Visiting Switzerland With Kids

Switzerland is a stunning country full of jaw-dropping views and adventure-filled experiences. Which also means it’s a great place to bring kids as you can keep them entertained for weeks.

From train rides to the top of soaring peaks to chocolate experiences that will have them asking for more, here are more kid-friendly experiences in Switzerland than you will have time to do in one visit.

Ride The Hammetschwand Glass Elevator

This is something I did for the second time just last week and it’s a little mind-blowing. Imagine taking an elevator over 500ft upwards in under a minute. But here’s the kicker, it’s on the side of a vertical rock face and ends on the top of a small mountain nearly 4000ft high. And, it’s made of glass, so you get to see the view as you soar above Lake Lucerne below.

And if you really want to get the kids excited, this lift also featured in one of the James Bond movies from the 60s – Gold Finger. 

Climb A Mountain By Cog Railway

Another one of a kind experience that will get the kids excited is a ride on a Swiss cog railway to the top of a mountain. There are quite a few of these around because of how hard it is to get a train up a steep hill. So, you have a lot of choice here.

There are at least three around Lucerne on Pilatus, Rigi and Burgenstock (which also goes to the lift mentioned above). Then there is the famous Jungfraujoch ride to the Top of Europe, as well as the Gornergrat in Zermatt. So, you have options no matter where you end up in Switzerland on Vacation.

Take To The Water By Boat

Another great thing about Switzerland is that there are lakes around almost every corner. And it’s very easy to make a day out that includes a boat ride to your destination. Lake Lucerne is one such place which has boats you can take to all the local mountains, with the most famous boat ride forming part of the Pilatus Golden Round Trip, which is a must see in the area.

There are of course boat rides on most of the big lakes like Lake Geneva, Lake Zurich and Lake Constance to name a few.

Hike To Some Amazing Viewpoints

No trip to Switzerland is complete without hiking up to some amazing views. And because there are so many cog railways and gondolas around, you usually won’t have to hike up very far either.

Some of the best are already covered in the sections above like Pilatus, the Hammetschwand Lift, Rigi, Gornergrat and Jungfrau, but of course there are plenty more. Another one I really enjoyed in Grindelwald is the view from the Bachalpsee around 30 minutes walk from the top of the First gondola (see the image above). Or, the view over the longest glacier in Europe – the Aletsch Glacier, which you can see from above Fiesch or Bettmeralp.

Discover Some Famous Swiss Watches

One last thing that is definitely on the cards when in Switzerland is watches. Whether it is just window shopping in the big cities, or checking out one of the many museums dotted around the country, this is the place to discover all there is to know about watches. Many are both historical as well as interactive, so there is often something for the kids as well.

Indulge In Some Chocolate Adventures

Of course, Switzerland is a great place to get down and dirty with cocoa as well with everything from mouth-watering chocolate shops to full chocolate experiences. Keep your eye out for some of the bigger chocolate chain stores like Sprungli, Lindt and Laderach. But also make an effort to pop into the smaller chocolatiers in the big cities too.

Oh, and if you are near Bilten, Zurich or the north end of Lake Geneva – there are great factory tours or shops you can visit too – 

Lindt in Zurich

Laderach in Bilten (about an hour from Zurich)

Maison Cailler (Factory) in Broc

Are there any experiences or activities you’d recommend when visiting Switzerland with kids?

Today’s guest contributor, Anna, was born to travel the world having studied languages all her life. Although she has traveled the world, she now calls Switzerland home and spends her time writing about her experiences on her travel blog with her husband. 

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