Five Swiss Havens

Switzerland is the Land of the Alps, but a holiday to this country should hardly be restricted to the famous mountain range , as Switzerland has plenty to offer tourists.

Zurich

The starting point for many is Zurich. While not the country’s capital – that’s Bern – Zurich is a cosmopolitan yet peaceful place to spend a few days or more.

Often a popular destination for city breaks, Zurich’s centre feels compact, but that shouldn’t fool visitors. The city’s Old Town offers charm but doesn’t get too busy, while window shoppers can browse the boutiques that line the streets of the centre. The centre boats two churches, the Fraumunster Church, complete with windows designed by artist Marc Carroll and the imposing Grossmünster.

Heading out of the centre, art fans will enjoy the Kunsthaus. This exhibition of all things modern art houses work that spans the decades, including pieces by Edvard Munch and Peter Fischli. Zurich is a cultural city throughout, though: even its parks contain eye-catching sculptures and installations.

Meanwhile, visitors looking to escape the city will find Lake Zurich only a short bus trip away. The lake’s idyllic location makes it an ideal place for a stroll, or visitors can take a cruise on a boat to cross it.

Graubünden

Fans of the great outdoors should consider Graubünden, a valley that’s a haven for hikers and people who enjoy investigating traditional ways of life. A number of medieval towns can be found within this valley and it’s here that tourists will encounter cultures preserved for hundreds of years.

Visitors who head off into the wilderness, meanwhile, will be guided by signposts that indicate Graubünden’s hiking trails. These trails are ideal for those looking to get back to nature.

Visitors should bring their camera to take snaps of the picturesque views on offer around Graubünden, particularly in winter when the snow lies thick on the ground. Opportunities to go sledding are also available during the winter months.

At the bottom of the famed Swiss mountain, the Matterhorn, lies Zermatt. This town is the place to head for holidaymakers who are coming to Switzerland to ski: the nearby area boasts some 300 kilometres of pistes and dozens of railways that clamber up into the mountains.

Major events held in or around Zermatt include the Bump Bash Classic – a mogul piste contest -  and the Raiffeisen Open tennis tournament.

Sports aren’t everything in the vicinity of Zermatt. Hikers are well-catered for here too and visitors interested in this activity can tackle the mule trader trails that have existed here since the Middle Ages. Meanwhile, cable cars allow visitors to reach lofty heights and get a superb view of the Matterhorn itself.

Locarno

The town of Locarno is situated in Switzerland’s southern-most area, near to the border with Italy and as such, enjoys consistently sunny weather during many parts of the year. Aside from the pleasant climate, highlights here include the central Piazza Grande, where each August, film fans flock for the town’s annual movie festival.

Locarno is also known for the church of Madonna del Sasso, founded following reports of the Virgin Mary appearing nearby. The church welcomes many pilgrims each year.

Locarno’s natural surroundings are an attraction too. Visitors can ascend via cable-car to the nearby mountain, Cardada-Cimetta, where sports facilities are available. Tourists can also take advantage of Locarno’s proximity to the verdant Maggio Valley, or go swimming in Lake Maggiore.

Another skiing haven is located in the valley of Bernese Oberland and is called Grindelwald. However, Grindelwald isn’t perhaps the most accessible skiing mecca, since visitors can reach its slopes only by helicopter. There are a variety of skiing areas available however, measuring almost 200 kilometres in length in total.

Other attractions within Grindelwald include a museum and opportunities to partake in sports such as golf. Tourists who head out further into Bernese Oberland can encounter mysterious castles and enchanting forests within this Swiss valley.

Written by the travelsupermarket cheap holidays team.

Car Hire Switzerland

Driving from Geneva to Martigny

In a previous post, we suggested Lausanne as a great place for a day-trip during a Geneva car hire holiday. In this post, we’ll look at another place that you can visit if you hire a car whilst you are staying in Geneva – the town of Martigny, which is situated in Switzerland’s Valais region, and which is often referred to as ‘a gateway to the Alps’.

Getting to Martigny from Geneva

If you hire a car in Geneva, you can drive to Martigny within an hour and a quarter. Simply head out of Geneva on the A1 toll road and follow it for about 49km. Take exit 17 and follow the signs for Lausanne in order to continue on the A1. Take exit 19 and follow the signs for Montreux in order to get onto the A9 toll road. Leave the A9 at exit 21 and follow the signs into Martigny.

Switzerland Car Hire – Martigny Attractions – St. Bernard Dog Museum and Kennels

Martigny’s attractions include The St. Bernard Dog Museum and Kennels (Musée et Chiens du Saint-Bernard) on Rue de Levant. The kennels are located in an enclosure just outside of the building, and you can see a number of dogs there. The museum itself contains exhibits relating to the history of the St. Bernard breed, together with information about the Great St. Bernard Hospice and Pass.

There is also a restaurant and a gift shop at the museum and you can park your Geneva rental car in the museum’s car park.

Switzerland Car Hire – Martigny Attractions – Roman Remains

Martigny is also known for its Roman remains, which include an amphitheatre and the Mithraeum, a temple dedicated to Mithras, a sun-god.  You can also see the remains of the Temenos, a complex which would have included a temple together with accommodation for pilgrims, and the remains of a private house.
Switzerland Car Hire – Martigny Attractions – The Pierre Gianadda Foundation

Another of Martigny’s key attractions is The Pierre Gianadda Foundation (Rue de Forum 59, 1920 Martigny). The building houses Martigny’s Museum of Gallic-Roman Archaeology (Musée Gallo-Romain), where you can see some of the artefacts discovered when the Roman sites in Martigny were excavated together with the remains of a Roman temple.

The Pierre Gianadda Foundation building is also the home of Martigny’s Automobile Museum (Musée de l’Auto), which has a collection of cars dating from the early 20th century, and there are also regular temporary exhibitions of art held there. There is also a Sculpture Park outside of the building, which contains works by a number of famoussculptors, including Henry Moore and Auguste Rodin.

The Pierre Gianadda Foundation has a visitors’ car park, so you can leave your car there while you explore the museums.

Switzerland Car Hire – Other Martigny Attractions

Other attractions in Martigny include: the Manoir de la Ville, an eighteenth century house which is now used as a venue for contemporary art exhibitions; Moulin Semblanet, a 19th century watermill; and Château de la Bâtiaz, a 13th century castle. You can also take a break from your hire car by taking a tour of the town on the “La Baladeur” tourist train or walking along the Vineyard Trail, which leads from Martigny to Château de la Bâtiaz.