Switzerland is always the first dreamland that every traveler loves to explore in Europe. You might fall in ‘love at first sight’ from their luxurious standard of living, pristine and beautiful lakes, cable cars, and rolling hills. Swiss destinations always fit in anyone’s desired spot of travel bucket lists. In this post, we will discover the best cities in Switzerland that you must explore. Our travel chumps came up with 12 best cities after in-depth research and live reviews of travelers across the world. In this list, we have included the beautiful cities to visit in Switzerland regardless of their size or popularity as sometimes it’s better to explore the ‘road less traveled by’! Follow along with this exciting list for exploring super gorgeous destinations that are totally worth your money and time.

List of Top 10 Cities to Visit in Switzerland









1. Zurich

Zurich is the biggest city in Switzerland. You get even separate tourism packages just to explore this city in Switzerland. The tour is incomplete if you miss the Altstadt, the historic old town in Zurich. Such as the Grossmünster Church, the Münsterbrücke and the Fraumünster church. spend most of your time in Zurich by exploring this iconic point of interest. Zurich is the most lively city in Switzerland which is famous for its nightlife. This is among the top cities of Switzerland where you get to explore Brahonstrasse, home to the most expensive retail or shopping street in the world. With the Limmat River that flows through the city and a luxurious cruise over the river banks will never disappoint you. For all the football fans there is a FIFA World Cup Museum in Zurich, crazy right? But yes it is another popular attraction in Zurich which is a must-visit for soccer lovers. For first time visitors in Switzerland, Zurich is an easy option where you can get all the accommodations booked easily. Keeping Zurich as a base, you can explore other incredible places like the Rhine falls, Bern, Lucerne, Interlaken and Basel.

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2. Lucerne

For, giving yourself a short brief of Switzerland Lucerne is a perfect picturesque and best city in Switzerland to visit. Located in the heart of the country it is super compact and can be easily explored in a day trip from Zurich or Bern. Lucerne is also known as Lucerne in German. Just like any other cities, this city is strangled with famous Lake Lucerne, making it forever picturesque. Lucerne is one of the beautiful cities in Switzerland. Don’t miss to wander the historic old town of Lucerne that offers medieval structures connected by Bridge Chapel built over the Reuss River in the 14th century. The old city is also home to a 17th-century old clock tower, which is hard to forget as you explore the city. Lucerne is also a respectable place which holds the remnants of the military past including the Lions Monument, a tribute to the fallen soldiers who were killed by revolutionaries at the Tuileries Palace in France. With a relaxing vibe and loads of picturesque landscape, it’s obvious that Lucerne makes it to the most beautiful places to visit in Switzerland. Hop on the Golden Pass which is a scenic train route from Lucerne to Montreux, providing an exhilarating tour of the city in Switzerland. The train route is an easy one and perfect for those who are short on time. Montreux is 75 minutes away from Geneva and Lucerne is one hour away from Zurich making it easy for transportation.

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3. Bern

Bern is the buffet of interesting historic places and beautiful architecture in Switzerland that you might barley spot anywhere in the world. The Old Town of Bern offers many charms and it’s the hotspot for every history geek. In fact, it has so many famous treasures that at one point you’ll feel like a living hero of National Treasure. No high hopes as all of them are approved by the UNESCO World Heritage site! This is one of the famous cities in Switzerland to visit that dates back to the 12th century so your first stop should be the Zytglogge, Bern’s famous clock-tower. It features mechanical figures and an intricate clock face which ‘perform’ every hour. You must wander around the most famous cobbled streets of the Bern’s Old Town (Altstadt in German) which is also the longest covered shopping arcade in Europe lengthening around 6 km.

For picturesque views over the city, you must visit Berner Munster, the city’s cathedral that was built from 1421. You can leave this city without visiting Einstein’s House, yes! the same residence where Albert Einstein lived while developing the Theory of Relativity. If you decide to explore more and stay for longer durations in this city then you must chill out at Gurten Park once which is located just outside the city centre. This is a great place to do that cliche scene of sitting on a hill overlooking the Bern with a serious intellectual face! (Common everyone loves to do it once here) the garden is also set for the little devils, the kids. They offer miniature train rides and adventure playgrounds for children. You can get a funicular ride to get to the park or just pick up a tram from the city centre.

