Children’s Activities
AquaSplash Renens (Lausanne)
Located west of Lausanne but easily accessible by taxi and by public transport,
AquaSplash provides five heated pools, slides for children and adults, a
high-diving board and courts for all kinds of activities like volleyball,
football and badminton. There is also a place to get a massage and a proper
gymnasium. Located at 36, av. du Censuy, Renens/Lausanne; Phone: +41 (0) 21 632
7352.
Bois de la Bâtie (Geneva)
This forested park of more that 20 hectares features a large pond with an
island, a challenging playground, a river, a small zoo, a sports field, games
for children, and two restaurants. Located at Petit-Lancy, Geneva. Phone: +41
(0) 22 909 7000 (Geneva tourism)
Festivals
Switzerland has a variety of wacky and wonderful festivals that children and
parents will love! May Day is dedicated entirely to children, then there are the
wild costumes of Silvesterkläuse and Vogel Gryff, as well as cow-fighting and
whip-cracking competitions. See our
Festival
page for more information.
Le Jardin Alpin (Geneva)
This unusual park is situated in the suburb of Meyrin, about 5km from the centre
of Geneva. Here, visitors will find a rose garden, rock garden, a pond with
water plants and a caged area with chickens, ducks and goats. The villa exhibits
all forms of artistic expression including sculpture, engraving, pottery,
weaving and painting. Located at 7 ch du Jardin Alpin, Meyrin. Opening hours
vary by season; call ahead for details: +41 (0) 22 909 7070
Museum of Natural History (Geneva)
Any child loves animals, especially dinosaurs. The large and permanent
exhibition here covers 88 species of mammals and 193 species of birds, exotic
wildlife, history of the Earth (with dinosaur and extinct giant mammal
skeletons) and a beautifully presented section of minerals. There is a cafe, a
museum shop and a team of attendants ready to answer all your questions. Located
at 1, route de Malagnou, Geneva. Phone: +41 (0) 22 418 6300
Sailing School (Lausanne)
As there is no actual office for this sailing school, the owner, M. Doll advises
you to just go and ask around at the port as everyone knows him. We recommend
that you call his portable to set up an appointment. M. Doll offers private and
group lessons and has been known to take people on night time cruises. You can
also rent a boat for weekends or more. Sailing season is from April to November.
Phone: +41 (0) 21 635 5887
Vivarium Elapsoidea (Geneva)
If your kids are reptile fans, they’ll love this place! There are lizards,
crocodiles, tortoises and snakes from all over the world. The vivarium focuses
on education and conservation, organising study trips and various exhibitions.
Located at 32a, rue Cardinal-Journet, Geneva.
www.elapsoidea.ch/
Activities and Sports
Aerial Activities
Paragliding and hang-gliding are possible just about anywhere in there
are mountains. There are more than 600 hot air balloons in the country, but
Chateau d’Oex is the best known hub for this activity. The town hosts an annual
ballooning festival every January. Visit
www.chateau-doex.ch/ for more information or see our
Switzerland Festivals page. Skydiving is also popular.
Courses
Enrich your holiday by learning something new at the Eco Club Migros in
Lausanne. They offer everything from how to make chocolate to how to photograph
your family; computers and mime to Qi-Gong. There are intensive three-hour
courses and weekly courses, some for fun and some for professional advancement.
The club is located at rue Neuve 3, Lausanne. Their schedules are dizzying so
check out their website for more details:
www.ecole-club.ch/ (French, German and Italian). For English enquiries,
phone them on: +41 (0) 21 318 7100.
Cycling
There are 3300 km of well-marked trails, most of which offer easy
cycling, although challenging trails can be found as well. Bicycles can be hired
at most railway stations, hotels and many other locations. Those hired at
stations can then be returned to any station at the end of your journey. You can
also transport your bicycle by train. There are also inline skating routes
throughout the country, varying in difficulty. For more information, visit
www.veloland.ch
Hiking
Hiking is a national passion in Switzerland, and hikers are very well
catered for. Approximately 50,000km of well-marked trails lead through all kinds
of terrain in this spectacularly beautiful country. Hiking times are given on
the signposts, and trails are graded according to degree of difficulty. The
Swiss Hiking Federation supplies maps and guide books, and organises guided
walks. Visit their website for more information:
www.swisshiking.ch (German and French), or
email them on
info@swisshiking.ch for English enquiries.
