Switzerland Travel Guide

Gstaad

Bernese Oberland's most glamorous vacation resort and the place for glittering socialites to be seen is the chic town of Gstaad, known for its high society, luxury hotels, fine dining and expensive boutiques. Gstaad has been the favored vacation destination of the rich and famous for years, entertaining the likes of Roger Moore, Paris Hilton, Elle Macpherson and Tina Turner, among others. The picturesque village is traditional in style with delightful alpine chalets, a pedestrian-only center and spectacular scenery, and lies at the center of the Gstaad Super Ski Region, one of the largest ski areas in Europe.

Verbier

Verbier is a picturesque Swiss ski resort nestled on a vast plateau almost 5,000 ft (1,524m) above the valley floor and surrounded by majestic snow-covered mountains. Verbier lies at the heart of Les Quatres Vallées (Four Valleys) and is the holiday hub of this extensive ski area. A sophisticated network of cable cars and gondolas connect all the vacation resorts in the region and provide access to 253 miles (410km) of marked pistes. Verbier is the primary ski resort of French-speaking Switzerland, attracting advanced skiers and snowboarders to its demanding slopes and unlimited off-piste opportunities.

Although quaint in appearance, a holiday at the Verbier resort offers all the modern comforts and facilities of a major resort, with some of the finest cuisine in the region and a raucous nightlife combining English-style pubs and French cafés. Much of Verbier closes down over the summer but despite this it can also be a great summer destination with magnificent scenery, good weather and wonderful walks; during this time it is popular with paragliders and mountain bikers.

Davos

Davos was one of the first ski resorts to be created and is the largest in Switzerland, an alpine city with major thoroughfares and hotel blocks lining the streets. Despite its lack of character, Davos is a premier European vacation resort, offering not only accommodation with a reputation for excellence, an endless array of winter and summer recreational activities, crisp mountain air and a health spa, but also five separate ski areas ensuring a superb variety of skiing and snowboarding for all abilities. Nearby is the little sister resort of Klosters, a small traditional village with a quiet and unobtrusive atmosphere that shares the large Parsenn ski area.

Klosters

Situated about six miles (10km) from the busy Swiss ski resort of Davos Dorf, in the heart of the Graubunden region south-east of Zurich, the small, traditional and quiet village of Klosters shares the expansive Parsenn ski area with the larger resort, but offers a more exclusive and romantic holiday setting.

Klosters, its two pretty neighborhoods filled with picturesque chalets, also has its own ski area, the Madrisa, ensuring the resort offers skiing for all abilities in a discreetly charming Alpine setting, away from the madding crowd of the tourist mass market. Exclusivity is expensive, however, and therefore this vacation resort is regarded as upmarket. For this reason, Klosters has become known as the holiday haunt of the rich and famous, and is particularly favored by the British Royal family, especially Prince Charles, as a winter sports getaway with first-class off-piste skiing.

St Moritz

St Moritz is the original Swiss winter vacation resort, an extravagantly fashionable mountain resort world-famous for its skiing, fantastic scenery, the curative waters of its Health Spa and the social life. Although not the classic image of a Swiss mountain resort, the setting and spectacular scenery more than makes up for St Moritz' lack of charm.

Consisting of two villages, St Moritz-Bad on the lake and St Moritz-Dorf on the hillside above, its romantic setting in the wildly beautiful corner of the southeastern Swiss Alps is a combination of forests, mountain and lake that has twice hosted the Winter Olympics. A St Moritz holiday guarantees some of the most reliable and abundant winter snowfall in the country, and the miles of downhill runs offer some of the finest intermediate skiing anywhere.

The St Moritz area also encompasses a network of cross-country ski trails, legendary toboggan and bobsled courses, and an Olympic ski-jump. The spa section of this exclusive and exciting town, St Moritz-Bad, offers the long-time tradition of mineral baths, mud baths and spa therapies for a relaxing spa holiday. The nightlife on a St Moritz holiday is renowned as the most energetic and expensive of all the alpine ski resorts.

