North-South Route

The longest historical monument in Switzerland takes you through 37 hairpin turns and along bumpy cobblestones from the Gotthard Pass (2,100 m) down to Airolo. The Tremola is the highlight on the North-South Route, traversing all the major landscape regions – the Jura, Mittelland, Central Switzerland, the Alps and Southern Switzerland. This classic transit route can of course be busy from time to time but there’s also plenty of cultural and scenic pearls to enjoy along the wayside. Waiting to greet you at the end of the journey is ­Ticino and its Mediterranean charm.

Highlights

• Basel, Art Museum with its masterpieces of modern art
• Lucerne, the Kapellbrücke including a cooling dip in the lake
• Gotthard Pass, Museum Sasso San Gottardo in the former redoubt bunker
• Bellinzona with its three castles (UNESCO World Heritage Property)
• Lugano, Old Town and Gabbani delicatessen store

Public transportation combination offer
To avoid the heavy traffic on Axenstrasse between Brunnen and Flüelen, it’s worthwhile covering this stretch by boat. The boat takes an extremely beautiful route and provides a unique panorama of the sights bordering on Lake Lucerne. The stretch between Gersau and Beckenried is officially via water – the car ferry to be exact.