Switzerland, a country with magnificent mountains and rich culture, attracts thousands of tourists every year. But with so many options to choose from, which ones are definitely not to be missed?Let us take you into the heart of Switzerland and experience the unique activities that will make your trip extraordinary.
Basel, a city on the border between Switzerland, Germany and France, is not only known for its avant-garde art and architecture, but also offers a unique way to experience it – rafting on the Rhine. Here, you can see office workers take off their suits, change into swimsuits, and enjoy a city swim with their families on the weekend. The most striking is the wickelfisch (a fish-shaped waterproof bag used to keep items dry), which visitors can carry to the banks of the river in Kleinbasel and jump into the water to gently float past the city's landmarks as the river flows. If you prefer to keep your head on the water, you can choose to rent a stand-up paddleboard. Locals like to end their swim at the small riverside pub (buvette), especially on hot summer days, when many people gather to drink and bask in the sun.
Deep in the Alps, when night falls, there is silence all around, and the only sounds you can hear are the soft sound of cowbells in the distance and your own heartbeat. Stars and distant planets twinkled in the sky like a handful of sequins. Million Stars Hotel offers an expansive collection of open-air accommodations that allow you to get back to nature and enjoy the tranquility under the stars before bedtime. The ideas for these accommodations are not limited to tents, but also include well-appointed beds on remote mountain tops, stylish cable cars repurposed on the edge cliffs, beds under apple trees and "beehive" luxury cabins facing the north face of the Eiger Peak. Not only is it cleverly designed, but it's also very comfortable.
When it comes to rail travel, no country does this as well as Switzerland. Here, the small and always punctual red train moves effortlessly from the valley to the peak, allowing passengers to enjoy the Alpine views from the comfort of a panoramic carriage. The Glacier Express is one of Switzerland's proudest train journeys, crossing the Verca, Oberal and Bernina passes in an eight-hour drive from Zermatt to Engadin to Moritz, Switzerland. Outside the car window are rolling meadows, forests, rushing turquoise rivers, canyons, castles, majestic mountains and glaciers. The journey is a masterpiece of engineering in the 30s of the 20th century, with special mention being the Landwasser Viaduct – a six-arch bridge spanning Tiffin Castel and Philisser and the Oberlar Pass at 2,033 metres above sea level, which truly captures the wild beauty of the Swiss Alps.
The Swiss National Park is located in the Lower Engadin Valley in Graubünden, a pristine Alpine region. The natural landscape here is breathtaking, with 172 square kilometres of mountains, rushing streams, highland marshes, meadows, glaciers, larch forests and pine forests. Since the park was founded in 1914, nature here has been completely preserved: no trees have been cut down, no meadows have been mowed, and no hunting animals have been made. The best way to explore this wilderness is to put on your hiking shoes and walk into this trail-strewn park. If you only have time for one hike, be sure to opt for the 21-kilometre hike at Lake Macun, which will take you to an alpine plateau dotted with 23 lakes that sparkle with topaz and sapphire colours. You can also choose to join a guided tour with the park rangers and have the chance to spot rare species such as wild edelweiss, rock goats, ibex, golden eagles and bearded eagles.
In the heart of Switzerland, Lake Lucerne is an emerald green lake surrounded by spectacular mountain peaks. By boat, you can enjoy the lakeside scenery and the history of Switzerland. Crossing the URI area of Lake Lucerne, you can get a glimpse of the Rütli meadows, the birthplace of the Swiss Confederation in 1291. In addition, there is the iconic Tellskapelle Chapel, which is said to be the place where the Swiss national hero Wilhelm Thiel escaped from the ships of the Habsburg ruler Geisler. The mountains near Lucerne are also home to many legends, such as the fact that since 1889, the world's steepest cogwheel railway has been leading to Mount Pilatus at 2,128 meters above sea level, where the restless spirit of the Roman governor Pontius Pilate is said to still linger. Whether legendary or true, you'll be fascinated by the beauty of the lakeside and the spectacular view of Germany's Black Forest as the clouds disperse.
The Eiger Express is an experience that is both eco-friendly and exciting. Since 1912, the little red train has been using hydroelectric power to slowly climb to the Jungfraujoch, the highest railway station in Europe, passing through the icy heart of Mount Eiger. Recently, the journey has become even more eco-friendly, as the Eiger Express in Grindelwald is a super-fast three-cable crane, and its first leg of the journey uses wheels to generate green power. With this mode of transport, you can get almost close to the ferocious, towering north face of Mount Eiger and feel like you're going to hit it directly. The scenery along the way is breathtaking, with a gradual transition from pine forests and log cabins to fields of rock and snow that provide an unforgettable alpine experience.
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