Holiday destinations in Switzerland

The town of Biel, the metropolis of Swiss watchmaking, lies at the eastern end of Lake Biel, at the foot of the Jura in the delightful Lake Region. The charm of bilingualism, the intact old town and its location as the gateway to the three peripheral Jura lakes (Lakes Biel, Neuchâtel and Murten) make the town an attractive starting point, but also a destination for excursions.

The small town of Olten lies between Solothurn and Aarua at the southern foot of the Jura on the river Aare. Thanks to its central location in the Swiss Mittelland, the town is a popular venue for conventions and meetings. The unspoiled nature of the nearby Jura heights however also makes the area an attractive leisure region.

Solothurn is regarded as the finest Baroque town in Switzerland, where Italian grandeur is combined with French charm and German practicality. The so-called “ambassador’s town” is at the southern end of the Jura by the River Aare, about 30 km east of Biel/Bienne.

The small town of Burgdorf at the gateway to the Emmental – thanks to the cheese of the same name, a well-known hilly and forest landscape with spacious farmhouses – possesses an exemplary mediaeval old town with late-baroque patrician houses and an impressive castle. The town is the ideal starting point for excursions into the Emmental and for visits to the surrounding towns of Berne, Solothurn, Biel and Thun.

The beautiful hilly landscape around Langnau in Emmental is characterised by lush meadows, quiet forests and breathtaking views of the tops of the Bernese Alps and the Jura mountains.

Aarau, the capital of the Canton of Aargau in the Swiss Mittelland, is located on the River Aare to which the town and canton owe their name. The charming old town boasts the most beautiful eaves, the so-called "Dachhimmel", in Switzerland. The people of Aargau come into their own celebrating festivals and old customs such as the «Maienzug» and «Bachfischet»

Region: Schweizer Mittelland
Canton: Aargau (AG)
Altitude: 385 - 908 m
Inhabitants: 560'000

Not many cities have managed to retain their historic features quite as successfully as Bern, the capital of Switzerland. The old town of Bern has been entered in the list of UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Sites and thanks to its 6 kilometres of arcades - the locals refer to them as 'Lauben' - boasts on of the longest weather-sheltered shopping promenades in Europe. The Zentrum Paul Klee houses the most comprehensive collection of works by the artist.

Region: Schweizer Mittelland
Canton: Berne (BE)
Altitude: 700 m
Inhabitants: 150'000

Region: Schweizer Mittelland
Canton: Solothurn (SO)
Altitude: 290 - 720 m
Inhabitants: 31'000