What is Switzerland Famous For? Top 23 Famous Places & Things in Switzerland

Switzerland is a relatively small European country that shares boundaries with Austria, Italy, France and Liechtenstein. Despite its smaller size, it is one of the favourite destinations for backpackers throughout the world due to its mesmerising natural beauty.

You can see numerous snow-capped peaks, vast green pastures, verdurous valleys and mountains. Nevertheless, before you visit, you must know what Switzerland is famous for minutely so that you can properly plan your journey.

Switzerland is known for its mesmerising and picturesque views and sites. However, it can be an expensive tourist spot. Therefore, planning the expenses in Swiss Franc can be beneficial. As of November 2022, 1 Swiss Franc is about INR 86.32.

Following are some of the most famous places in Switzerland:

1. Chillon Castle

It is an island castle situated in the eastern part of Geneva Lake, in Vaud. During the Roman period, this mediaeval castle was a strategic outpost from where the army could guard the Alpine passes. Various writers from the 18th century Romantic Age, including Rousseau, Alexandre Dumas, Victor Hugo, Mary Shelley, Gustave Flaubert, and Lord Byron, have visited this place to get inspiration for their literary outputs.

2. Rhine Falls

If you are a nature lover, the spectacular view of Rhine falls, and the thundering water will fill your heart with inexplicable joy. It is one of the largest falls, with a height of 23 meters and a width of 150 meters. You can also engage in entertaining activities like boat rides, park-hopping, etc., to make your journey more fun.

3. Mount Pilatus

The spectacular natural beauty of snowy mountains comes among the list of first few things Switzerland is famous for. To witness the grand form of nature, you must visit Pilatus Mountain. It is a picturesque mountain with numerous snow-capped peaks. Tomlishorn is the highest peak of this mountain, with a height of 2,128 metres. If you visit this mountain from May to November, you can get the chance to reach the top of this mountain via train or cable car.

4. Chapel Bridge

It is a splendid wooden bridge built over the Reuss River. It is also the oldest truss bridge in the world. This bridge holds a unique place among national and international tourists due to the water tower and numerous paintings that it contains. This tower used to be a prison and a chamber for torturing convicts. Presently, the locals have no access to this water tower.

5. Jungfraujoch

It is one of the major snow saddles of Alps Mountain in Bern, Switzerland. It connects two peaks of the mountain range, Mönch and Jungfrau. To access this snow-draped area, you need to catch a train from Jungfrau railway. The train goes through a 7-kilometre-long tunnel. The journey to the place itself will let you witness the bewitching beauty of nature, interspersed with snowy mountains and green valleys, cliffs, etc.

6. Lake Zurich

Lake Zurich is also one of the favourite tourist destinations in Switzerland, situated in the town of Zurich. The main source of water in this lake is the Linth River. This lake is surrounded by several towns in the country, including Rüschlikon, Horgen, Thalwil, Richterswil, Wädenswil, Lachen, Stäfa, Küsnacht, Meilen, etc. You can reach the top of Uetliberg tower to get a panoramic view of this Zurich Lake and its mesmerising surroundings.

7. Rigi

Rigi is one of the most stunning mountain massifs Switzerland is famous for. Lucerne, Zug and Lauerz, three lakes surrounding this beautiful Alps massif, give it an enchanting attractiveness. You can get well-maintained and beautiful hiking trails that offer spectacular views of this place. While hiking, you can also get to see or use public stations for grilling. Visiting this destination, you can also engage in thrilling activities like sledging and skiing to make your journey more amazing.

8. Titlis

Mount Titlis is one of the highest peaks and a popular tourist destination in Switzerland. Being surrounded by several snow-covered peaks, it offers a breathtaking landscape. To view the picturesque beauty of this place more vividly, you need to reach the top floor of Mount Titlis Station. Coming here, you also must go for a cable car ride, cliff walk and visit the 150 meters long Titlis Glacier Cave to make your international trip unforgettable.

9. Kunsthaus Zürich

Kunsthaus Zürich is the largest art museum in the country, considering the area. You can see a vast collection of unique arts, ranging from Medieval to contemporary ages. This museum has collected works of some popular artists, including Edvard Munich, Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, Jacques Lipchitz etc.

10. Swiss National Museum

The Swiss National Museum is also one of the most famous places in Switzerland, located in Zurich. It is built in the style of French chateaux. The building includes courts, a dozen of long and short towers, parks, etc. You can see amazing arts and artefacts collected from prehistoric times to the 20th century. Its rich collection includes liturgical sculptures made of wood, gothic arts, carved altars, panel paintings, etc.

