Summer mountain tips

Away from the motorway and up into the wild - the unspoilt mountain landscapes of the Urner side valleys on the Gotthard Massif have retained their original charm.

In the mystical Emmental, spend a night as Gotthelf once did - as if time has stood still for the past 200 years.

Gliding past thundering waterfalls and the precipitous rock walls of the Lauterbrunnen valley, you eventually reach the 2,970 m Schilthorn, where a breathtaking 360-degree panorama opens up.

The name says it all - the "Golden Round Trip"- provides spectacular views and unforgettable memories of a day on Mt Pilatus, the dragon mountain.

Because Etivaz is best when the freshest milk is used, this cheese from Canton Vaud is made directly on the alp - spectators are more than welcome.

From mediaeval Murten to 2,000 year old Avenches and back again. Cycling around the Three Lakes Region is such fun that it won't be the last time you do so.

At 1,320 km long, the Rhine is one of Europe's mighty rivers, at the start of which lies the idyllic Lake Toma.

Heidi's village, Peter the goatherd's house, and Alpöhis Alp - discover the real home of Heidi on Maienfeld's Heidi Trail.

Switzerland doesn't get more diverse than in the Muotathal - explore the Hölloch caves, then hike through the natural forest.

No ordinary alpine pass road, the cobbled Tremola is part and parcel of the legend of the Gotthard - and one worth discovering.