Best Swiss Tennis Resorts

Famously the highest town in the Alps as well as one of the ‘classic’ mountain destinations, Davos is the bigger and livelier of the Graubünden resorts. The area is a sight to see in the summer; all sun-drenched gorges, flowering valleys and towering peaks. Hiking is huge here (there are 700km of footpaths in the surrounding area) and you can also enjoy the views by cycling, paragliding or just doing backstroke - there’s nothing like a swim in the Davos Lake. For something different but well worth doing, take a tour around Monstein, the highest brewery in Europe.

Klosters is the smaller and prettier of the two Graubünden villages - and it’s near enough to Davos that you can still make the most of the larger town’s spas and bars. The village has a definite air of ‘country chic’ and its surrounding hills have hundreds of kilometres for walking, cycling and pony trekking (or scooter descents if you’re after something a bit unconventional...). Visit the Madrisa adventure park if you’re here with the clan – it’s the largest of its kind in Switzerland.

If your idea of a summer break involves rest, relaxation and gobsmacking views, you’ve hit the nail on the head here: on the banks of the Thun Lake and at the base of the Niederhorn, this peaceful village has a healthy combination of all three. Fighting the sights of the Bernese Alps for the title of ‘Merligen’s best feature’ is the weather, which is hot enough to rival the Med.

Peering over the Lauterbrunnen valley and with the Monch, Jungfrau and Eiger in its sightline, the views from Mürren might just be some of the best on earth. You can’t come here without taking the cable car to the top of the Schilthorn – of James Bond fame – for a staggering 360° panorama. The car-free village is a quiet spot for a proper getaway and there’s seemingly no end to the hiking and mountain bike trails... as well as loads of opportunity to sample some more obscure sports like ‘trotti-biking’ (riding big-wheeled scooters).

Wengen’s storybook Switzerland – you reach the town by mountain railway (the whole place is car-free) and once you’ve soaked up sights of colourful chalets decked with flower displays, look up and out for sweeping views over the Lauterbrunnen valley and iconic Alpine peaks. The train you use to arrive connects you to the Jungfraujoch railway, which climbs up, through the Aletsch glacier, before reaching 3454m - the highest railway station in Europe. The summit has awesome sights of the nearby mountains like the Monch, as well as distant landmarks as far as the Black Forest. Experience the landscape close-up on the 500km of hiking paths or by climbing, cycling or any other of the activities on the menu.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more iconic mountain than the Matterhorn or a more typically Swiss town than Zermatt. Prepare to be enchanted on seriously scenic hikes, bike rides and mountain climbs and enjoy the finer things in life in the posh bars and restaurants. Look carefully and you’ll discover little Alpine chapels and Alpine lakes dotted around on the 400km of hiking trails, including glacier routes. To enjoy the sights without the legwork, take the half hour train ride to Gornergrat.

Overlooked by the north side of the Eiger, Grindelwald’s the life and soul of the Jungfrau towns. It’s a mix of vintage Swiss and newly built architecture, topped off with sights of the big three – the Monch, Jungfrau and Eiger. If you can drag your eyes away from the mountains, there’s plenty to do, from walking and golf to bungee jumping and Via Ferrata. Kick back and watch the world go by in the evenings (best accompanied by a glass of chilled Valais wine).

On the banks of the Kander river and framed by colossal Alpine peaks, Kandersteg is small, friendly and utterly ‘Swiss’. While the pace of life in the village is lovely and leisurely, things really heat up when you reach the mountains – this is a seriously good area for hiking and mountain biking. We love the downhill free-trail, which is packed full of berms and jumps and the area has plenty more for the to-do list including a rope park, swimming pool and summer toboggan run.

Freddie Mercury got it in one: “If you want peace of mind, come to Montreux”. The Jazz Festival put this town on the map - bringing Freddie and other big names like Pink Floyd and Miles Davis to Lake Geneva’s Swiss shores. There’s plenty more on the menu, from the restaurants (with 20 listed in the Michelin and Gault Millau guides) to the clubs (which make up some of the best nightlife in Switzerland). Fill your days touring the local vineyards, relaxing in the spas, or simply strolling along the promenade.

Near the River Aare and at the meeting point of some seriously stunning alpine passes, this market town is a great base in the Bernese Alps. Get the train to places like Interlaken and use the mountain railway for high altitude hikes. As well as being the hometown of the meringue (picture a world without Eton Mess...), the Reichenbach Falls are the locals’ claim to fame – the site of Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty’s legendary final struggle.