You’ve heard of Lindt. You know about Gruyères. You’re familiar with the highest, longest, and steepest cable cars and mountain trains. But those aren’t gonna be on this list.
Instead of repeating the same ol’ “top 10 places to visit”, we’re dishing up the most underrated places we’ve been in Switzerland that no one is talking about — but totally should be!
Like riding a mountain bus that had us gripping our seats, swaying in a self-driving cable car over a glacial lake, and exploring dark, chilly bunkers buried deep in the Swiss Alps.
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1 | Steepest Bus Ride
Lots of you are planning Oeschinensee into your itinerary, which is a stunning blue lake above Kandersteg. (That’s actually my third favorite lake in Switzerland, and we’ll mention my second favorite lake later.)
But did you know that on your way there, you’ll pass a hidden valley known for having the Steepest Postbus route in Europe (28%)?!
We’re talking about the Kiental!
| Kiental Postbus Route Open mid-May to mid-October | |
| Distance from Interlaken West By train: 1 hr 20 mins By car: 45 mins | Train Pass Coverage Swiss Travel Pass Berner Oberland Pass |
The ride begins near Lake Tschingel, which was farmland until 1972 when a landslide literally created this lake overnight. Then you begin the 15-minute ascent with an average 28% gradient. The road twists and turns, crosses over waterfalls, squeezes through a tunnel, and safely delivers you to Griesalp at the top.
From here, you can enjoy the restaurants or admire the views through this UNESCO World Heritage Region. For serious hikers, head up and over the Sefinenfurgge to Mürren. Or for an easier route, descend on the PostBus Discovery Trail back toward the Tscingelsee with a detour to the secluded Pochtenfalls. For real, it seems like every valley in Switzerland has stunning waterfalls!
By the way, this isn’t a comprehensive list, just a roundup of the coolest places we have personally been to recently. And let’s just point out the elephant in the room: yes, you could find some people talking about these spots. But in our opinion, they’re not talked about nearly enough!
2 | Swiss Chocolatier
Everyone knows about Lindt and Cailler. But if you’ll be near Lucerne, then you should indulge yourself with a visit to the official chocolate partner of Swiss International Air Lines — which means top-notch Swiss chocolate with a fraction of the crowds.
This spot is Aeschbach.
| Aeschbach Chocolatier Open daily (closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1) | |
| Distance from Lucerne By train:10 mins By car: 20 mins | Train Pass Coverage Swiss Travel Pass Lucerne Travel Pass |
In our opinion, the Aeschbach Chocolate World Museum is really well-done. The self-guided tour starts with the history of cocoa and a generous tasting tray. Next you learn about creating chocolate, including a station where you can customize your own chocolate bar. Then, you learn about chocolate molds, production, and flavors. Around every corner, there are more interactive stations and more free samples! We were constantly delighted every time we popped another sweet treat into our mouth, from cacao nibs to liquid chocolate to truffles.
All of their chocolate creations are divine, but they are particularly known for their blüete (or blossoms), räppler (or Swiss coins), and huusschoggi (or house chocolate). If you still have room in your belly, you can enjoy pastries and desserts in their bistro or take home sweets from their well-stocked shop. In fact, an adult ticket includes a 5 CHF voucher that can be used in either spot. How fun is that?
3 | Medieval Village
When you think about medieval villages in Switzerland, what comes to mind? Probably Gruyères? Murten? Maybe even Stein am Rhein? Well, not enough people are talking about this delightfully charming village way up in the Northwestern corner of the country.
This is Saint-Ursanne.
| Saint-Ursanne | |
| Distance from Bern or Basel By train: 1 hr 25 mins By car: 1 hr 15 mins | Train Pass Coverage Swiss Travel Pass |
Crossing the 18th century bridge and city gate is like stepping back in time. You enter a world of cobblestone lanes, rainbow buildings with colorful shutters, squares dotted with splashing fountains and inviting benches, and even a monastic church dating back to the 10th century.
We’ve been to every Swiss canton and Saint-Ursanne was a highlight of our time in Canton Jura. We expected to just wander around for a few minutes, but ended up staying for lunch and taking a second lap around town while our baby took a nap, just because we enjoyed it so much!
If you like wandering cobblestone streets and admiring colorful buildings, then stick around for another town we’ll mention later in our list!
4 | Revolving Restaurant
If your trip takes you to Montreux and you want to head up into the mountains, it makes a ton of sense to visit Rochers-de-Naye. But there’s another lesser-known option not too far away that’s also worth knowing about!
