We are now in the mountains and they are in us, kindling enthusiasm, making every nerve quiver, filling every pore and cell of us.”
These are the words of John Muir who is also known as “John of the mountains”. The feeling he described when he said these words is easily reachable once you are in Switzerland.
Switzerland is home to many mountains. In fact, mountains in Switzerland cover 60 percent of the land area. The two main mountain ranges in Switzerland are the Alps (south and east) and Jura (north and west).
These two ranges are separated by the Swiss Plateau which includes numerous hills. You will not make a mistake when you visit the mountains in Switzerland. Every single one is wondrous no matter what time of the year it is.
To keep you in the right direction, here is a list of the top 9 mountains in Switzerland, all 100% worth visiting. Check them out:
- The Matterhorn
- Monte Rosa
- Pilatus
- Jungfrau
- Eiger
- Mount Rigi
- Piz Bernina
- Mönch
- Titlis
1. The Matterhorn
The Matterhorn is not only one of the most popular mountains in Switzerland but also in the world. People from around the globe come to visit it and enjoy its majestic beauty. It is said that the famous Toblerone chocolate’s shape is supposed to represent the Matterhorn, but the makers say otherwise.
The shape of the chocolate is supposed to represent something completely different. It was inspired by a show at the Folies Bergѐre – a famous music hall in Paris. At the end of the show, dancers formed a huge, human triangle which apparently impressed young Tobler (creator of the Toblerone chocolate).
Matterhorn is located in the Valais region where you will find some of the highest mountains in Switzerland. It is 4478m tall. The mountain sits on the Swiss-Italian border and with its jagged tooth-like appearance it amazes everyone. Matterhorn completely dominates the resort of Zermatt.
It is only natural that the most amazing views of the Matterhorn peak can be seen from Zermatt. People visit this area as it is a crown jewel of ski resorts in Switzerland. The ski area which is available here is massive. It is well connected as there are plenty of cable cars. The world’s highest tri-cable car system connects Trockener Steg with Matterhorn glacier paradise station at 3,883 meters. You can ski across two countries when you are here. Isn’t that fun?
Photographers adore this mountain. It is one of the most photographed mountains in the world. When you visit one of the many lakes that are in the proximity of the mountain, you will be able to see Matterhorn reflecting on its surface on a good day. It creates scenery that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
Be advised that only the most skilled mountain climbers can climb the Matterhorn.
Related: Things to do in Zermatt all year round.
2. Monta Rosa
Monta Rosa is the highest mountain in Switzerland. It is 4634 m high and is located in the Valais region. Only very skilled mountaineers can climb the mountain. It can be very dangerous for the rest. Monta Rosa can be reached from Saas-Fee or Zermatt.
Some people who don’t want to climb the mountain but still decide to come close stay overnight at the Monta Rosa hut.
The hut is located at the foot of the mountain. To get to the hut you have to cross a small glacier. So, you must have the appropriate equipment and most importantly experience to do so.
You should hire a guide to take you there from Zermatt. Some inexperienced tourists thought that they can do it alone but ended up being in danger. They had to call a helicopter to save them which ended up costing 4000 dollars. They bitterly regretted not hiring a guide.
The Monta Rosa hut opened in September 2009 and since its opening, it attracts many visitors. What draws people to come to this hut is not only the mountain but also the amazing design and innovative architecture.
3. Pilatus
Mountain Pilatus is not the highest mountain in Switzerland but it also is number one in the world for something. The mountain is 2129m high and is located in central Switzerland. It rises above the southwestern shore of Lake Lucerne.
To get to the mountain you can ride the world’s steepest cog railway. The railway was commissioned in 1889 at a gradient of up to 48 percent. The incline starts at Alpnachstad and ends at Pilatus Kulm. When you are riding it, you get to see amazing alpine meadows and breathtaking rock formations.
History of the world’s steepest cog railway on Mt. Pilatus
When railway’s engineer Eduard Locher presented his plans in 19 century, most of people thought that he has gone insane.
But to their disbelief, the railway opened in 1889. It was 4618 meters long and it connected Apnachstad with Pilatus Kulm.
For the train to move forward at a 48% gradient, the Eduard Locher came up with an ingenious design. Two horizontally rotating cogwheels made the climb possible. The incline was not reduced since its opening until today and this cog railway still stands as the world’s steepest.
Other ways to reaching Pilatus
The cog railway is not the only way to reach the mountain. You can get there by using a gondola from Kriens or hike up from Alpnachstadt. This hike is for extremely fit people and is insanely hard. It takes 4 to 6 hours to complete it.
