Is this the ideal Swiss road trip?

10.09.2023 - 21:43 / nationalgeographic.com / Art

The Grand Tour of Switzerland is a 1,000-mile drive that swings effortlessly from mood-lifting mountains to sleek, modern cities, in a way few other countries could achieve. Waymarked with characteristic Swiss efficiency and with electric vehicles encouraged, this epic road trip corkscrews up and over five high-altitude Alpine passes, skirts 22 aqua-blue lakes and ticks off 13 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. 

From Benedictine abbeys and medieval forts to mountain peaks, crashing waterfalls and vertiginous vineyards — there’s a picture-perfect moment on every bend. For the best views, hit the road between April and October, as the mountain passes are only open through the summer months. However, alternatives such as tunnels and car-trains are available all year round for those that prefer their peaks snow-capped. 

Whether travelling in winter or summer, dipping in for the day or driving the distance, here are five of the best stops to explore along the route.

Overlooking its piercing blue namesake lake, Switzerland’s financial powerhouse and largest city has both looks and edge. It's also the natural place to start and end the circular route of the Grand Tour. Take in fine arts at the Kunsthaus Zürich, explore avant-garde exhibitions at the Kunsthalle — housed in the revamped Löwenbräu Brewery — and enjoy post-industrial innovation in the Züri-West district. Hugging the banks of the Limmat River, the old town peers up to the Romanesque Grossmünster, well worth a visit to gaze upon Augusto Giacometti’s striking stained-glass windows. In summer, slope off to one of the badis (lidos) on the river or lake for swims and sunset drinks.

Refuel at: Didi’s Frieden, where wine glass chandeliers illuminate seasonal menus that feature the likes of Aargau beef tartare and pike-perch fillet with artichoke ragout.

Colossal peaks increasingly line the road ahead on the drive from Zürich to Appenzell and then on to St Moritz. Perched on the shores of a glittering lake, this Alpine resort is the cradle of Swiss winter tourism — skiers have been flocking to the area’s ski slopes for more than 150 years — but the mountain backdrop is just as ripe for outdoor adventure in the warmer months. From glacier hiking at Diavolezza to wing foiling across azure Lake Silvaplana, there's plenty of opportunity to stretch your legs. 

Refuel at: the heart-warmingly rustic Restaurant Engiadina, which dishes up old-school Swiss staples like bündner gerstensuppe (barley soup), veal with creamy mushroom sauce and rösti, and gooey fondues.

The 24 bends of Ticino’s famous Tremola road up to the Gotthard Pass will see you ascend almost 1,000ft as you journey on from St Moritz towards the ritzy mountain resort of Zermatt. This car-free village