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Recreation

Keystone

Blessed with some of the most dramatic and highest mountains in Europe, twinkling lakes and deep forests, the Swiss take their outdoor recreation seriously.

Hiking and skiing are two of the most popular pastimes for good reason – there are more than 60,000 kilometres (about 37,000 miles) of marked trails weaving across the country and just about every little village with a mountain nearby has a lift going to the top of the peak.

Switzerland MobilityExternal link, a group dedicated to promoting non-motorised travel around the country, has created a vast network of paths for cycling, hiking, in-line skating, and even canoeing, along routes that stretch from border to border.

Switzerland TourismExternal link offers suggestions for outdoor recreation based on the seasons as well as appsExternal link that cover hiking, swimming, and snow reports. The iSki SwissExternal link app offers conditions, live cams and weather forecasts.

The Swiss Cable Car AssociationExternal link (in German and French) has hundreds of members who run and maintain many of the aerial trams. The Swiss Alpine ClubExternal link operates more than 150 huts with about 9,200 beds in the Swiss Alps.

Switzerland also has 3,300km of sign-posted bicycle routes. For information about hiring bikes (or e-bikes) and routes, go to the Pro VeloExternal link site.

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SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR