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The Atlas Obscura Guide To Switzerland

170 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Switzerland

Updated January 17, 2025

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  1. Basel
  2. Bern
  3. Cologny
  4. Geneva
  5. Gland
  6. Lausanne
  7. Lauterbrunnen
  8. Leuk
  9. Lucerne
  10. Meyrin
  11. Montreux
  12. Schaffhausen
  13. St. Gallen
  14. Yverdon Les Bains
  15. Zermatt
  16. Zurich

Unusual Attractions in Switzerland

See All 170 Things To Do in Switzerland

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Explore Switzerland

170
Museums 32
Architecture 19
Art 16
Mountains 12
Architectural Oddities 11
Literature 9
Statues 9
Water 9

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Stories About Switzerland

The Black Madonna of Einsiedeln inspired tiny, edible imitations.

Why Swiss Christians Once Nibbled on the Mother of Christ

Schabmadonnen are part of a long tradition of edible relics.
by Emma Cieslik
Naughty cartographers with too much time on their hands.

Swiss Maps Are Full of Hidden Secrets

Find the Easter eggs—or the naked lady.
by Frank Jacobs
This forged Paraguayan passport was one of thousands that helped spare Jewish lives during the Holocaust.

The Master Forgers Who Saved Thousands of Lives During World War II

From the Polish embassy in Switzerland came a campaign that spared many from Nazi extermination.
by Nina Strochlic
This ancient dodecahedron found in Avenches, Switzerland, once the Roman city of Aventicum.

The Mysterious Dodecahedrons of the Roman Empire

The first of many of these puzzling objects was unearthed almost three centuries ago, and we still don't know what they were for.
by Frank Jacobs
However long this snowman effigy, known as the Bӧӧgg, takes to burn will determine the remaining length of winter.

To Banish Winter in This Tiny Wisconsin Town, Burn a Swiss Snowman

The burning of the Bӧӧgg is like a fiery version of Groundhog’s Day, but with fireworks and sausages.
by Tea Krulos
Whey bathing at Berglialp in Switzerland.

The Return of Swiss Cheese Baths

Melting into a tub of whey has a long history in the Alps.
by Oriana Pauli
Mithraeum elements included a tauroctony, or depiction of Mithras sacrificing a bull.

An Ancient Roman Cult's Rituals Included Feasting, Fire, and Floor Cleaning

To uncover new clues about the secretive world of Mithraism, scientists considered evidence right at their feet.
by Nathaniel Scharping
Luge, in this case two-man, was first introduced to the Winter Olympics in 1964 in Innsbruck, Austria.

How in the World Did Luge Happen?

The secret of the slide, from ancient Germanic tribes to tony Alpine resorts.
by Dan Nosowitz

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