Travel ideas for Switzerland - unique sights, worth Guinness records

One of the leading positions in the list of the most dangerous bridges in the world is taken by Trift Bridge situated in the Swiss canton of Bern. It was built relatively recently, in 2004, at the initiative of one of the major energy companies that carried out works at the Trift Glacier. Five years later, the first reconstruction of the bridge took place; the construction was complemented by new stabilizing steel ropes. Initially, one of the major problems of the bridge was its huge mobility; it was swinging on the strong wind, making passage through the bridge a deadly event. This dangerous feature of the bridge has preserved to this day, despite additional strengthening.
Passing over the eponymous lake, Trift Bridge still retains the status of the most dangerous and the highest suspension bridge in Europe. Its width is not more than a meter and length is about 170 meters. The enormous sum was spent to construct the bridge, it was more than 1.5 million Swiss francs. Currently, the place is an attractive tourist site. The bridge is only available for walking in a calm windless weather. The gorgeous panoramic view of the lake opens from Trift Bridge; in good visibility the nearby Italy can be perfectly seen. ... Complete sights collection

Extreme sports fans who want to ride original zip-line have to go to Switzerland, to Hoch-Ibrig ski resort. This is where one of the most unusual ropeways on the planet, Sternensauser, operates. The device is very simple; it’s based on a high-strength cable stretched between the initial and intermediate stations. Sternensauser has no classic cabins with large panoramic windows, instead, there’s a special mounting system designed for one passenger.
A complex of fixtures is connected to the roller using special cable system; that’s how it moves. Such a system is called Flying Fox, the motion of cable car is carried under passenger’s own weight. It’s important that this allows zip-line to build up a reasonable speed up to 90 km/h.
Sternensauser is about 2 kilometers, so it’s the longest aerial runway of its kind on the planet. Driving upside down has been originally conceived as a fun ride. Experienced travelers say that trip by zip-line is no less impressive than parajumping and a feeling of free flight simply unique. It’s also worth mentioning that Sternensauser is available in summer only. The fare is about 70 Swiss francs. ... Complete sights collection

One of the leading tunnels, Lötschberg railway tunnel opened in 2007, whereas its construction ended the year before. Lötschberg is the world’s longest land tunnel, 34700 metres long. It accommodates passenger and freight trains. The tunnel links the densely populated Swiss canton of Vale, which is famous for its thermal water resorts with the canton of Bern, which is also very popular among tourists.
More than 20000 people use the tunnel every week. It is a favourite and the most efficient way to get to a destination city both for tourists and locals. Trains move through the tunnel at an average speed of 200 km/h which allows to cover a great distance in just a few minutes. It took less than two years to build the safe tunnel of high quality with the latest imaging technology.
The total cost of the investments involved was more than 3 billion Swiss francs. Nowadays the project entered a second implementation phase. It has been decided to build a 60-km-long tunnel which is parallel to Lötschberg to reduce the travel time from Zurich to Milan. Despite the huge investments, the tunnel under the Alps fully confirms its existence, as more than 120 passenger and commercial trains use it daily. ... Complete sights collection

One of the world’s longest tunnels is the Gotthard Road Tunnel. It is 17000 metres long. The underground motorway under the Lepontine Alps has specially been built to connect two major cantons – the northern Canton of Uri and the southern canton of Ticino. The construction began in 1969 and has been lasting for 11 years. Trips through the tunnel are easy and comfortable. The lighting system is carefully designed.
Those motorists who wish to go for a ride through the longest tunnel in Switzerland should definitely pay attention to the observance of the speed mode. The maximum tunnel’s speed limit is 80 km/h. Besides, a distance of 150 metres between the vehicles is advised. Fright transport is the major hazard in the tunnel, as traffic flows are very intense. The last major accident, which led to the death of 11 people, occurred in 2001 due to a collision of two trucks. Considering that the tunnel allocate only one lane in each direction, the above mentioned limitations of speed and distance does not seem to be a formality. ... Complete sights collection

The Pilatus railway (Pilatusbahn in German) is located in Switzerland and is the steepest railway in the world. It was opened in 1889. The line runs from Alpnachstad to the top of Mount Pilatus, it takes 30 minutes to bridge the difficult and dangerous distance. On the final section of the route the train passes through the narrow tunnel, at the exit from which passengers can immediately see the edge of the cliff.
Train traffic along rocky breakages lasts a few minutes, once reliable fencing and embankment on some sections of the road collapsed a long time ago, the tracks thus protrude slightly over the edge of the fragile cliff. The famous engineer Eduard Locher has worked on the project. It is his invention of the cogwheel system that is used throughout the world nowadays. With the help of this system it became possible to pave the railway in difficult mountain terrain. Carriages fitted with the cogwheels, confidently pass the steep up and down gradients as well as the sections of the road with flat surface.
Nowadays, 10 red carriages, designed to hold 40 passengers, are shuttling constantly. The carriages move with a speed not exceeding 12 km/h, which allows to transport up to 340 passengers hourly. In all the carriages the atmosphere of the middle of the last century has been recreated, which makes the trip even more interesting. If you do not lean out of the window, the trip will seem maximally comfortable, but if you do, you can catch the fragrance of mountain flowers and even pick them from the steep slopes. ... Complete sights collection

