Switzerland's Major Tourist Destinations

Switzerland's Major Tourist Destinations
Summer Sports
Hiking
Switzerland maintains a large network of hiking paths with small yellow signposts and markings. There are three categories:
Easy-to-go (flat regions) - no special equipment needed (but not suitable with high-heels)pure yellow signposts and markings
Alpine/mountain trails - use special hiking shoes covering your ankles to prevent location in case your foot bends on bumpy sections of a trail.Yellow signposts with white-red-white marking, white-red-white markings on rocks etc.
Climbing routes - for experienced climbers only (or with a professional guide)blue signs/markings
Most alpine resorts do offer some easy-to-go routes near the village or starting from the top station of a gondola. The majority of hiking trails in the alps will be of the alpine trail category, however. To suggest any particular destination here would be quite unfair to the others as they all invest heavily in maintenance of trails and markings.
Climbing
Climbing is a strong experience - but also a sport with a death toll of about two dozen people every year in Switzerland. Therefore instructions by a qualified guide are an absolute must for beginners. Of course you also need proper equipment (may be rented or is supplied by the guide). For beginners, there are hundreds of indoor and outdoor training facilities all over the country.
Some resorts offer fixed-rope-routes for climbers where you may concentrate on climbing instead of finding the right place to set a clamp. Among these are: Aletsch (Wallis), Andermatt (Uri), Baltschieder (Wallis), Braunwald (Glarus), Engel berg (Obwalden, 3 routes), Evolène (Valais), Grindelwald/Wengen (Bernese Oberland), Kandersteg (Bernese Oberland), Les Diablerets (Vaud), Leukerbad (Wallis).
Biking and Inline Skating
There are 9 national bike routes and some 100 regional routes for bikers with quite good markings (small dark red signs). Dedicated maps are available at local tourist offices and bookstores. While some routes crossing the alps offer a real challenge to your fitness, there are some regions very suitable even for families with school children. Best suited in the easy-to-go category both for biking and inline skating is the See land region around Lake Neuchâtel, Lake Biel and Lake Murten with Murten, Kerzers, Ins or any small village in the region as a starting point.
Mountain Biking (MTB)
Those seeking a challenge may go for mountain bike tours in almost any alpine resort. State of the art mountain bikes are for rental at these places, in some hotels bike rental is even included in the arrangement. Local mountain biking routes often start on paved side-roads but you might soon come to small trails (narrower than 1m / 1 yard) and have to share it with hikers. At some points mountain bikers are expected to carry their bike over a fence or a small brook - so this is definitely a sport for tough people. Of course you may rent a mountain bike and stay on paved roads, if you prefer, but in this case you should read the section above for suitable resorts.
Paragliding
Easy to reach mountaintops provide ideal premises for paragliding. In major resorts you can find schools for paragliding


Winter Sports
Downhill Skiing
Any Swiss alpine resort above some 1500 m [5000 ft] can offer a choice of ski runs at different degrees of difficulty and corresponding transportation (gondolas and ski-lifts). There are some really demanding ski runs, like the famous Lauberhorn descent (Wengen) for those seeking a challenge.

Cross Country Skiing
The Engadin region, a long and relatively flat valley with some 50 km [35 miles] of cross country ski-runs from one end to the other with possibilities to get back to your starting point from a dozen of train stations is an ideal place for cross country skiing.
Quite similar is the Goms region, the upper part of the Rhone valley (canton Wallis/Valais).

Après Ski
Other aspects than available sports facilities might be more important for an individual choice: Are you interested in extensive nightlife after skiing? Then you might prefer stylish St. Moritz or Davos (the only town with more than 10,000 permanent residents among the alpine resorts). But if you prefer quietness, a smaller resort, maybe even a car-free one might be a better choice (Mürren, Wengen in Bernese Oberland; Bettmeralp, Riederalp, Saas Fee, Zermatt in Wallis).
Some resorts offer thermal spas - this might be a nice recreation after a day of sports activities. Leukerbad is among the classical Swiss thermal spas and can offer all kinds of winter sports in an breathtaking alpine scenery as well, St. Moritz and Scuol (Engadin) spas are fun for those just seeking wellness.

Sledge Runs / Tobogganing
More than 150 sledge runs with lengths between 1 and 15 km [0.6. 9 miles]. Gondolas may reach most starting points, but for a few you'll have to walk uphill. Traditional wooden toboggans may be rented at the gondola stations.