Zermatt

Enjoy a holiday in the charming town of Zermatt, Switzerland's best-known ski resort. Nestled on a high plateau, it sits at the foot of the highest and most photographed peak in the country, the Matterhorn (14,692ft or 4,478m). The resort is a picturesque, if rather sprawling, old mountain village that is car-free with Swiss-style chalets.

The village of Zermatt can only be reached via a spectacular cog railway from the valley below. It has one of the best networks of super-efficient cable cars, gondolas and cog railways in the country that whisk skiers to three separate ski areas and to altitudes of over 12,000ft (3,600m). Twenty-one of the 36 lifts also operate during the summer to cater for the busy hiking and climbing season.

There are also plenty of non-skiing holiday activities in Zermatt, superb views, some of the best mountain restaurants worldwide, and a raucous nightlife to keep everyone entertained. The Matterhorn Museum commemorates the tragic first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865 and the many lives claimed by 'the killer mountain', as well as telling the story of Zermatt.

Interlaken

Interlaken, meaning 'between the lakes', is the tourist capital of the Bernese Oberland. As a popular vacation spot it is superbly situated between the lakes of Thun and Brienz, offering a variety of water-based activities during summer, and access to an endless amount of winter sports in the surrounding mountains of the Bernese Alps and its valleys.

Linked to numerous vacation resorts and villages by a series of mountain railways and cablecars, Interlaken has a myriad of slopes and trails in many different areas offering skiing, snowboarding and hiking, as well as connecting to the famous cog railway leading to the plateau of the Jungfrau Mountain. During winter, skiers can take advantage of the town's low prices, avoiding the in-season costs of higher altitude ski resorts.

With its many fine hotels, nightlife and dining opportunities, numerous excursion possibilities and first class transport connections, Interlaken is an ideal all-round vacation destination for both winter and summer, for skiers and non-skiers alike.

Grindelwald

The vacation destination of Grindelwald is a picturesque, traditional mountain settlement at the foot of the Eiger Mountain, surrounded by spectacular alpine landscapes. Popular as both a summer and winter holiday spot, it offers miles of slopes and hiking trails across the Alps, and for non-skiers there are a huge variety of winter activities, from tobogganing to groomed winter hiking tracks. For skiers there are three distinct areas to choose from, with slopes for beginners, intermediates and the challenges of the Eiger glacier for the experienced; as well as lift links to Wengen and Mürren, making this one of the best vacation resorts from which to explore the Jungfrau region.

Veysonnaz

With panoramic views of the Rhone Valley, Veysonnaz forms a part of the Four Valleys ski area together with Nandez, Verbier, Thyon and La Tzoumaz. A more affordable alternative to fashionable resorts like Verbier, the pretty town of Veysonnaz has managed to retain its Alpine charm with traditional architecture and events like the June Cow Processions. There are a range of activities for non-skiers in both summer and winter, including attractions like the pyramids of Euseigne and the Grande Dixence dam. The town itself has a number of restaurants and bars, as well as a few shops and a recreation center.

Crans-Montana

Claiming to occupy the sunniest plateau in the Swiss Alps, the twin villages of Crans and Montana are perched 4920 feet (1,500m) above the Rhone Valley. Crans-Montana provides the best of both a mountain village and modern Swiss ski resort, offering an Alpine shopping paradise, and easy access to nearby attractions like the museums of Sierra, the underground lake near St-Léonard, and the glacier at Plaine Morte. The resort has a glitzy reputation and enjoys a fashionable nightlife. Crans-Montana offers many summer activities, including water skiing, swimming, mountain climbing, hiking, and a championship golf course.

Leysin

Leysin has a reputation as one of the most family-friendly ski resorts in Switzerland, offering children's activities year-round at more affordable rates than its fashionable neighbors in the Rhone Valley. There are a number of off-piste diversions, including excursions to Lake Geneva, the museums and castles in Aigle, and the igloos in Teepee Village. The mountain provides a spectacular setting for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and rock climbing in summer. There are a number of good restaurants, including the glass revolving Le Kuklos, which has a panoramic view of the region, and a few bars in town.

