Switzerland: The Monocle Handbook

Planning a few days on the slopes, a long city break, a scenic hike or even something a little longer? Our new guide to Switzerland will make for a perfect travel companion. Here’s a preview of the new title and a video that includes some of the places and people it features.

People often wonder about Monocle’s connection to Switzerland. The simple reason for this relationship is that so much of what the country does well chimes with what we do: championing quality craft, good service, generous hospitality and a sense of stability.

At The Monocle Café in Zürich’s Seefeld neighbourhood, visitors often ask our staff what the country is really like. Our latest book, Switzerland: The Monocle Handbook, available to buy now, provides a comprehensive answer to this question (and its publication is perfectly timed too, given that Alpine season is here). It is the fifth in our handbook series and something of a homecoming.

We open with the best places to check in and use as a base during your stay, from the grand hotels of the belle époque to historic villas and design-conscious chalets with cinematic views. “We’re high above Zermatt, where the heavens meet the earth,” says Christian Eckert, the managing director of The Omnia, a modern mountain lodge that frames the Matterhorn. We also explore the Old World charms and attentive service that make Swiss hospitality a romantic, whimsical affair, from classics including Zürich’s Kronenhalle and Basel’s Volkshaus to lavish meals in the shadow of a giant disco ball, innovative bakeries and wine cellars.

For those looking to shop, our Design & Retail section covers the spots that uphold the country’s tradition of making things well. You’ll find global names alongside family-run specialists. Envelope-pushing museums, galleries, cultural centres, music venues and well-stocked bookshops make the core of our Culture chapter. Then we take a look at the most striking architecture on offer – Switzerland is the birthplace of Le Corbusier, after all – and reveal the must-visit badis, lidos and slopes that provide you with further reasons to step outside the comforts of your hotel suite.

But our handbook isn’t meant to just inspire a weekend escape or a fortnight-long trip. If you want a permanent slice of the action – and given the security, stability and sky-high quality of life, it wouldn’t be a bad thing to consider – our Put Down Roots chapter acts as an affable aide. Here, you’ll find the best neighbourhoods and lakeside towns to call home, the firms that’ll help to kit out your business and the names to know.

In a world in flux, Switzerland’s appeal is unwavering and our latest publication showcases the people and places that make this nation tick.

If you happen to find a gap in our list of recommendations or just want to know more about our take on the land of high peaks and great urban living, do stop by our café or HQ for a chat.