Northwestern Switzerland
About 20km south of Lenzburg is Wasserschloss Hallwyl, a ‘Water Castle’ so named because it's built in the middle of a river – a natural moat. It is, in fact, two modest castles joined by a bridge. Walking paths wind southwards towards Hallwilersee, a peaceful lake that can be criss-crossed by ferry.
From Aarau, take a regional train to Lenzburg then change to a regional train to Boniswil (Sf11.60, 12 minutes), from where it’s a 1km walk east to the castle (follow signs for Seengen).
26.47 MILES
About 17km east of Basel, on the Rhine's south bank, Switzerland’s largest Roman ruins are the last remnants of a colony founded in 43 BC, the population…
19.51 MILES
You haven’t really been to Lucerne until you have strolled the creaky 14th-century Kapellbrücke, spanning the Reuss River in the Old Town. The octagonal…
16.63 MILES
This 13th-century church is renowned for its stunning stained-glass windows, designed by the Russian-Jewish master Marc Chagall (1887–1985), who executed…
29.55 MILES
Follow the crowds flowing towards this baroque edifice, the 18th-century handiwork of Caspar Moosbrugger. The interior dances with colourful frescoes,…
16.95 MILES
Zürich’s impressive fine-arts gallery boasts a rich collection of largely European art. It stretches from the Middle Ages through a mix of Old Masters to…
19.63 MILES
Lucerne’s blockbuster cultural attraction is the Sammlung Rosengart, occupying a graceful neoclassical pile in the heart of town. It showcases the…
12.17 MILES
This gorgeous little museum is an ensemble of art, architecture and botany, housing a cornucopia of French impressionist art in a stately home surrounded…
19.1 MILES
By far the most touching of the 19th-century sights that lured so many British to Lucerne is the Lion Monument. Lukas Ahorn carved this 10m-long sculpture…
4.45 MILES
Dominating a leafy hilltop above Lenzburg village, 14km east of Aarau, this attractive castle houses three museums inside its tower and one-time dungeon:…
6.83 MILES
Set amid a working farm with gardens and orchards, Schloss Wildegg crowns a green hilltop about 12km northeast of Aarau. Guests can wander at liberty…
8.39 MILES
To view centuries of Swiss art and regular temporary exhibitions, call by Aargau’s impressive house of fine arts, located about 250m south of the Altstadt…
8.52 MILES
Jutting high above the Aare River, Aarau's walled Old Town makes for a pleasant wander. Its grid of streets is lined with gracious, centuries-old…
9.67 MILES
This vertical stone fortress, 13km west of Baden, wouldn't be out of place in Arthurian legend or a Monty Python sketch. Schloss Habsburg was built in…
11.45 MILES
Occupying 20 rooms of a former mansion, this hands-on museum with a focus on educating kids about genealogy and generations past is a fun, free-for-all…
11.67 MILES
This beautifully restored medieval tower is one of Switzerland's most impressive. You can only get inside as part of a city tour, conducted by Info Baden…
11.71 MILES
The Old Town is adorned by a fetching covered timber bridge (Holzbrücke), cobbled lanes and an assortment of step-gabled houses.