1. Adelboden-Lenk-Kandersteg
2. Jungfrau Region
3. Gstaad

Region 1 –– Jungfrau Region

The last stretch of civilisation before the Bernese Alps turn almost vertical, the Jungfrau Region is a destination for ardent adventurers. Elegant new hotels has introduced luxury to the area without altering its off-piste spirit: some villages remain inaccessible by car and only reachable by train or cableway.

After transiting through Interlaken, visitors are transported to the remote villages of Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Mürren and Haslital through successively more stunning scenery. In a feat of Swiss engineering, the railway runs all the way up to Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe, a mountain pass 3,454 metres above sea level with the highest station in Europe.

The mountain peak overlooks a glacier and is blanketed in white year-round. Above and below the snow line, the possible excursions are endless: in addition to a web of vertiginous hiking trails, the northern back of the Jungfrau Region also accommodates those who get their adrenaline rush from rock climbing, mountain biking or paragliding.

1.
Grand Hotel Belvedere
The first five-star hotel in Wengen has two restaurants and an onsen-inspired spa. It will welcome its first guests this autumn.

2.
Hotel Drei Berge
This irreverent new hotel in Mürren overlooks three of Switzerland’s highest peaks and draws guests eager to climb them.

3.
Mönchsjochhütte
Perched 3,650 metres above sea level, this Alpine hut includes meals and a litre of tea in the nightly rate.

Region 2 –– Gstaad

When in need of summer escapism, a Gstaad sojourn is hard to beat – actress Julie Andrews once called it “the last paradise in a crazy world”. Many who visit are tempted to stay for good: in the 1960s, the number of hotel rooms in Gstaad went down because those who arrived as guests soon decided to buy or build their own chalets.

Just over 1000 metres above sea level and two hours by train from Geneva, Gstaad is the easiest to reach of Switzerland’s main Alpine resorts. Compared to the bustle of St Moritz, the town retains a relaxed, friendly character, especially in the off-season summer months. Days are best spent wandering Saanenland’s tranquil, unspoilt landscape, strewn with flowering meadows, the odd sleepy village and as many cows as it has inhabitants. An equally excellent option is to soak in the sun with a leisurely lunch on one of the region’s Michelin-starred terraces. For more than a century, Gstaad’s restaurateurs and hoteliers have refined their approach to hospitality – and it often involves a fondue or flambé.

1.
The Mansard
This recently opened boutique hotel exudes a casual yet comfortable atmosphere. Indulge at the Miradi restaurant or enjoy a unique perspective on Gstaad from the Vane sky bar.

2.
The Alpina Gstaad
This five-star institution has four restaurants including the Michelin-starred Sommet by Martin Göschel.

3.
Posthotel Rössli
Opened in 1845, six decades before the arrival of the railway, Gstaad’s oldest guest house is a bulwark of traditional Swiss hospitality and cuisine.

Region 3 –– Adelboden-Lenk-Kandersteg

Laid out neatly side by side, the three valleys that are home to Adelboden, Lenk and Kandersteg form an ideal tract for high-altitude exploration. Many have discovered a love for mountaineering here: after hiking up a waterfall, Mark Twain wrote “the snow-peaks had always been remote and unapproachable grandeurs, hitherto, but now we were hob-a-nob.”

Adelboden-Lenk-Kandersteg forms a modern network of ski slopes and hiking trails that carry the identity of an earlier, secluded time: the villages all speak their own German dialects. There is no wrong way to enjoy the pristine slopes, adorned with turquoise waterfalls and Edelweiss. Traverse the Engstligental, Kandertal and Simmental valleys on an active itinerary or stay put and pampered in one of the region’s historic spa hotels with outings to Oeschinensee, Blausee and the Engstligen waterfalls. At any pace, the crisp air and crystalline water of Adelboden-Lenk-Kandersteg leaves visitors rejuvenated and reluctant to leave.

1.
Lenkerhof
Built around a spring renowned for its healing properties, the bathhouse of Lenk first welcomed guests in the 17th century.

2.
The Cambrian
With a refurbishment completed last year, this Adelboden classic now boasts 72 rooms as well as a restaurant, bar and Susanne Kaufmann-equipped spa.

3.
The Brecon
This new boutique hotel in Adelboden is accepting reservations this summer.

The Monocle Guide to Switzerland

Geneva
Where nature and culture meet

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. 

Basel
A city of contrasts

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. 

Zürich
Switzerland’s creative centre

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.

Lugano Region
Experience the high life

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.

Ascona-Locarno
A Swiss take on la dolce vita

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.

Transport
Plan your journey to perfection

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.