All the most interesting in one magazine. Secret villages in Switzerland Small towns and villages in Switzerland

At the end of last year, the Internet, citing Swiss sources, gave the world an exciting message. Allegedly, the inhabitants of the small commune of Albinen, lost in the Alps, are ready to offer 70,000 francs (about 60,000 euros) to families who agree to move in with them. The dying Swiss village suddenly became famous all over the world. Not bad lifting in order to live the rest of your life in the most ecologically clean region of Europe.

Two months later, the correspondent of "RG" decided to find out who are the lucky ones who became the owners of such a bonus and how the fame that fell on the village affected its inhabitants. He got into the car and went straight to the sky-high mountains.

Ferry across the pass

To be honest, this journey turned out to be much more interesting than I expected when preparing for it. And much more difficult. In addition to the Switzerland that we know well from guidebooks, films and books and which is a paradise for the rich, there is another Switzerland - modest, quiet, completely devoid of show-offs in the form expensive hotels, chic restaurants and boutiques, the Switzerland of rural workers, old rickety houses, dying villages. To see such Switzerland, one has to drive through the mountain passes to the very heart of the country - in winter the task is both difficult and risky.

Suffice it to say that I did part of the way on the so-called. "railway ferry", this is when you roll the car onto the platform, and the train takes you through a long, long tunnel for half an hour. There is no other way: the passes are covered with snow until spring. And the finishing stretch is good too: the highway winds up the mountain serpentine in such a way that it captures the spirit, and it is so narrow that oncoming cars cannot miss each other.

That is, already at the entrance to the village of Albinen, you think: do I need to spend the rest of my life in such a wilderness?

But, finally, they have arrived. Hundreds of houses scattered along the steep slope of the mountain. Many have long been abandoned by residents: old black walls, clogged windows. He began to call the mayor, or, as they call themselves, the president of the commune, we agreed with him in advance about the meeting. And here he is - emerged from the snowy veil: a dark hat, a black jacket, a gray mustache, a roguish smile, just a Hollywood character, and not the headman of a tiny settlement.

Goodbye! - He smiled happily, he said in Russian, confusing the greeting with farewell and explaining that his son worked in Russia through the Red Cross.

In addition to Switzerland, which is a paradise for the rich, there is another Switzerland - modest, quiet, completely devoid of show-offs in the form of expensive hotels, chic restaurants and boutiques

Beat Jost, 64, used to be a journalist, now retired and rules in Albinen. He was not at all surprised by our appearance on this rainy day. Moreover, the impression was immediately created that the mayor only does what he gives interviews. But first, he voiced something like a compliment:

You are the first Russian journalist in our area.

And what, there are many colleagues from other countries?

Oh, not the right word! Even the Brazilian TV came. I communicate with your brother every day: in person, by phone, via Skype. All work is continuous press conferences, - he said it as if with regret, but the eyes of the mayor-president laughed treacherously. Did the recent journalist think that he would soon become a newsmaker himself?

According to him, fame fell on Albinen due to the fact that the Swiss media initially treated the information incorrectly, they took the very notorious "70 thousand francs" out of context and made up their news in such a way that virtually anyone could get rich for this amount.

The very next morning after the publication on the Internet, three fellows came to us from Italy with empty cases: where is the money? And my life has become a continuous interview.

Now it's no longer at home, but rather museum exhibits. Photo: Vladimir Snegirev

Not life, but a briefing

I suggested to Beat Yost that he rewind the tape and tell everything from the very beginning. OK! We sat down at a rustic restaurant and ordered coffee. He smiled slyly into his mustache.

Our village, as you can see, is perhaps not the most convenient for modern life. There is nowhere to work here, all the enterprises are downstairs, in the valley, or higher, where there are healing thermal springs. The school closed eight years ago. Mail too. All medicine is far away. There are fewer and fewer residents, now there are only two hundred and forty people, and these are mostly elderly people. Therefore, at the council of the commune, we decided to take some action - otherwise death. A referendum was scheduled for the end of November, and the question put to the vote was this: do you agree that the commune pays a grant to those who want to buy or build a house here?

And here's what's important. Our program negotiated a number of conditions: the age of the settlers must not be older than forty-five years, they must provide guarantees of their residence in Albinen for a period of at least ten years, they must have a residence permit in Switzerland, and the value of the house they purchased or built must be at least 200 thousand francs.

Here I interrupted my interlocutor:

Tell me, how much can this long-abandoned hut that is visible outside the window cost?

Approximately four hundred thousand francs.

Yeah, that is, your grants would not cover even a fifth of the costs?

Well, something like that, - agreed the mayor.

And what were the results of the referendum?

Did I understand correctly that since then you have had no end to those who want to become Albinens?

Here the mayor-president was a little embarrassed:

Yes, we only need five or seven families, our budget will not pull more.

Did you find them?

Not yet, - he spread his hands with visible regret.

And from further conversation it turned out that most likely this is the case when the mountain gave birth to a mouse. Buying or building a house in Albinen, even with a grant, is expensive for the Swiss, but for foreigners it is almost impossible. Job prospects are non-existent. The place is exceptionally suburban, and with a clearly extreme bias. For an amateur.

Accidentally or intentionally, but the rumor of "unprecedented generosity" glorified an unknown Swiss village to the whole world.

The only positive in this whole story is this: accidentally or intentionally, but the rumor of "unprecedented generosity" glorified an unknown village to the whole world. Almost five hundred thousand views of the village site on the Internet. TV spots on major world channels. They write from Argentina: we want to arrange Research Center for the study of bees. Teasing from Italy: let's make a spa hotel.

Only everyone hopes that we will invest in these projects, - now Beat Yost smiles sadly. - But we don't have any money.

Beat Yost made a good PR for his village.. Photo: Vladimir Snegirev

Thank you tourists

Having understood from a conversation with this nice person that the problem is acute not only for Albinen, but for the entire region, I went further to the nearby village of Ernen. She and Albinen have a lot in common: both are approaching a millennium in age, the population, although twice as large, is also mostly elderly, and the beautiful Swiss life is even further from here. True, Ernen is not on such a steep slope, so part of the inhabitants are engaged in animal husbandry (about three hundred cows and calves, two hundred sheep), another part serves two tiny hydroelectric power stations, and almost all Ernen residents rent their houses to visiting tourists for the summer.

