Parks

The San Michele Park sits high above Lugano and offers spectacular views of the city, the lake and the mountains. The typically southern vegetation is sure to thrill many of its visitors too.

Rosengarten, the rose garden, is situated next to the entrance of the Munot Fortress and covers an area of about 2,000 sq.m. In 1981 the town nursery together with the Swiss association of rose lovers designed it in the French Renaissance garden-style.

Forest bathing is a gentle, guided, half-day relaxation program in nature. It is organized in the parks of Basel (mostly in the Merian Gardens) and in the forests around Basel. By experiencing nature, it promotes health and is a simple relaxation technique.

The history of the botanical garden of the University of Basel goes as far back as the 16th century, making it one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world. It also offers an exciting variety of plants in a well-maintained haven of peace right in the heart of the city.

Planted by the lake in 1854 to visually improve the wooden harbour, this was the first English-style park in Geneva. In the heart of the English Garden, you’ll find the famous Flower Clock, made up of 12,000 kinds of flowers, and the National Monument commemorating Geneva’s integration into the Swiss Confederation.

The La Grange Park sits right next to the Eaux-Vives Park and offers a unique view of the lake basin. The wonderful flower garden stretches out over 12,000 square metres and delights its guests with more than 200 varieties of roses.

The park surrounding the Villa dei Cedri, which today is home to the Municipal Museum for Modern and Contemporary Art, is a living example of an English-style park of the 19th century. A further attraction is the vineyard behind the villa, whose grapes are used to produce the popular Merlot.

Located between Monte San Salvatore and Monte Arbostora at an altitude of just under 700 metres, the botanical gardens are a mecca for park visitors and plant lovers – particularly in April and May, when the azaleas and rhododendrons form a fragrant carpet.

The park is located in the heart of the city and offers a breathtaking view of Lausanne and of the lake.

Children from all over the world play, mums and dads chat away to one another and students read here at the City Park Biel. The large park with playground and lawned areas provides a peaceful spot for people to gather in the heart of the city.

Explore and discover the mountain forests in the Parc Ela together with Evla the golden eagle: with its different research equipment and a forest diary, the mountain forest goodie bag contains everything that is needed for an exciting day out in the nature.

This elegant city park with its majestic trees, carefully placed sculptures and beautifully cultivated flowers acts as a green lung in the centre of the city.

Knife-sharp and yellow: The seldom line along the rock face around the Piz Sardona marks the Glarus overthrust - a phenomenon of world interest. Here, older rock strata have edged their way above younger rocks.

At the heart of the Peuchapatte wind farm (canton Jura), this original educational trail will teach you more about wind energy, the wind and the Franches-Montagnes region.

On the hills above Lausanne, Sauvabelin Park is a popular destination with families and nature lovers. Anyone who scales the 302 steps up to the platform of the Tower of Sauvabelin will be rewarded with stunning panoramic views.

Fontana Park is set in the heart of Chur. It is the perfect place to escape the bustle of the city, to enjoy the atmosphere, or to read a book.

This magnificent country park boasts one of the best vantage points in Lausanne. But the panoramic views are by no means the only attribute that attracts visitors. There is a tree here that is worth a visit all on its own. This is a unique weeping willow, situated some 50 metres from the manor house, that was planted in the middle of the 19th century.

Swiss nature parks regularly carry out volunteering assignments with companies that are actively committed to the environment with their employees. Fresh air provides fresh impulses - the companies benefit from enthusiastic and motivated employees who work together for a good cause, have fun and sink into bed in the evening tired but with a good feeling.

The Botanical Garden in Neuchâtel lies high above the city and is a fantastic spot for relaxing strolls at any time of year. A great excuse to get some fresh air and get acquainted with native and exotic kinds of plants, just a stone’s throw from the city centre.

The Vernex Park is set on the shores of Lake Geneva next to the Auditorium Stravinsky and offers walkers a green area along the extension of the flourishing quays of the Montreux Riviera. Each July, one of the stages for the Montreux Jazz Festival is set up in this park.

