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The varied Swiss cantons

Let what you want to do help you choose from the 26 distinct cantons (territories) of Switzerland when planning your vacation. Here's a quick look at a few of the most popular. Be sure to leave plenty of time open for winter sports, summer lounging, art museum hopping and seeking out historic sites.

The Romansh region is an unspoiled paradise in Switzerland’s east where residents still speak the ancient Romansh language. The panoramic scenery reveals a perfect vacation getaway where blue mountain lakes lie nestled in deep valleys. And for the sports enthusiast, the Romansh region offers a vast unspoiled playground.

Take the train to the Italian-speaking Ticino region and the town of Lugano, the “Rio of Switzerland.” The Swiss sun, palm trees and gentle breeze make perfect conditions for people watching in the Plaza Della Reforma, or main square, of Lugano. On Lake Lugano, hills tumble down to the shore and picturesque fishing villages speckle the landscape.

Art in Ticino is rich and varied. Villa Favorita is home to the largest private art collection in Europe. The small church of Santa Maria Degli Angioli houses one of the finest Renaissance frescoes in the Ticino, while Church San Anbrogio in Ponte Capriasea is enriched by a famous copy of Leonardo da Vinci’s "The Last Supper."

Travelers may venture over, around or even under the Alps to central Switzerland. This is the heart of the Swiss Confederacy, where the legend of William Tell originated. Hop a steamer and glide by the Rutli meadow, where the Swiss nation was born in 1291. Or venture on to the Valais Region where the glaciers never melt and adventurous skiers take to the summer Alps. Hikers can make the trek to the Bernese Oberland, where more than 50 kilometers of well-marked trails snake through the Golden Pass Route. And in the Vaud Region, the city of Montreux is steeped in history. The turrets and towers of Chateau de Chillon are where author Lord Byron got his inspiration for his poem The Prisoner of Chillon.