While Switzerland may be popular for producing the best cheese, pocketknives, watches, and chocolates, perhaps the biggest attraction to the European nation of Switzerland is its attractive natural beauty. Here is a list of the top natural wonders in Switzerland that stand out as the best in Switzerland.
- Oeschinensee- As a part of the Jungfrau-Aletsch- Bietschhorn, UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is a horseshoe-shaped tiny lake located in the Bernese Oberland of Switzerland. While the lake may be small at just over 1 square kilometre, it has been perfectly formed by the Mother Nature and preferably located above Kandersteg, at a height of 1,578 meters. The shimmering turquoise waters of Oeschinensee also enables a mirror reflection of the peaks along the coast, towering over 3,000 meters in the clouds. From the Kandersteg, visitors can go trekking up to the lake by gondola lift to enjoy some picture-perfect views from all the angles.
- Rhine Falls- Formed by the last ice age over 14,000 years ago, the Rhine Falls are situated on the Upper Rhine between Laufen-Uhwiesen and Neuhausen am Rheinfall. This fall is not only the largest one in Switzerland, but they are also the largest plain waterfall on the European continent at about 150 meters wide and 23 meters high. During the summer peak season, Rhine Falls pushes over 700,000 litres of water over the edge every second. Visitors can stand over a platform feeling the spray of roaring water or participate in a boating voyage to the island in the heart of the Rhine Falls in order to feel the ultimate power of Rhine Falls.
- Aletsch Glacier- In the eastern Bernese Alps in the Swiss canton of Valais lies the popular Aletsch glacier, a spectacular remnant of the last Ice Age that carved out the Alps. With a length of about 23 kilometres and a width of over 120 square kilometres, the Great Aletsch Glacier is the biggest glacier in the Alps and entire Europe. In fact, scientists have declared that this single glacier comprises of 27 billion tons of ice. The only way to catch a close view of the Aletsch Glacier is by cable car, overseeing the famous Eggishorn and Bettmerhorn.
- Matterhorn- Overlapping the border between Italy and Switzerland, the Matterhorn stands proudly as the tallest mountain in the Alps at a stretch of 4,478 meters. With its inimitable pyramidal shape, this mountain has four faces that face four main compass points. Since the faces of the mountain are so steep, visitors can see the glaciers that have formed at the base of every peak, including Zmutt Glacier on the western side. Not only does the Matterhorn stand out for its huge size, but it is also totally isolated from other neighbouring mountains and appears grand with its signature curved peak. The magnificent Matterhorn can be visited from the Italian side in Breuil-Cervinia or Swiss side in Zermatt.
- Lauterbrunnen Valley- Snuggled between enormous rock faces and towering mountain peaks, the Lauterbrunnen Valley is regarded as the best impressive glacial valley in the Alps. Although it’s barely one kilometre wide, it is more than 3 kilometres deep with its unique U-shaped wide flat valley bottom and cliffs. This place is home to 72 thundering waterfalls, including the famous Staubbach Falls, which is Europe’s highest free-falling waterfall plunging to nearly 300 meters from a pendulous mountain.