Winter excursions: Nature

The chic ambience, aqua terrace and gorgeous views of the lake, city and mountains all make for a relaxing and enjoyable trip. A boat trip on the Saphir panorama yacht around Lake Lucerne offers a feast for your senses.

Far away from the hustle and bustle of the big city, but still within easy reach, the Walensee boat trip entices with an unforgettable experience in a dramatic setting. Let yourself be enchanted by the imposing Churfirsten, the wildly romantic nature and the crystal-clear water. Whether you want to relax, enjoy or celebrate – the Walensee ship makes everything possible.

Deep in the forest in the heart of the Charmey ski region is a winter park with plenty of varied activities for young and old alike. Bounè Rodzo is the name of this winter oasis, which is open free of charge to sledding, skiing and snowshoe fans. A unique, fun experience to enjoy with family or friends!

Visitors can observe 19 native and formerly native animals like deer, bear, lynx, wolf, wildcat, marmot, elk, wild boar, and the Przewalski horse on 80 hectares.

Plättli Zoo is one of the few remaining private zoos in Switzerland that has been able to survive without public funding, possibly because of the charming atmosphere in the zoo and the large variety of animal species.

The Rigi is the most visited mountain of Swiss people. With breathtaking 360-degree panoramic views, the Rigi offers a first-class mountain experience whatever the season. The cogwheel train from Goldau and Vitznau, as well as the cable car from Weggis, enable a variety of round trips, which can also be combined with a boat trip on Lake Lucerne.

The Baldegg water tower is both a water reservoir and an observation tower. A spiral staircase with 181 steps leads up to the viewing platform which offers a 360-degree panoramic view across the Mittelland region to the Black Forest and from Mt. Säntis to the Jungfrau in the Bernese Oberland.

Drive over one of the most historic Valais Alpine passes: On the Grosser St. Bernhard, you will visit the almost 1000-year-old hospice, meet St. Bernard dogs and hike through the alpine landscape on the border with Italy.

Visitors here can look forward to a romantic landscape, the enchanting Hallwyl moated castle with its impressive exhibition and the Lake Hallwil navigation company, more than 100 years old, which entertains its guests aboard five motor launches.

The Allalinhorn above Saas-Fee is what gave the area its name. With the right equipment and in the company of a mountain guide, the four-thousand-metre peak is a relatively easy climb for a sporty mountaineer.

Live an exciting experience in the world of birds of prey, take a close look at the flight of eagles, hawks, owls and vultures in an environment that respects their natural habitat. As the birds circle overhead in the arena, the falconer tells the history of this ancient art.

An excursion to the grottoes and the prehistoric park of Réclère is nearly like Jules Verne's "Journey to the Center of the Earth". The large limestone cave with stalactites and stalagmites gives the excursion the necessary atmosphere and the life-sized dinosaurs in the park are the climax of a fascinating trip through time.

Walter Zoo delights explorers big and small. Experience adventure, understand nature.

In no other zoo are the animals so close to the visitor as they are in the children's zoo in Rapperswil. Depending on the species, the animals can be touched, petted, fed or ridden. This makes the children's zoo an ideal destination for families, grandparents with grandchildren or school trips.

The Gütsch-Express, which was opened in 2017, takes just eight minutes to reach its destination. The monocable circulating ropeway not only offers picturesque views but is also able to transport 2,400 people per hour from Andermatt to the Gütsch.

The caves were excavated in the sandstone between 1916 and 1917 to defend the Swiss plateau during the First World War. A 200 metre-long tunnel was created in the process.

The highest point on the Belchenflue at 1,099m above sea level offers incomparable views over the Black Forest, the Vosges and the Alps. For the Celts, the Belchenflue was a marker for determining the positions of the sun, while in the First World War, it served as a key observation point for the Hauenstein fortification.

In the Papiliorama and Nocturama in the canton Fribourg you can immerse yourself in tropical worlds. Observe over 1000 free-flying butterflies, encounter nocturnal animals and walk through a recreated tropical forest.

Guests who have come for spa and wellness will experience innovative design at the Bains de la Gruyère in Charmey while enjoying breathtaking views of the mountains in the Gruyère region – the perfect way to unwind.

Zurich Zoo, located on the Zürichberg, is home to around 350 animal species in near-natural habitats. As a modern, scientifically managed zoo, its primary goal is the preservation of nature. It works towards this goal in four equally important areas: Species conservation, nature conservation, education and research.

In just 12 minutes, the mountain railway takes you from the Graubünden city of Chur to 1600 metres up to the local mountain Brambrüesch. At the top, hiking trails and a wide mountain panorama over the Graubünden mountains await you.

The Simplon Pass connects Switzerland with Italy. In the midst of wild high mountain landscapes, it invites you to hike through lonely high moors, along quiet mountain lakes and on historic trade routes.

It’s hardly surprising that the Vigezzina-Centovalli Railway passes over 83 marvellous bridges and viaducts along its route from Locarno to Domodossola. Before this panoramic route was built, the “hundred valleys” were still completely untouched. Whether in spring, passing thundering waterfalls, or during a golden Indian summer – a trip on the Vigezzina-Centovalli Railway is an experience in itself.

The unique center in the heart of the terraced vineyards of Lavaux (named World Heritage Site by UNESCO) is entirely dedicated to vines and wine.

An oasis of well-being at 1,560 metres above sea level – an expansive water and wellness environment. The offering ranges from various saunas and Kneipp baths to foot pools and a silent room.

High above Lake Lucerne, in Morschach, lies the Swiss Holiday Park. The largest holidays and leisure resort in Switzerland leaves nothing to be desired with its huge range of offers.

The Kesslerloch cave is one of the most important sites of the late Ice Age in Europe and provides traces of settlements from the Upper Palaeolithic Age (Magdalenian civilisation, 14 000 – 12 000 B.C.).

130 kilometres in one train. The Albula/Bernina railway line forms the heart of the Unesco World Cultural Heritage listing and is regarded as one of the world’s most spectacular routes. The UNESCO route itself covers 122 kilometres from Thusis to Tirano, passing 196 bridges, 55 tunnels and 20 towns along the way.

Steamboats operate scheduled services on eight of Switzerland's lakes today. Thanks to donations, the “Stadt Zürich” and “Stadt Rapperswil” have also been saved from the scrapyard. The two paddle steamers were renovated between 2003 and May 2006, and are now in use almost every day.

The most beautiful pistes and the most impressive viewpoints of the Aletsch Arena: discover all this on the Glacier Panorama Tour.

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.

The River Orbe created a fascinating cave system at the Vaudois town of Vallorbe. The tour leads visitors along the subterranean course of the Orbe (an outflow from the Vallée de Joux), passing by stalactites, stalagmites, drip-stone formations, columns and galleries. Once upon a time fairies that charmed young men were supposed to have lived here.

More than 100 animals from all over the world are at home in the Zoo al Maglio to marvel at. These include lions, panthers, snow leopards, serval, the Bennett wallaby, gibbons, macaques and capuchin monkeys as well as parrots.

Wellness in Switzerland’s largest thermal baths. The varied experiences on offer at Therme Zurzach invite visitors to take a moment and relax.