best places to visit in switzerland during winter

The air is crisp and the ground is turning white, winter starts in Switzerland. During the winter season, Switzerland turns into a fascinating nature masterpiece. It's time to inform you about the best places to visit in Switzerland during winter, to experience a magical vacation which you will never forget. Imagine being surrounded by the mesmerizing alps, splendid views and a winter wonderland, everywhere you see. The Christmas festive mood and cheer are all around you during winter in Switzerland. Top 10 wonderful places to visit in Switzerland during winter 1. Zermatt We are starting with the beautiful city Zermatt, for a reason. Zermatt is a famous winter town located in the Swiss Alps. This city is home to cosy bars, fabulous hotels and pretty shops, and let's not forget outstanding restaurants. People visiting Zermatt enjoy the impressive views and surrounding nature because the city is 1.608 metres above sea level. One of Switzerland's most famous and iconic mountains is the Matterhorn. If you love glaciers, we advise exploring the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, via the Matterhorn Cable car. The peak of the Matterhorn is 3883 metres above sea level, at the top, there is a 360 degrees viewing platform, the view from the peak is like a paradise. At the top, you can see 14 glaciers. This will be an unforgettable experience. Zermatt is located right below the iconic mountain Matterhorn. Winter in Zermatt, spot the Matterhorn. Lights make Zermatt magical Zermatt is well-known as a holiday destination for winter sports lovers. There are great slopes, perfect snow conditions and a cosy apres ski. The town is perfect to make your Christmas Postcard, your family will love it. Zermatt is Europe's highest ski resort, wintersport lovers from all over the world come to Zermatt to enjoy the slopes. Guests enjoy skiing, kilometres of pistes, fabulous slopes, snow and sun. The Glacier express starts in Zermatt, near the Matterhorn, in the car-free mountain village of Zermatt, at an altitude of 1605 m. The Matter valley leads to the town of Visp and is quite narrow at some places, with massive rock walls rising up to well over 3900 metres. Good to know, it doesn't really matter if you sit on the left or right side of the train, both view sides are incredible. Zermatt Wintersport overview Slopes 360 km slopes Wintersports area elevatations of 1,562 and 3,899 meter Lifts 20 Gondola lifts 22 Chair lifts 21 T-BAR lifts Types of slopes 75 kilometres - beginner slopes 220 kilometres - intermediate slopes 27 kilometres - difficult slopes 2. St. Moritz Number two of the top places to visit in Switzerland during winter is St. Moritz. St. Moritz is actually more than just a beautiful winter sports holiday resort. It was the birthplace of Swiss Alpine winter tourism. This took place in 1864. Interesting fact, St. Moritz has twice hosted the Winter Olympics. St. Moritz, located at an elevation of 1856 metres, is the place for wintersport lovers. St. Moritz, evening lights, make the town so magical. For those interested in winter sports, it's quite interesting to know that the first ski lift started running in 1935. People from all over the world visit St. Moritz and love the modern Alpine lifestyle and atmosphere. You see this in top restaurants and hotels with incredibly high standards and slopes in perfect condition. Winter sports enthusiasts, adrenaline starts rising, and over 350 kilometres of pistes are in perfect condition. 3. The Glacier Express It isn't really a city or town, but the Glacier Express couldn't be forgotten. This is an experience you won't forget, it's just too beautiful. If you visit Switzerland during winter we highly recommend taking The Glacier Express. This train travels within roughly 8 hours, from Zermatt - St. Moritz and vice versa. It passes 91 tunnels and crosses over 291 bridges. The Glacier Express is a relaxing journey, you will sit and enjoy the panoramic views. The Glacier Express There is a new excellence Class, this is an experience of another level. You will sit in luxury, with windows with panoramic views, onboard entertainment en personal travel guides. You will enjoy spectacular landscapes, while being served with champagne, followed by a five-course meal with delicious wine. Because of this new service, the Glacier express now offers one of the most exclusive touristic attractions in Switzerland. The route: From Zermatt - St. Moritz and vice versa. The distance and duration: 291 kilometres - 8 hours and 3 minutes. 