Gstaad

Bernese Oberland's most glamorous vacation resort and the place for glittering socialites to be seen is the chic town of Gstaad, known for its high society, luxury hotels, fine dining and expensive boutiques. Gstaad has been the favored vacation destination of the rich and famous for years, entertaining the likes of Roger Moore, Paris Hilton, Elle Macpherson and Tina Turner, among others. The picturesque village is traditional in style with delightful alpine chalets, a pedestrian-only center and spectacular scenery, and lies at the center of the Gstaad Super Ski Region, one of the largest ski areas in Europe.

Verbier

Verbier is a picturesque Swiss ski resort nestled on a vast plateau almost 5,000 ft (1,524m) above the valley floor and surrounded by majestic snow-covered mountains. Verbier lies at the heart of Les Quatres Vallées (Four Valleys) and is the holiday hub of this extensive ski area. A sophisticated network of cable cars and gondolas connect all the vacation resorts in the region and provide access to 253 miles (410km) of marked pistes. Verbier is the primary ski resort of French-speaking Switzerland, attracting advanced skiers and snowboarders to its demanding slopes and unlimited off-piste opportunities.

Although quaint in appearance, a holiday at the Verbier resort offers all the modern comforts and facilities of a major resort, with some of the finest cuisine in the region and a raucous nightlife combining English-style pubs and French cafés. Much of Verbier closes down over the summer but despite this it can also be a great summer destination with magnificent scenery, good weather and wonderful walks; during this time it is popular with paragliders and mountain bikers.

Davos

Davos was one of the first ski resorts to be created and is the largest in Switzerland, an alpine city with major thoroughfares and hotel blocks lining the streets. Despite its lack of character, Davos is a premier European vacation resort, offering not only accommodation with a reputation for excellence, an endless array of winter and summer recreational activities, crisp mountain air and a health spa, but also five separate ski areas ensuring a superb variety of skiing and snowboarding for all abilities. Nearby is the little sister resort of Klosters, a small traditional village with a quiet and unobtrusive atmosphere that shares the large Parsenn ski area.

Klosters

Situated about six miles (10km) from the busy Swiss ski resort of Davos Dorf, in the heart of the Graubunden region south-east of Zurich, the small, traditional and quiet village of Klosters shares the expansive Parsenn ski area with the larger resort, but offers a more exclusive and romantic holiday setting.

Klosters, its two pretty neighborhoods filled with picturesque chalets, also has its own ski area, the Madrisa, ensuring the resort offers skiing for all abilities in a discreetly charming Alpine setting, away from the madding crowd of the tourist mass market. Exclusivity is expensive, however, and therefore this vacation resort is regarded as upmarket. For this reason, Klosters has become known as the holiday haunt of the rich and famous, and is particularly favored by the British Royal family, especially Prince Charles, as a winter sports getaway with first-class off-piste skiing.

St Moritz

St Moritz is the original Swiss winter vacation resort, an extravagantly fashionable mountain resort world-famous for its skiing, fantastic scenery, the curative waters of its Health Spa and the social life. Although not the classic image of a Swiss mountain resort, the setting and spectacular scenery more than makes up for St Moritz' lack of charm.

Consisting of two villages, St Moritz-Bad on the lake and St Moritz-Dorf on the hillside above, its romantic setting in the wildly beautiful corner of the southeastern Swiss Alps is a combination of forests, mountain and lake that has twice hosted the Winter Olympics. A St Moritz holiday guarantees some of the most reliable and abundant winter snowfall in the country, and the miles of downhill runs offer some of the finest intermediate skiing anywhere.

The St Moritz area also encompasses a network of cross-country ski trails, legendary toboggan and bobsled courses, and an Olympic ski-jump. The spa section of this exclusive and exciting town, St Moritz-Bad, offers the long-time tradition of mineral baths, mud baths and spa therapies for a relaxing spa holiday. The nightlife on a St Moritz holiday is renowned as the most energetic and expensive of all the alpine ski resorts.

