All hikes: Along Water

The Swiss Path leads to historic sites pertaining to the Swiss Confederation. The path is divided into stages that are partially wheelchair-accessible, and can be reached by ship or by train. Overnight stays are possible at the end of some of the trails.

From St. Saphorin in a diverse route going uphill and downhill through the vines to Lutry. Indeed, it is on the Lavaux Vineyard Terraces where bon vivants get into top gear.

The mule track over the Simplon, developed over 300 years ago by Kaspar Stockalper, has long handed over its economic importance to new roads. However, a few years ago it was reborn as a cultural hiking trail.

Starting in Interlaken, this varied path leads along the banks of the River Aare and the shore of Lake Thun through Unterseen. In addition to the waters, the ancient fortress ruins and nature reserve at Weissenau are also truly eye-catching.

French poet Gilles described the beauty of the Venoge, the river that this stage follows from Cossonay to Saint-Sulpice, sometimes high up, sometimes beside the water. The pilgrims’ path finally reaches Lac Léman and continues on via the Roman town of Vidy to Lausanne.

Witness the pioneering efforts of man and nature on the Path of the Pioneers, which takes you to the geographic centre of Graubünden. The Crap Furò natural forest reserve is home to one of the most diverse forests in Switzerland on such a small area.

The Lützelsee lake in the Zürcher Oberland provides the region with an extremely popular recreation area. The round tour starts in Hombrechtikon and leads through the lush green landscape alongside the sparkling lake.

Stroll with views of the Alps - from Küssnacht through the nature reserves in Wagenmoos, along the lakeshore at Meggen and Meggehorn castle. Approach to the city of Lucerne and arrival along the 19th-century tourism alley, its quay with distant views of the Alps.

The trail follows the high banks of the Rhein river, which here are strongly influenced by the industrial and traffic infrastructure of Basel's catchment area. The ruins of Augusta Raurica, the Rhine harbour, river power stations and Basel's city-silhouette are outstanding.

The hike starts in Malval and follows the entire course of the Allondon, a tributary of the Rhone and hugely important floodplain biotope.

This route starts in the lakeside town of Neuchâtel at the well-known Place Pury and leads to the Piscine du Nid-du-Crô swimming complex. The vibrant metropolis of Canton Neuenburg is combines natural beauty with a permanent holiday atmosphere.

The ViaRhenana, one of Switzerland's longest hiking trails, runs for ten days along the historic waterway between Untersee and Hochrhein. The fourth stage takes four hours from Schaffhausen to Rheinau with its baroque monastery church.

The Vier-Quellen-Weg (Four Springs Trail) in the Gotthard Massif leads to the sources of four rivers: the Rhine, Reuss, Ticino and Rhone. A tour through an exceptional Alpine landscape with a wide diversity of fauna, flora and witnesses to a historic past.

Closely watched by the devil, the route leads from Wassen to Göschenen and through the bottleneck of the Schöllenenschlucht gorge to Andermatt. The sequence of historic routes, bridges, customs posts and hostels bring pre-modern transport to life.

This stage follows one of the main routes of the Jakobsweg (Route of St. James). The highlight is the Werthenstein complex, a place of pilgrimage with a famous Bernese pietà and a small pietà fountain, which is said to help mainly with eye problems.

The changing atmosphere of lake, river and historic small towns are characteristic of the route. From Bielersee lake to the Aare banks and then a beautiful riverside hike to Büren. Over forested Bucheggberg and along the banks of the Emme to baroque Solothurn.

Delightful hike along the River Aare, first through urban areas, then through one of Switzerland’s loveliest river landscapes. The renaturation of the river banks has brought great benefit. Worb Castle is seen from afar but is not open to the public.

The highlight of this hike is the nature reserve of Etang de la Gruère, where a path takes you around Switzerland’s largest moor lake, and the acidic boggy soil provides the ideal conditions for unique flora and fauna to thrive.

The departure point for this route is the Badische Bahnhof railway station in Basel. The Lange Erlen wildlife park, the Dammweg along the river and the open landscape in Riehen ensure a varied and unforgettable tour.

Nestled in the pre-Alpine landscape of Central Switzerland, Lake Sarnen is the perfect place for a leisurely hike. Sachseln and Giswil lie on the edge of the route. The hike starts and ends in the historic town of Sarnen.

Gravel banks, footbridges and countless picnic areas line the River Töss between Turbenthal and Sennhof. The hike’s destination is Schloss Kyburg, which towers majestically over the Töss Valley.

This route starts in Ebnat-Kappel and leads along the idyllic banks of the River Thur to Wattwil. An easy route in the middle of an intact natural world, which thanks to the impressive mountains on the horizon offers fascinating scenery.

The old mule track is a walk through history and the world of the Kraftwerke Oberhasli power company. From the dam to the works railway, many facilities are accessible – guaranteeing many memorable moments.

An excursion from Fiesch to the Fieschertal - always alongside the lively Wysswasser river - is the purest of natural experiences. Here the mountain landscape of the Valais is presented at it's best. It's impossible to do anything but relax and enjoy it.

On a tour of Geneva, you soon realize that the vibrant metropolis also offers wonderful locations in natural surroundings. Combined with the urban background, the attractive promenade alongside the lake, is the ideal place to take a stroll.

In Lausanne, the ViaJacobi leads from the Notre Dame Cathedral down the Escaliers du Marché. In Vidy it crosses an idyllic park with Roman ruins and then follows the popular lakeside promenade along Lac Léman to Morges.

Hike along the idyllic Seerhein shore and through shady northern slopes above the lake with views of Untersee and Insel Reichenau. Historic places of interest along the way: Gottlieben, Ermatingen, Steckborn and Arenenberg Castle with its Napoleon Museum.

A magnificent forest track borders the lake on hilly ground from Corbières to Botterens. It is quiet on the way back, with magnificent views of the Moléson, the Dent de Broc and the Gibloux. Chocolate treats in Maison Cailler and an opportunity to swim in Les Laviaux.

After the rock outcrop at Stalvedro the trail winds its way down to the floor of the Leventina valley. Alongside the Ticino River and changing from one bank to the other, you reach Rodi and the Dazio Grande customs house, one of the impressive symbols of the ViaGottardo.

The route leads back to Thun over the Spiezberg hill and along the tranquil lakeside path. It's worth making the detour to the church in Einigen, which illustrates 1300 years of cultural history around Lake Thun. To finish, the numerous restaurants in the town wait to welcome weary travellers.

A stage for railway fans: part of the trail runs right alongside the railway tracks, past Göschenen and Andermatt, which played important roles in Gotthard traffic history. In between the Schöllenenschlucht (gorge), shrouded in myth.

The Thur now flows eastwards and straightened through the principality. There is hardly any altitude difference to overcome on the embankment and through shady forest. The Huserfelsen cliffs just before the cantonal border are the only notable elevation. After this the trail ascends to Bischofszell.