Yes, this village seems to be in a better position in terms of tourism. Firstly, the large village of Fiesh is nearby, from where you can take the funicular to the ski slopes - skiing is not luxury, but quite decent, attracting both poor compatriots and foreigners in winter. Secondly, the picturesque surroundings are an expanse for lovers of hiking and cycling. And finally, Ernen has his own feature in the form of a music festival, which takes place here in July-August with the participation of, if not world-famous stars, then quite high-quality performers from different countries.

The site for him is an old Catholic church, standing on the outskirts. Musicians are accommodated in hotels in Fiesch, and listeners, as I said, occupy the houses of local residents, which turn into boarding houses for the summer: all the amenities, breakfast, plus fantastic landscapes opening from the windows - what else do lovers of Mozart and Bach need. Approximately two hundred local households are ready to provide guests of the village with two thousand beds at the same time.

And in just a year, Ernen receives eighty-five thousand tourists from all over the world - a serious indicator for such a village.

Having learned all this, I realized that there is no way to do without questions to the local mayor-president. Here, a woman named Christine Clausen holds such a position, and the conversation with her turned out to be much more meaningful.

To begin with, she agreed that, indeed, the problems they had with Albinen were largely the same. Then she began to talk about how these problems are solved here:

A very good help is the funds that are allocated to us from the budget for maintaining the landscape and all kinds of restoration. In terms of euros, this is about four hundred thousand a year. Moreover, money is given not just like that, but for specific projects, for example, to restore old houses, or to maintain a water supply system that is more than five hundred years old, or to produce cheese according to medieval recipes. You can always come up with something.

But it looks like you're still making good money doing it. music festival?

And Christine Clausen relies on tourists. Photo: Vladimir Snegirev

The commune itself does not earn anything from this - pure charity, but the residents - yes, they rent houses to tourists, offer them hand-made souvenirs, and our restaurants are packed in the summer.

If I get a cow or a sheep, will I receive support from the state?

Necessarily. There are norms, they are tied to the area of pastures that you will use.

How do you feel about Albinen's initiative?

In general, the idea is good, Frau Christine smiled diplomatically. - We also try to find incentives for young people. But first of all we attract and help first of all those who are able to bring real benefit, for example, restorers or farmers. We are ready to give the settlers up to thirty thousand francs, another fifty can be allocated by the canton.

I reminded the president of a story I had read online about how, in a neighboring canton, the thirteen remaining residents of the village of Korippo decided to turn their homes and even their neighborhoods into one big hotel. She supported this idea, but with a caveat:

Will these residents be ready to serve guests twenty-four hours a day? Hotel business not as simple as it might seem. I'll tell you another story: recently, here, nearby, the Chinese bought the same small village entirely and are also making hotel premium.

Both of us agreed that hotels, harmoniously integrated into nature, surrounded by ecologically clean forests, water spaces, historical buildings, will be increasingly popular with tourists. And Christine Clausen immediately remembered how she once traveled on a steamboat along our northern rivers:

Here is where the expanse for this! I saw Kizhi. I was struck by how many empty lands you have.

And abandoned villages, I wanted to add. According to Russian statistics, twenty thousand of them are absolutely deserted.

Yes, there is a problem. And not only in Switzerland.

Zurich, Geneva or Lucerne - any of these cities in Switzerland is beautiful and attractive for foreign tourists. But the true beauty of the country lies in the more remote corners of this small mountainous state. Switzerland has dozens of charming villages, most of which are located at the foot of the Alps, not far from mountain lakes. Probably, precisely because of their remoteness, small villages have retained their unusual charm and color. Some of the settlements are so remote that they can only be reached by train, cable car or on foot. Nevertheless, these landscapes are worth it to make such a journey. Get to know some of them.

Lauterbrunnen

Despite the convenience transport connection(the train ride from Lucerne takes no more than three hours), Lauterbrunnen has retained the true Swiss charm you would expect from a mountain village.

Lauterbrunnen is located in the valley of the same name, which is surrounded by steep rocky cliffs, sometimes interrupted by mountain waterfalls. On a clear sunny day, you can see the top of the famous Jungfrau mountain. If they allow weather, you can hear unusual sounds, similar to the flapping of the wings of a huge bird. The fact is that the Lauterbrunnen Valley is one of the most popular places for jumping from great heights.

This small village has enormous tourism potential. With one main road, only a few dozen buildings, only one grocery store, and stunning scenery, Lauterbrunnen is definitely worth adding to your Swiss travel itinerary.

gimmelwald

The village is located on a small plot of land, rising on a mountain, at the farthest end of the Lauterbrunnen valley. The village is so small and isolated that it only has a population of 130 people. This small village has everything you need for life.

A small church gives the image of Gimmelwald an even more peaceful look. A flock of sheep is grazing at the foot of the mountain. The Alpine village has a certain cozy magic. It seems that all this is the scenery of a children's fairy tale.

Getting to the village is not so easy - you need a car. You can take a bus to Lauterbrunnen, and only then by cable car to Gimmelwald.

Andermatt

At just under 5,000 feet, the village of Andermatt is the perfect place for skiers in the winter and hikers in the summer. It is the largest of the three villages in the Ursern Valley and nestles comfortably at the junction mountain passes Switzerland from north to south and from west to east.

In the center of the village is a cobbled street and quaint roofs. Andermatt is located along the most beautiful railway line, which makes the village a pleasant pit stop along the way of the entire journey through Switzerland.

Wengen

The village is relatively close to Bern. Nevertheless, it seems that this settlement is far from the bustle of the city. Wengen has a great touristic feel to it, as the village is a popular holiday destination for those on their way to the top of the Jungfrau.

Like many other Swiss villages, Wengen successfully strikes a balance between the authenticity of village life and the comfort required by foreign tourists. The small village is beautiful throughout the year. Winter is beautiful with its snowfalls and majestic mountains. Summer is a time of contrasts, when the snow caps of the mountains stand out against the background of the dark blue sky and the lush greenery of the alpine meadows.

Murren

It is a typically Swiss village located at the foot of the iconic Schilthorn peak. These are landscapes familiar to many - in 1969, a film about James Bond ("His Majesty's Secret Service") was filmed here.