Feed the ducks on the shores of Lake Thun or read and rest on a bench in the sun. Or take a walk along the paths leading through the woods, along the avenue and across the meadows that are so inviting to sunbathers in the summer (although there is no direct access to the water).

Parc des Bastions is a wonderful park in the heart of Geneva. Along its shady avenues, you can find some of the city’s most beautiful monuments, including the well-known Reformation Wall. The giant chessboards that are regularly used by the locals will immediately catch your eye.

This landscape park, designed along Romantic lines, consists of a combination of strictly laid-out avenues and Mediterranean flair. The park is picturesquely situated above the old town and is dominated by an avenue of lime trees that leads to a pulpit with beautiful views over the pristine landscape of the Rhine.

Tracing the origin of the Tête de Moine AOP: Set in the heart of the Chasseral Nature Park, this culinary treasure hunt is all about solving riddles, meeting local producers and trying regional specialties. Away from the crowded tourist haunts, this enjoyable hike takes visitors through the culinary heritage of an enchanting region.

Where circus artists and people running stalls once entertained people, there is now what is without a doubt one of the most popular green spaces in the city of Lucerne: the Vögeligärtli. Its name – meaning the “bird garden” – comes from the aviary that was built in the park in 1901.

Villa Langmatt Park is a total work of art and is the perfect refuge for a romantic picnic. Order, in advance, a basket of gourmet delicacies including the traditional Spanischbrödli.

The pond with a belt of reeds in the north of Winterthur is a perfect place to take a stroll, relax, play, or simply watch the world go by. Around the pond itself, you can watch the various bird species and admire the giant water lilies growing in the pond. Swimming is not permitted, however, due to its murky waters and dangerous depths.

Piazza della Riforma in Lugano is the vibrant center of the city, surrounded by historic buildings, cafés and restaurants. Cultural events take place here and the square is the ideal starting point for exploring sights such as Lake Lugano and Parco Ciani.

Time seems to have stood still in the impressive 18th-century Palais with its smartened-up French garden, despite its close proximity to the busy city centre. The Hotel DuPeyrou was once surrounded by vineyards, and the gardens that belonged to it stretched all the way to Lake Neuchâtel.

The Verbier 3-D Foundation Sculpture Park is a free, year-round open-air museum at 2,300 meters in the Swiss Alps. It showcases contemporary art created during artist residencies, blending seamlessly with the alpine landscape between La Chaux and Les Ruinettes list stations above Verbier.

Each year, there are some 2,900 roses, of which there are 300 varieties, blooming in Winterthur’s Rose Garden. These also include rare and historic roses such as the French rose, which is the oldest cultivated species still available today, or the deep-pink Queen of Denmark rose. Aside from all the flowers that are in bloom, you’ll also find a place of relaxation here, and glorious views over the city of Winterthur.

In the green parks around the lower basin of the lake, there’s always something going on in the summer months. Inline skaters, water sports enthusiasts, jewellery sellers and street artists all gather here to create a colourful scene. Anyone looking for peace and quiet will be able to escape the hustle and bustle on the Zürichhorn at the end of the lakeside promenade, in the wonderful Chinese Garden.

The Uferpark recreational area on the outskirts of Solothurn invites old and young alike to linger, relax and enjoy themselves. With a wide bike path, a promenade for those out for a stroll, barbecue areas complete with wooden benches, as well as windows to nature with access to the Aare river and a beach, who could ask for more?

Just a few minutes from the city centre, shady green spaces, tall trees and a pebble beach offer the perfect spot for fun in the water and relaxation. Walking trails wind their way through the expansive lawned areas, and the view of the Bernese Alps is simply marvellous.

Originally a private landscape garden, the City Park is today the largest contiguous green space in the St. Gallen inner city area. With its lawned areas under beautiful old trees, it is the epitome of a peaceful oasis in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the city. It is surrounded by Theater St. Gallen, the Museum of Art, and the Historical and Folklore Museum.

The “Ufschötti” – the extensive expanse of greenery by the lake – is the place half of Lucerne heads for in the summer A 200-metre-long strip of sandy beach gives all its visitors real seaside vibes.