Mountaineering
There are well-established mountaineering schools in Pontresina,
Meiringen and elsewhere. Zermatt is perhaps the most famous destination for
experienced mountaineers. Contact the Swiss Association of Mountaineering
Schools for more information:
www.bergschule-uri.ch
Mountain Sports
Mountains occupy 60% of Swiss land, so there is a multitude of such
sports like climbing, ice climbing, glacier walking, snow boarding, snow golf,
dog-sledding, and heli-skiing. The Swiss Association of Mountain Guides
publishes a list of approved mountaineering centres as well as a list of
approved guides. Staff at the centres are all well-qualified. Further
information can be obtained from the Swiss Mountain Guide Association website:
www.4000plus.ch
(German, French and English).
Skiing
Switzerland has some of the best skiing in Europe. Some of the top ski
resorts are in Berner Oberland, Graubunden and Valais. The season generally
lasts from mid-December to late March. At higher altitudes, however, it is
possible to ski into summer or even year-round on some glaciers. Equipment can
always be hired at the ski centres. Cross country skiing is nearly as popular as
downhill and Switzerland’s trails compare to the best in Scandinavia. One
especially good area for cross country is the Jura Mountains around Saignelegier.
Most ski resorts have at least one ski school offering group or private lessons.
Swiss Snowsports has a list of ski schools around the country. Visit their
website:
www.snowsports.ch (German and French), or call them on +41 (0) 31 810 4111
for English enquiries.
Spa Time
Those seeking a restful holiday will delight in the many spa towns in
Switzerland such as Baden in Basel, Bad Ragaz, Davos in Graubunden, Leukerbad in
Valais, Rheinfelden and Yverdon-les-Bains in Vaud near Lake Geneva. Switzerland
Tourism (www.switzerlandtourism.com)
and Espaces Thermaux Suisses (www.heilbad.org)
can provide lists of spas including: Engadin Spa, Scoul (+41 81 861 2000);
combines ancient Roman-Irish baths with thermal pools, Finnish saunas and a
brine pool. Therme Vals, Vals (+41 81 926 8080) is a fantastic newer spa inside
a stunning building. Its focus is on stress-relieving massage, body peels and
Thalassotherapy.
Water Sports
Lakes such as Lake Geneva, Lugano, and Neuchâtel offer sailing,
water-skiing, wake-boarding, paddle-boats and canoeing. Rafting is possible on
many Alpine rivers including the Rhine and the Saane. Canoeing is mainly on the
Muota River in Schwyz canton and on the Doubs River in the Jura. Rowing can be
done on Lake Zurich and there is an annual rowing regatta held on Lake Thun in
Thun, Berner Oberland. There is a sailing school in Lausanne. Contact the owner,
M. Doll on +41 (0) 21 635 5887, or go to the port and ask for him. Sailing
season is from April to November.
Dining
Switzerland is of course famous for its mouth-watering variety of chocolates and
cheeses. Another great speciality is fondue, a delicious concoction of Gruyère
and Vacherin cheese, melted and mixed with white wine, flour, Kirsch and a
little garlic. More cheese delights are Emmental and Tête de Moine. Pork
sausages or salami come in a variety of local recipes including Beinwurst,
Engadinerwurst, Kalbsleberwurst (calf’s liver pâté), Knackerli, Landjäger and
Leberwurst (pâté). Other national dishes are Viande sèchée (dried beef or pork)
from Valais and the Grisons where it is called Bündnerfleisch, served with
spring or pickled onions, Papet vaudoir (leeks and potatoes), Pieds de porc
(pigs' feet), and Rösti (shredded fried potatoes). Desserts include Leckerli
(spiced honey cakes topped with icing sugar, decorated in Bern with a white
sugar bear), Fasnachtküchli (sugar-dusted pastries eaten during Carnival),
Gugelhopf (a type of sponge cake with a hollow centre), and Schaffhausen
(cream-filled cakes).