Dozens hiking trails lead from Mürren to numerous tourist camps that offer picturesque landscapes and demonstrate the unshakable majesty of the Swiss Alps. There is nothing wrong with tourists staying in the village for a few days.

The soft smoke streaming from neighboring chimneys, the quiet ringing of bells, the unhurried pace of life, the aroma of fresh pastries and the crystal clear air of the Alps - Murren will certainly be remembered for its tranquility and unshakable tranquility.

The only way to get to the village is by cable car. Of course, you can also walk. The last option is the most preferable, because it allows you to fully enjoy extraordinary beauty mountains

Guarda

This is an unusually cute and unusually beautiful town. Guarda proudly bears the title of "national treasure". The Swiss village was awarded the Wokker Prize for the preservation of cultural and architectural heritage.

Guarda is located at an altitude of 1653 meters in the Lower Engadine, on the sunny terrace of the southern slope. Throughout the year, well-maintained hiking trails lead from the picturesque town to its picturesque surroundings. Engadine-style houses have intricately painted facades dating back to the first half of the 17th century.

Grindelwald

In summer, Grindelwald takes a break from the influx of tourists, and those who are in no hurry to part with the beauty of the Alps enjoy the calm and peaceful atmosphere in the village. Convenient transport links make the Swiss countryside even more attractive in terms of tourism. Yes, Grindelwald is not as colorful as Lauterbrunnen - there is a touch of tourist comfort and luxury here.

Going on a trip to amazing Switzerland, it is worth visiting one of the villages, which will tell more about mountain country and her culture.

Switzerland… What do you associate this country with? Watches, jars, cheeses and chocolates, Alpine cows, emerald meadows and mountains. Switzerland is "expensive" and "very expensive". I have always wanted to visit Zurich. What does the city look like, into which money flows from all over the world? Zurich. This strict name beckoned. Sparkling showcases of branded watches were immediately presented, the price tag of which was simply indecent to exhibit. Boutiques filled with the most delicious chocolate, where each candy is a work of art. Handsome men in white shirts and strict suits with expensive briefcases in the same expensive, perfectly polished shoes ... Everything should be perfect in this city. Expensive and perfect. What else? Somehow my imagination calmed down on this. All the same, the meeting with Zurich was still something illusory.

It won't be true if I tell you that I only thought about Zurich, I'm not that practical a girl. Alpine landscapes, which I have long loved in absentia, have become an even greater incentive to speed up the meeting with this country. And although there were slightly different plans for this year, fate, as always, makes adjustments and offers its own options, and sometimes pleasant surprises. So everything matched up perfectly. That Switzerland decided: you will be with me here and now, and the rest of the countries can wait. I did not resist, and our dreams should come true at least a little.

Our journey started from Italy. Flying to Milan turned out to be a much more affordable option in all respects than to Switzerland. I haven't been to Milan yet, which means meeting new people. Italian city is an added bonus. And from Milan to Switzerland is within easy reach, and mentally I was already preparing for the picturesque road while simultaneously thinking how to carve out at least a couple of hours for shopping. This is Milan! Without this ritual, staying in the fashionable capital simply will not be counted.

In Milan, we did not linger, as we planned to spend time in Italy on the way back. Since the flight home was guess where? That's right, from all the same Malpensa. Therefore, I will kindly omit the Italian part of the voyage, with your permission, this time.

I close my eyes and I still have these pictures in front of my eyes, they can’t be interrupted by anything, they don’t go from my head ... Never before have I seen such emerald grass, such juicy, as if someone had spilled bright green paint, fields. These smooth curves of hills, turning into coniferous forests, slender sweeping fir-trees all flickered and flickered outside the window ... and then they appeared. Mountains. They were so different: some were tall with sharp peaks, others smaller, covered with dense forests, others with snow-covered caps. Summer. The sun floods everything around with its rays, a bright blue sky with curly fluffy clouds, green meadows and ... snow. Snow. It's high up in the mountains. How unusual it is, how beautiful it is.

Swiss landscapes literally cut into your memory and begin to occupy the edge of your heart, over time this edge is getting bigger and bigger. And you already love these places. And you immediately understand that this is not fleeting, not falling in love. Everything is serious. And forever. And then these magical pictures come to life and begin to fill in with details: cozy chocolate houses, neatly scattered across the fields, as if some kid scattered his toys; lakes ... Their bottom is definitely dotted with malachites and emeralds, otherwise, where else could such a fantastic color come from. Wild mountain rivers with huge boulders flash past the window, waterfalls fall in powerful streams down from sheer cliffs. One slide is replaced by another, but at such a speed! At first, you do not have time to turn your head. To the right is one beauty, to the left is completely different, and if you turn back ... Then your brain no longer has time to download all this information. It is not known how many hundreds of shades of green (after what I saw in Switzerland, I now believe that there are exactly so many of them!) You managed to capture your eyes in a couple of hours of driving.

You stop at a gas station, or have a bite to eat, and there are also mountains, mountains! And there is no escape and nowhere to go. Just think, who is running away from such beauty, abnormal. Yes. But to see so much beauty in a couple of hours is also not normal. In general, I had an overdose. It turns out that this happens. Therefore, I would not advise you to go to Switzerland unprepared, especially if you are a person who is impressionable and not indifferent to natural beauties. And you need to prepare like this: travel to other countries and very beautiful places (preferably where there are the same Alps, or other beautiful mountains), the eyes should get used gradually. I can’t say that I’m a young lady completely inexperienced in this matter, but still I got a little drunk from what I saw. So much for "drunk without wine."

In describing the impressions of natural beauties, I completely forgot about Liechtenstein. This is honestly a completely uninteresting place. If you drive past it, you won't lose anything. We were very close and could not help but check in this tiny state (you need to replenish the list of the number of countries - just kidding).

How else to prepare for a meeting with Switzerland? It is desirable to visit earlier in France and Germany. Otherwise, there may be so much different information to perceive that your brain will give you “to much” and ask you to reboot. Switzerland is unique country that took too much from their neighbors. Certainly, neighboring countries often influence each other to some extent. But to be so... So, it is quite realistic to visit three countries at once without leaving one country: Germany, France and Italy. You ask, but what about the “unique” and inimitable Switzerland itself? The question is not easy. It's like the whole of Switzerland. Probably to a greater extent it is still the same Germany, but with its own characteristics. The Swiss, probably, would be wildly offended by me for such reflections. They are like any mountain people - proud and independent. Well, excuse me, I didn’t come up with the idea to appoint a German-speaking city as the capital. A official languages there are four in general in the country: German, French, Italian and Romansh. Moreover, the Swiss, of course, is not obliged to know them all, just one or two is enough. More often, the Swiss speak the language spoken by the population of the canton (region) in which they live. English, as elsewhere in the modern world in developed countries, is spoken by a significant part of the population, mainly the younger generation.