Zermatt

Enjoy a holiday in the charming town of Zermatt, Switzerland's best-known ski resort. Nestled on a high plateau, it sits at the foot of the highest and most photographed peak in the country, the Matterhorn (14,692ft or 4,478m). The resort is a picturesque, if rather sprawling, old mountain village that is car-free with Swiss-style chalets.

The village of Zermatt can only be reached via a spectacular cog railway from the valley below. It has one of the best networks of super-efficient cable cars, gondolas and cog railways in the country that whisk skiers to three separate ski areas and to altitudes of over 12,000ft (3,600m). Twenty-one of the 36 lifts also operate during the summer to cater for the busy hiking and climbing season.

There are also plenty of non-skiing holiday activities in Zermatt, superb views, some of the best mountain restaurants worldwide, and a raucous nightlife to keep everyone entertained. The Matterhorn Museum commemorates the tragic first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865 and the many lives claimed by 'the killer mountain', as well as telling the story of Zermatt.

Interlaken

Interlaken, meaning 'between the lakes', is the tourist capital of the Bernese Oberland. As a popular vacation spot it is superbly situated between the lakes of Thun and Brienz, offering a variety of water-based activities during summer, and access to an endless amount of winter sports in the surrounding mountains of the Bernese Alps and its valleys.

Linked to numerous vacation resorts and villages by a series of mountain railways and cablecars, Interlaken has a myriad of slopes and trails in many different areas offering skiing, snowboarding and hiking, as well as connecting to the famous cog railway leading to the plateau of the Jungfrau Mountain. During winter, skiers can take advantage of the town's low prices, avoiding the in-season costs of higher altitude ski resorts.

With its many fine hotels, nightlife and dining opportunities, numerous excursion possibilities and first class transport connections, Interlaken is an ideal all-round vacation destination for both winter and summer, for skiers and non-skiers alike.

Grindelwald

The vacation destination of Grindelwald is a picturesque, traditional mountain settlement at the foot of the Eiger Mountain, surrounded by spectacular alpine landscapes. Popular as both a summer and winter holiday spot, it offers miles of slopes and hiking trails across the Alps, and for non-skiers there are a huge variety of winter activities, from tobogganing to groomed winter hiking tracks. For skiers there are three distinct areas to choose from, with slopes for beginners, intermediates and the challenges of the Eiger glacier for the experienced; as well as lift links to Wengen and Mürren, making this one of the best vacation resorts from which to explore the Jungfrau region.

Veysonnaz

With panoramic views of the Rhone Valley, Veysonnaz forms a part of the Four Valleys ski area together with Nandez, Verbier, Thyon and La Tzoumaz. A more affordable alternative to fashionable resorts like Verbier, the pretty town of Veysonnaz has managed to retain its Alpine charm with traditional architecture and events like the June Cow Processions. There are a range of activities for non-skiers in both summer and winter, including attractions like the pyramids of Euseigne and the Grande Dixence dam. The town itself has a number of restaurants and bars, as well as a few shops and a recreation center.

Crans-Montana

Claiming to occupy the sunniest plateau in the Swiss Alps, the twin villages of Crans and Montana are perched 4920 feet (1,500m) above the Rhone Valley. Crans-Montana provides the best of both a mountain village and modern Swiss ski resort, offering an Alpine shopping paradise, and easy access to nearby attractions like the museums of Sierra, the underground lake near St-Léonard, and the glacier at Plaine Morte. The resort has a glitzy reputation and enjoys a fashionable nightlife. Crans-Montana offers many summer activities, including water skiing, swimming, mountain climbing, hiking, and a championship golf course.

Leysin

Leysin has a reputation as one of the most family-friendly ski resorts in Switzerland, offering children's activities year-round at more affordable rates than its fashionable neighbors in the Rhone Valley. There are a number of off-piste diversions, including excursions to Lake Geneva, the museums and castles in Aigle, and the igloos in Teepee Village. The mountain provides a spectacular setting for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and rock climbing in summer. There are a number of good restaurants, including the glass revolving Le Kuklos, which has a panoramic view of the region, and a few bars in town.