4. Lucerne Lucerne is located in the centre of Switzerland, situated in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. This city offers a rich Swiss History, you can find it in the old town Lucerne. This city is located at Lake Lucerne, an impressive lake surrounded by mountains. Because of its attractive shops, beautiful lakeside and the excursions mountains of the Pilatus, Rigi and the Stanserhorn, this town is perfect for a cultural ski holiday. When visiting Lucerne during winter you will find out why Lucerne is often called the city of lights. Snow sport lovers get their money's worth in the Lake Lucerne region, there is a winter sports resorts close to the city. The region has several fabulous unique ski resorts. easily accessible by train or by boat as well as by car. Snow parks, many ski and snowboard slopes and perfect snow conditions make this the perfect winter-sports holiday destination. Buildings on a lakeside in Lucerne If you decide to stay overnight in the city, it is a perfect starting point for winter excursions. You will receive a 50 CHF city card, for every hotel reservation you make through Lucerne Tourism, you can use these shopping vouchers to buy Christmas presents for your family or friends. We highly recommend joining the Christmas city tour, discovering incredible stories for example about the Chapel Bridge, enjoy the nice atmosphere of the city and the beautiful lights. 5. Zurich Zurich is the biggest city in Switzerland. Zurich is known as the city with the best quality of life in Europe. During winter, Zurich buzzes with life, many tourists are visiting Zurich during winter. In the winter period, tourists can enjoy Zurich’s town squares, cosy coffee shops and magical promenades. We highly recommend exploring Old Town Zurich, narrow streets of Niederdorf are full of both chain and boutique shops, as well as charming restaurants. Zurich by night When walking in the Old Town of Zurich you will see the two most popular sights of Zurich: the Grossmünster Church and the Fraumünster Church, both are must-visit. If you are into history, we advise catching a guided tour to learn more about the history of Zurich. The famous Bahnhofstrasse is a must-visit as well. Here you can find everything that your heart desires: fashion, art, international brands and boutiques and Zurich specialities that attract local residents as well as visitors. If you are more into winter sports, Zurich is a perfect base to combine activities in the snow with cultural activities and cuisine. Zurich offers great shopping facilities, nice bars, and excellent top-level cuisine. There are also relaxing wellness facilities. Guaranteed plenty of fun and entertainment during the cold months of the year. Bahnhofstrasse, Zürich with Christmas Lights If you are able to visit Zurich in the month of December, we would recommend doing so. During this month, Zurich is turning magical, with many picturesque Christmas markets, traditional events, delicious and cosy fondue chalets and the Märlitram fairy tale tram. Zürich actually is the perfect combination for winter-sport lovers, who love a vivid city and some culture during their holidays. 6. Davos This town is the highest town in the Alps at 1560 metres. It is the place to be for winter sports lovers, who love skiing or snowboarding or both of course. The wintersports area between altitudes from 1124 - 2844 metres, this is a beautiful place to for winter sports. Davos is located in the canton of Graubunden. The city of Davos is bustling during the high season between Christmas and new years eve. With the traditional ice hockey tournament "Spengler Cup" We would recommend if you are into skiing, ski the famous 12-kilometre-long piste which links Davos and Küblis. You can access it from Davos by the Parsenn funicular railway and from Klosters by the Gotschna cable car. A really nice activity is snowshoe walking, try it with your family. You will encounter deep snow-laden forests and beautiful winter landscapes. During about 100 winter days, people visiting Davos Klosters can benefit from local guides who provide discounted and very exclusive winter adventures, which are there on a daily basis. Read more about ski holidays to Davos here. Equipment for a snowshoe walk 7. Arosa Arosa is located in the canton Graubunden, this tradition-rich Grisons holiday resort is situated at the end of the romantic