Experiences along the Grand Tour

The BearPark is one of the top attractions in the middle of Bern. You can watch real brown bears up close – right on the banks of the Aare with a view of the old town. Discover the extensive grounds with the "BäreBähnli".

William Tell's son, Walterli, has gone missing. He should be picking up the birthday cake for his mother, Hedwig, and helping with the decorations for the party. Can the party be saved? We need you to find him!

At Swissminiatur in Melide you can walk through Switzerland in miniature. Discover over 130 models of Swiss buildings, take a look behind the scenes in the studio and test your knowledge of Switzerland on Rudy's quiz course.

La Pierreuse Nature Reserve in the Vaudois Alps is the ideal place for mountain walks. On the right bank of the Sarine, south of Château-d’Oex the nature reserve is arranged around the Gummfluh. This characteristic pre-alp landscape covering an area of 34 km2 includes valleys overlooked by limestone rock faces.

As you explore the alleys of the Old Town, you can really feel the many centuries of history that have given Sion its very special charm.

The Quays of Montreux extend over thirteen kilometers along the shores of Lake Geneva. Here, walkers can admire the exotic flowers and palm trees while also enjoying the breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains.

Swim against the Matterhorn in Europe’s highest outdoor pool in the Riffelalp resort 2,222 metres above sea level (hotel guests only).

A train ride with an over 100 years old steam train! The "Zürcher Museumsbahn" offers this unique event which will make the stay in and around Zurich even more rememberable.

While in the past it was only courageous crystal hunters who braved the Massa Gorge, it is now accessible to the general public thanks to the building of the Gibidem Dam.

Lake Gruyère (Lac de la Gruyère) is the longest and second-largest artificial lake in Switzerland, measuring 13.5 kilometres and covering almost ten square kilometres at high water. This is precisely why the lake on the edge of the Fribourg foothills is so popular for all kinds of watersports.

The picturesque Morges region stretches along vineyards between Lake Geneva and the Jura forests. During the 17th century, Morges, with its unique guard houses known as ‘guérites’, was the most important commercial port on Lake Geneva. The castle, with its striking towers, houses five museums and, on a clear day, the glistening, snow-capped peaks of the breathtaking Mont Blanc massif can be seen. From April to October, a plethora of flowers in the most beautiful colours adorns the city.

Welcome to Heidi's world: In the Heidi Village in Maienfeld you will experience real country life as in Heidi's time. Meet goats, explore the original Heidi House and enjoy the fantastic view from the Heidialp.

Versailles in miniature: this magnificent palace was built in 1696 by Charles de Chandieu, an officer in the French army, in the French classical style. You’ll see families of ducks enjoying themselves on the pond.

Swimming and snorkelling among ducks and water-lilies in clean water in a nature reserve.

Visit the largest baroque church in Switzerland and stand in front of the famous Black Madonna. Immerse yourself in 1,000 years of monastery history and taste wine from the monastery's own vineyards on Lake Zurich.

Whether over the fire or in the modern Kessi – in the show dairy you can learn everything about the production of the world-famous Emmentaler AOP on 17,500 m2.

Hidden between Ristis and the mountain hut at Brunni, the 11 stories that Globi has written for his book have been stolen. All the children are invited to set off on the treasure hunt to find chests in which clues have been concealed that they use to track down the stolen stories.

In the Canton of Vaud, the salt mines of Bex have been extracting salt from the mountain for centuries. Hop on the mine train, explore the tunnels with only a lantern in hand and combine the tour with a meal at Brasserie La Mine.

The Seebad lakeside baths offer perfect seasonal bathing pleasure in the heart of the city of Lucerne. It is open for swimmers until 8 p.m. in summer, after which it is dedicated to restaurant-goers for the rest of the evening. As well as bathing, swimming, and sunbathing, massage and yoga are also available.

Visit the Staubbach Falls in the Lauterbrunnen Valley. Experience one of the highest free-falling waterfalls in Europe, which falls almost 300 meters into the depths.

The “Train des vignes” (vineyard train) runs on a fantastic route through the terraced vineyards of Lavaux, the landscape high above Lake Geneva designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007, with views of the Savoy and Valais Alps.

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.

Two gondola railways make their way up from Bad Ragaz or Wangs to the edge of the forest, from where you enjoy far-reaching views over the Rhine Valley to Lake Constance – and chairlifts carrying you to the Pizol ridge if you wish to venture further afield.

The planet trail is a small-scale model of our solar system. Constructed on a 1: 1 billion scale, it extends an overall length of approximately 6 kilometers – from the sun in Willisau to the planet Pluto in Schötz.

Visit the Fondation Beyeler in Riehen near Basel. The museum, designed by Renzo Piano, is located in a park with water lily ponds and displays over 400 works from Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh to Warhol.

This kind of close encounter with the animal world is a great experience for children!

Around 1200, Duke Berchtold V von Zähringen gave the order to build Castle Burgdorf as a residential castle. The Counts of Kyburg inherited it after his death in 1218. In 1384, the Canton of Bern bought the Burgdorf estate and the castle became the seat of the Bernese governor (Schultheiss). It served as a court, prison and the governor's office until 2012. The castle counts as one of the oldest preserved Romanesque secular buildings in Switzerland and today houses a museum, a youth hostel and a restaurant.

Hikers can admire the Japanese garden perched atop a glacial moraine deep in the Tortin Valley, south of Nendaz.

The vineyards of Vully offer three thematic educational trails suitable for visitors and holidaymakers of all ages. Viny, the viticultural trail’s mascot, leads the way.

Kaspar Stockalper (1609–1691), merchant, banker, large-scale entrepreneur, military official and politician, built Stockalper Palace in Brig in the years 1651 to 1671. The impressive castle with its three gilded onion domes was the largest private building constructed in the 17th century in Switzerland and reflects the immensity of Stockalper’s wealth. Today, his fortune would be worth far more than half a billion Swiss Franks. It is to no surprise that Stockalper was called ‘The King of Simplon’.

At the Museum of Art and History of Geneva (MAH), roam 5 floors of art, history and archaeology. You stand in front of Hodler's landscapes, discover ancient finds and attend concerts and vernissages on Thursday evenings.