Gstaad

Bernese Oberland's most glamorous vacation resort and the place for glittering socialites to be seen is the chic town of Gstaad, known for its high society, luxury hotels, fine dining and expensive boutiques. Gstaad has been the favored vacation destination of the rich and famous for years, entertaining the likes of Roger Moore, Paris Hilton, Elle Macpherson and Tina Turner, among others. The picturesque village is traditional in style with delightful alpine chalets, a pedestrian-only center and spectacular scenery, and lies at the center of the Gstaad Super Ski Region, one of the largest ski areas in Europe.

Verbier

Verbier is a picturesque Swiss ski resort nestled on a vast plateau almost 5,000 ft (1,524m) above the valley floor and surrounded by majestic snow-covered mountains. Verbier lies at the heart of Les Quatres Vallées (Four Valleys) and is the holiday hub of this extensive ski area. A sophisticated network of cable cars and gondolas connect all the vacation resorts in the region and provide access to 253 miles (410km) of marked pistes. Verbier is the primary ski resort of French-speaking Switzerland, attracting advanced skiers and snowboarders to its demanding slopes and unlimited off-piste opportunities.

Although quaint in appearance, a holiday at the Verbier resort offers all the modern comforts and facilities of a major resort, with some of the finest cuisine in the region and a raucous nightlife combining English-style pubs and French cafés. Much of Verbier closes down over the summer but despite this it can also be a great summer destination with magnificent scenery, good weather and wonderful walks; during this time it is popular with paragliders and mountain bikers.

Davos

Davos was one of the first ski resorts to be created and is the largest in Switzerland, an alpine city with major thoroughfares and hotel blocks lining the streets. Despite its lack of character, Davos is a premier European vacation resort, offering not only accommodation with a reputation for excellence, an endless array of winter and summer recreational activities, crisp mountain air and a health spa, but also five separate ski areas ensuring a superb variety of skiing and snowboarding for all abilities. Nearby is the little sister resort of Klosters, a small traditional village with a quiet and unobtrusive atmosphere that shares the large Parsenn ski area.

Klosters

Situated about six miles (10km) from the busy Swiss ski resort of Davos Dorf, in the heart of the Graubunden region south-east of Zurich, the small, traditional and quiet village of Klosters shares the expansive Parsenn ski area with the larger resort, but offers a more exclusive and romantic holiday setting.

Klosters, its two pretty neighborhoods filled with picturesque chalets, also has its own ski area, the Madrisa, ensuring the resort offers skiing for all abilities in a discreetly charming Alpine setting, away from the madding crowd of the tourist mass market. Exclusivity is expensive, however, and therefore this vacation resort is regarded as upmarket. For this reason, Klosters has become known as the holiday haunt of the rich and famous, and is particularly favored by the British Royal family, especially Prince Charles, as a winter sports getaway with first-class off-piste skiing.

St Moritz

St Moritz is the original Swiss winter vacation resort, an extravagantly fashionable mountain resort world-famous for its skiing, fantastic scenery, the curative waters of its Health Spa and the social life. Although not the classic image of a Swiss mountain resort, the setting and spectacular scenery more than makes up for St Moritz' lack of charm.

Consisting of two villages, St Moritz-Bad on the lake and St Moritz-Dorf on the hillside above, its romantic setting in the wildly beautiful corner of the southeastern Swiss Alps is a combination of forests, mountain and lake that has twice hosted the Winter Olympics. A St Moritz holiday guarantees some of the most reliable and abundant winter snowfall in the country, and the miles of downhill runs offer some of the finest intermediate skiing anywhere.

The St Moritz area also encompasses a network of cross-country ski trails, legendary toboggan and bobsled courses, and an Olympic ski-jump. The spa section of this exclusive and exciting town, St Moritz-Bad, offers the long-time tradition of mineral baths, mud baths and spa therapies for a relaxing spa holiday. The nightlife on a St Moritz holiday is renowned as the most energetic and expensive of all the alpine ski resorts.

