Simply put, this country is stunning. The alps cover 60% of Switzerland, which means that there's more than enough breathtaking alpine views to go around. Beyond the beautiful mountains, this small nation is also home to vibrant city culture, and a friendly, welcoming atmosphere, and of course, unlimited delicious chocolate.

I had the privilege to study in Switzerland for one year. During my time spent living in this country, I visited nearly every region and became an expert on Swiss cuisine, culture, and geography. I spend every free moment outside, exploring new villages and mountain valleys, venturing as far out as I could in hopes of getting lost, just so I could find my way back again.

Anyways, throughout my experience, I developed a mental list of my favorite places in the country. Now, I share that list with you. Without further ado, let's get started.

*Note * All photos were taken by myself.

#1 Lauterbrunnen

You know that city in Lord of the Rings, Rivendell? It's the most beautiful city in Middle Earth. In fact, J.R.R. Tolkien used Lauterbrunnen as inspiration for his most beautiful fantasy city. In The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins states:

"Time doesn't seem to pass here: it just is. A remarkable place altogether."

And boy, was he right. This was the first view I had of this magical place.

Twenty minutes outside of Interlaken, one of Switzerland's most popular tourist destinations, lies this beautiful glacial valley. The English translation of Lauterbrunnen is Louder Fountain, which is perfectly fitting because this valley is home to over 70 waterfalls.

This place is must-see. When you visit, you can also take a short gondola ride to Mürren on upper level of the valley. The views from up there aren't too shabby either.

#2 Oeschinensee, Kandersteg

On one of my expeditions, I hiked up to a mountain lake with some buddies in the pitch dark. We had food and camping supplies and knew we were headed to a beautiful lake, but nothing could have prepared us for what we were to behold in the morning: The perfect stillness of the morning lake reflected the alps, the water, a perfect, crystal turquoise.

After waking up and packing our stuff, we headed over to the waterfall for an ice cold shower. And this was just the beginning of an entire day spent hiking around this gorgeous lake.

Right next to this lake is a mountain coaster. So if you're ever lucky enough to visit, and the weather is just right, you may be in for the ride of a lifetime. Unfortunately, it started raining when we wanted to ride the coaster, so we had to postpone the fun. That's okay, it's just an excuse to visit this lovely place again!

#3 Zermatt

Home to the world's most famous mountain–the Matterhorn–this small alpine village truly is special. The grandeur of the alps contrasts heavily with the quaint village. The Matterhorn is so enormous that it looms and sees over everything as if it were an omnipresent Swiss spirit. I had the pleasure to camp and hike the 5-Seenweg, the "five lakes hike" all while photographing everything. I'll let the photos speak for themselves on this one.

#4 Zürich

The metropolitan center of the country, this city really makes you feel like you've entered a fairytale. Dozens of church steeples reaching into the sky, narrow, winding streets of the old city, the sparkling lake filled with beautiful swans, a perfect view of the alps in the distance. This city really is magical.

These two photos above were taken at the Lindenhof, a park that is above the city and has a great view over the river. It's a popular gathering place and, as you can see here, there's even chess boards for anyone to play.

This here is the St Peter's Church, owner of the largest clockface in Europe:

You can also take a train to the top of the Uetliberg, the mountain adjacent to Lake Zurich. I went up here for the first time at 5am, to view the sunrise, and was rewarded with the most beautiful sunrise I have ever seen.

Flying into Zürich is usually how people get to Switzerland. So, when you arrive, I know you want to see the beautiful mountain views, but be sure to enjoy the lovely city life for a few days!

#5 Seealpsee

You'll see an artistic rendition of this mountain lake on the country's most famous beer, the Quöllfrisch. Yet, most Swiss people I spoke with had no idea this lake in the eastern Appenzell region even existed. Personally, it was my go-to place for bringing people to show them what Switzerland is all about. Riding classic trains through the gorgeous country side, hiking up in the mountains past happy cows wearing traditional Swiss cowbells, enjoying a Rösti (Swiss potato dish) and beer at the mountain restaurant. I was lucky enough to visit this otherworldy lake a handful of times; I simply couldn't stay away.

Up above the lake, there's a restaurant literally built on the side of a cliff face. It's called the Aescher and is, in my opinion, the most beautiful restaurant in the world.

Not too bad of a place to enjoy a meal, right?

Well, I think that does it for my five must-see places in Switzerland. This country really is a gem of the world. I hope you've enjoyed my stories and recommendations, and also hope that you have updated your bucket list with some of these amazing places!

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Until next time.