Pilatus, the mountain of dragons
People around the world have always been mesmerized by the idea that dragons had existed. Pilatus is also called dragon’s lair and many stories connect this mountain with these magical creatures.
The mountain of dragons, Pilatus, inspires artists to this day. Steven Reineke composed a true masterpiece “Pilatus: Mountain of Dragons” in 2002”. This composition depicts travelers climbing the mountain Pilatus in search of the dragons.
In the Middle Ages, people believed that dragons lived in the rugged clefts and crevices of the mountain. These dragons had healing powers too.
Legend says that in summer 1421 a huge dragon flew to the mountain Pilatus and crashed to the ground. It happens that the dragon crashed very close to the farmer Stempflin and the farmer fainted. When he recovered the dragon was gone. The things this creature left behind were a lump of clotted blood and the Dragon Stone. In the year 1509, this stone was legally declared to have healing powers.
4. Jungfrau
Jungfrau, Switzerland is a famous peak at an altitude of 4,158 meters. It dominates the Lauterbrunnen valley and it stretches 18 kilometers south-southeast of the resort of Interlaken.
This beautiful mountain divides the cantons of Bern and Valais by stationing in the Bernese Alps. There stretch two other peaks: the Finsteraarhorn and the Aletschhorn and they exhort in height.
Jungfrau climbing history
In 1811, two Swiss brothers, Rudolf and Hieronymus Meyer, made the first ascent on the eastern or Valais side.
Later in 1865, two Englishmen made the first endeavoring ascent on the western or Interlaken side.
And finally, in 1927, two guides made the first ascent on the south side.
What to do in Jungfrau Region?
There are endless activities to keep you entertained and a wide range of hotels to stay in Jungfrau Region. It includes the following resorts:
- Wengen
- Mürren
- Lauterbrunnen
All of them are very popular and commonly visited destinations.
What to do during WINTER in the Jungfrau region
Around these three resorts and Hasliberg are a total of 260 km of ski runs varying in length (from 6 to 12 kilometers) and levels of difficulty.
More than 40% of these ski runs boast high-quality snow-making machines.
Non-skiers will have a blast here, too. There are 100 kilometers of winter trails for exploring the mountain on foot.
Moreover, this region is a Mecca for tobogganing – offering numerous toboggan runs. One of them is the longest toboggan run in the Alps.
What to do during SUMMER in the Jungfrau region
In summer, hikers go on an adventure among 500 kilometers of marked walking, hiking, and mountain trails.
The alpine and crystal-blue lakes along with waterfalls will energize every visitor and impress with their beauty.
When in Jungfrau Region, expect fascinating views of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau.
Furthermore, the spectacular landscape has been awarded the status of a UNESCO World Heritage site.
How to get to the Jungfrau region?
The Jungfrau region can be easily explored by public transport.
Trains and cable cars can take you to every spot of this vast area. There are frequent trains from Interlaken to Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen.
If your travel starts in Interlaken, a car can take you to Lauterbrunnen/Stechelberg and Grindelwald. From there, trains and cable cars will transport you up to the mountains.
You won’t need a car to get around in the Jungfrau region.
To reach Jungfrau region in utmost comfort hire one of our immaculate limousines.
5. Eiger
Nestled in the center of the Bernese Alps, Eiger represents the home of one of the most epic climbs.
One of the Great North Faces of the Alps belongs to the Eiger thanks to its northern flank, which extends about 3,000 meters beyond the valley.
As it possesses tremendous beauty, Eiger has always attracted alpinists to its slopes.
The North Face
Back in 1858, Charles Barrington, Peter Bohren, and Christian Almer completed the first ascent of the peak without troubling much.
Still, it would take more time until the first ascent of the mountain’s North Face was reached.
It was on July 24, 1938, when a joint Austrian-German climbing team conquer the top for the very first time.
This happened just 2 years after another Austrian-German team experienced a disaster on the mountain. This accident gave the North Face its deadly name.
Even though the mountain was conquered 2 years later, it preserved its notorious name.
Despite advances in climbing technology, the Eiger requires a long experience and a heavy climb. It is famous as the death wall for a very good reason.
The alpinists keep pushing the limits on the majestic Eiger. In the early to mid-2000s, several record-breaking speed attempts on the North Face were made by the late Ueli Steck of Switzerland. He climbed the mountain in just over 2 hours!
Eiger today
This well-known peak appeared in numerous movies, and it is one of the most documented peaks around the world. It is a real endeavor to climb the mountain from all sides, and no easy routes are leading to the top.
The Eiger is surrounded by massive glaciers and perfectly preserved rolling fields at the bottom.
Even though COVID-19 slows travel to Switzerland, the Eiger proceeds to force a gravitational pull that cannot be compared to any other mountain in Europe.
