Discover the Unmatched Beauty of Switzerland: Top 9 Must-Visit Destinations

Switzerland may be something less than heaven, but it is decidedly very near to it in all respects. The Alps occupy 60 percent of this beautiful country with its dream environment and villages. Think of peaks touching the sky with their ice, large waterfalls, fairy-tale castles, and lakes in brilliant blues. Red trains chug on top of high mountains, and the cowbells ring across fields and make one want to jump and run as in Heidi tales.

 Even the culture-rich cities have pristine vineyard, lake or river backdrops with the mountains always in focus. Switzerland's natural beauty is verging on uncanny and it is pure joy to travel by train, bus, and car. Here are the best 11 places one can pay a visit in Switzerland:

Bern

• Best for a step back in time

Bern-often overlooked Swiss capital-is home to a medieval Old Town that, since 1983, has ranked among the UNESCO World Heritage sites. There is so much to love about that charming city of cobbled alleys and 16th-century fountains and covered arcades. Turquoise Aare cuts through the city that lies molded in the shape of wooded hills, which makes it look just beautiful from every imaginable direction. Next to natural wonders are such man-made splurgeon delights as the Einstein-Haus, the Kunsthaus, and the Zentrum Paul Klee.

Zermatt

• Best for: Hiking, Skiing, Rock-climbing

Zermatt is synonymous with Switzerland's iconic peak, the Matterhorn. This Alpine resort rings on skiing, hiking, and mountaineering opportunities. To add onto that Matterhorn Glacier Paradise with its dramatic glaciers, and peaks, as well as breathtaking rides by cable cars from Zermatt up to Testa Grigia on the Swiss-Italian border for adventure-seekers.

Geneva and Lake Geneva

• Best for a Cosmopolitan City Experience

The breathtaking Lake Geneva, fringed by vineyards and mountains, is a standout attraction in itself. On its south shore sits Geneva, with museums, galleries, and parks counted as a bonus. The must-to-see places include Jet d'Eau or Mont Blanc. Lausanne offers tidy cultural draws like Plateforme 10 arts district and Lavaux vineyards nearby. Montreux is the place where the famous jazz festival takes place.

Swiss National Park

• One of the best places to see wildlife and wildflowers.

There's just one national park in Switzerland, a covers-before untouched wilderness of moors, woods, lakes, and mountains. At southeast has developed an enclosure for Ibex, chamois, marmots, and golden eagles. Between Zernez and the Lakes of Macun, rises a 21km trail through which mountaineers can hike to plenty of beautiful views amidst all flora and fauna. Bellinzona

Best of piazza dining

It means Bellinzona in Ticino: the city of three medieval castles amidst stunning Alpine sceneries. Italian-flavored historic center with their flower filled alleys full of charming houses, exquisite Renaissance churches, lively piazzas are full of colours. Castelgrande stands to be the most striking one among the three.

Lake Lucerne

• Best for sunset promenade

This bewitchingly medieval town on the shores of its eponymous lake has a promenade to watch the sunset from, and a lake that leads onto mountains like Mt Pilatus and Mt Rigi. It also has a number of cultural attractions, including the famous Kapellbrücke bridge and the KKL arts center.

Basel

• Best for an under-the-radar city experience

Cultural Basel, which straddles the Rhine, has art galleries that are of world class and an avant-garde architecture, a lively food scene, etc. And one must make it a point to visit Kunst museum, the Fondation Beyeler, Vitra Design Museum, other than floating down the Rhine in a Wickelfisch water-proof bag.

Appenzell and Northeastern Switzerland

•  Best for Pastoral experience

This serene region includes a couple of cheese farms, half-timbered villages, and rolling hills. The major highlights are the Abbey Library at St Gallen and the picturesque hamlet of Appenzell. The sceneries offered by Säntis are amazing and medieval village of Werdenberg also merits a visit.

Jura Mountains and Lac de Neuchâtel

• Best for Road trips

Serenity of the meadows, beauty of the ancient forests, and marvelous lakes - the Jura Mountains between France and Switzerland are the places to be for relaxation and a feast for the eyes. Begin at the Jura Vaudois Nature Park. Next come Lac de Joux and Vallorbe and the caves in limestone. Lac de Neuchâtel has its thermal baths and the worth seeing canyon of Creux du Van.

Jungfrau

• Ideal for outdoor activities

All these and more make up Switzerland's Bernese Oberland jewel, the Jungfrau region: Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau peaks plus the highest train station in Europe, Jungfraujoch; hiking-, skiing-, and extreme sports-paradises Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, and Interlaken; and pretty villages like Wengen and Mürren, where you can stay in order to absorb the beauty of this beautiful region.

 Have a good time traveling through Switzerland and enjoying each of these remarkable places with their very own unique experiences and breathtaking sceneries.