Either the landscapes you saw did their job, or Zurich is not so expensive. The city left a calm, even impression. I will not delve into the Zurich rpg in detail now. Otherwise, my story runs the risk of becoming a book story. So let's go over the tops.

We had a day in Zurich. This is quite enough to see the city. walk along historical center, climb to the observation deck, and then go down to the lake. You can ride on a boat. There is also time for lunch. For example, sit on the terrace of a cozy cafe in the heart of Zurich, on the one hand - the Savoy Hotel, on the other - the street of the famous Swiss banks. Summer, good sunny weather, European city, delicious sausages, nice company. What else is needed for happiness? Well, except for a Swiss bank account. Rather, a lip-rolling machine.

By the way, about the kitchen. Switzerland does not have its own cuisine as such. You might object, but what about the famous fondue? This unpretentious shepherd's meal can hardly be considered a full-fledged separate kitchen. They also have a couple of strange dishes there, for example, rosti - known to us as potato pancakes. And all sorts of variations of potatoes and cheese. The main secret of a delicious dish for the Swiss is simple - add cheese. In potatoes, pasta, vegetables, sausages. They also love sausages here. Another hello to Germany. I don't know how close Swiss sausages are to the original, but we liked it. The main thing is nothing to do with our sausages.

Many people are probably wondering what a hearty lunch in expensive Switzerland cost us. Lunch on average cost us 40-50 francs for two, but this is without wine. Fondue - about 30 francs.

Accommodation prices in Zurich itself are exorbitant, booking a hotel six months in advance is not our forte. So we decided to stay in Regensdorf. You can't call our hotel cheap either, but we really liked it. Modern stylish design, and what delicious breakfasts there! Our best hotel of the whole trip. The location is convenient, you can see the surroundings. It is interesting to look into a non-tourist city, to find out what and how ordinary Swiss people live. You know, they live well there. We liked the province.

What you will definitely save on in Switzerland is on the water. In cities, drinking fountains are literally on every corner; you can take the purest water from alpine sources with you. We have this kind of water worth decent money. In my opinion, Italians and French neighbors can stir up a good business. Maybe they stir up on the sly from border control. In hotels, drinking water also flows from the tap. The rooms even have a sign, they took care of the tourists. After all, drinking tap water in most countries is a crime for your body.

In continuation water theme: we could not miss a place well known to many - the Rhine Falls. At first I thought these were the same waterfalls from my favorite book about Sherlock Holmes. It turned out they weren't. But the waterfalls did not become less beautiful from this. In addition, they are the most powerful in Europe, not counting the Icelandic ones.

We decided not to limit ourselves to waterfalls alone and stopped in Schaffhausen. This town is located almost on the border with Germany, and the German flavor cannot be taken away from it. Schaffhausen - fabulous, cute. Walking along its streets is a pleasure, every now and then you hang out at one house, another, third ... The city is very photogenic. We did not meet crowds of tourists here, which allowed us to immerse ourselves in its pleasant atmosphere even more. If you are in these parts, don't miss it. For me it was a small trip to Germany, to look into new country at least one eye is always interesting.

Then we went to Basel. Many people skip it, the city is not spoiled by the attention of tourists, and it seems to me that this is not entirely fair. I'd rather skip Bern, even though it's the capital of Switzerland.

And maybe it's good that there are few tourists there? Immerse yourself in the life of a real Swiss city, which can be both businesslike and fast, and even a little noisy (it's hard to believe, but yes!), And at the same time, historical, beautiful and very cozy.

The main decoration of Basel - Cathedral and the town hall. They cannot be missed. The town hall even got into the ratings of the most beautiful in Europe.

You can walk along the Rhine, admire the views of the opposite bank, you can climb the stairs to the top, to a cozy area. Not even possible, but necessary. Narrow streets are full of flowers, neat houses, shutters, cute details, so much charm. Quiet, calm, only rare passers-by on the streets. And one more pleasant moment, as I said, the city is non-tourist. Therefore, there are no crowds of Chinese in Basel, as well as souvenir shops. For some reason, the Swiss believe that only the Chinese need souvenirs. Well, or only the Chinese have money for magnets of 10 francs ...

You should definitely visit Lucerne. In my humble opinion, this is the most beautiful city in Switzerland. If the Swiss chocolatiers tried to create their own masterpiece, in the case of Lucerne they succeeded. The city is like candy! Although history clearly indicates to us that it appeared much earlier than the most delicious chocolate in the world.

Magnificent architecture surrounded by no less beautiful nature - harmony fills the air of Lucerne more abruptly than the most fragrant and exquisite perfumes. Take a walk along the lake, admiring the scenery, feed the swans (although the latter is not very welcome here), go to the old Kapellbrücke chapel bridge, look into the snow-white ornate Jesuit church. Such a rich decoration of the cathedral is rather an exception in Switzerland. Lucerne excelled here as well.

Get to know the architecture of the city. Beautiful buildings, painted houses, balconies, antique clocks, monograms and forged signs - as if he was in the scenery for Andersen's fairy tales. You can spend several days in Lucerne with pleasure, although the pleasure is not at all cheap. But you can not limit yourself to one city, Mount Pilatus is nearby, Lakes Thun and Brienz are also not far away. In Switzerland, everything is close, given the size of the country. But the number of beauties per square meter just rolls over, to have time to see everything in one visit is an impossible task.

We finally moved closer to the mountains. We enjoyed the landscapes of the Alps in Lauterbrunnen, admired one of the most famous and highest mountains in Switzerland - the beautiful Jungfrau, looked into the resort aristocratic Interlaken, and stopped in cozy Spitz.

Spitz is the perfect place to spend a romantic weekend. Yachts under snow-white sails sway on the waves, neat houses, from the balconies of which there are stunning views of the mountain peaks and the blue of the lake. A glass of good wine. Silence and bliss. To complete the perfect romantic image, only the castle and knights are missing.