Zermatt

Enjoy a holiday in the charming town of Zermatt, Switzerland's best-known ski resort. Nestled on a high plateau, it sits at the foot of the highest and most photographed peak in the country, the Matterhorn (14,692ft or 4,478m). The resort is a picturesque, if rather sprawling, old mountain village that is car-free with Swiss-style chalets.

The village of Zermatt can only be reached via a spectacular cog railway from the valley below. It has one of the best networks of super-efficient cable cars, gondolas and cog railways in the country that whisk skiers to three separate ski areas and to altitudes of over 12,000ft (3,600m). Twenty-one of the 36 lifts also operate during the summer to cater for the busy hiking and climbing season.

There are also plenty of non-skiing holiday activities in Zermatt, superb views, some of the best mountain restaurants worldwide, and a raucous nightlife to keep everyone entertained. The Matterhorn Museum commemorates the tragic first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865 and the many lives claimed by 'the killer mountain', as well as telling the story of Zermatt.

Interlaken

Interlaken, meaning 'between the lakes', is the tourist capital of the Bernese Oberland. As a popular vacation spot it is superbly situated between the lakes of Thun and Brienz, offering a variety of water-based activities during summer, and access to an endless amount of winter sports in the surrounding mountains of the Bernese Alps and its valleys.

Linked to numerous vacation resorts and villages by a series of mountain railways and cablecars, Interlaken has a myriad of slopes and trails in many different areas offering skiing, snowboarding and hiking, as well as connecting to the famous cog railway leading to the plateau of the Jungfrau Mountain. During winter, skiers can take advantage of the town's low prices, avoiding the in-season costs of higher altitude ski resorts.

With its many fine hotels, nightlife and dining opportunities, numerous excursion possibilities and first class transport connections, Interlaken is an ideal all-round vacation destination for both winter and summer, for skiers and non-skiers alike.

Grindelwald

The vacation destination of Grindelwald is a picturesque, traditional mountain settlement at the foot of the Eiger Mountain, surrounded by spectacular alpine landscapes. Popular as both a summer and winter holiday spot, it offers miles of slopes and hiking trails across the Alps, and for non-skiers there are a huge variety of winter activities, from tobogganing to groomed winter hiking tracks. For skiers there are three distinct areas to choose from, with slopes for beginners, intermediates and the challenges of the Eiger glacier for the experienced; as well as lift links to Wengen and Mürren, making this one of the best vacation resorts from which to explore the Jungfrau region.

Veysonnaz

With panoramic views of the Rhone Valley, Veysonnaz forms a part of the Four Valleys ski area together with Nandez, Verbier, Thyon and La Tzoumaz. A more affordable alternative to fashionable resorts like Verbier, the pretty town of Veysonnaz has managed to retain its Alpine charm with traditional architecture and events like the June Cow Processions. There are a range of activities for non-skiers in both summer and winter, including attractions like the pyramids of Euseigne and the Grande Dixence dam. The town itself has a number of restaurants and bars, as well as a few shops and a recreation center.

Crans-Montana

Claiming to occupy the sunniest plateau in the Swiss Alps, the twin villages of Crans and Montana are perched 4920 feet (1,500m) above the Rhone Valley. Crans-Montana provides the best of both a mountain village and modern Swiss ski resort, offering an Alpine shopping paradise, and easy access to nearby attractions like the museums of Sierra, the underground lake near St-Léonard, and the glacier at Plaine Morte. The resort has a glitzy reputation and enjoys a fashionable nightlife. Crans-Montana offers many summer activities, including water skiing, swimming, mountain climbing, hiking, and a championship golf course.

Leysin

Leysin has a reputation as one of the most family-friendly ski resorts in Switzerland, offering children's activities year-round at more affordable rates than its fashionable neighbors in the Rhone Valley. There are a number of off-piste diversions, including excursions to Lake Geneva, the museums and castles in Aigle, and the igloos in Teepee Village. The mountain provides a spectacular setting for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and rock climbing in summer. There are a number of good restaurants, including the glass revolving Le Kuklos, which has a panoramic view of the region, and a few bars in town.