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4. Basel

Basel is one of Switzerland’s expensive cities. A long weekend in Basel will get you a very good quality of food and stay. Make sure you don’t miss the old town to begin your thriller trip to Basel. The colorful Town Hall, Barfüsserplatz, Münster, Spalentor City Gate, and Spalenberg Street are the main sights of this most visited city in Switzerland. You can hop on the Marktplatz square to buy some local delicacies at the Farmers’ market. Basel has plenty of interesting architecture, for which you can take public transport whereas some lie just within a walking distance. The must-sees of this famous city to visit in Switzerland are the Tinguely Water Fountain and iconic Messe Basel New Hall. If you are in Basel on a rainy day, you can check out the indoors explorations of museums, for example, the Fine Arts Museum or Museum Tinguely, which is full of mysterious machines. Or spend a day among the green plants at the Botanical Gardens of the University of Basel. You can visit Three Country Corner One in clear days and slowly sip one cocktail in Germany, Switzerland and France at the same time in its little bar.

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5. Geneva

After an energetic journey all throughout this natural wonderland if you wanna relax in the typical Swiss style then Geneva is one of the most visited cities in Switzerland for an absolutely relaxing point during your trip to Switzerland. This city is like an outdoor playground located between beautiful Lake Geneva and three picturesque mountain ranges. Immerse yourself in its splendid parks and beautiful green spaces and don’t miss out the flower clock, a garden made up of thousands of live flowers. You can take a cruise, sail along the sea, do water sports, or hang out at one of its beautiful beaches while exploring the largest lake in Western Europe having crystal clear water. If you want to find yourself in the oldest place in the city then visit Bourg-de-Four Square. For the history lovers and religious people, there’s a 16th century Saint Peter’s Cathedral, the Chapel of the Maccabees, the Reformation Wall, Molard Tower, located in Molard Square and Calvin College that definitely a perfect list to head on for a site tour of Geneva. You can learn more about the history of the UN by taking a tour of the United Nations building, Palais des Nations here. To say a perfect goodbye to this amazing city go to the League of Nations Museum and Ariana Park.

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6. Lausanne

Located on Lake Geneva, Lausanne is the capital city of the canton of Vaud. It faces the French town of Évian-Les-Bains and is situated on the southern slope of the Swiss plateau. Lausanne showcases gorgeous panoramic views of the lake and the Swiss Alps with an elevation of about 500 metres. This top city of Switzerland has undergone tremendous changes over the centuries. Its charming old centre was the site of an ancient river, the Flon. It has been covered for so long and today there are gorges formed in and around the city centre. The headquarters of the International Olympic Committee is also situated here. These gorges make the old town centre quite unique and interesting to wander through. Once upon a time, Lausanne was an intellectual capital, attracting great thinkers such as Rousseau and Voltaire. You will find many museums and buildings that are a living testimony to the era. When you visit Lausanne, you are in the midst of history engulfed by dramatic landscapes all around. Lausanne is also a perfect place for those who love water sports swimming and sailing.

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7. Lugano

This city is situated in the southern part of Switzerland bordering Italy, this top city in Switzerland, is home to the largest Italian speaking community, outside of Italy. Lugano is nestled on Lake Lugano and surrounded by mountains of the Prealps, making it forever picturesque. Lugano owns many pretty villas and sacred monuments, green spaces and parks that are perfect relaxation zones of the city. With luxurious boutiques and fine dining places, and many gorgeous cobblestone lanes, filled with Mediterranean charm, the city of Lugano treats its visitors really nice. Lugano belongs to the canton of Ticino and is the ninth-largest Swiss city, in terms of population. It is also the third most important financial and a business conference center with a focus on banking sectors.



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8. Zermatt

The car-free town of Zermatt is the most noteworthy in Europe, ensuring a long ski season, including all year skiing on Zermatt’s icy mass. The town lies at the base of the popular Matterhorn, where lifts climb 3,883 meters to uncover extensive Alpine Vistas. Notwithstanding a beguiling town focus, Zermatt is additionally a remarkable hot culinary goal, with two eateries being granted Michelin stars in 2015—Ristorante Capri in the Mont Cervin Palace kept running by gourmet expert Salvatore Elefante, and cook Ivo Adam’s After Seven at the Backstage Hotel. In 2015, the Matterhorn commended the 150-year commemoration of the principal climb to the summit in 1865, with the town facilitating various exceptional occasions.