According to an old legend, when the Lord was distributing the wealth of the earth's bowels, there was not enough of them for a country in the very heart of Europe, Switzerland. To correct this injustice, God gave her high mountains, shining glaciers, violent waterfalls, picturesque valleys, beautiful rivers and clear azure lakes. Unusually beautiful views of Switzerland attract thousands of tourists, it's like a special world - magical and bewitching, making you believe that paradise does exist. And it doesn’t matter what time of the year you travel, the landscapes of Switzerland will not disappoint in any season and in any weather.

The climate in Switzerland as a whole can be called temperate, however, this is very generalized, because for each canton, depending on its geographical location have their own landscape and climate. The natural areas of Switzerland are diverse - from the Arctic to the tropics: mosses and lichens grow high in the mountains, coniferous and deciduous forests cover the slopes, and in the south of the country, on the coast of lakes, the lush southern greenery of cypresses, magnolias and palm trees pleases the eye. Switzerland in winter attracts tourists with its famous ski resorts, in summer the mountains and passes of Switzerland meet with amazing landscapes, and crystal clear lakes- a beach holiday, comparable in level to the resorts of the Mediterranean Sea.

Holidays in the Swiss Alps

Switzerland and mountains are two inseparable concepts, because mountains occupy more than half of the country's territory. In Switzerland, three natural regions are distinguished: the Jura mountain range stretches in the northwest, the Swiss Plateau in the center and the Alps, which occupy the entire southeast of the country. According to scientific data, the Alps appeared as a result of a collision of tectonic plates in ancient times, but, amazingly, the researchers claim that the Swiss Alps are still in the process of formation - their height increases every year, however, only by one millimeter. Experts believe that a powerful earthquake can cause the mountains to grow faster, and they will reach a mark of 7 thousand meters, however, this can happen very, very soon, after about a couple of million years.

The Swiss Alps stretch for almost 200 kilometers, representing a unique landscape of beautiful mountain passes and valleys, sloping slopes and snow-capped peaks.

rest in swiss alps in winter, these are, of course, ski resorts that are considered the best in the world. Plenty of snow, flawless tracks, the best training skiing, cozy hotels, cafes and restaurants with excellent cuisine, the highest level of service - everything here is created for perfect holiday. Sports enthusiasts will find superb downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding and airboarding, toboggan runs, speed skating and even ice diving. Fans of more relaxing leisure will be offered hiking, sledding, health improvement on thermal springs, winter fishing, acquaintance with the unique culture and traditions of Switzerland, so this is not just a vacation, but a real winter fairy tale come to life!

The Swiss Alps in summer attract, first of all, with their stunning mountain panoramas, but rest, of course, is not limited to simple contemplation of beauty. In almost any area of the Alps, tourists are offered bike tours and hiking trails varying complexity, and, in some of the most Beautiful places Switzerland can only be reached on foot, and beginners and experienced climbers will also try their hand in the Alps. In any case, everything tourist routes lie among the peaks and valleys of unique beauty with picturesque villages, and in each, even the smallest one, they will definitely offer accommodation with maximum comfort. By the way, all night halts take place only in special mountain shelters, here it will not be possible to sit by the fire - it is allowed to make fire only in emergency cases to attract the attention of rescue services, and to break tent city you can only away from the shelters and only for the duration of the night from 8 pm to 8 am. The summer Alps will meet with their amazingly beautiful and clean lakes, some of which are suitable for diving, windsurfing or fishing.

Mount Matterhorn

The most famous of mountain peaks The Alps is the Matterhorn, located in the massif of the Pennine Alps on the very border of Switzerland and Italy. The peak, which has an almost regular pyramidal shape, rises far from other peaks, among plains and low hills, so nothing prevents you from admiring it from all sides, and perhaps it is this isolation that gives the Matterhorn mountain so much charm. The Matterhorn is much more likely to fall into the lenses of travelers' cameras than other attractions. On this occasion, local residents even had a joke that for tourists on a trip to Switzerland, the main thing is that the Matterhorn flaunts in the background in the photo. However, the Swiss themselves could not help but appreciate the beauty of this mountain, it was not for nothing that the manufacturers of the world famous Swiss chocolate Toblerone placed its image on the packaging of their products, and in 2004 the Matterhorn took pride of place on a commemorative gold coin worth 50 francs. So this mountain can be safely considered a symbol of Switzerland!

The Matterhorn rises to 4478 meters above sea level, if you look closely, you can see that the mountain has two peaks located at a distance of about a hundred meters from each other. One of them, located in the east of the ridge, is called the Swiss peak, and the western one, which is only one meter lower than its “neighbor”, is Italian, but they are not called that at all by belonging to countries - both are located on the very border, just on the eastern the first ascent was made from the territory of Switzerland, to the west - from Italy. By the way, the Matterhon with its sheer cliffs is one of the most extreme destinations for climbers, so the mountain remained impregnable for a long time, and only in 1865 a group of professional rock climbers managed to conquer the summit. But no matter how harsh and dangerous the Matterhorn is, it invariably attracts climbers in any season.

Often, to admire the Matterhorn in its full glory, climb the nearby mountain Gornergrat - a path of more than three thousand meters can be overcome on foot or on a panoramic train that can overcome steep climbs. It will take you to the very top, and along the way, amazing views of the forests and picturesque waterfalls will open up.

At the foot of the Matterhorn are famous resorts: from the Italian side - Breuil-Cervinia, and from the Swiss side - Zermatt, which is one of the ten the best resorts in the Alps by the quality of snow cover and ski slopes. In the summer, Zermatt invites fans of hiking, climbers and just lovers a relaxing holiday and landscapes of Switzerland. You can get to Zermatt by train from major cities Switzerland, Milan, Stuttgart and Munich. By car, you can drive to the Tash resort, and from there take an electric taxi to Zermatt or take an electric bus.