It’s La Berneuse.
| La Berneuse | |
| Distance from Montreux By train: 1 hr By car: 45 mins (to Leysin) + 🚂xmins (to La Berneuse) | Train Pass Coverage Swiss Travel Pass (to Leysin) Lake Geneva-Alps Pass (to Leysin) |
You’ll start in Aigle. First, don’t miss the picture-perfect castle surrounded by vineyards! Then, hop on the narrow-gauge railway to the mountain village of Leysin. From here, board a gondola to La Berneuse. You’re greeted by a giant Leysin sign, a unique revolving restaurant, a mini lake, views over Lake Geneva, and various chairlifts. Just a short walk from here is the Buvette d’Aï hamlet with rustic restaurants where you can roast your own sausage over the fire. We came here with Jana’s parents and this was one of her Dad’s favorite experiences!
5 | Glacial Dam
Raise your hand if you know where “Grimselwelt” is? *crickets chirping*
Now raise your hand if you’ve heard of the Gelmerbahn? I bet a lot more hands just went up!
The Gelmerbahn is the steepest open-air funicular in Europe, and super popular on social media. But if you go just a bit further into the valley, you’ll find a world of hydropower, green reservoirs, and mountain railways unlike anywhere else we’ve been!
This is the heart of Grimselwelt.
| Grimselwelt | |
| Distance from Interlaken Ost By train: 1 hr 45 mins By car: 1 hr 5 mins (Just 15-30 mins past the Gelmerbahn) | Train Pass Coverage (only to Grimsel Pass) Swiss Travel Pass Berner Oberland Pass |
Head up to the top of the Grimsel Pass, and you’re surrounded by mountain peaks, a blue lake, and a little marmot sanctuary. As you can imagine there are loads of hikes in this area!
Below this is the Grimsel Dam. You can’t miss that towering concrete wall, since it used to be the highest dam wall in the world and a new wall was just finished in 2025. You can book a dam tour or enjoy the free mini museum instead.
From here, we rode a self-driving cable car over the glacial lake to the Oberaarsee, another glacial lake with a small dam. We gotta be honest, it was a bit weird to ride this automated cable car with no staff in the stations, and we actually had to press the help button twice because the car didn’t leave the station. But all was good and we didn’t get stuck!
We actually came to Grimselwelt with our Swiss friends who are like family, and they told us that exploring mountain passes is a common pastime for Swiss families. So thank you to them for being our great tour guides on this day.
6 | Swiss Alps Views
There’s enough in the Jungfrau Region to keep you busy for days, weeks, months, and even years — as evidenced by the countless videos on our channel and the years we’ve spent exploring this area.
And we think that one of the best views of the Jungfrau Region is a mountain that overlooks Lake Thun and all of the snowy peaks, like the Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau.
We’re talking about the Niederhorn.
| Niederhorn | |
| Distance from Interlaken West By train: 1 hr By car: 20 mins (to cable car station) + 🚂xmins (to top) | Train Pass Coverage Berner Oberland Pass |
After you ride a funicular and gondola to the top, you’re immersed in views of the Swiss Alps. Below you are the blue waters of Lake Thun, and you can see the Niesen, Stockhorn, Schilthorn, Jungfrau, and countless other mountain peaks. We won’t name them all because it would take way too long. Don’t forget to look behind you over the Emmental and flatter parts of Switzerland as well.
From the Niederhorn, you can hike along the ridge with a chance to spy ibex, or ride downhill on the trottibikes. And from there, it’s your choice to bus or boat around Lake Thun.
Oh, and the same Swiss family we just mentioned booked the Niederhorn Brunch Package for Mother’s Day and said it was really nice, although we haven’t tried it ourselves yet.
7 | Roman Ruins
A lot of you seem to combine your trip to Switzerland with a vacation in Italy. I mean, the natural beauty of Switzerland combined with the food, wine, and la dolce vita of Italy is a perfect match. But did you know that you can get a taste of ancient Rome without even leaving Switzerland?
You can explore Roman ruins at Augusta Raurica.
| Augusta Raurica | |
| Distance from Basel By train: 25 mins By car: 20 mins | Train Pass Coverage Basel Guest Card (specific zones) Swiss Travel Pass |
This is the largest archaeological park in Switzerland, although it surely feels like we’re somewhere in Italy. This place is huge, and we spent nearly 2 hours exploring the Roman Theater, baths, caverns, gates, and animal park. For history buffs, you can also visit a museum with more than 2 million artifacts!
Maybe the most surprising part is not that there are Roman ruins in Switzerland, but that they are so close to the city of Basel!
Do you like exploring the road less traveled?
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8 | Transport Safari
Not buying a Swiss train pass is like throwing your money in the garbage. That’s because one of the best ways to experience the beauty of Switzerland is on the various forms of public transportation. And there’s an experience near Lucerne where you can enjoy nearly every type of ride imaginable!
