Rivers and lakes

Lake Sarnen occupies 7.5 square kilometers in the beautiful landscape between Sarnen (a major town in the region of Obwald) and the ascent to the Brünig Pass.

Lake Ägeri is nestled in a hilly moraine landscape and offers a wide range of hiking, mountain biking and water sports activities. Its shores were the site of the famous Battle of Morgarten in 1315, the first battle between the Confederates and the Habsburgs.

The small and fjord-like Lake Schiffenen at Düdingen is a popular excursion destination for young and old.

The Thur is Eastern Switzerland’s predominant river. Coming from Toggenburg, the river flows in a large arc beside the rich cultural and scenic landscapes of the Cantons of St. Gallen and Thurgau and parts of the Canton of Zürich.

“... nowhere have I felt so truly happy as on St. Peter's Island in the middle of Lake Biel,” wrote Jean-Jacques Rousseau shortly before his death, wistfully recalling his all too short stay on the island in the autumn of 1765.

Lago Nero and Lago Bianco provide visitors with striking spectacles of colour in both summer and winter.

The vacation region around the Black Lake and in the Eastern Freiburg Pre-Alps (Voralpen) is well-known for its authenticity and its wild, romantic natural landscape, which includes the dark appearance of the Black Lake and the Brecca Abyss, an Alpine valley formed by glaciers.

The eyes of the beautiful maiden who died of a broken heart were deep blue. The Blue Lake is also deep blue, in eternal memory of the love of the maiden, which persists beyond death. The small Blausee, steeped in legend, is located in the midst of a small nature park.

Lej Nair is a well-kept secret. Usually, you’ll only have to share the little mountain lake in Lower Engadine with a few locals. Quiet and – as the name suggests – dark, it is located on an upland moor above Tarasp.

Up on the Diemtigbergli above Diemtigen, a popular place for excursions.

Though there are many mountain lakes at higher altitudes, Lake Sils is the only one with daily scheduled passenger boats in summer that carry tourists and hikers from Sils Maria to Maloja via Chastè, Plaun da Lej and Isola. This is Europe's highest passenger boat service.

The mild climate at Lago Maggiore is unique in Switzerland, and enables subtropical plants to flourish in the open air on Isola Grande, the large island. The Botanical Gardens of the Canton of Ticino house around 1,700 plant species.

Lac de Joux in the Vaud Jura is located at 1,000 metres in the valley of the same name (Vallée de Joux). The stark beauty and unspoilt nature of the high valley and the lake attract countless visitors all year round; in summer mainly for water sports, biking and hiking and in winter for ice-skating and cross-country skiing.

An important nature preserve is situated in Canton Aagau between the picturesque Bremgarten and Mellingen.

Idyllic Lake Bannalp lies above the Engelberg Valley. The alp of the same name can be reached by cable car from Oberrickenbach and is irresistible to summiteers, families with children and people searching for relaxation.

The Greifensee is a pearl in the heavily built-up Glatt valley. This small lake, which has a water expanse of just under 9 square kilometres, and its shore areas of diverse flora and fauna are a favourite excursion destination for people from the conurbation of Zurich city.

Lake Arnen is known as the “Pearl of the Saanenland”. The name suits: framed by the wild woods of the Tschärzis valley, the lake sparkles like a piece of jewellery.

Nestled between the Rigi and the Grosser and Kleiner Mythen mountains in the canton of Schwyz lies Lake Lauerz and its pleasure island of Schwanau that is about 200m long.

Swimming, relaxing and sunbathing: It is not surprising that the name 'See der Mittagsruhe’ cannot be translated easily (approximation: “Lake of mid-day rest”). Not only water lovers consider the idyllic landscape around Lake Cauma to be a paradise.

The Crestasee offers an astounding experience of authenticity and natural serenity. The blue-green waters are surrounded by luxuriant vegetation on the shores, and a deep green crown of trees. This is indeed a fairy-tale view!

The Golzernsee lake is located in the rugged Maderaner Valley and beckons for a refreshing dip in the water when the weather is warm.

Between Les Brenets and the Maison Monsieur, the Doubs river is constantly changing - a trip along the river is full of surprises.

Half an hour from La Chaux-de-Fonds, and set in the La Brévine Valley, Lake Taillères keeps to the rhythm of the seasons. In winter the idyllic lake turns into a frozen ice-skating Eldorado.

The idyllic hilly countryside around the lake, the medieval castle of Hallwyl with its heritage exhibitions, and the romantic boat trips round the lake make Lake Hallwil and the nearby Seetal valley a small but popular tourist area.

The Reuss is Central Switzerland’s quintessential river. Starting in the Gotthard region, it steadily flows northward, through Lake Lucerne, and after 160 kiliometers it ultimately flows near Windisch into the Aare River.