Despite coronavirus expansion in the last summer, the Eiger village of Grindelwald welcomed an unbelievable number of overnight visitors – 68,000! The new cableway that can accommodate around 18,000 people per day is about to surpass those numbers.
How to get to Eiger?
Your journey can start at Grindelwald or Interlaken.
If you travel from Interlaken, you can take the train to Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen. There is no difference regarding time travel, but the travel from Grindelwald is a bit cheaper.
From Grindelwald, you can ride the Eiger Express to Eigergletscher.
6. Mount Rigi
Due to its position in the core of Central Switzerland, Mount Rigi is easily reached from any point of the country.
It makes a perfect day trip from hot spots such as Zurich or Lucerne.
The landscapes from the mountain are breathtaking, capturing the Swiss Alps, the lakes, and a remarkable diversity of alpine flora.
Mount Rigi is also known as the Queen of Mountains which fearless arises where three lakes meet: Lake Lucerne, Zug, and Lauerz.
The highest summit on the Rigi-Kulm is at an elevation of 1,797 meters. From this high spot, you can marvel at a spectacular panorama over the nearby Alps, Lake Lucerne, and the Swiss Plateau pointing north.
Mount Rigi’s tourism
Rigi’s distinctive location makes it a very famous destination since forever. It can be regarded as the pioneer mountain of Alpine tourism.
How popular Rigi is among royalty and celebrities witnesses the fact that Queen Victoria was taken up the summit in a sedan chair.
Within the 19th century, many fancy hotels and spas were built in succession in Kaltbad, Rigi Kulm, and on the Scheidegg. Later new features were added above the Klösterli monastery and on the Staffelhöhe.
The highlight of mass tourism appeared in 1871 with the establishment of the Vitznau-Rigi Railway. It was first Europe’s mountain railway and the Arth-Rigi Railway in 1875.
Majestic Round Trip
The ‘Majestic Round Trip’ or ‘Queen of the Mountains Round Trip’ is simply one way of exploring Rigi.
It starts with the boat ride from Lucerne to Vitznau and a change to the cogwheel train to Rigi Kulm. The views from the top are one of a kind experience.
Afterward, you can take the cogwheel train down to Arth-Goldau and change to the regular train to Lucerne.
Visit the cheese-making farm
Within only 20 minutes of walk down from Rigi Kulm, you’ll reach the Alp Chäserenholz cheese dairy, and see in person how the cheese is being made.
There you’ll find a cheese shop, a cheese dairy building with an indoor and outdoor restaurant, a barn, and a cheese aging cellar.
In the summertime, this farm produces up to 15 different types and 12,000 kg of cheese! They start operating early in the morning and continue with the work up to midday.
The visit will cost every cheese lover about 2 CHF.
How to get to Mount Rigi?
If you use the cable car, you can reach it from Weggis.
If you use the cogwheel train, you can reach it from Arth-Goldau or Vitznau.
Speaking of larger cities, the most practical points for reaching Mount Rigi are Lucerne and Zurich.
7. Piz Bernina
Piz Bernina is a classic example of mountains in Switzerland that should be on every climber’s bucket list.
It is the highest peak in the Eastern Alps, rising to 4,049 meters!
As a part of the easternmost alpine Fourthousander, it has a very important role. In addition, it is the only one located in the Eastern Alps (all the alpine four-thousanders belong to the Western Alps).
Along with the Gran Paradiso and the Barre des Ecrins, Piz Bernina represents one of the few “isolated Alpine four-thousanders”. In fact, it is the most isolated mountain in Switzerland in a topographical sense.
This summit is positioned on the main Swiss-Italian watershed, between the municipalities of Samedan and Pontresina. Still, the highest point belongs to Switzerland.
Piz Bernina divides two glacial valleys:
- the Tschierva Glacier on the west side
- the Morteratsch Glacier on the east side
It gives its name to the entire Bernina Massif which stretches 20 kilometers from east to west, and 10 kilometers from north to south.
Piz Bernina climbing history
In 1850, Piz Bernina was climbed for the first time by the Swiss topographer Johann Coaz, accompanied by Joan and Lorenz Ragut Tscharner.
The team decided to go on this adventure after a long and thorough study of the massif.
They chose the rocky East Ridge route and climbed the Vadret da Morteratsch. After mastering the complex seracs of the “labyrinth”, they aimed at the Fuorcla Crast’Agüzza, a col between the Crast’Agüzza and Bernina.
From this point, they followed the East Ridge and conquer the top at 6 pm.
Unit 1914, this route was regarded as the Normal one, for both the Swiss and the Italian sides.
How to get to Piz Bernina?