No, it’s not Mt. Pilatus or even Mt. Rigi — we’re talking about the Klewenalp “Goldi Safari.”
| Klewenalp “Goldi Safari” Note: Can all be purchased in one ticket! | |
| Distance from Lucerne By train: 1 hr By car: 25 mins (to valley cable car station) | Train Pass Coverage Swiss Travel Pass (except 50% on funicular) Lucerne Travel Pass |
You’ll have sweeping views over Lake Lucerne nearly the entire length of this transportation safari. Start in Beckenried and ride a cable car up to Klewenalp. Fun fact, 1,006 alphorn players met up here in 2024 to score the Guinness World Record for the largest alphorn ensemble in the world!
Then hike along winding trails with a little tower and rest area in the middle. Keep walking until you reach Stöckalp. We stopped here for a quick lunch and a break so we could all play on the playground. I mean, who can resist the barefoot trail, trampoline, and treetop rope park?!
Now you’ll ride a gondola down to Emmetten. Once again, the lake views are magnificent. And our son especially loved looking at the cows below us.
From here, hop on a Postbus ride to Seelisalp. Pro tip: Sit on the right side for the best views of a little lake along the way.
Next, hop on a pleasant funicular 350 meters down to Treib. This puts you literally right on the waterfront, where you’ll enjoy a boat ride back to Beckenried, the last mode of transportation on your safari. And since the ride is 35 minutes, you have plenty of time to relax with the wind in your hair as you savor the beauty of the lake, mountains, and villages surrounding you.
We’ve spent months exploring this part of the country, but we still hopped off the boat thinking, “Wow! Isn’t Switzerland just stunning?!”
9 | Island Monastery
When you think of the Rhine River in Switzerland, the enormous Rhine Falls probably come to mind. You know, the widest and biggest waterfalls in Europe?
But just downstream, you leave behind the power of the falls for some peace and tranquility on a little island.
This spot is Rheinau.
| Rheinau | |
| Distance from Schaffhausen By train: 30 mins By car: 15 mins | Train Pass Coverage Swiss Travel Pass |
What a contrast to the bustling city of Schaffhausen and lines of tourists at the Falls! The highlight of this sleepy town is the monastery nestled on an island in the middle of the Rhine. The church architecture and frescos are captivating, the walking paths are peaceful, and the tree-lined waters invite you to rest.
The small town on the mainland has a fantastic winery, a wide-open cobblestone square, and a few restaurants. And if you want a slower-paced experience, you can even ride a boat between here and the Rhine Falls!
10 | Farm Restaurant
We’re from the United States, where pumpkin patches and petting zoos are quite common, especially in Autumn. And while it’s easy to buy local Swiss food from self-service farm fridges we love so much, there aren’t as many actual farms where you can visit, linger, and eat on-site.
So if you’re spending some time near Zürich, you will not want to miss Jucker Farm.
| Jucker Farm | |
| Distance from Zürich to main farm By train: 45 mins By car: 25 mins | Train Pass Coverage Swiss Travel Pass |
First of all, they have a few locations and we’ve been to two of them. If you have a car, the one perched right above the Pfäffikersee is worth the drive for the ambience across the entire farm. We ate dinner here and everything we tried tasted like it was made in my grandma’s kitchen.
But the location in Rapperswil-Jona is also incredible. I mean, it has a playground, petting zoo, and was decorated with pumpkin statues on our last visit. Plus look at this ginormous restaurant and shop! We couldn’t resist buying some pumpkins, pumpkin schorle, and pumpkin seed oil because, you know, it’s pumpkin season!
11 | Mountain Lake
Engelberg has become one of our favorite valleys, but the majority of tourists skip right through town and head up to Mt. Titlis. And by the way, lots of those people also bypass Trübsee, a mountain lake on the line between Engelberg and Titlis. All of those spots are worth exploring, which is why there’s a full-day itinerary here in our Lucerne Day Trips Guide.
But the mountain lake we’re featuring in this list, my second-favorite lake in Switzerland, is just a chairlift away from Trübsee, and that is Engstlensee.
| Engstlensee | |
| Distance from Lucerne By train: 1 hr 40 mins (1hr from Engelberg) By car: 40 mins (to Engelberg) | Train Pass Coverage Lucerne Travel Pass |
To get here, ride a chairlift up from Trübsee to the Jochpass. Then either hike down or board another chairlift, where you’ll get your first glimpse of this lesser-known lake. That 3 kilometers long, 600 meter wide puddle of deep blue water is so captivating. It probably helps that you’re surrounded by green hills, peaks dotted with snow, and hardly any people.
To top off the experience, there’s a nice cheese shop and hotel restaurant on the Engstlenalp, and you can rent a boat or fishing permit from the hotel too.
