Many of the places that I like to visit are popular. Lucerne, for example, with its idyllic lake setting and surrounding mountains and, of course, the nearby state of the art cable cars that climb iconic peaks like Pilatus, Stanserhorn and Titlis are also worth waiting in line for.
Fairytale medieval towns like Gruyères in canton Fribourg with its idyllic setting and hilltop castle along with the western town of Appenzell with its colorful houses, traditions and tasty cheese pull in the crowds.
These are places that should be on the itinerary when in Switzerland, even if they can be crowded at times. This is because they have managed to stay authentic and traditional despite all the visitors, souvenir shops and tour buses.
However, is is easy to find other places in these regions that are just as idyllic, but a bit more off the tourist track. All it takes is a day trip by local train, bus, or a drive in the car to find them.
I discovered the places in this post when I was visiting Gruyères town and the region of la Gruyère, Appenzell – canton and town, St. Gallen and Lucerne. I have gone into great detail about getting around (Getting There Section) because I think the drive or train journey there can be just as entertaining as the destination.
Where they are:
Eastern Switzerland
Appenzell
My Trip
A friend and I decided to visit the Schaukäserei (show cheese dairy) in Stein, canton Appenzell Ausserrhoden. This cheese dairy has recently been renovated and now has an exhibition that showcases the Appenzell cheese brand and the traditional family-run dairies in the area.
After learning about the culture and the cheese-making process of the region, we decided to zip up our jackets and take off into the countryside for a short walk.
There is a detailed signpost close to the dairy giving us all the options – themed walks, hill walks, mountain hikes, official Swiss trails… we just wanted to get some fresh air.
We found a combination of walks that meant we could circle around, back to the car. It was only about 2km of walking so suited our schedule.
Yellow benches, can be found all over the countryside, tempting us to sit and look at the panorama of deep green hills dotted with traditional Appenzell farms (probably a few cheese dairies as well).
While we walked and chatted we had great views of the Alpstein mountains rising up sharply, a distant view of Lake Constance and also many more little yellow benches.
You could almost do a join the dots with these benches – the shape would probably be a cow or goat.
We used one to stop for a snack. From here we could see the little town of Stein with its church steeple pointing elegantly upwards and hear cowbells clanging away in all directions. It was all so typically Swiss!
We made it back to the car in record time with a promise to each other that we will do this again but next time we will try the mountain hike.
A small museum next door to the cheese dairy (Volkskunde Museum) exhibits all sorts of historical Appenzell treasures to do with agriculture, housing and traditions. You can view historical items which have been beautifully crafted and preserved. It is possible to get a combi ticket for the cheese diary and museum.
Something fun close by . . .
Kronberg (1,657 m) Cable Car, summer Toboggan Run and Rope Park
This cable car leaves from Jakobsbad (884 m), between the villages of Urnäsch and Gonten. Jakobsbad rail station is on a small railway track that goes from Appenzell (12 mins).
There is also a large Seilpark (rope park) here. They have plenty of challenging rope obstacles to negotiate as well as 25 different ziplines that zip around the park. You can also find a Barfussweg (barefoot path) near the cable car station and hiking paths.
Getting to Stein and Jakobsbad in Appenzell
By Public Transport
From Zürich to Stein AR, change at Rapperswil & Herisau, 1 hour 40 mins.
From Zürich to Stein AR, change at St. Gallen, 1 hour 40 mins.
From St. Gallen to Stein AR, 20 mins by bus.
When travelling from Appenzell to Stein AR by public transport, athough they are close as the crow flies, it is still a 50 mins to 1 hr train/bus trip. It is better to go from St. Gallen or perhaps by doing a hike.
From Appenzell to Jakobsbad (Kronberg cable car) – S24 train, takes 10 mins.
By Car:
From Zürich to Stein & Jakobsbad, both approx. 1 hr 10 mins.
From St. Gallen to Stein AR, 15 mins
From St. Gallen to Jakobsbad, 30 mins.
From Appenzell to Stein, about 12 mins (10 km).
Links
Stein Cheese Dairy
Hikes in the area
Kronberg Cable Car with Toboggan Run and Rope Park
Toggenburg
Toggenburg is a hilly and mountainous region that sits south of Lake Constance. It is around an 1 hr 20 mins drive or a 2-hour train journey from Zürich.
This region with its wide valley extends southward from Highway 1 – the northern motorway crossing Switzerland – almost down to the main western road skirting the Austria and Liechtenstein borders.
The landscape is mostly countryside with pretty houses sitting around the green slopes that rise up gently from the Thur river valley. This long valley is framed by rugged, and sometimes sharp mountain peaks of the Alpstein Massif to the northeast and the Churfirsten Massif to the west.
The Churfirsten Massif is very distinctive with its jagged peaks that look a bit like pointy teeth.
More about these peaks and hiking suggestions can be found on my canton St. Gallen page.
The Churfirsten Massif’s “pointy teeth” in winter
This region offers plenty of ways to get above the fog in autumn or winter. There are several cable cars and chairlifts that lead up to themed hiking trails, alpine trails, ski pistes, lookout points and alpine restaurants. One option is the well-hidden Wolzenalp area.
