Best places to run in Switzerland

A 1.4 km limestone gorge where the river Aare squeezes through walls up to 50 m high, walkable on suspended boardwalks.

A car-free plateau with high trails along the Aletsch Glacier rim and the ancient Aletschwald pine forest.

The longest glacier in the Alps (about 20 km); the Aletsch Panoramaweg trail runs along its flank with jaw-dropping views of the ice river.

A serene high lake that mirrors the Schreckhorn and Wetterhorn, reached on a gentle famous trail from First.

A wooded riverside park along the Arve and Rhône in Geneva, with shaded running and walking paths in the city.

A 2350 m summit above Lake Brienz with a steam cog railway and exposed ridge hikes overlooking the turquoise lake.

A powerful 80 m waterfall beside a stone hamlet in the wild Val Bavona, reached by a short walk through traditional Ticino villages.

A brilliant blue-green forest lake near Flims with a wooded shore path and a small island, fed by underground springs.

The highest peak of the Bernese Jura at 1606 m, a broad ridge with a sweeping panorama from the Alps to the Black Forest.

A picture-perfect medieval lake castle on the Lake Geneva shore, reached by a flat lakeside walking path from Montreux.

A vast natural rock amphitheatre 1.4 km wide and 150 m deep in the Jura, circled by a clifftop trail with ibex and chamois.

Famous for its sheer 1800 m north face; the Eiger Trail walks dramatically along the base of the wall from Eigergletscher to Alpiglen.

A classic high-ridge day hike from Schynige Platte over the Faulhorn to First, with continuous Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau views.

A leafy river gorge in the Jura with mossy stone bridges and a well-graded path following emerald pools.

A 3089 m ridge reached on foot or by rack railway with a panorama of the Matterhorn and 29 surrounding 4000 m peaks above the Gorner Glacier.

The 'Top of Europe' saddle at 3454 m beneath the Jungfrau, with glacier walking on the Aletsch firn for well-equipped hikers.

A vivid turquoise reservoir below the Moiry Glacier with a lakeshore path and a steeper trail to the glacier viewpoint.

Lake Geneva's flat lakeside promenade runs for miles past vineyards and Montreux's waterfront, ideal for easy running and walking.

A deep U-shaped glacial valley walled by cliffs with 72 waterfalls; a flat, scenic valley-floor path links villages beneath the Jungfrau massif.

UNESCO terraced vineyards above Lake Geneva, laced with gentle paved paths winding between stone walls with Alp and lake views.

A small warm forest lake near St. Moritz with an easy, beloved larch-fringed loop walk and Bernina views.

Switzerland's iconic pyramidal 4478 m peak; only the summit is for serious alpinists, but stunning trails like the Five Lakes walk circle its base with constant views.

One of Switzerland's sunniest peaks at 925 m, with a steep path up and views over Lugano's bay and the southern Alps.

A 912 m sugarloaf above Lake Lugano with a 360-degree panorama of the lake, the Alps and the Po plain; ridge trails descend to Carona.

A grassy 1963 m ridge above Lake Thun with ibex sightings and panoramic ridge walks toward the Justistal.

A turquoise UNESCO-listed mountain lake ringed by the Blüemlisalp peaks; loop trails range from an easy lakeshore stroll to a strenuous high panorama path.

Switzerland's only national park, a strictly protected wilderness in the Engadine with marked trails through forests rich in ibex, deer and bearded vultures.

A craggy 2128 m massif above Lake Lucerne with the world's steepest cog railway and ridge trails like the Dragon Path.

A 3262 m peak with one of the best Bernina-range panoramas in the Engadine, reached by a steep but non-technical hiking path.

A 250 m cascade made famous by Sherlock Holmes; a steep path climbs alongside the falling water.

Europe's most powerful waterfall on the Rhine, 150 m wide; viewing trails and platforms line both banks.

The 'Queen of the Mountains' at 1798 m, with gentle panoramic ridge walks overlooking Lakes Lucerne and Zug.

The 2502 m high point of the Alpstein with a six-country panorama; the Lisengrat ridge route to it is exposed and thrilling.

A 2970 m summit with a revolving restaurant and a 200-peak panorama; the steep descent trail to Mürren is a classic challenging walk.

A postcard alpine lake cradled in the Alpstein cliffs, reached by a short steady climb from Wasserauen.

A 297 m free-falling ribbon of water tumbling off a cliff above Lauterbrunnen village, with a short path leading behind the falls.

Europe's largest subterranean waterfalls, ten glacier-fed cascades inside the mountain reached by walkways and tunnels.

Zürich's home mountain at 871 m, with forest trails and a ridge 'Planet Path' overlooking the city, lake and Alps.

A stunning valley of emerald pools and smooth granite, with the photogenic Roman-style Ponte dei Salti bridge and riverside trails.