12 | Charming Town
Like Engelberg, a lot of folks make a b-line from the Stans train station to the funicular station for the Stanserhorn. And if you have our Lucerne Day Trips Guide, you know whether or not it’s worth riding on top of a cable car to visit the Stanserhorn.
But not enough people linger in one of the most inviting towns in the whole country: Stans.
| Stans | |
| Distance from Lucerne By train: 15 mins By car: 15 mins | Train Pass Coverage Swiss Travel Pass Lucerne Travel Pass |
There may not be endless things to say about the capital of the canton of Nidwalden, but hopefully these pictures do it justice. The wide village square is the true center of town, lined with colorful homes and multiple roads that always deliver you right back here. And those small streets just show off even more cute buildings, corner cafes, and secret gardens.
In fact, if you’re looking for a quieter place to stay than Lucerne, we’d recommend Stans. When you’re here, be sure to stop by Esspresso Coletta or the Rosenburg Restaurant. Trust us, both are a bonus highlight of Stans.
13 | Glass Production
You come to Switzerland for chocolate and cheese and mountains, right? Maybe for woodworking or cowbells too. But did you know that Switzerland is also home to the manufacturing of glass?!
And you can visit the production center at Glasi Hergiswil.
| Glasi Hergiswil | |
| Distance from Lucerne By train: 10 mins By car: 15 mins | Train Pass Coverage Swiss Travel Pass Lucerne Travel Pass |
The 25-minute museum tour was surprisingly relaxed, informative, and engaging. Who knew there was so much to learn about the production of glass in a small Swiss town?! The tour ends right in their workshop where you can watch the fiery ovens and molten sand transform into shiny glass. There’s even a spot where you can pay extra to blow your own glass!
But that’s not all. There’s a glass maze which was quite fun. First you put on slippers and gloves, then enter a revolving door into a labyrinth. I won’t admit how many times I ran into the wall or how long it took to find the exit, but we do recommend that you try it for yourself!
Next to this is an interactive sensory section where you can hear the music of glass. Outside on the waterfront are more interactive elements about water. And you can’t skip the glass marble run! Finally, like most tourist sites, there is a nice shop and little restaurant.
Let’s be real. I wasn’t exactly excited to visit here. I mean, I’ve seen glass being made before. And sometimes Brett finds the most random tourist experiences to try. But we spent hours exploring here and each new part was more fascinating than the last. So if this sounds even the least bit cool to you, I would truly recommend it!
14 | WWII Bunker
Okay, I’m amazed that this next spot isn’t on every single person’s Swiss itinerary…Maybe it will be once the word gets out.
So Switzerland has a mysterious history of evading invasion during WWII by bolstering their borders and carving countless bunkers into the mountains. Most of those mountainous caves have been decommissioned, and one in particular has been turned into a fascinating museum.
In fact, it’s across the street from the wildly popular Château de Chillion. It’s called Fort de Chillon.
| Fort de Chillion | |
| Distance from Montreux By train: 10 mins By car: 10 mins | Train Pass Coverage Swiss Travel Pass Montreux Riviera Card Lake Geneva-Alps Pass |
Your first steps through the tunnel lead straight to a gun hole — very appropriate for a bunker. As you explore the 7 rooms, you’ll learn about practical life in the fort, such as the kitchens, bunkrooms, bathrooms, and hospital. There are spaces dedicated to guns and ammunition and strategy. We expected to learn these tidbits, but we weren’t prepared for the genuinely fun interactive games throughout this bunker!
Virtual reality spaces, trivia quizzes, jumbo battleship, map puzzles, moveable cannons, surgery instruments, and so much more!
You end with a well-done film summarizing Switzerland’s role in WWII followed by a trip through their gift shop. If you know any military fanatics, they will appreciate these themed souvenirs! And the exit drops you off above the main road overlooking Chateau d’Chillon.
Jana has told me multiple times that this was one of her favorite things we did in 2025! We had never heard of it until planning a recent trip to Montreux but I think it is going to gain popularity fast.
15 | Local Secret Spot
Like we mentioned earlier, the Jungfrau Region is one of the most-visited parts of Switzerland. If your trip will take you there, then you’ve probably heard of Jungfraujoch and Grindelwald First, Lauterbrunnen or Mürren, Harder Kulm or Wengen, just to name a few.
In general, everybody has heard of those destinations. But there’s one spot that isn’t on the tourist scene. It’s popular with locals, which kinda makes it like a secret spot in the Jungfrau Region.
And with a cable car just big enough for a cow, epic views from the station, trails straight from a fairytale, adventurous mountain scooters, and secluded mountain huts with the best local dishes, who can resist?!
Curious to know where it is? Read this next, and we’ll see you in Switzerland!