In the Swiss Alps – the land of impressive giant mountains, clear mountain lakes, kilometers of hiking and cycling trails, cowbells and cheese fondue – a holiday is truly a holiday. Hadwich Minnis knows this like no one else. Thanks to the fresh mountain air, tranquility and magical nature, recharging comes naturally here.
Has a (train) holiday through the mountains of Switzerland been on your bucket list for some time? Good plan to cross it off that list this year by doing this. The land of cheese, chocolate, watches, Swiss francs, Alphorn players and giant mountains like the Matterhorn and Duforspitz – the highest in Switzerland – is, however corny, like a postcard. It's great to discover from the train; There are even special panoramic trains with very large windows. But thanks to the extensive walking and cycling network, you can also do it perfectly on your own.
Pearl Graubünden holiday
Although Switzerland is home to 26 different cantons such as Wallis, the Bernese Oberland and Ticino, this excursion mainly takes you through the largest canton, a holiday gem through famous cities like St. Moritz and Davos, and the mountain-filled Engadine Valley. Lakes. It may be large, but compared to the rest of the country, fewer people live here. The canton, whose capital is Chur, is located in the southeast and borders Austria and Italy. A great place if you love peace, untouched nature, idyllic mountain lakes, high mountain passes and wellness. Do you want to be an athlete? With 11,000 km of hiking trails and 4,500 km of cycling trails (gravel and asphalt), you'll almost be spoiled for choice!
by train
Switzerland is a great place to discover from the train. But the journey there can be very comfortable by train. Direct ICE trains and Nightjets run from Amsterdam to Basel daily. From there you can easily drive via Zurich to Chur. Basel is a great stop, because with its beautiful old town and forty museums, it is the cultural center of Switzerland. The next stop, Zurich, is also worth a visit. The Altstadt district is lovely to walk around with its cozy squares, pastel-coloured houses, lovely churches and good restaurants. What distinguishes it is that the Limmat River divides the city center into two parts. Recommended: Visit the Botanical Garden with its three glass domes. In one of them you find yourself in a tropical rainforest.
More beautiful train kilometers await you in Graubünden. Here you will find the country's two most popular train routes: the Glacier Express and the Bernina Express. The first runs directly through the mountains from Zermatt to St. Moritz. The journey does not go quickly: in eight hours it covers only 291 kilometers and crosses a similar number of bridges and viaducts. The Bernina Express, even a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a global tip. You can hop in Chur and drive through the highest train station of Ospizio Bernina (2253m) to Tirano just across the Italian border. Through the extra-large windows, you can admire the giant mountains, snow-capped glaciers and even palm trees along the way as you approach Italy.
Text: Sabina Blaise, Hadwich Thumbnail: Switzerland, Getty Images and own photo
More tips from Hadewych for your trip to Switzerland?
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