Wolzenalp
This little chairlift station is well hidden from the road – in fact, we didn’t really see it until we drove past. Once you see it there is no mistaking what it is. The side of the station has the word Wolzenalp painted a colourful sky blue with a bright yellow sun smiling above it.
What not to do – don’t choose Krummenau-Wolzenalp in the SatNav – this will take you up this winding road to the top of the chair lift. Most of this narrow country road is only for use by locals and cyclists. Instead, put in Wolzenalp, Krummenswil. There is also the Krummenau train station a few minutes walk away from the bottom chairlift station.
From the top of the chairlift, there is a short walk through part of the moor and alongside a good grill spot to the restaurant with terrace and also the start of loads of walking possibilities.
We followed the white/red/white signs painted on rocks, posts, and buildings. We would’ve been lost without them.
The steep climb was worth it just to see this view
We were going to walk to Speer (a jagged, imposing peak at 1900 metres above sea level), but decided to do the Gebirgsrundweg (mountain circular trail) instead. That was challenging enough. At one point we were zig-zagging up a very steep hillside with no clear path to follow. The one thing you can count on is the white, red, white stripes painted on – amongst other things – rocks, buildings and fence posts, that are spread out like breadcrumbs along the trail.
We followed these up steep hills, through meadows, across a lovely soft moor landscape – a bit like walking on a moss-covered mattress – then finally back downhill to the restaurant. Was a great walk with views of quiet spaces and hidden corners. I loved it!
Next time to Speer – maybe.
Waldhaus – Toggenburg
Other hiking paths leave from Waldhaus in the Toggenburg Region – also great for winter walks, snowshoeing, sledding and skiing.
Getting to Toggenburg
By Public Transport
From Zürich to Krummenau – takes 1 hour 18 mins, changing twice. Once at Rapperswil (down the side of Lake Zürich and also worth a visit).
From St. Gallen to Krummenau The S2 train takes 45 mins with no changes.
By Car:
From central Zürich – takes just over an hour, via Winterthur (A1) or down the west side of Lake Zürich (A3).
Links
Wolzenalp:
Link to video showing the ski resort and winter activities. (Beautiful video)
and info about:
Get a few more ideas on what to do in this part of Switzerland by checking out my page below.
Central Switzerland
Scenic train journeys and walking on Rigi – Travelling from Zürich, Zug and Arth Goldau
Even though Rigi sounds like the name of just one mountain, it is actually a Massif made up of several peaks, valleys and meadows. Rigi is on the edge of Lake Lucerne on one side and a wide valley that is home to Zug, Arth Goldau and Schwyz on the other. It spans two cantons – Schwyz and Lucerne.
This mountainous area has been a popular hiking and leisure region for hundreds of years. According to the tourist booklet “Rigi, Queen of the Mountains“, by Ron Smith, the rack railway that climbs from Vitznau at the edge of Lake Lucerne up the side of Rigi, first opened in 1871. It was apparently the first of its kind in Europe.
My Daytrip
I recently did a day trip up the mountain, hoping to get above the clouds – I was mostly successful.
I hopped on the sleek bronze Sudostbahn (southeast) train from Zürich early in the morning and travelled alongside Lakes Zürich and Zug to my destination, Arth Goldau.
Right from the beginning of the trip from Zürich to Arth Goldau, there is some lovely scenery. This trip runs along Lake Zürich (left side of the train) with the city spread along hillsides on both sides and the alps rising up in the distance. The next stop is the town of Zug and its lake (right side of the train). Lush green hills rise up from the lake and more mountain peaks can be seen in the distance.
The last stop – Arth Goldau is a large town found at the end of Lake Zug.
The RigiBahn cog train leaves from the edge of this train station, slowly snaking its way around the mountain to the highest summit – Rigi Kulm. The train travels through forests in the Rigiaa valley (this is not a spelling mistake – Aa derives from the name for small European river) and past small stations with names like Klösterli and Fruttli, upwards to the Rigi Kulm peak.
It was very quiet on the summit. Only about half a dozen people left the train with me which seemed a small amount considering how popular this place is for the Swiss. I then noticed that the restaurant and terrace were closed and the lookout point was disappearing in the cloud. So the fact that I ended up alone at the top was no longer a surprise. (Not sure where the other people disappeared to… somewhere in the fog – I didn’t see them again).
The clouds soon cleared and I had a magnificent 360-degree view – all on my own.
There’s a small and friendly tearoom with outdoor benches and toilets beside the tracks which was good enough for a refuel before starting my walk.
Warning – as these are the only two options at the top, some of the food and all of the drinks are pricey.
Other options are the farm restaurants and grill spots along the way. Alp Chäserenholz is a tavern that can be found around 1.5km downhill from the start of the walk. This place offers some special treats – but you will need to reserve. A Whey bath, hot tub and sauna! Here is the link for more information. Chäserenholzhütte
If the tavern is full – there is a large bbq across the track and another few further down the path.
