Lakes of Switzerland

Switzerland is famed for its natural beauty - and the Lakes form an important part of this. Each lake and the surrounding region has its own virtues and activities and nearly all bar the smallest offer some form of cruise. The list below is by no means comprehensive but I've tried to include information about each lakes region and where to find information about current cruise offerings.

In time, I'll be adding more information about Lake Constance / Bodensee, Murtensee, Biellersee, Lake Como, Lago Maggiorre, Walensee and Pfaeffikersee.

  1. Cruise ship Linth on Lake ZürichLake Zürich - with Zürich at one end and historic Rapperswil at the other with the reputed vineyards of Stäfa and Meilen lining the shores, Lake Zürich has much to offer the visitor to Switzerland. The Zürichsee Schifffahrtgesellschafft (ZSG) offers several (possibly themed) lake cruise options, including one to Rapperswil, through the year but a reduced service during the winter months.
  2. Lake Geneva / Lac Leman - home to international city of Geneva, the university city of Lausanne, the Castle of Chillon and the UNESCO-listed wine producing region of Lavaux, the Swiss side of Lake Geneva has much to offer the visitor.
  3. Lake of Neuchâtel - as the largest lake entirely enclosed with Switzerland, the Lake of Neuchâtel and the surrounding region is home to the beautiful sandstone city of Neuchâtel as well a wine-producing region known for its Fendant and Pinot Noir. La Chaux-de-Fonds, close to Lake Neuchâtel, is where the Swiss watch and clock-making industry began and is famed as establishing Switzerlands reputation for producing refined luxury goods. The Ship Company of Neuchâtel and Murten offers regular cruises on the lake.
  4. Lake Lucerne - known as Vierwaldstättersee (Lake of the Four Forest Cantons) in German, Lake Lucerne is one of the most beautifully set lakes in Switzerland and makes a massive contribution to the ambience of Lucerne - it's most famous lakeside settlement. One of the most popular cruises is the Golden Round Trip which is a cruise from Lucerne to the worlds steepest cog-railway to the summit of Mount Pilatus and a cable-car ride down the other side and a bus back to town. The Golden Round Trip is a very fine way to spend an afternoon cruising - an experience which is amplified many times with good weather.

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