Cheap Flights to Switzerland

Visit Switzerland to:

• Stroll the shores of lovely Lake Geneva, viewing the fountain or the Château de Chillon.
• Immerse yourself in the medieval old town of Basel, where a dragon guards the city.
• Travel to the ‘Top of Europe’ – ascend Jungfraujoch on a snowy glacier.
• See a serene lake, snow-capped mountains and a medieval town – all in one, in Lucerne.
• Taste the world’s best cheeses and chocolates, and take the time to choose a Swiss quality watch.

The Alpine capital of the world

Switzerland, or Schweiz, or Suisse, or Svizzera, offers vistas across snow-covered alpine peaks, crystal clear lakes, charming mountain villages and elegant, pristine cities tucked into valleys or along rivers. With four official languages and cantons that are rather independent, you’ll find culinary, cultural and architectural variety as well. Swiss precision means you’re likely to enjoy quality service and hospitality, whichever part of the centre of Europe, the home of the Alps, you choose to explore.

Alpine adventures

The Matterhorn, believe it or not, is not the highest mountain in Switzerland. It’s only #10, but it’ll do, at 4,478 metres. You can ski below the Matterhorn at Zermatt, where there is a lively après-ski scene in cute Alpine huts, and in summer, this charming town is your jumping-off spot for hikes or gondola rides to some of the highest peaks in Europe, or to visit five different lakes. Options for skiing in Switzerland also include the snow-secure Verbier, the glitzy St. Moritz or off-the-beaten-path Grimentz. Right in the centre of the country you’ll find Lucerne, with its half-timbered old town, eight watchtowers, lovely lake and mountain trails. Or opt for Interlaken, so named because it’s between two lakes, and it has access to three famous Alpine peaks – Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. If you’re not a skilled mountaineer, here you can travel to the highest point in Europe by train.

Swiss city breaks

The mountains may be calling you, but Switzerland’s cities are not to be ignored. Geneva, home to the United Nations, is the city of peace. Montreux is the jazz capital, and Lausanne, the Olympic Committee headquarters. All on Lake Geneva, these are three elegant waterfront cities with a rich history and vibrant present. Basel offers narrow medieval streets, a towering Renaissance town hall, a plethora of parks and a promenade along the Rhine as well as access to France’s Alsace region and Germany’s Black Forest. Bern, the de facto capital, is a charm with its classic clock tower (can’t get more Swiss than this) and lovely black bears, and majestic Zürich at the juncture of river and lake is both historic and 21st-century. In the south, Lugano brings the Italian flavour to bear, a vivacious city of winding cobbled streets, another lakeside wonder.

Cheese, chocolate and watches

You’ll hear the cowbells and appreciate the fine milk that those grass-fed cows provide for the Swiss to make their world-famous cheeses and chocolates. To combine the two, visit the medieval cheese-making capital of Gruyères, also home to the Maison de Cailler chocolate factory, where you can (finally) figure out the difference between pralines and truffles, and between fondue and raclette. As for horlogerie, the art of watchmaking, there are over 100 Swiss manufacturers, some still based in picturesque Alpine towns such as La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle. In Geneva, visit the Patek Philippe Museum for insight into this age-old Swiss craft, and seek out local brands such as Swatch, Omega and Piaget. Don’t forget your Swiss army knife either – be sure to set aside time to examine all the functions, the variety is endless!