Mount Pilatus in Switzerland

In central Switzerland, southeast of the city of Lucerne, Mount Pilatus rises - no less famous than the Matterhorn, but if the latter became famous thanks to the image on chocolate, then Pilatus gained fame because of the legends associated with it. According to one version, the name of the mountain is translated as “wearing a hat” - its top is densely shrouded in clouds, it seems as if it really is wearing a snow-white headdress. But a more common version explains the name of the peak by the name of Pontius Pilate, the procurator who condemned Jesus Christ to death. Tradition says that Pilate, tormented by remorse, committed suicide, and then his body was thrown into the Tiber, but the river did not accept the sinner and carried the remains to the shore. The same thing happened when trying to drown the body of a suicide in the Rhone and Lake Geneva, after which he was taken to a remote corner of the Alps and thrown into a deep reservoir at the foot of high mountain. After that, the peak began to be called Pilatus, and locals believed that mountain paths the restless soul of the procurator roams, and woe to those who meet him. Yes, and so Pontius Pilate constantly brought trouble - the villages in the vicinity of the mountain suffered from rockfalls, mudflows, floods and hurricanes. This went on for a long time, until one theology student, who was fond of black magic, achieved that the soul of the procurator began to appear only once a year, but for several more centuries, the authorities, believing the legend, forbade anyone to climb the mountain. And in the Middle Ages, it was believed that winged dragons lived here, guarding palaces with untold riches and kidnapping beautiful girls.

Fortunately, the days when people were afraid to visit Pilatus are long gone, because this mountain is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful places in Switzerland, and tourists climb to its top with great pleasure to enjoy the majesty of mountain landscapes, wonderful clean air and breathtaking entertainment.

The height of Pilatus is 2128 meters above sea level. There are three ways to get to the top: on foot (it will take about four hours to climb), using the cable car from the town of Kriens, or by train from the town of Alpnachstadt. This train, by the way, is the steepest in the whole world - the angle of inclination railway in some places it reaches 48o, and only special gears and rails allow it to overcome such a rise.

At the top of Pilatus, tourists, in addition to breathtaking views, are waiting for a wide variety of leisure activities. Winter Pilatus and Snow&Fun Park will give you the most impressions - you can ride sleds, snow scooters, donuts and other snow-entertaining modes of transport along four tracks of different lengths. From a height of a little less than one and a half thousand meters, you can ride a toboggan - a useless sleigh of Indians North America or test your own courage with the help of the Powerfan attraction, where you have to “fall” from a height of about 20 meters and only at the very ground the daredevil will catch a thin rope. You should definitely go along the Dragon Pass route - the road will lie through caves and grottoes, where the walls are painted with illustrations of dragon legends - they were painted by local artist Hans Erni back in the early 20th century. And, of course, restaurants with traditional Swiss cuisine and souvenir shops with cute little things will complement the impression of staying on Mount Pilatus - one of the best and mysterious places Switzerland.

Lake Geneva

Switzerland is often called the "country of mountains and lakes", the mountains here really occupy a significant territory, and the lakes of Switzerland, of which there are more than one and a half thousand, are distinguished by their extraordinary beauty and crystal clear clean water. by the most big lake in the Swiss Alps and the second largest freshwater body of water in Central Europe is Lake Geneva, lying in the floodplain of the Rhone River, the locals often call it Leman.

Lake Geneva, even in the photo, amazes with its splendor, what can we say when you see it with your own eyes! It simply fascinates with its pristine beauty and the unusually deep and pure color of the water, it is often compared to a mirror - the Alps cover it so securely from the wind that the water surface is almost always unshakable, and, as if in a mirror, mountain peaks, vineyards, tall mountains are reflected in it. ate, houses and medieval castles on the slopes.

The crescent-shaped Swiss lake is located on the border with France, more precisely, the border runs just in the middle of the reservoir. Along the northern coast, which belongs to Switzerland, there are numerous resort towns, which are called the Swiss Riviera for luxury and respectability. From cold northern winds Lake Geneva is protected mountain ranges Alps, so a pleasant mild climate reigns here, and the coast is immersed in the greenery of subtropical plants. beach holiday in Switzerland is truly unique - only here you can sunbathe on the beach, admiring the snow-capped mountain peaks. However, the swimming season here is quite short - the water warms up very slowly and becomes warm only in July-August. However, tourists have access to all sorts of water sports sports and cruises, as well as horseback riding, cycling and hiking, golf, mountain climbing, paragliding and hot air ballooning.

One of the most impressive natural attractions in Switzerland is the Rhine Falls, located in the canton of Schaffhausen near the small town of Neuhausen am Rheinfall. Despite the fact that the height of the Rhine Falls is only 23 meters (about the size of a seven-story building), it is considered the largest in Europe, because it has no equal in terms of the volume of water falling from the rocks - in winter, 250 cubic meters fall down every second, in summer, during the period of rapid melting of mountain glaciers, up to 700 cubic meters breaks off the cliff.

According to scientists, this waterfall is very ancient, it began to form about 500 thousand years ago during the Ice Age, when huge masses of ice easily changed the relief and sharply turned the riverbeds. Finally, the Rhine Falls acquired its appearance about 15 thousand years ago - this is how we can see it today.

The spectacle of the Rhine Falls is not just impressive, it shakes to the core - the width of the threshold reaches 150 meters, huge streams of water, with noise and roar, fall down, and, swirling with snow-white foam, break up into millions of splashes, shimmering like a rainbow in the sun.

It is best to enjoy an unusually beautiful and formidable spectacle from observation platforms. One of them moves away from the shore and is advanced above the river, very close to the place where the waterfall collapses, it seems that the water machine is moving right at you and the wildly roaring stream is about to pick it up and carry it away in an unknown direction. Another site is located on a high rock, rising as an island in the middle of the river, a small ship will deliver here, plying from both banks. From this site, the Rhine Falls can be seen from above, from here it will not seem so formidable, but will fascinate for a long time with its stunning view.

It is easy to get to the Rhine Falls from Zurich through the cities of Winterthur, Schaffhausen, Neuhausen or Bülach, this can be done both by car and by car. public transport- train or bus, depending on the chosen route.

swiss national park

For those who want to see all the true Alpine landscapes at once, the Swiss national park located in the canton of Graubünden in the Engadine valley. An area of 172 square kilometers covers harsh bare rocks, slopes covered with dense pine forests and alpine and subalpine meadows dotted with fragrant flowers, where chamois, mountain goats, deer, elk, wolves, brown bears, foxes, lynxes, golden eagles and many other representatives of the animal live. peace.

