Is Switzerland the most beautiful country in the World?

Last Updated on 28th February 2024 by Sophie Nadeau

With rolling green hills, eternal snow and more varieties of cheeses than you can name, it’s no surprise that Switzerland is a country that’s often at the top of everyone’s bucket list! From the moment I booked my plane ticket, there was one question on my mind: ‘Is Switzerland the most beautiful country in the World?’

My experience visiting Switzerland for the first time

As soon as I stepped off the plane, I knew that was going to fall in love with Switzerland! If I’m honest, all it took was around 1.35 seconds. Already I could see the iconic snow-capped mountains and evergreen forests stretching out into the distance and over the horizon…

So Is Switzerland the Most Beautiful Country in the World ?? Well, here are a few factors for consideration and so read on to discover why Switzerland is as beautiful as everyone says it is…

If you’re looking for even more information and inspiration, then be sure to check out our guide to the best-kept secrets of Switzerland. For an idea on where to go and how long to spend there, be sure to check out our guide on ‘how to spend three days in Switzerland‘ and ‘how to spend one week in Switzerland’.

Reasons Switzerland is the most beautiful country in the world

Architecture in Switzerland

Swiss Architecture is not only stunning but unique. It is nothing like the architecture of other European cities like London or Paris (although with all that water surrounding the towns, I started thinking of Amsterdam)! Although the first thing you may think of when you hear the words “swiss house” is a chalet, high up in snow covered mountains, this is definitely not the case!

Perhaps one of the most attractive qualities of Swiss Architecture is that each town, city and village has its own unique vibe and feel. While Zurich has successfully blended new and old, Luzern (also known as Lucerne) has got an older, more romantic feel.

The Swiss Lakes

From the amount of water in Switzerland, you’d never guess that this was a landlocked country! And that’s because all major towns and cities are built around lakes… The lowest lying lake is Lake Maggiore, which borders with Italy and is home to gems such as Ascona.

Perhaps what surprised me the most was how clear all of the lakes were. Despite the freezing temperatures and the surprising number of boats, you could see to the bottom of almost every single lake we visited!

Languages spoken in Switerland

There is not one or two, or even three official languages, in Switzerland… but four! This means that a visit to Switzerland is the perfect opportunity for any budding (or accomplished) linguist. If you don’t speak any other language, a large percentage of the population also speak at least a little bit of English.

French, German, Italian and Romansh are all spoken in various regions throughout the country.  Although the former three are spoken widely throughout Europe, Romansh is a bit like Breton in that very few native speakers of the language remain.

Also known as Romansch or Romanche, the language is mainly found in the South-eastern part of Switzerland. Sadly, mainly due to globalisation, today, there are under 40,000 native speakers of this rapidly declining language.

Mountains in Switzerland

Trains wind through the picturesque mountains, skiing being a very popular past time! For a country that is just over 40,000km squared, there are an awful lot of mountains in Switzerland (in fact, there are over 450 mountains in Switzerland!).

What might shock you the most is that the state of California in the USA is 10 times larger than Switzerland. This should give you an idea of how mountainous the country really is! The most famous mountain in Switzerland is most definitely the Matterhorn. A large mountain in the alps, it sits on the border between Switzerland and Italy.

If you’re in search of a particularly unique way to experience the mountains of Switzerland (particularly during the snow of the winter), then I highly recommend buying tickets for the Bernina Express, which runs between Chur in Switzerland and the North of Italy.

Swiss Cuisine and food!

Home to fondue; both chocolate and cheese varieties taste like heaven on a plate- albeit, not together! Switzerland is also known for its luxury chocolate and cheeses. Many regions of the country produce wine and other alcoholic beverages include absinthe and brandy. 

Although a large proportion of Swiss dishes were created in Switzerland itself, others have been inspired by Switzerland’s close neighbours. Influence on Swiss Cuisine predominantly comes from its nearest neighbours; France, Germany and Italy. This means that the food in Switzerland is a unique infusion of various cultures and traditions…

Weather in Switzerland

From bikini and sunbathing weather in the summer to full on winter Narnia dreamscapes in the Winter, Swiss weather really does have it all. The vast temperature differences between Summer and Winter also contribute to making Switzerland one of the best places to see Autumn in the World. Think: burnt umber oranges and amber reds dotting the misty landscape…

Now who wants to go to Switzerland? I know that I already want to return!

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Sophie Nadeau loves dogs, books, travel, pizza, and history. A Francophile at heart, she runs solosophie.com when she’s not chasing after the next sunset shot or consuming something sweet. She splits her time between Paris and London and travels as much as she can! Subscribe to Sophie’s YouTube Channel.

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