This page was last updated by Annika on 29 February 2024.
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Must-knows about Switzerland’s towns and regions

  • Switzerland’s larger cities, such as Zurich and Basel, are very attractive. Most are not close to the Alps though.
  • The best regions to be in or near the mountains are the Bernese Oberland, the Valais, Lake Lucerne, and Graubünden.
  • Central towns I’d recommend to explore a lot of the country include Bern and Thun, (Bernese Oberland), Brig (Valais), Lucerne (Lake Lucerne), and Montreux (Lake Geneva).
  • Some of the most popular mountain villages are Zermatt, St. Moritz, Wengen and Mürren. They’re famous for good reason!

Find Swiss towns for your holidays

The map below this list shows where the towns you’ve found are located.

Höheweg main street in center of Interlaken
Interlaken
Jungfrau Region, Lake Brienz, Lake ThunTrain stationAltitude: 567 m (1860 ft)
Interlaken is the central town in the Bernese Oberland, and the gate to the famous Jungfrau Region. We share our insider tips about sightseeing, traveling …
View of Eiger and Mönch from the outskirts of Mürren
Mürren
Jungfrau RegionTrain stationAltitude: 1650 m (5413 ft)Winter sports resortThis is a car-free town
The car-free alpine village of Mürren is perched on a cliff high above the Lauterbrunnen Valley in the Bernese Oberland. This town at the slopes …
View over Wengen and tops of western Lauterbrunnen Valley
Wengen
Jungfrau RegionTrain stationAltitude: 1276 m (4186 ft)Winter sports resortThis is a car-free town
Wengen is a car-free alpine village in the Jungfrau Region, surrounded by hiking trails in summer and ski slopes in winter. It’s a perfect base …
Street in Grindelwald center with Wetterhorn view
Grindelwald
Jungfrau RegionTrain stationAltitude: 1034 m (3392 ft)Winter sports resort
Grindelwald in the Jungfrau Region has all tourist facilities you can wish for, and is at a very scenic spot on the foot of the …
Lauterbrunnen village with Staubbach Fall
Lauterbrunnen
Jungfrau RegionTrain stationAltitude: 793 m (2602 ft)
The small and scenic village of Lauterbrunnen is the gateway to the Lauterbrunnen Valley, and to the mountain villages Wengen and Mürren. The town is …
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Switzerland’s towns per category

Pont des Bergues in Geneva

Cities

The cities in Switzerland are relatively small, have historic town centers, and are packed with must-sees. Most are not close …
Restaurant terrace with Eiger and Mönch view in Mürren

Towns in the Swiss Alps

The best mountain cities and villages in Switzerland: my suggestions for resorts in and near the Swiss Alps.
Johanniter Chapel with flowers in Rheinfelden

Small towns

There are plenty of charming small towns with quick access to the larger Swiss cities. Switzerland’s mountain regions abound in …
Chalets, flags and church in Bettmeralp, Upper Rhone Valley

Car-free towns

Switzerland has several completely car-free mountain villages, such as Zermatt and Wengen. Many larger towns have a (partially) car-free town …
Chalets along main street of Lauterbrunnen

Tourist resorts

Switzerland’s tourist resorts are famous for a reason: they’re beautifully located and give access to many outdoor activities. Learn which …
Locarno promenade, harbor with boats and hotels

Towns on lakes

Check our list of our personal Swiss lakeside towns. Such locations guarantee variation: you can make boat trips in addition …
Mountain resort Davos in winter

Winter towns

Check our lists of top Swiss winter towns for your plans. Switzerland’s mountain villages are the best resorts for a …
Montreux boulevard along Lake Geneva with flowers

Summer towns

Towns in the mountains and on refreshing lakes are perfect for your summer holidays in Switzerland. We’ve listed our favorite …

Switzerland’s holiday regions

Morning sun in the Upper Engadine at La Punt

Regions

Learn all about Switzerland’s holiday regions: the Alps, the Bernese Oberland with its Jungfrau Region, Lake Lucerne, Lake Zurich, Lake …

Switzerland map

3-d map of Switzerland with flag

Map of Switzerland

See where Switzerland is located in Europe and which are the bordering countries. Find the main Swiss towns on this …

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Annika
Page author: AnnikaSince early childhood I've been visiting Switzerland during my holidays and I just fell in love with the country. I spent many summers in the Bernese Oberland, which still feels like my second home, and then started to explore other areas. Traveling, hiking and photographing in the Swiss Alps are my absolute favorite activities.