The longest cave in Western Europe is located in Switzerland. The general length of the underground vault of the Holloch cave reaches 156 km, and its some pits have the depth of more than 820 meters. Two natural entrances to the cave are on the slopes of the Glarner Alps. One of them is at the height of 734 meters, and the other - at the height of 1 260 meters above sea level. The cave was discovered in 1875. At present their lower part is very well equipped for the tourists.
The second, upper entrance to the cave was quite recently, found in 1980. The variety of the passageways and the galleries hide the unique sights - the stalactites and the stalagmites of different shapes and sizes. Thanks to the modern illumination system, it is even more interesting today to look at these wonderful formations. Tourists who want to visit one of the largest caves in Europe should not plan to visit the Holloch Cave for summer. During the flood period the majority of the tunnels are completely flooded. ... Complete sights collection

For the Bungee jumpers the dam was converted in Switzerland Verzasca dam. Guests of the unusual attraction can jump from the height of 220 meters. The history of the emergence of the popular attraction on the embankment of the Verzasca river is very interesting. While filming the film 'Agent 007', the director Martin Campbell has selected this dam for shooting on one of the episodes.
According to the script, James Bond has jumped during the pursuit of this dam. Thousands of people from all over the world wanted to repeat his heroic deed. The attraction is not only accessible during the day, but also at night. At dawn the jump becomes a bit more expensive. In order to enjoy the unforgettable entertainment, you have to go through the medical examination, book the time of the jump and pay the jump price to one of the organizing companies.
In recent years, the jump price is around 255 Swiss francs at the time of the day. Tourists who want to jump in the night will pay a bit more. Verzasca is considered to be the purest river on Earth. The water is so pure that the view can reach 15 meters. This remarkable area is fabulous, especially in the spring, when the hills surrounding the river are lush with vegetation and flowers. ... Complete sights collection

In Switzerland, Niouc Hängebrücke was built in 1922 above the deep ravine at the bottom of the river Navizence. In contrast to many other Hängebrücken, it was built not for the improvement of the transport infrastructure of the region, but for the optimal installation of the pipeline. The height of the bridge is 190 meters. The last major reconstruction was carried out in 1996.
In the same year, the space for Bunjee jumping, as well as a lot of the other breathtaking attractions were equipped. Today, the bridge is in the middle of the great adventure park, where you can prove the bravery in different ways. Under the bridge the swings were suspended. Next to it are the training places for mountaineers and the trampolines for those guests who are not afraid of jumping next to the abyss. Niouc bridge is incredibly narrow, so the path to the Benjee jumping platform is also an unforgettable adventure.
Thanks to the fortifications built in 1996, the bridge is no longer rocked by the wind, so you can jump out of altitude in the most comfortable conditions. Niouc is the highest peak in Switzerland, making it a place of interest for the world. The price for Freifall, which takes 4 seconds, is quite high and makes more than 200 USD. It should be noted that the platform for Bunjee jumping is open only at the daytime. ... Complete sights collection

The highest settlement in the world is located in Switzerland. Many travelers know Cleuson-Dixence under the other name - Grande Dixence. The wall of the dam on the Dixence river has the height of 285 meters. The dam has always been used since 1964 and has not lost its functional characteristics over the years. The dam building took 14 years. In order to reach Cleuson-Dixence, the modern tourists now have to overcome more than 30 kilometers of a very complicated mountain chain.
It should be noted that Cleuson-Dixence Dam is one of the country's most popular tourist attractions. In the middle of the 20th century the small house was built for the construction workers, which was later converted into the hotel. The experienced travelers recommend visiting this area in the second half of September. In this period, the water basin has the maximum water level, its depth can reach 284 meters.
A few years ago, the dam was connected to the flat districts by the cable car. Through the dam tunnel the exciting excursions for the tourists are carried out. After the visit of the magnificent building from the inside is still an interesting entertainment offered to the guests - all interested can stay in one of the tunnels under the dam. The dreamers prefer to visit this wonderful area in winter - amidst snowy mountain landscapes the dam still looks more impressive. ... Complete sights collection

An important tourist attraction is Contra Dam, located in Switzerland. Most tourists know it under the unofficial name - Verzasca dam. The unique architecture has long attracted curious tourists and active recreation enthusiasts. The dam construction took more than four years and ended in 1965. The dam, whose height is 220 meters, was chosen as the turning point of an episode of the film about James Bond in 1995.
'The role' of the dam in the film was quite impressive. The agent 007 jumped from Contra Dam, when hundreds of thousands of fans came to this area. Since then, thousands of people strive to repeat the leap of the agent. The dam serves as a place for Bunjee Jumping. Contra Dam is also known among the fans of the other film - Dhoom 3. This was one of the most exciting moments of culminating. The tourists, who are not ready for such breathtaking entertainments, have a wide range of excursions. During the hike through the most beautiful places, you can learn about the history of the dam building and its peculiarities. ... Complete sights collection