The Swiss National Park is the oldest national park in Europe and the only one in Switzerland. The history of its creation is very interesting. By the beginning of the twentieth century, this territory was completely mastered by man, and, as usual, in a very barbaric way - forests were mercilessly cut down, the poor were thoughtlessly used Natural resources. In 1914, it was decided to completely stop any economic activity and see how nature is capable of self-healing. And the result was not long in coming - nature, freed from human intervention, came into its own - dense forests rustled again on the slopes, meadows were covered with flowers, and animals and birds found shelter.

Today, the Swiss National Park continues to develop naturally and live in a quiet quiet life, violated only by tourists, while the rules for visiting are very strict. Only walking is allowed here, it is forbidden to leave the paved paths, kindle fires, set up parking lots, leave any traces of your stay, fishing and hunting, picking herbs and flowers are prohibited, even loud sounds can be fined. If you want to spend more time in the national park (you still won’t be able to get around it in one day - the total length of the trails is 80 kilometers), then you can stay for the night at the Il Fuorn hotel or the Chamana Kluozza hut, where guests will be provided with comfortable rooms and indulge in delicious national cuisine.

Entrance to the park is free, and there are also free parking lots nearby. best time the warm season is considered to be a visit to the park, in winter it is also open, but only short walks are provided along some paths cleared of snow. But just in winter in the nearby village of Zernets, where the information office is located national park, winter sports competitions, festivals and marathons, farmers' markets are held, or you can go on an entertaining tour to the unusual village of the 17th century Guarda.

The easiest way to get to the Swiss National Park is from Zurich by train to Zernets, and then transfer to a bus to the park, or by car, the journey will take about 2.5-3 hours.

Verzasca River

Probably, the definition of “most” fits many places in Switzerland: the best ski resorts in Switzerland, the most picturesque lakes, the most beautiful mountains and the cleanest rivers are also located in Switzerland, and of them the most transparent in the world is Verzasca. It originates on the glaciers of a mountain 2864 meters high and carries its waters to Lake Maggiore, located between Italy and Switzerland. Verzasca's path lies through the picturesque valleys of the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, the length of the river is quite small - only 30 kilometers, but all this distance is simply replete with amazing landscapes - Verzasca runs between mountain slopes dressed in lush greenery of chestnut forests and vineyards, and along the banks there are ancient stone buildings Swiss villages, which only adds to the charm of amazing views. The depth of Verzaska in some places reaches 15 meters, the water in it changes color from bright blue to emerald green and is so transparent that the bottom strewn with multi-colored stones is visible to the smallest detail.

Many, having seen the purest Verzasca, feel like taking a dip, however, the water in it is icy even in the hottest weather, its temperature does not exceed 10 degrees, and because of the strong undercurrents it is quite dangerous, as warning signs on its shores. But still, there are extreme people who do not care about the cold, and even more heat-loving tourists have the opportunity to swim - there are natural depressions along the channel, where the water has time to warm up to an acceptable temperature. Verzasca is especially popular with divers, who are certainly not stopped by icy water, because they take amazing pictures from the bottom, the most spectacular photos from the depths, where, through the crystal clear water column, you can see the coast and the sky with running clouds. The only thing that divers will not be able to see and capture is undersea world Verzaski, since there, in spite of the purest water, completely absent flora and fauna. For a long time it was believed that the reason for this is the increased acidity of the water, but studies conducted in 2009 showed that the PH composition of water is the most common, and that is why the animal and vegetable world in the river are absent, remains a mystery.

Of the land attractions of Verzaska, charming Swiss villages are noted, where the age of houses built from layered gneiss stone reaches several hundred years; a stone arched bridge, built in the 17th century and called Roman either for the authorship of the Italians, or because of the similarity of architecture, and a gigantic stone dam 220 meters high. She gained worldwide fame thanks to the filming of one of the parts of the Bond movie Goldeneye - it is from her that Pete Brosnan effectively jumps into the water from a great height. By the way, anyone can repeat the mind-blowing trick of Bond - there is a platform for bungee jumping on the dam - if you have the courage, unforgettable experience guaranteed!

The most beautiful place on the Verzasca River is called the neighborhood of the city of Locarno, you can get to it by train from Zurich, Basel or Lucerne. By car, the path will lie along the A2 highway to Magadino airport, and then you need to turn onto the A13 highway.

Lauterbrunnen Valley

The Lauterbrunenn Valley seasoned travelers called one of the most beautiful and amazing in the whole world - in fact, this is a deep crevice, located between sheer kilometer-long cliffs, the valley stretches for eight kilometers in length, and it takes no more than a kilometer in width. From here, three majestic peaks open up to the eye - Jungfrau, Mönch and Eiger (in translation - Virgin, Monk and Ogre), landscapes mountain valley, but the main thing here is the numerous waterfalls. The name Lauterbrunnen itself is translated as “many springs”, there are 72 waterfalls in the valley, stunning in their beauty.

The journey to the waterfalls begins with a picturesque village that bears the same name as the valley - Lauterbrunnen, it is here that you can order excursion tours or walking tour with a guide.

The most famous and impressive waterfalls are Staubbach and Trummelbach. Staubbach impresses with its power and natural strength - streams of melt water fall from 300-meter cliffs, due to high altitude water, reaching the ground, breaks on stones and turns into the smallest water dust, resembling fog or a cloud. The Trummelbach waterfalls are the only waterfalls in Europe that are located deep in the rocks and are accessible to the public. For thousands of years, meltwaters descending from the peaks have washed spiral depressions in the stone, through which thundering streams, overcoming a dozen cascades, descend into the valley. You can get to the waterfall by underground funicular, and then tourists, following the galleries and bridges, descend to the foot of the mountain, admiring the incredibly beautiful spectacle of running water.

The most beautiful places in Switzerland will open to the eye from the top of the Schilthorn, which can be reached with the help of a lift. Up there, in addition to the observation deck, which offers a panorama of eternal glaciers and mountain peaks, there is a revolving restaurant "Piz Gloria", where the movie about the famous agent 007 "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" was filmed.

Another attraction of Lauterbrunnen is the Jungfrauban railway - its terminal station is located at an altitude of 3545 meters above sea level and is the highest railway station around the world and is called the "Top of Europe".

You can get to Lauterbrunnen by car or train from Zurich to Interlaken, from where an electric train runs to the valley.

