| 6 mins read
By Jennifer Mullen
Located at the centre of Europe, with its majestic Alpine peaks framed by emerald rolling fields and glittering lakes, Switzerland has been a mecca for sports enthusiasts. Boasting one of the best public transport infrastructures in the world, particularly the SBB train network, it is very easy to gather up your gear, pack a few Schinkengipfeli (delicious flakey croissants filled with ham) and head out into nature, whatever the season.
When people consider holidays in Switzerland, the first thought that comes to mind is hurtling through pristine pine forests in some of the best ski resorts in the world. A Swiss tour guide would tell you that Switzerland has slopes to suit every ski and snowboard ability. Powder lovers should feel at home in resorts such as Andermatt and Engelberg, which are very easy to reach from Zurich. Verbier, Zermatt and Klosters are a haven for party loving ski fashionistas, where style is important both during and apres ski. Villars is a good place for novices, as is Laax, where you can graduate up to nearby Films when you become a bit more experienced. Andelboden, Saas-Fe and Flumserberg are popular resorts for families with young children (although chances are the kids will be faster than you after three days in ski school!). Finally Davos, Lenzerheide and Crans-Montana are also very popular with Swiss locals and visitors.
If skiing and boarding seem a bit too fast paced, there are a wide variety of other winter sports to try. Most towns have very good outdoor ice rinks, such as the Dolder Kunsteisbahn in Zurich, which is reached by a rather cool vernacular railway. Small children can learn safely thanks to cute plastic penguins, which they push in a similar fashion to a zimmerframe, in order to stay upright. Adults can use the cold air as an excuse to try a cup of spicy gluehwein, the aroma of which is synonymous with winter in central Europe. The Swiss are also very fond of curling, where players slide special stones into an area of concentric circles, by using a very curious and frantic sweeping action.
Come Spring in Switzerland, the countryside is filled with the melodic clunking of bells, as the farmers take their cows up to the higher pastures. To get a close look, Switzerland has over 60,000km of marked hiking trails, making walking more than just a sport, but a way of life in the Alps. Walking holidays need not be lonely if you are a single traveller, as organised groups will save you not only the hassle of researching accommodation and routes, but a dedicated transportation service of your belongings. Somehow that fondue or schnitzel will always taste better in company, after a hard day’s exercise. Hiking in the Gruyere region is essential for chocolate lovers and wine enthusiasts will be torn between finishing the walk or staying for one more glass with a view, at the Lavaux Vineyard terraces.
Cycling enthusiasts can choose a variety of trails to suit their fitness and adrenaline levels. For those people not wishing to break a sweat, HEART tours use electric bikes, which can be picked up and dropped off at local railway stations. You can even charge them at farms, hotels and in barns, to ensure your trip is stress free. Cycling through a mountain pass will make you feel like you are filling your lungs with some of the freshest air in Europe as you experience dramatic forests and lakes, which are not accessible by motorised vehicles. If a pumping heart is your idea of fun, Switzerland has some breathtaking downhill mountain bike trails, such as the Bike Park at Portes du Soleil, Champery, Val d'Illiez, and Morgins, which regularly holds the Swiss championships. The region of Jungfrau/Grindelwald also boasts of some excellent white knuckle trails. Cyclists will also be pleased to hear that Swiss railways cater well for their needs, with most trains offering dedicated bike compartments, or at least hooks to hang up your two wheeled companion.
If you enjoy climbing, then your strength and courage will be put to the test in one of the 150 registered Via Ferrata (which is an Italian term, meaning iron road). These are protected climbing routes, using steel cables fixed to the rocks, making otherwise very dangerous routes accessible without a lot of extra safety equipment. The most popular areas to test your body are Bernese Oberland with 32 routes and Walais with 39 routes. As climbing can be dangerous, do consult your Switzerland tour guide on how the grading system works.
For a fun, albeit a more conservative climbing experience, try visiting one of Switzerland’s many rope parks, which are like giant obstacle courses. The Swiss Seilpark at Fiesch even has six courses, which are modelled on the topography of Switzerland. The iconic Mount Pilatus also has a challenging rope parks, as well as a summer toboggan run.
Switzerland is one of the cleanest countries in the world; so on a hot day there is nothing better to do than jump in a crystal clear lake. Switzerland hosts many lakes, from the large lakes in Geneva, Lugano and Zurich, to hundreds of tiny little lakes in the mountains. Many little lakeside towns have their own “Badi”, or bathing station equipped with changing rooms and often a restaurant or bar. Visitors can even take part a yearly lake crossing of the Zurichsee, which is around a kilometre and a half, although being Switzerland there are plenty of safety boats on hand.
If you prefer to watch sports rather than participate, why not look up local “Schwingen” events? This is effectively the Swiss answer to sumo wrestling, where beefy men dressed in what look like nappies made of jute, try to lift each other by the pants out the circle. To visitors it may seem a touch odd at first, but the Swiss take this style of wrestling very seriously and even count it as a national sport.
Switzerland is quite simply one of the most beautiful destinations in Europe and everywhere once can see the red and white flag hung with pride. You will also see practically no litter on the ground. Of course, the best thing about taking a holiday filled with healthy, outdoor pursuits, is not feeling guilty about eating your own body weight in swiss chocolates at the end of the day. Viel Spass (enjoy!).
Image Details and Licenses: https://flic.kr/p/5Cinwk (thisisbossi, CC BY-SA 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/5Soive (Alex Grechman, CC BY 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/7DWzVw (popejon2, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/huFRJi (Kosala Bandara, CC BY 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/qFCGT9 (will_cyclist, CC BY-NC 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/5QjvRw (Klaus Wagensonner, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/4KsGJ (emarschn, CC BY 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/ozd7nT (Andrew Nash, CC BY-SA 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/fP1FBb (Vincent F, CC BY-NC 2.0)