the ultimate travel guide toSwitzerland

Of course, if there’s one thing the Swiss don’t mess around about its skiing. Arrive in peak snow season (mid-January to mid-March) and take your pick from a range of resorts offering pristine pistes for any ability. Zermatt is a crowd-pleaser, offering over a diverse selection of courses across Sunnegga, Gornergrat, Klein Matterhorn and Schwarzsee, while the constant view of the Matterhorn Mountain makes for an impressive backdrop.

Having hosted two Winter Olympics, St. Moritz (about 2.5 hours from Zürich) is a professional skier’s playground. It can also be a pricier option for travellers but it has the après scene to match. Here the swanky set up alongside each other at the glamourous King’s Club and sneak glances at world pros within the walls of Chesa Veglia.

This doesn’t mean families miss out on the fun, with many preferring the long winding intermediate runs along Corvatsch.

Best Time To Visit Switzerland

Switzerland’s specialty is its ability to be all things to all people (possibly due to having Italy to its south, France to its west, Germany to the north and Austria to its east). For this reason, no matter when you go you’re guaranteed a good time. Weather-wise though? Here’s the drill.

January to February are the peak winter months, with short days and undoubtedly the best time to take advantage of the country’s winter sports.

The warmer months of April through to June are when most of the hiking trails are open to visitors and are actually a great time to visit if you want to avoid crowds during the months between winter and summer.

July to August are high summer and the countryside booms with paragliders and hikers. But if you’re looking to visit Switzerland for a steal then save your visit for October/November when the last of the summer hikers have set off home and just before many of the ski resorts have fully opened for winter.

Getting There

Airlines that regularly fly to Geneva and Zürich from Australia include; Swiss International Airlines, Eithad Airlines, Emirates Airlines, Qantas and more.

Choosing where to stay might be the toughest thing you’ll have to do while in Switzerland. The country is literally a holidaymaker’s playground and there are unique mountain resorts, wilderness chalets and quirky design hotels aplenty.

A couple of highlights include the belle Époque beauty of Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa in Interlaken. A royally beautiful haven to take in stunning views across the peaks of Jungfrau but you’d expect that for the princely sum of almost $AUD900 per night during peak season.

But if you really want to get the lay of the land then it helps to get as close to it as possible and Hotel Whitepod was created just for this purpose. This is one of the original eco hut resorts, consisting entirely of luxuriously appointed ‘pod’ tents that offer undisturbed clear views of the night sky and private balconies for taking in the snow-capped peaks of Valais.

You thought this country was just about scrupulous watch-making and Swiss army knives? Think again. Switzerland is actually a hot-bed of musical events and in typical Swiss style they cater to all genres.

Music-lovers the world over visit the country every June for Geneva’s Fête de la Musique, a three-day city-wide party that hosts over 300 musical acts on stages across Old Town, in St Pierre Cathedral and open-air acts in Bastions Park.

The Montreux Jazz Festival in July offers a lot more than just sax and bass, rather it’s a smorgasbord of diverse talent including a few names you might’ve already heard of: Thom Yorke, Elton John and Tom Jones.

If you want to experience a truly authentic local sound then make sure you’re in Bern’s Old Town during August for the Busker’s Burn Street Music Festival, which invites revellers to wander acts at their own pace, tipping into performer’s hats as a sign of appreciation.