Gstaad

Bernese Oberland's most glamorous vacation resort and the place for glittering socialites to be seen is the chic town of Gstaad, known for its high society, luxury hotels, fine dining and expensive boutiques. Gstaad has been the favored vacation destination of the rich and famous for years, entertaining the likes of Roger Moore, Paris Hilton, Elle Macpherson and Tina Turner, among others. The picturesque village is traditional in style with delightful alpine chalets, a pedestrian-only center and spectacular scenery, and lies at the center of the Gstaad Super Ski Region, one of the largest ski areas in Europe.

Verbier

Verbier is a picturesque Swiss ski resort nestled on a vast plateau almost 5,000 ft (1,524m) above the valley floor and surrounded by majestic snow-covered mountains. Verbier lies at the heart of Les Quatres Vallées (Four Valleys) and is the holiday hub of this extensive ski area. A sophisticated network of cable cars and gondolas connect all the vacation resorts in the region and provide access to 253 miles (410km) of marked pistes. Verbier is the primary ski resort of French-speaking Switzerland, attracting advanced skiers and snowboarders to its demanding slopes and unlimited off-piste opportunities.

Although quaint in appearance, a holiday at the Verbier resort offers all the modern comforts and facilities of a major resort, with some of the finest cuisine in the region and a raucous nightlife combining English-style pubs and French cafés. Much of Verbier closes down over the summer but despite this it can also be a great summer destination with magnificent scenery, good weather and wonderful walks; during this time it is popular with paragliders and mountain bikers.

Davos

Davos was one of the first ski resorts to be created and is the largest in Switzerland, an alpine city with major thoroughfares and hotel blocks lining the streets. Despite its lack of character, Davos is a premier European vacation resort, offering not only accommodation with a reputation for excellence, an endless array of winter and summer recreational activities, crisp mountain air and a health spa, but also five separate ski areas ensuring a superb variety of skiing and snowboarding for all abilities. Nearby is the little sister resort of Klosters, a small traditional village with a quiet and unobtrusive atmosphere that shares the large Parsenn ski area.

Klosters

Situated about six miles (10km) from the busy Swiss ski resort of Davos Dorf, in the heart of the Graubunden region south-east of Zurich, the small, traditional and quiet village of Klosters shares the expansive Parsenn ski area with the larger resort, but offers a more exclusive and romantic holiday setting.

Klosters, its two pretty neighborhoods filled with picturesque chalets, also has its own ski area, the Madrisa, ensuring the resort offers skiing for all abilities in a discreetly charming Alpine setting, away from the madding crowd of the tourist mass market. Exclusivity is expensive, however, and therefore this vacation resort is regarded as upmarket. For this reason, Klosters has become known as the holiday haunt of the rich and famous, and is particularly favored by the British Royal family, especially Prince Charles, as a winter sports getaway with first-class off-piste skiing.

St Moritz

St Moritz is the original Swiss winter vacation resort, an extravagantly fashionable mountain resort world-famous for its skiing, fantastic scenery, the curative waters of its Health Spa and the social life. Although not the classic image of a Swiss mountain resort, the setting and spectacular scenery more than makes up for St Moritz' lack of charm.

Consisting of two villages, St Moritz-Bad on the lake and St Moritz-Dorf on the hillside above, its romantic setting in the wildly beautiful corner of the southeastern Swiss Alps is a combination of forests, mountain and lake that has twice hosted the Winter Olympics. A St Moritz holiday guarantees some of the most reliable and abundant winter snowfall in the country, and the miles of downhill runs offer some of the finest intermediate skiing anywhere.

The St Moritz area also encompasses a network of cross-country ski trails, legendary toboggan and bobsled courses, and an Olympic ski-jump. The spa section of this exclusive and exciting town, St Moritz-Bad, offers the long-time tradition of mineral baths, mud baths and spa therapies for a relaxing spa holiday. The nightlife on a St Moritz holiday is renowned as the most energetic and expensive of all the alpine ski resorts.

