Winter excursions: Culture

From the past to the present: There are a whole host of architectural jewels from the 20th and 21st century to discover on this walk through Lugano.

A slightly different angle on a museum tour by #letsmuseeum: Museum guide Fanny takes groups on a personal journey through life in the Kunst Museum Winterthur.

Stories from the night watchman. The “Unheimliches Thun” (Dark side of Thun) city tour offers titillating tales and a look into the world of the night watchman.

The old town of Chur, the oldest city in Switzerland, combines history with modern flair. Between small alleyways, the castle, the cathedral and lively markets, it offers cozy cafés and numerous boutiques.

In St. Gallen you'll find history at every turn. The city's landmark is the Convent of St. Gall with its Baroque cathedral. The convent, including the library and monastery archives, was added to the Unesco World Heritage List in 1983.

On a themed tour, visitors will get to know aspects of Swiss transport history, in which women play a key role.

Choc'o'Clock invites you to explore the fascinating worlds of watches and chocolate.

Discover the magical world of papercutting. Under the guidance by an experienced course leader, you will create your first artistic papercutting. The prerequisites for the fine details are patience and precise work. Each work of art created is framed and becomes a souvenir. The cure not only teaches traditional artistic handicrafts, but also creates an inspiring environment to strengthen teamwork.

Transform a simple, angular piece of wood into a creative masterpiece. You will be introduced to the art of woodturning and learn how to sharpen tools and treat surfaces. You don't just watch, but also put simple woodturning techniques into practice on the professional woodturning lathes.

The Spalentor is the most imposing of the three city gates that were part of the large city fortifications dating back to the year 1400. Many important supplies entered the city of Basel from Alsace through this gate. From here, there is a wonderful view over the roofs of Basel’s old town and the hills of the Jura, the Black Forest and Vosges.

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.

The hissing of the flames in the forge marks the beginning of the crafts adventure. Dive into the world of fire and anvil. Every hammer blow, every moulding expresses skill and passion and creates unique, one-of-a-kind pieces. The cure offers not only craftsmanship, but also space for creative development and personal growth.

The Grossmünster is an Evangelical Protestant church in the Old Town of Zurich and the city's landmark. The view from the church towers is spectacular: far across Lake Zurich to the Alps.

La Chaux-de-Fonds is more closely associated with watches than perhaps any other town or city. Located at an altitude of 1,000 metres above sea level, its streets are laid out in a chessboard pattern. This successful symbiosis between urban development and the watchmaking industry has led to the city being designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. La Chaux-de-Fonds is also the birthplace of Le Corbusier.

The Treasure Chamber of the Principality of Liechtenstein is located in the heart of the Liechtenstein capital, Vaduz. The little museum exhibits unique treasures that are closely associated with Liechtenstein and that cannot be found anywhere else in this form and combination.

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.

Schadau Castle was built between 1846 and 1854 for the Neuchâtel banker Denis Alfred de Rougemont. The location of the castle, on the southern banks of Lake Thun where the River Aare flows out of the lake, and with its views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, is almost as attractive as the architecture itself.

Rheinfelden is the oldest town in the canton of Aargau. Offering over 15 different themed tours, city guides present Rheinfelden’s rich history and illuminate its journey into a modern future.