Discover how you can pack skiing and Christmas market shopping into one romantic day on a festive break to Switzerland
The best part of the Christmas season is the build-up – the days and weeks of anticipation, of cosiness, of mulled wine and indulgent confections heralding the wonder of the season.
Walking through the romantic main squares of Switzerland’s cities and towns, crisp, sometimes snowy air around you in the shadow of mediaeval churches, cinnamon scenting the air, you cannot help but get caught up in the excitement of the Advent period.
Best of all, in Switzerland you are never more than a short trip from the slopes: ski all morning, and then settle into an indulgent afternoon of revelry and shopping.
But what to buy? Popular items include nativity scenes crafted from wood; handmade toys for the younger people on your shopping list; handmade beeswax candles; and plenty of sweet treats to take home, from gingerbread to chocolates.
And, of course, there are few more pleasant shopping experiences: embrace the romance and Christmas atmosphere, sample the sausages, biscuits and all manner of melted cheese, and wash it all down with mulled wine.
Set on the edge of Lake Geneva in Switzerland’s ritzy capital of fun, Montreux is a picturesque town famed for its jazz festival and spa breaks. As the Christmas season approaches, wander the 170 chalets lining the lake, feasting on fondue and fulfilling your Christmas shopping list.
Be sure to look out each day at 5pm, 6pm and 7pm for the ferris wheel and Father Christmas on his flying sleigh. Take to the skies yourself with ample nearby slopes.
As you might expect, Switzerland’s cultural capital is all in for Christmas, with 155 rustic wooden chalets across two locations in the city, making this one of the country’s largest markets. Climb the gothic red sandstone cathedral, one of the city’s most popular sites, to take in the sea of lights illuminating the city.
Winning points for variety (and ease of transport – the airport is a short train ride away), the exquisite city of Zurich features both a giant tree, at 15m (42ft), sparkling with lights at the main train station, as well as a nearby singing tree, with daily concerts.
Find further Christmas gifts, mulled wine and cinnamon-laced baked delights at Zurich’s oldest Christmas market, in the romantic Old Town, or for something a bit trendier at the Christmas village on Sechseläutenplatz, by The Opera House, where you can find unusual jewellery and endless tasty treats.
If there is a champion meal for the cold season, it must be fondue: head to Geneva’s Christmas market in the Jardin Anglais, overlooking Lake Geneva and its giant Jet d’Eau fountain.
Be sure to visit the Chalet à fondue, where you can feast after checking items off your shopping list, one artisan-run chalet at a time. The short train journey from Geneva airport couldn’t be easier.
You will find 700 stars shining in and around St Gallen, on the banks of Lake Constance, during the Advent season, permeating the small city with a romantic sparkle.
Sharing cultural heritage with neighbouring Germany and Austria, it’s no surprise that this is one of the best places to sample Glühwein, the cinnamon, cardamom, star anise and ginger-infused warm red wine popular at markets. Try the biggest mulled wine stand Maiersäss.
An integral part of any Christmas market is the biscuits, in particular the biscôme, or Lebkuchen – otherwise known as gingerbread. You will find plenty of these among the 90 chalets on the main street of Bulle, the town near Gruyères in the canton of Fribourg in western Switzerland.
Here you will also find ample handicrafts, ranging from traditional Christmas decorations to charming candle holders.
Capital town of the eastern canton of Grisons, Chur sits in the Rhine valley, where the river turns north. Embrace the fairytale qualities of this largely medieval city by listening to local tales in the local dialect of Romansh, Switzerland’s fourth official language after German, French and Italian.
Take in the romantically lit pastel-coloured buildings in the Old Town as you wander the 160 market stalls.
Give your Christmas an Italian accent with a visit to Bellinzona, in the Italian canton of Ticino, where you will find not one but three UNESCO World Heritage castles and a bustling Christmas market with nearly 200 stalls. Make sure to visit Piazza Collegiata for a ride on the carousel.
Switzerland is easily reachable via train from London or by Swiss International Air Lines. And once you land, the famously efficient public transport will take you to the regions you want to visit by train, bus or boat using the Swiss Travel Pass, available from the Switzerland Travel Centre. Discover Switzerland for yourself at myswitzerland.com
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