Things to Do in Switzerland
All the Things to Do in Switzerland…
Sports and Outdoor Activities
Switzerland is heaven for outdoorsines of all kinds so it is no wonder that the Swiss are among the fittest, healthiest and most active people on the planet. There is something in the Swiss air that makes you want to go outside and play and children as young as toddlers hit the slopes and start skiing. Swiss grandparents also are a common sight on the Alpine trails where they hike and cycle and enjoy the great outdoors.
The luge and bobsleigh were invented in Switzerland and sledging its oldest winter sport. Grindelwald has a sledge run 15km long and is very popular with Swiss families. Almost every Swiss village has an outdoor ice-skating rink so ice-skating is also especially popular. Most resorts have indoor rinks for figure skating and hockey games. The Swiss also enjoy the game of curling, a kind of bowling on ice. One of the best winter sports destinations in the world, Switzerland also attracts skiers and snowboarders. Alpine skiing is very popular and there are more than 250 skiing areas. Zermatt and Saas Fee even have underground metro trains. Swiss ski passes can be very expensive but families with children can enjoy good discounts. For cross-country skiing, the Loipen trails are laid on signposted routes fanning out from most resorts. Snowboarding is also massively popular. Other winter sports include mono-skiing which is similar to head-on snowboarding, ski-joring where one is pulled along by galloping horses, snow-biking where you cycle on snow and spectator sports like horse racing, cricket, polo and golf tournaments all conducted on frozen lakes. Dog-sled races held across the country is also fun to watch.
Walking is a great activity in Switzerland as the country is blessed with some of the best walking terrain in Europe with a lot of variety. The Jura hills in the northwestern part of Switzerland provide amazing views of the flatlands and the highlands. Another popular walking terrain is found in the Bernese Alps, where you will find idyllic ridges and valleys as well as enchanting hamlets. Trails here are well-marked like in most of Switzerland. In Ticino, the mountains there have trails linking the modest lake-jewelled peaks which are completely without ice or snow in summer. From flat strolls through parkland to risky ledges and glacier crossings, Switzerland, with its vast distance of marked trails has something for everyone.
Spas
Switzerland is a favourite destination for recovering from illness or seeking to improve their health. With its pure alpine air and therapeutic hot springs, it offers all kinds of relaxing treatment courses that range from traditional methods to the latest in cutting-edge technology.
The country’s most famous spa is Therme Vals. The Thermal pools are of cutting-edge quartzite design and its wellness centre provides aromatherapy, kelp wraps and acupressure among other treatments. Switzerland also has spa towns that combine ancient traditions and modern comforts. In Bad Ragaz, the mineral-rich water is piped down from a hot spring in a nearby gorge and used in the treatment of rheumatic, neurological and circulatory disorders. The waters in Lenk are strong in sulphur and good for treating respiratory disorders. The highest spa in Switzerland is St Moritz, which has sparkling carbonated springs. Yverdon-les-Bains has a large modern spa complex with both indoor and outdoor thermal pools, fitness facilities, Turkish baths and mud baths while the village of Leukerbar boasts of being Europe’s largest alpine spa, with 65 thermal springs, 22 thermal baths and a large hydrotherapy/balneotherapy treatment centre.
Festivals
This is a country of numerous and colourful festivals that can be religious, cultural and local. The rich cultural calendar is exciting and visitors can enjoy the age-old markets, the traditional fairs, performing arts and music festivals, gastronomic feasts, village celebrations as well as Alpine rites of passage. Yodelling events are held in the springtime and in July, the Swiss Alpine Yodelling Championships are held. Swiss wrestling is also popular in rural areas where in the weekends spectators enjoy the sport locally called Schwingen that is accompanied by traditional markets, beer-drinking and hearty sausage-feasting. These are held in central and eastern Switzerland in the summer months. Carnival is also exciting and colourful and celebrated in the Catholic cantons where parades are held in the streets with music and funfairs all around. The fasnacht is held in February and popular in Lucerne, Basel and Bellinzona.
Sometime between the end of May and June, farmers with their families and neighbors dress up for a festive occasion in embroidered vests, knickers, blouses with puffy sleeves and alpine hats. The farmers then lead their cows up into the hills for the summer. The cows are usually richly adorned with lavish bouquets and wear a large ceremonial bell, with each one wearing a bell that has its own unique ring. It is possible to visit an alp and see how the farmers live while they are in the high pasture. A convenient choice is in Moleson-sur-Gruyeres, located near Gruyeres. Visitors will be able to see how the Gruyere cheese is made here. Some farmers even offer a program where you rent a cow in the summer, which you can visit and milk and you can worth together with the farmers before enjoying a snack on the alp. If the cows have been brought down to the valley, you can then join in the festivities when the most beautiful cow in the village is chosen and purchase some of your cow’s cheese.