Schanfigg Valley. It is located at an altitude of 1800 metres above sea level. Impressive panorama views, of the mountain peaks, can be seen all around. Wintersport lovers, you can choose from over 225 kilometres of lsopes with almost always guaranteed snow, in the region of Arosa Lenzerheide. This makes it the largest interconnected skiing region of Graubunden. The snowy mountains above Arosa are greeted by the sun In just 3 minutes guests can go by cable car from the resort, Arosa Hörnli to the resort Lenzerheid Urdenürggli. A nice fact is that you can now use the Urden cable car as a pedestrian to enjoy over 140 kilometres of hiking and walking trails in good condition. There is a fantastic cool slope for freestylers, two snow parks and perfect snow. 8. Flims Flims is a popular destination to visit during winter, located in canton Graubunden. This place is perfect for wintersport lovers, hikers and families. Flims is known as one of the most varied vacation regions. The Ski resort Laax is easily accessible from Flims in a few minutes. There are over 235 kilometres of pistes for everyone, beginners, more advanced skiers and freestylers. Laax is Europe's leading freestyle resort, with a special highlight, the biggest halfpipe in the world. Flims from above, a beautiful city Close to Flims is the town Falera, here you can go ice skating. The entrance is free and open for young and old. There is a kiosk for some nice drinks and small snacks. You can find the ice rink at the playground directly below the ST. Remigius Church. You can't visit Flims without visiting lake Caumasee. During a beautiful winter day, you may enjoy a nice walk through the forest to experience the magic lake Cauma offers. Lake Caumasee, partially frozen, perfect for a walk with a spectacular view To get to Lake Cauma you can start at Flims Waldhaus and enjoy a leisurely walk through the forest. The path is very well accessible with a buggy or by wheelchairs. Good to mention, there is a possibility to take the lift down to the lake. If you'd like to get deeper information about Flims, check out our other blog specifically about Flims. 9. St. Gallen It has four cross-country skiing trails, a natural ice rink, three ski lifts, and several weeks per winter snow. The three ski lifts, Beckenhalde, Schlössli and Vögelinsegg operate every day if snow conditions are good. The lifts offer night skiing and ski races as well. St. Gallen, Switzerland We mentioned the natural ice rink on the Buebenweiher, this is the middle one of the famous Three Ponds, this is a very special experience, which you will not forget. When the ice is thick enough, the pond becomes a place for skaters of all ages. 10. Interlaken Interlaken has a central position in Switzerland, this makes it a great destination for ski holidays, as it is situated in ski regions of the Jungfrau top Ski Region: Mürren/Schilthorn, Kleine Scheidegg/Männlichen and First, if you travel with your family you could visit the ski region of Beatenberg or Axalp-Brienz. There are about 200 kilometres of pistes in these regions. View over Interlaken Interlaken is perfectly situated between mountains and beautiful lakes. What makes Interlaken a perfect holiday destination? There is something for everyone. Interlaken offers winter hikes, rapid descents on ski slopes, ski tours and much more. Interlaken is a cute village, situated between the Swiss alps. You can relax here, or go on an adventure in the mountains. Enjoy a warm hot tub with a good beer, or a scenic mountain walk at the lake. Ready for some adventure, to rise your adrenaline level? Go paragliding, run off the mountain and fly over Interlaken, and enjoy the incredible view. Paragliding is Interlaken's most popular sport, if you stay in Interlaken in a hotel, you can enjoy the para-gliders coming by. If you are into history there are guided tours who will guide you through Interlaken to get to know more about the village of Interlaken. Conclusion Switzerland is the place to be during the winter season to perform winter activities. Ranging from skiing or snowboarding to snow walking. We love the months of January and February to enjoy the fresh thick snow. There are several beautiful ski resorts in Switzerland such as Zermatt, St. Moritz and so on. In this blog, you can read about recommended places to visit during the winter season in Switzerland. If you have any questions left, feel free to leave a comment below or contact us on Instagram: Swissfever.