The last ten kilometers of the Jungfrauban railway go in a tunnel, from where the train emerges into the dazzling whiteness of another natural attraction in Switzerland - the largest glacier in the Alps called Aletsch. Its length is approximately 25 kilometers, the area is about 120 square kilometers. Glaciers are formed from compacted layers of snow, which turn into ice under the influence of their own weight. Aletsch consists of three glaciers with an average thickness of about a hundred meters, the arms of the glacier, converging in Concordia, reach a maximum thickness of about 1 thousand meters, here the glacier turns into a frozen river of one and a half kilometers wide. The seeming silence and silence of Aletsch are deceptive - he lives and moves, sliding at a speed of 200 meters per year to the southeast, and at an altitude of about 1500 meters above sea level, Aletsch turns into the Massa River, which flows into the Rhone.

The locals always treated Alech with respect and even fear, if he was mentioned in the legends, they certainly called him the “white giant”, and this is not surprising - at night, sounds similar to groans and the ringing of steel swords are heard from the side of the glacier. It is not easy even for skeptics to believe that a huge mass of ice creates them with its movement, and therefore many tales of ghosts and human souls languishing under the thickness of ice are composed here.

Despite the outward coldness and inaccessibility of Aletsch, tourists go with great pleasure to look at the unique glacier, frozen in a bizarrely curved canyon-gorge, overgrown with relic forest, the Bolshoi Aletsch branch, resembling an ice-bound river or a man-made winter road, is especially interesting. Aletsch looks very unusual in summer, when the slopes of the canyon are covered with greenery of grass and flowers, and below, under the feet of icy silence lies a snowy river.

Since 2001, Aletsch has been under the protection of UNESCO, and is also included in the list of contenders for the title of "Seven Wonders of Nature".

Saint Beatus caves

In the canton of Bern, near the town of Interlaken on the northeastern shore of Lake Thun, tourists are waiting for an amusing trip into the depths of the rocks - into the caves of St. Beatus. As the legend says, a long time ago, wealthy parents sent their son Suetonius to study in Rome, but the apostle Peter met him astray from the path of science, and the young man plunged into religion, replacing hot Italy with the mountains of Switzerland. Suetonius took a new name for himself - Beatus and settled in a cave on Lake Thun, but first he had to fight the terrible fire-breathing monsters that lived in mountain grottoes. For numerous good deeds, the locals began to revere him as a saint, and over time, the caves acquired the name of St. Beatus.

Since the legends are connected with dragons, everything here reminds of mythical creatures - right at the entrance and in the cave there are figurines of fire-breathing monsters, you can swim in the underground lakes on a boat in the form of a dragon, and nature itself seems to support the legend - in places the stone blocks are stacked like this in a bizarre way, which, in fact, resemble the terrible toothy mouth of a monster.

Caves and passages, located at a depth of 500 meters, merge into mysterious labyrinths overgrown with stalactites and stalagmites over 40 thousand years old, underground rivers flow here and even make noise small waterfalls. In one of the grottoes you can meet the "owner" - St. Beatus himself, and those who are interested in science can look into the Mineral Museum.

Not far from the caves, there is a restaurant serving delicious dishes prepared according to old recipes, and on its roof viewing platforms you can admire the picturesque landscapes of Switzerland.

Switzerland is one big picture. From border to border open great views to the mountains with picturesque villages in the valleys. It is a paradise for hikers in summer and skiers in winter. It is best to visit the small towns of Switzerland, which are the gateway to this alpine paradise.

Soglio is a small Swiss village with stunning scenery. In summer, wildflowers bloom on the hills, while the horizon is filled with snow-capped mountains. The main attraction is the church of San Lorenzo with a bell tower that rises above the village. Stroll through the narrow cobbled streets to the Palazzo Solis, where you will be enchanted by the Mediterranean atmosphere and giant sequoias. This tiny village will allow you to be on your own, especially if you are hiking along the Berghell trail or through the chestnut forest.

Morcote is similar to other small picturesque towns in Switzerland. But still, this amazing place stands out from others. Located on the shores of Lake Lugano, Morcote was named the most beautiful city in Switzerland. And for good reason: the town is famous for its architecture and medieval arcade. It contains 16th-century houses and the 13th-century church of Santa Maria del Sasso. Worth a visit too botanical park and the Art Museum.

Wengen, located in central Switzerland, has only 1,300 inhabitants. But in the summer it increases to 5 thousand people due to hiking enthusiasts who walk along the trails for kilometers every day. And in winter, this figure rises to 10 thousand, because Wengen is a popular place for cross-country skiing. The town has historic houses dating back to beautiful era. If you go to Wengen by train, you can see climbers trying to climb north side Eiger mountains.

If you're a James Bond fan, then you're familiar with the cable car and revolving restaurant at the top of the Schilthorn. They are shown in the film "On Her Majesty's Secret Service", which was filmed in Mürren. From anywhere in this amazing city offers stunning views of mighty mountains such as the Eiger and Jungfrau, as well as flower-filled meadows.

Grindelwald and Gellert Grindelwald share the same name, but that's where the similarities end. Gellert Grindelwald is a dark character in the Harry Potter series, and Grindelwald is picturesque city in the Bernese Alps. The surroundings here are just fantastic. You can admire the northern slope of Mount Eiger. From the 18th century until the discovery of the largest ski resort in the Jungfrau region, Gridelwald was the main tourist destination. There are many good hiking opportunities in the summer, including the Eiger trails.

In this picturesque valley, there are 72 waterfalls that cascade down from the mountains. The most famous of them is Staubbach, which falls from a height of almost 300 meters. This is one of the most high waterfalls in Europe. From the city itself, you can go on an excursion to the Jungfrau region through the valley right up to Mürren. This tiny picturesque village nestled among the mountains inspired many writers, including Goethe. Walking through the valley is a must, although the more adventurous can enjoy parasailing or paragliding.

Zermatt is one of the most famous ski and mountaineering resorts in Switzerland, located at the foot of the country's highest mountain - the Matterhorn. This favorite place for those who like glamorous and expensive outdoor recreation. Although the town is located close to the Italian border, most of its inhabitants speak German. You can go hiking or take the cable car up into the mountains for breathtaking views of the famous Matterhorn.