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9. Interlaken

Just because I mention it at the end doesn’t mean its the least known city, in fact, Interlaken must be on your top reasons to explore Switzerland. Located in the canton of Bern, the capital city in Switzerland, Interlaken is one of the prettiest cities of Switzerland. How can you miss out a city which clearly settled between the mountains just like any artbook picture? With its Bernese Highlands and the Swiss Alps in their backdrop, all of them are cupped with lots of snow, making them a beautiful spot for any romantic ride. This is among the top cities in Switzerland to visit that has a perfect location where you get a breathtaking view of two adorable lakes, Brienz to the east and Thun to the west. You can get boat tours, conducted here during summers every year. For a more thorough experience, you can even ascend towards the towns near Lake Thun for quick and nice day trip options to catch the best scenic views of Switzerland. If you plan to stay a bit longer in Interlaken then don’t forget to explore the Jungfrau region. This is the most popular day trip from Interlaken. Jungfraujoch is known as “Top of Europe” because it’s the highest train station in Europe at 3,454 meters and it is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site also. With such enthusiasm on board, you can opt for various exciting activities like white-water rafting, abseiling down waterfalls, or hiking around the lovely lakes and mountaintops.

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10. Sion

This city is located on the banks of the Rhone river. Sion is a small city that is nestled in the Rhone Valley. You can find the best scenic destinations in this famous city of Switzerland. There are ruined castles and a 13th Century church which you can certainly visit for an impressive view of the Alps peering out at their background coping for a perfect click you can hang in your travel memories back at home. With vineyards surrounding the city, everything becomes more aromatic and spectacular. Whereas their organic wine plays an important part in Sion´s social life as you can get some of the best-aged wines in this city. There are also some fantastic hiking trails around the valley to get your blood rush after relaxing booze of a string wine as well.

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11. Biel-Bienne

If you have this idea of being in different cities all at once then don’t forget to give a short tour in Biel, as it is known in German. This is among the best cities to visit in Switzerland that lies right on the linguistic border, therefore, half of its residents know it by the French name, Bienne while half call it Biel. This city offers a delightful location at the foot of the Jura Mountains overlooking Lake Biel making it another wonderful place to visit in Switzerland. In addition to the breathtaking views of the Alps, it has a quiet and picturesque Old Town for tourists to wander around. You can explore the mountains and Drei-Seen-Land for a hiking ride if you wanna add more adventure to your rides.

12. Winterthur

Winterthur in northern Switzerland, located in the canton of Zurich is the best city to see in Switzerland. Winterthur is an offbeat city that is often overlooked by travelers for Zurich. It takes at least one day or two to experience Winterthur. It has arts, history and gorgeous natural landscapes everywhere. Winterthur is the sixth-largest populated city in Switzerland. They own a high-tech industrial satellite town within Zürich canton. Winterthur has a medieval old world charm with a bustling city center full of life. You can explore the shops, restaurants, markets and museums, all to keep you busy during your stay or a short visit to the city. Winterthur is home to largest art collections by Oskar Reinhart, an art collector showcasing one of Europe’s finest photography museums. Winterthur also serves as a great stop-over for places in Eastern Switzerland and Germany and Austria. You can visit Winterthur in 20 minutes by train from Zürich.

If you have this idea of being in different cities all at once then don’t forget to give a short tour in Biel, as it is known in German. This is among the best cities to visit in Switzerland that lies right on the linguistic border, therefore, half of its residents know it by the French name, Bienne while half call it Biel. This city offers a delightful location at the foot of the Jura Mountains overlooking Lake Biel making it another wonderful place to visit in Switzerland. In addition to the breathtaking views of the Alps, it has a quiet and picturesque Old Town for tourists to wander around. You can explore the mountains and Drei-Seen-Land for a hiking ride if you wanna add more adventure to your rides.









So far we have discussed all the best cities to visit in Switzerland, it contains the proper information regarding the best towns to visit in Switzerland about some Switzerland cities to visit if you are planning your trip to vacation then head to our other articles as well which we have provided as per the visitor’s concept and I must tell you don’t miss to share your views in the comment section.