Switzerland may be rich in five-star lakes and mountains, but it’s not always the first destination that springs to mind when considering a European city break . But this Alpine nation’s towns and cities have charm, buzz and beauty in abundance, and travellers are finally cottoning on. With quick flights from the UK (flights from London to Zurich take less than two hours), you could be exploring medieval cobbled streets and sipping a spritz at a lakeside restaurant before you know it.
From the prettiest small towns to bigger cities awash with culture and nightlife, we round up the best places for an urban break in Switzerland. You’d be hard-pressed not to fall in love at first sight with the Swiss capital. Inside the bend of the turquoise River Aare sits Bern’s medieval Altstadt (Old Town), a UNESCO World Heritage site thanks to its beautifully preserved cobbled streets and monuments, including the Zytglogge clock tower, Münster (cathedral) and colourful fountains.
Boutiques, bars and restaurants are tucked under the Lauben (covered walkways) or in the tiny cellars beneath, while numerous café terraces animate the streets and squares. One of the smartest joints in town is the five-star Schweizerhof Bern , the city’s oldest luxury hotel, which occupies a mid-19th-century building in the Old Town. Some 30 kilometres upriver from Bern but less well-known, Thun charms visitors with an Old Town filled with cobbled streets, flower-bedecked buildings and unusual raised.