Going Off the Grid in Switzerland

Switzerland (Photo credit: siette)

Switzerland is one of the most popular tourist destinations for travelers visiting Europe, and quite often visitors are stuck in huge lines and crowds because they came at the wrong time of the year. For many, there is nothing wrong with this, but others imagine the stunning natural beauty void of humans when visiting Switzerland. Here are a few traveling tips when going through Switzerland if you are looking to avoid the big crowds.

Sadly, if skiing is your thing, ideal skiing conditions and small crowds do not mix well in Switzerland. Expert skiers come from all over the world to ski the Swiss Alps, and the winter months are usually packed with them. There are some ski resorts that are not as crowded as others during the winter months, and there are some off trail slopes that are generally free of other skiers.

During the summer months, hiking and mountain biking is a popular activity. These are quite often filled on a daily basis with tour groups, which makes knowing the crowded trails easy to predict. Just going on the websites of a few travel groups can tell you the most visited areas, however these are often the best places to visit. My recommendation would be to go only during the early morning or late afternoons of these popular spots.

You won't find many places to stay that are free of other people, and hotels and hostels are usually your best option. Hotels can be a bit pricey though, so we would recommend going to the Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof if you're ever in that area, which you more than likely will be, and need a nice hostel in the heart of the Swiss Alps.