The main traveling points to the mountain are the villages Pontresina on the Swiss side and Campo Moro in Valmalenco on the Italian side.
Pontresina is just 8 kilometers from St. Moritz, and it is easily accessed from Zurich.
Piz Bernina is frequently climbed on both sides. There are at least 15 climbing routes. The following 3 are the most important:
- Route from the Rif. Marco e Rosa
- South Gully to Breccia dello Scerscen and WSW ridge
- Biancograt Ridge
8. Mönch
Mönch dominates the Bernese Oberland as the middle summit rising from the famous trio of mountains.
It stands up proudly to 4,107 meters above sea level, rising from south-central Switzerland.
The mountain offers a perfect alpinist adventure to both beginners and advanced skiers. It is perfect for mountain climbers too. Upon their ascent, the climbers will be blown away by the panorama of Eiger or ascending Jungfrau.
Mönch climbing history
In 1857, a team of alpinists guided by the pioneering Christian Almer (he made the first ascent of Eiger and 17 other peaks in the Alps) successfully conquered the mountain Mönch.
Since then, the mountain has become very popular for climbers all around the world.
The untouched nature of Mönch gets quite challenging for climbers at the final ridge to the summit, but it provides the most splendid views over the rest of the Bernese Oberland, the Great Aletsch Glacier, and the picturesque Lauterbrunnen Valley.
How to get to Mönch?
The closest international airport to the mountain is in Bern or Zurich.
From both airports expect a memorable and scenic train ride to Interlaken.
From there, you can take the train to Klein Scheidegg or Jungfraujoch.
Train travel is super-easy and trains run frequently.
9. Titlis
The highest summit of Titlis Mountain is at an altitude of 3,239 meters above sea level. This mountain in Switzerland is easily and frequently visited.
The scenic landscapes will make you feel like you really are at the top of the world!
Titlis Rotair Gondola
The new Titlis Rotair gondola is the first fully rotating gondola in the world. From it, you can marvel at the views of the Uri Alps in all their beauty. There are also many restaurants with panoramic views you can visit.
Titlis Glacier Cave
Titlis glacier cave represents the biggest attraction of Mount Titlis. It is located at the top of the mountain with the walls in turquoise-blue.
The temperature in the cave is -1.5˚C all year-round. The view of million tiny crystals amid a glacier will leave you speechless.
Cliffwalk
Cliffwalk is a 100 meters long bridge on Mount Titlis at an altitude of 3,000 meters above sea level.
It is a perfect challenge for adventure seekers, but make sure to choose the right weather – a peaceful and sunny day without the wind to move the bridge.
Before reaching the top, you should visit the lake Trüebsee at an altitude of 1,788 meters and relax in nature. The pasture and mountain reflections make the scenery unique and memorable.
How to get to Mount Titlis?
Mount Titlis can be reached by a gondola from Engelberg to Stand, and continued with a rotating cable car from Stand to Mount Titlis.
From Lucerne or Zurich, you can reach the mountain by car or train.
Railway connections are very good in Switzerland, so you will easily reach the mountain from any point in the country.
Or simply hire a limousine service in Switzerland, and ride in the highest comfort and style. You owe it to yourself.
Interesting facts about mountains in Switzerland
Surprising or not, Switzerland was pretty flat a few million years ago. As the plates started moving, we got the Alps, one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the world.
Here are some interesting facts about mountains in Switzerland you may have never heard before:
- Switzerland has 208 mountains, and the highest peak rises in Mount Rosa (Dufourspitze at 4,634 meters).
- Switzerland boasts more high peaks than any other country in Europe. To be exact, it has 48 peaks that are above 4 000 meters.
- Mountains in Switzerland cover a vast 60% of the country’s land area.
- As there are many Swiss mountains, the country has more than 60’000 km of signposted hiking trails.
- Switzerland would be 12.5% larger if its surface was flattened.
- On the top of Jungfraujoch (at 3,454 meters) is located the highest railway station in Europe.
- Switzerland offers around 5 000 ski lifts, cable cars, and inclines.
- A lot of mountains in Switzerland have bunkers for the army and civilian protection in case of an attack.
- The majestic Grindelwald Mountains of Switzerland were a background for many Star wars movies.
- Thanks to their fresh mountain air, active lifestyle, and the best health care system, the Swiss brags the second-highest life expectancy in the world (after Japan).
Conclusion:
Switzerland is an amazing country and definitely worth your visit.
It is the best place to get away and enjoy the things our glorious planet has to offer. You will feel amazing when you visit the mountains. You may even meet dragons high up. Who knows?
If you’re feeling adventurous, hire one of our limousines to take you to these amazing places.
