Things to Do in Switzerland: City Guides & Audio Tours

Switzerland is a landlocked country at the meeting point of Central, Western and Southern Europe, known for its Alpine landscapes, multilingual culture and distinctive political traditions. The best things to do in Switzerland range from exploring historic city centres and museums to discovering mountain towns, lakeside communities and regional food traditions. Neywo offers free audio guides for 17 cities in Switzerland, with 925 narrated places in total.

What to see and do in Switzerland

Switzerland is compact, but its geography changes quickly. The Alps dominate the south, the Swiss Plateau contains most of the population and many of the largest cities, and the Jura Mountains rise in the west. That variety is reflected in the country’s towns, languages, architecture and food.

Bern: Switzerland’s federal city

Bern is the federal city and one of the most important places to understand Switzerland’s political identity. The country’s cantons remain central to public life, while federal institutions embody the balance between local self-government and national decision-making. Bern’s Neywo guide includes 185 narrated places, including the Bern Minster, the Historical Museum of Bern, the Well Pump House and the student and passer-by scene known as ständli.

Zürich: a major urban centre

Zürich is one of Switzerland’s largest cities and a good starting point for the country’s urban culture. Its 312 narrated places include Kirche Enge, Fraumünster, Kunsthaus Zürich and the National Museum Zurich. The city also reflects Switzerland’s modern economy, shaped by finance, technology and international connections.

Basel: art, history and the Rhine

Basel sits in the north of Switzerland and brings together a strong museum and historic-city experience. Its 176 narrated places include Basel Minster, the Basel Historical Museum, Haus zum Kirschgarten and Helvetia on a journey. It is one of the best cities to visit in Switzerland for travellers interested in culture and the country’s connections with neighbouring parts of Europe.

Geneva: international Switzerland

Geneva shows the international side of the country. Switzerland hosts headquarters or offices for many major international institutions, and Geneva is home to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum. Other important places in the city’s 42 narrated locations include St. Pierre Cathedral, the Jet d’Eau and the Ariana Museum.

Lausanne, Montreux and Vevey: the Lake Geneva region

The shores of Lake Geneva offer a varied route through the French-speaking part of Switzerland. In Lausanne, the Olympic Museum, Lausanne Cathedral, Château d’Ouchy and HumuS are among 69 narrated places.

Montreux is associated with music and lakeside culture. Neywo’s 13 narrated places include Queen: The Studio Experience, Freddie Mercury, Châtelard Castle with fountain and Le Merdasson.

In Vevey, the Alimentarium, Vevey Photography Museum, Musée Jenisch and Saint-Martin Reformed Church are part of a guide with 15 narrated places. Together, these three cities show the cultural variety of the Vaud region.

Lucerne and Interlaken: lakes and Alpine settings

Lucerne combines a historic urban centre with the landscapes of central Switzerland. Its six narrated places include the Lion Monument, Chapel Bridge, Schlössli Schönegg and Wächter an der Thorenbergbrücke.

Interlaken is set between the Alps’ valleys and lakes. Its four narrated places include the former monastery church, now the castle church, Kunsthaus Interlaken, the Japanese garden and Höhematte. The town is also a useful example of how mountains shape everyday recreation and tourism in Switzerland.

Zermatt and St Moritz: mountain destinations

Mountain activities are part of Swiss life and national identity, with skiing, snowboarding and mountaineering among the country’s most popular sports.

In Zermatt, the guide covers 27 narrated places, including Gornergrat, Dufourspitze, Gemeinde Bibliothek and the Chapel of the Holy Family. Zermatt represents the high Alpine landscape, where conditions at mountaintops can be glacial.

St Moritz has 10 narrated places, including the Berry Museum, Mili Weber-Haus, the Segantini Museum building and the 1928 Winter Olympics. The bobsleigh was invented in St. Moritz, adding a distinctive sporting chapter to the town’s history.

Sion and Gruyères: history in French-speaking Switzerland

Sion, in the French-speaking part of the country, has 14 narrated places. The Musée d’histoire du Valais, Maison du Diable, Musée de l’Evêché and Sion Cathedral offer different ways into the history of the region.

Gruyères has six narrated places, including the Castle of the counts of Gruyères, the gate and fortified house of the Saint-Germain family, La Maison du Gruyère, and the former Chartreuse de la Part-Dieu with its gatehouse and chapel. The town is also a reminder that Swiss identity is built from strong local traditions as well as shared national institutions.

Ticino: Locarno and Ascona

The southern canton of Ticino brings Italian-speaking Switzerland into view. In Locarno, 20 narrated places include Castello Visconteo, Pinacoteca comunale Casa Rusca, Casorella and the Ghisla Art Collection.

Ascona has nine narrated places, among them Casa Anatta, the Monte Verità museum complex, Fondazione Ignaz e Mischa Epper and Museo Castello San Materno. The southern tip of Switzerland can feel near-Mediterranean, and some valleys support cold-hardy palms, giving this region a character distinct from the high Alps.

Appenzell and Stein am Rhein: local traditions and historic towns

Appenzell offers a glimpse of eastern Switzerland through 11 narrated places, including Buherre Hanisefs house, Kunsthalle Ziegelhütte, the Chapel of Mary of the Sun and Lehn.

Stein am Rhein has six narrated places, including Kloster St. Georgen zu Stein am Rhein, Museum Lindwurm, the Herz-Jesu Catholic church and Hohenklingen Castle. These smaller destinations are useful for seeing how local architecture, religion and self-government fit into the wider Swiss story.

Swiss culture, food and identity

Switzerland has four national languages: German, French, Italian and Romansh. German is the main native language, French is spoken in the west, Italian in the south and Romansh has a special place in Graubünden. Each region has its own cultural connections, while remaining part of a shared Swiss identity.

That identity is often described as a Willensnation: a nation formed by a common will rather than by one language, ethnicity or religion. The Federal Charter of 1291 is regarded as the founding document of the Old Swiss Confederacy, while the federal constitution of 1848 created the state in its present form. Federalism, direct democracy and cantonal self-government remain defining features.

Food expresses the same balance between local character and national belonging. Fondue, raclette and rösti are found across the country, while regional dishes include Zürcher Geschnetzeltes, or sliced meat Zurich style. Swiss production is also associated with chocolate and cheese, alongside watchmaking, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and precision engineering.

Download Neywo and explore Switzerland at your own pace

Neywo has free audio guides for 17 Swiss cities, with 33 walking tours and 925 narrated places in total. Narration is available in 11 languages. The app tells the story of each place as you reach it, at your own pace, with no group and no schedule. Download Neywo to explore Bern, Montreux, Geneva, Lucerne and the rest of Switzerland while you walk.