Zermatt

Enjoy a holiday in the charming town of Zermatt, Switzerland's best-known ski resort. Nestled on a high plateau, it sits at the foot of the highest and most photographed peak in the country, the Matterhorn (14,692ft or 4,478m). The resort is a picturesque, if rather sprawling, old mountain village that is car-free with Swiss-style chalets.

The village of Zermatt can only be reached via a spectacular cog railway from the valley below. It has one of the best networks of super-efficient cable cars, gondolas and cog railways in the country that whisk skiers to three separate ski areas and to altitudes of over 12,000ft (3,600m). Twenty-one of the 36 lifts also operate during the summer to cater for the busy hiking and climbing season.

There are also plenty of non-skiing holiday activities in Zermatt, superb views, some of the best mountain restaurants worldwide, and a raucous nightlife to keep everyone entertained. The Matterhorn Museum commemorates the tragic first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865 and the many lives claimed by 'the killer mountain', as well as telling the story of Zermatt.

Interlaken

Interlaken, meaning 'between the lakes', is the tourist capital of the Bernese Oberland. As a popular vacation spot it is superbly situated between the lakes of Thun and Brienz, offering a variety of water-based activities during summer, and access to an endless amount of winter sports in the surrounding mountains of the Bernese Alps and its valleys.

Linked to numerous vacation resorts and villages by a series of mountain railways and cablecars, Interlaken has a myriad of slopes and trails in many different areas offering skiing, snowboarding and hiking, as well as connecting to the famous cog railway leading to the plateau of the Jungfrau Mountain. During winter, skiers can take advantage of the town's low prices, avoiding the in-season costs of higher altitude ski resorts.

With its many fine hotels, nightlife and dining opportunities, numerous excursion possibilities and first class transport connections, Interlaken is an ideal all-round vacation destination for both winter and summer, for skiers and non-skiers alike.

Grindelwald

The vacation destination of Grindelwald is a picturesque, traditional mountain settlement at the foot of the Eiger Mountain, surrounded by spectacular alpine landscapes. Popular as both a summer and winter holiday spot, it offers miles of slopes and hiking trails across the Alps, and for non-skiers there are a huge variety of winter activities, from tobogganing to groomed winter hiking tracks. For skiers there are three distinct areas to choose from, with slopes for beginners, intermediates and the challenges of the Eiger glacier for the experienced; as well as lift links to Wengen and Mürren, making this one of the best vacation resorts from which to explore the Jungfrau region.

Veysonnaz

With panoramic views of the Rhone Valley, Veysonnaz forms a part of the Four Valleys ski area together with Nandez, Verbier, Thyon and La Tzoumaz. A more affordable alternative to fashionable resorts like Verbier, the pretty town of Veysonnaz has managed to retain its Alpine charm with traditional architecture and events like the June Cow Processions. There are a range of activities for non-skiers in both summer and winter, including attractions like the pyramids of Euseigne and the Grande Dixence dam. The town itself has a number of restaurants and bars, as well as a few shops and a recreation center.

Crans-Montana

Claiming to occupy the sunniest plateau in the Swiss Alps, the twin villages of Crans and Montana are perched 4920 feet (1,500m) above the Rhone Valley. Crans-Montana provides the best of both a mountain village and modern Swiss ski resort, offering an Alpine shopping paradise, and easy access to nearby attractions like the museums of Sierra, the underground lake near St-Léonard, and the glacier at Plaine Morte. The resort has a glitzy reputation and enjoys a fashionable nightlife. Crans-Montana offers many summer activities, including water skiing, swimming, mountain climbing, hiking, and a championship golf course.

Leysin

Leysin has a reputation as one of the most family-friendly ski resorts in Switzerland, offering children's activities year-round at more affordable rates than its fashionable neighbors in the Rhone Valley. There are a number of off-piste diversions, including excursions to Lake Geneva, the museums and castles in Aigle, and the igloos in Teepee Village. The mountain provides a spectacular setting for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and rock climbing in summer. There are a number of good restaurants, including the glass revolving Le Kuklos, which has a panoramic view of the region, and a few bars in town.