As one of the most beautiful countries in the world, I wanted to take a look at the geography of Switzerland. Take this post as the essentials of the geography of Switzerland mixed with travel ideas.

Switzerland is a strange country, and also one of my favorites, being that it’s landlocked and almost entirely covered by mountains. And geography has shaped this country for a long time. At one point, Switzerland was one of the poorest countries in Europe but has risen to be an efficient and wealthy nation. Here is what I’ve learned about the geography of Switzerland and how it has shaped this beautiful nation.

Geography of Switzerland

Map of Switzerland

Below I have a simple map of Switzerland. Switzerland is landlocked with Germany to the north, Liechtenstein/Austria to the east, Italy to the south and France to the west. It’s not a huge country by any means and it would be possible to cross the country within a couple of hours driving or by train. You can see from the satellite view that the country is very mountainous and it becomes more mountainous the more south you go towards Italy.

Scroll into the maps for a closer view!

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A Country Divided by Language

Switzerland is a rare country being that it’s “divided” by languages. Switzerland has four national languages Swiss German, French, Romansh, and Italian and the geography is shaped by those languages. You can guess that the western part of the country near Geneva speaks French. The northern parts close to Germany speak Swiss-German. The southern part speaks Italian. And Romansh in the most eastern part of the country in the Canton of Grisons. German is the most widely spoken with around 63% of the population followed by French at 20%, Italian at 7% and Romansh with less than 1%.

Zurich sits as pretty much the hub of Switzerland and is the largest city. It is in the Swiss-German part of Switzerland and it’s where the majority of travelers will enter Switzerland. It’s one of my favorite cities in Switzerland certainly worth a visit.

That being said, Geneva in the French part is also a very well known city and a great city to fly into to explore Switzerland. It’s perhaps not as cute as Zurich but still in a beautiful part of Switzerland with France completely surrounding it. The capital, Bern, sits rightfully in the center of these two regions.

Mountains Define Switzerland

The striking feature of Switzerland is the beautiful mountains that cover most of it. These mountains define the Swiss identity and culture. Thousands of tourists come to hike, climb, or just admire some of the most iconic peaks in the world.

Switzerland is probably one of the most continuously mountainous countries in the likes of countries like Bhutan and Nepal. For me, this is the allure of Switzerland and the Swiss Alps are different than any mountains we have here in North America. Surprisingly they are not as old compared to many mountain ranges across the globe. The Swiss Alps are getting slowly taller but erosion due to climate change may mean they are staying around the same height.

However, it should be stated that the major cities are on the hills and plains that lead up to the Alps. Zurich, Gevena, Bern, and Basel all sit in relatively flat areas compared to the mountains in the south.

Switzerland is Diverse

For such a small country Switzerland is very diverse. Elevations range from 633 feet to 15,203 feet and many different types of climates can be found in small areas. It’s possible to grow a Mediterranean type of plant in some parts or have eternal snow in others. Therefore microclimates are very common and it will depend on what part of the country and the elevation you are at to get an idea of climate.

Travel

Traveling around Switzerland is easy. If you’re flying in, it’s going to be from Zurich or Geneva. These airports are connected by trains and to me, that’s the best way to travel the country. It is possible to rent cars but I think it’s simply easier just to take the trains around Switzerland. They will take you everywhere you want to go and even to the tops of Switzerland.

Trains are also a good way to get into Switzerland and they come from all directions into the country. Most will probably end at Zurich or Geneva and from there you can connect anywhere into Switzerland. Trains are probably one of the things I love about traveling in Switzerland. It’s just easy.

Switzerland is known for its charming villages in the mountains and that’s where I would begin if you’re planning on traveling Switzerland. There is the famous Matterhorn which sits in the southwest part of the country with the city of Zermatt below. There is Interlaken towards the center of the country along with Lucerne. And then you have the famous ski resort of St. Moritz and bigger cities like Chur. The joy of Switzerland is going past these main cities and discovering tiny villages that dot the mountains.

What I Would Do?

Switzerland is an excellent place and mountaineer’s dream. It has the right European charm with small villages that have unbelievable views. Sometimes you won’t believe this exists on earth. I think a good plan to visit Switzerland is to hit a significant city first like Geneva, Bern, Lucerne or Zurich. I’ve been to all of these cities, and each has its charm.

From there, take a train into the mountains and take some time to enjoy the mountains and Swiss culture. To me, this is the best way to experience Switzerland and all it has to offer. The geography of Switzerland is insane and one of the unique in the world.

More Info on Switzerland

Switzerland is well traveled and there is a lot to understand about this country. There are some great guides and books that you can read more about if you’re planning to visit Switzerland.