There are around 120 km of prepared hiking trails in summer and around 35 km in winter available on Rigi. My small walk was just the start. It is possible to get a Rigi Hiking Ticket which gives you the chance to combine hikes with transport on the cable cars and trains. See the rigi.ch/hiking-ticket link for details.
Although this hike is mostly on farm roads, it still feels remote.
My walk from Rigi Kulm – Rigi’s peak – down to Klösterli train station
Travelling to Rigi Kulm (Lake Zug side) and Rigi Kaltbad then Kulm (Lake Lucerne side).
Public Transport:
By Boat on Lake Lucerne:
When travelling by boat from Lucerne there are 2 towns that have transport up to Rigi Kulm (the top) – Weggis or Vitznau:
- Weggis to Rigi Kaltbad on the cable car, then cog rail up to Rigi Kulm.
- Vitznau to Rigi Kulm on the cog rail.
By Train:
From Lucerne to Arth Goldau – takes about 32 mins.
From Zürich, via Zug to Arth Goldau. Takes 40-45 mins.
Then the cog rail to Rigi Kulm (top) takes about 45 mins.
By Car:
From Zürich via Zug to the RigiBahn cog railway at Arth Goldau train station. Takes 40-45 mins.
From Lucerne to Arth Goldau. Takes 25-40 mins.
From Lucerne to Weggis and Vitznau. Takes 25-45 mins.
Links to websites
Rigibahn:
Rigi cog railway and cable car timetable and service information.
Alp Chäsernhütte Tavern:
Public Transport:
Swiss Rail (or ask at the train station’s ticket counter).
Get a few more ideas on what to do in this part of Switzerland by checking out my pages below.
Western Switzerland
From the Lake Geneva Region and Bern to Gruyères and the Jaun Pass
The small medieval town of Gruyères is lovely. It is in a magnificent position on the slope of a hill, topped by a fairytale 13th-century castle whose ramparts offer a breathtaking panoramic view. So, it is understandable that this is a popular place for both tour buses and independent tourists.
It is easily accessible from Bern or the Lake Geneva region. To avoid the crowds, an early start is a good idea.
From Gruyères you can:
- Travel to Broc Fabrique (chocolate factory), then walk through the Jogne gorges to Charmey. At Charmey the Les Bains de la Gruyère (thermal baths), like Gruyères and the Jaun Pass, also have panoramic views – but while sitting in a thermal pool. They also offer treatments and wellness packages.
Photo by R. Harris
Photo by A.Leggett
- Travel on the Jaun Pass. This pass branches off from Reidenbach in the Simmental valley, canton Bern then winds its way up westward to Im Klang, near Charmey in canton Fribourg. The link from Reidenbach to Charmey is approximately 25 km long and takes about 35 minutes to drive.
It passes through several small settlements and the pretty Jaun village. There is a rest areas and camping ground at the top of the pass with numerous hiking tracks branching off the road. This is a photo of me a few years ago, checking out a walk from the top of the pass (1508 m), where my mum and I bought a snack for eating at the next bench along the road.
There were no benches so we just ate the food sitting on a rock – after getting back in the car and travelling for a few minutes – we came across this bench – Murphys Law.
- In winter: There are possibilities for skiing at the top of the pass and around Jaun. This ski area offers:
- family friendly skiing with easy downhill slopes
- sledding
- winter walking and snowshoeing trails
- cross-country skiing in the valley
- Visit the mystical Jaun waterfall while at the village of Jaun. The source was a mystery until the 1920’s, when it was discovered that the water travels underground for 15 km, before emerging at this spring. Many people find this to be a fascinating place and a source of wellbeing.
- Do a circular car journey from Gruyères to Gstaad and Zweisimmen, then back along the Jaunpass to the village of Jaun. From Jaun, the trip to Broc (home to Callier chocolate factory) is about 18 km (20 mins), then Gruyères is another 5 km.
I re-created this route on Google Maps. It came out at exactly 100km long, with a travelling time of around 2 hrs.
- Drive through the Jaunpass from Spiez, on lake Thun, arriving in Charmey late in the day. Or travel by public transport, stopping at hiking spots on the way through the Jaunpass. When driving this takes about 1 hour
Travel Time to Broc Fabrique (chocolate factory)
Public Transport:
From Lausanne is around 1 hr 20 mins with train and then bus connection at Bulle.
From Bern is around 1 hr 30 mins with train and then bus connection at Bulle.
By Car:
From Lausanne, via Vevey is 45 mins (mostly motorway) to 1 hr. The second option goes alongside lake Geneva so pretty views – especially along the Route du Lac through Rivaz and Saint Saphorin.
From Bern, via Fribourg is around 55 minutes. From Fribourg, around 30 mins.
Links to websites
Thermal Baths:
Chocolate Factory:
Cailler Chocolate Factory websites
Public Transport:
Swiss Rail (or ask at the train station’s ticket counter).
Get a few more ideas on what to do in this part of Switzerland by checking out my pages below.
