History along the Grand Tour

Founded by the writer Pierre Versins in 1976, the Maison d'Ailleurs (house of elsewhere) is Europe's one and only museum of science fiction, utopia and extraordinary journeys.

Generally, museums are in big cities, or at least in highly visited villages, but hardly are they ever on a 2,100-meter-high mountain pass.

The "Ponte dei Salti" stone bridge soars over the turquoise Verzasca with two arches. 400 years after its completion, is draws visitors in droves on a daily basis. Some photograph the picture-perfect subject from all sides, others use the bridge as a springboard for diving into the refreshing water.

The Abbey of Saint Maurice in Valais was built 1500 years ago as a place to honor martyrs. The pilgrimage destination was once the spiritual center of the Burgundy Empire and today houses one of the richest ecclesiastical treasures in Europe.

Over 2500 teddy bears, dolls, doll houses, little old shops and carousels: And it’s not only children’s eyes that light up on viewing objects in the Basel toy world museum. Here the lovingly exhibited pieces from all over the world touch the hearts of adults as well. By the way, this museum is a prime example of a building furnished to make people with disabilities feel at home thanks to easy access all over.

The Old Town of Lausanne has imposing buildings dating back to the Middle Ages, such as the famous Cathedral of Notre-Dame. The charming city on Lake Geneva has a lot to offer otherwise as well. For instance, Switzerland's first subterranean mountain train.

Due to its multicultural character, Geneva is often called the smallest metropolis. It has a lively Old Town with wine taverns, art galleries and antique dealers. The Cathedral of Saint Pierre sits on the peak of the hill on which the Old Town is located.

The Roman Museum in Nyon tells the story of Noviodunum, a colony founded by Julius Caesar. Not far from the museum you also find an amphitheater, discovered only in 1996.

This international award-winning museum offers a rich variety of insights into castle life over the last 800 years.

Sion, called Sitten in German, is the capital of the Canton of Valais. The Old Town, which lies between the hills of Valère and Tourbillon, dates back to the Middle Ages and is home to numerous sights and attractions, such as one of the world's oldest organs that can still be played.

At the National Museum Zurich, you can explore Swiss history from archaeology to the present day – visit permanent and special exhibitions, take part in guided tours and workshops and discover a collection of over 870,000 objects.

Italy lies right next to Geneva... Even though it hasn't been a royal Savoyard city for nearly 200 years, but belongs to Switzerland, the city of Carouge, which was designed by Italian architects, has retained its Latin charm to this day.

The Museum of the Swiss Charters of Confederation exhibits the most important documents from the history of the Old Swiss Confederation and explains their meaning. The focal point is the legendary Federal Charter of 1291.

The Richard Wagner Museum was formerly the residence of the artist and now houses a collection.

The Palais des Nations in Geneva is the European headquarters of the United Nations and one of the most important centres for international diplomacy. On a guided tour, you will take a look behind the scenes of world politics.

For over 100 years asphalt was laboriously mined in the underground asphalt mines of La Presta and exported all over the world for road construction. Today the mines are no longer in operation and are partially open to the public as a museum.

More direct access than ever before: besides interactive displays, surprising objects and large-scale video screens, visitors to the Museum of Communication will now also be introduced to the fascinating world of communication by people made of flesh and blood, by our communicators.

Dedicated to the history of timekeeping, the Musée International d'Horlogerie (MIH) is home to more than 4,500 collection pieces, of which 2,700 watches and around 700 wall clocks. The technical, artistic, social and economic aspect of the history of watchmaking is illustrated here in living manner.