A great variety of Swiss wines are available throughout the country as well as
beer, Kirsch, Marc, Pflümli and Williams spirits.
Bars and cocktail lounges have table and/or counter service. Although there are
many self-service snack bars, table service is the norm. By law, a service
charge is included in all hotel, restaurant, cafe, bar, taxi and hairdressing
services; further gratuities are not usually required.
Most major towns and resorts have nightclubs or discos with music and dancing,
sometimes serving food. Some bars and restaurants have local folk entertainment.
Shopping
Shopping in Switzerland is a joy. Whether you wish to rummage through flea
markets or comb through luxury boutiques, you will not be disappointed. Of
course, you will encounter all the world's best known brands but above all,
don't miss out on Swiss designers.
Visit this website for further information about
Shopping for Jewellery in Switzerland.
The most renowned and popular Swiss products are all sorts of watches and clocks
from Swatch to Rolex. The Rolex headquarters are located in Geneva. Jewellery,
textiles such as St. Gallen lace and embroideries), Bernese woodcarving, and the
Swiss Army Knives of Wenger SA and Victorinox are also wonderful souvenirs.
Other perfectly Swiss souvenirs are cowbells and cuckoo clocks, quality fondue
sets, toys and handbags. Switzerland is home to Freitag (www.freitag.ch),
the maker of trendy courier style satchels made from recycled plastic. A great
gift for children and artists are the world’s first water-soluble pencils,
invented by Switzerland’s Caran d’Ache (www.carandache.ch).
The Swiss also make great shoes and boots. Check out the Bally and Navyboot
shops throughout the country.
To give you an idea of what awaits you in Switzerland, here is a brief guide of
the best known shopping areas.
Bern
For the ultimate romantic experience, shop in Bern's historical centre, in
centuries-old buildings where luxury boutiques are cheek-to-cheek with bakeries
and delicatessens. Because pedestrians walk under covered eaves, shopping here
is enjoyable come rain or shine.
Geneva
Shopping in Geneva is a delight. Whether you stroll through the Rue Basses with
its hip little boutiques or the chic Rue du Rhone, Rue de la Confédération, Rue
du Marché, Rue de la Croix-d'Or or Rue du Mont-Blanc, Geneva shopping is pure
class.
Lugano
Lugano offers shopping with an Italian flare. Stroll through Italianate
piazzas such as Piazza Riforma and the Via Nassa, where all the world's major
brands converge. Even stylish people from Milan come and shop here!
Lucerne
Tradition and modernity goes hand in hand in this lovely town on Lake Lucerne.
Be sure to stop in at Bucherer's - the renowned watch and jewellery store whose
headquarters are here. More than 4000 watches and pieces of jewellery are on
display, ranging from practical to extravagant (www.bucherer.com)
Zurich
Zurich's Bahnhofstrasse has a long standing reputation for being one of the
world's premiere shopping venues. Whether you are looking for watches,
chocolate, accessories, fashion, or antiques, you will find it here or close by.
And of course, one of the most prominent stores on Bahnhofstrasse is Bucherer, a
wonderful place to find top-notch watches and jewellery. Check out the
Heimatwerk shops for a wide variety of quality gifts and souvenirs. There is one
Heimatwerk shop at the Rudolf-Brun Bridge and one in the Main Train Station (www.heimatwerk.ch).
Shops are generally open Monday to Friday 08:30-12:00 and 14:00-18:30, Saturday
08:00-12:00 and 13:30-16:00. Most shops are closed on Monday mornings.
Tax
Swiss Value Added Tax (VAT) is easily reimbursed if using the Global Refund
system. Visit
www.globalrefund.com for further information.
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