11. Aletsch Glacier

With a volume of around 3.7 cubic miles, Aletsch is the largest glacier situated in the Alps Mountain. Going towards Rhone valley, it has made the Massa River. Being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you can only access the external zones of this glacier. Eggishorn and Bettmerhorn are two popular and elevated viewpoints from where you can easily get a panoramic sight of the glacier.

12. Grossmünster

The Grossmünster is an important protestant church located in Zurich. This Romanesque-styled church complex flaunts two high towers, medieval columns, a beautiful façade, statues and some attractive sculptures carved on the wall.

13. Eiger

Impeccable mountainous beauty is one of the few things Switzerland is famous for. Eiger is one of the most mesmerising mountains in the Bernese Alps. With two beautiful green valleys and vast meadows surrounding the mountain, the picturesque beauty of this mountain will be a feast for your eyes. If you are not an experienced mountain climber, you can take a train ride from Eigerwand to Eismeer or vice versa. Eiger falls in between these stations. You can see some of the most mesmerising landscapes on this journey.

14. Bahnhofstrasse

Bahnhofstrasse is one of the most expensive shopping avenues in the world. You will get exclusive retail shops of some most popular brands in this destination. These include Dior, Mont Blanc, Gucci, Apple, Zara, Louis Vuitton, H&M, Prada, Hermès, Cartier, etc. Apart from this, the area includes two of the largest Swiss banks. A visit to this place will be a journey worth retelling.

15. Geneva Water Fountain

Jet d'Eau, or the Geneva Water Fountain, is one of the significant landmarks of Geneva. It is located beside Geneva Lake. With the help of 500 Kilowatt pumps, it can spurt out 500 litres of water every second. The spurting can reach an altitude of 140 metres. You can see the gushing water of this large fountain from almost every part of the city.

16. Swiss National Park

Swiss National Park is a UNESCO-recognised biosphere reserve situated on the western side of the Rhaetian Alps. If you want to see the rich flora and fauna Switzerland is known for, you must visit this destination. Nevertheless, while visiting this park, you need to know about the colour-specific trail marks and their features. The blue-coloured path denotes that it is an alpine trail. Similarly, yellow stands for the regular trail, and the colour red indicates a mountain trail.

Following are some of the famous things in Switzerland that you need to know before visiting the country:

17. Fondue

It is the national dish of Switzerland, made with cornstarch cheese and wine. It has a thick, semi-liquid texture. To relish this, you need to dip bread into it and put the loaf into your mouth.

You can find different variations of fondue throughout the country. Among them, Fribourg is one of the most preferred types of fondue that is made with Vacherin cheese and spicy Gruyères.

18. Chocolate

Chocolate is also one of the most popular food items in Switzerland. In fact, the first merchandised factory of chocolate was from Vevey in Switzerland. Due to the taste and texture, Swiss chocolate brands, such as Lindt, Toblerone, Nestle, etc., enjoy immense popularity across the world. One of the reasons behind the distinguished taste of Swiss chocolate is the ingredient, Alpine milk. The thick milk brought from the high altitude makes the chocolate thicker and less aerated.

19. Watches

Watches are also among the things Switzerland is famous for. You can get aesthetically beautiful, world-class watches loaded with advanced technology. Some of the household watch brands of this country are Rolex, TagHeuer, etc. You can consider buying one to take along with you as a souvenir.

20. Fasnacht

Fasnacht is the largest festival in Switzerland that starts on Ash Wednesday every year. This 72-hour-long festival has received UNESCO World Heritage status. The mood of festivities starts right at 4 AM in the morning when the residents turn the lights off and walk on the road wearing costumes and carrying lanterns. The euphony of drums and piccolos adds beauty and thrill to this auspicious occasion.

21. Swiss Cheese

Among the list of most famous things in Switzerland, Swiss cheese captures a distinguished position due to its unique flavour, taste and texture. You can get a wide variety of cheese, including Vacherin Mont d'Or, Raclette, Emmentaler, Appenzeller, Sbrinz, etc.

22. Train Rides

Switzerland has a remarkably wide railway network that connects almost every part of the country. Almost 40 railway companies provide their services to make public transportation in the country more comfortable and widely accessible.

You can explore the country and its beautiful Alpine valleys and mountains by taking train rides. Two of the trains that run across the Alps Mountain range are Glacier Express and Bernina Express.

23. Skiing

Skiing tops the bucket list of activities of tourists who visit Switzerland. Due to the vast snowy Alpine region, you can enjoy this activity in almost every part of the country. In this regard, if you are trying to find the best places for skiing, St. Moritz, Zermatt, Champéry, Crans-Montana, Grindelwald, etc. would be your ideal choice.

Now that you know what Switzerland is famous for and the places you must visit, it will be easier for you to plan your journey accordingly. With proper planning, you can witness beautiful places or things in the country and make your trip worth remembering.