Lucerne is an ancient town with strikingly modern sensibilities. One of Europe’s oldest covered bridges serves as its centrepiece, and fresco-adorned historic houses line the streets, but it’s also home to the cutting-edge KKL, a concert hall and art gallery. Take the cableways up the Pilatus, Stanserhorn or Rigi mountains for breathtaking views, or see Lake Lucerne on a steamship cruise.

Located on the Rhine River near the borders of France and Germany, Basel contains the country's highest concentration of museums. The culture-centric city, site of the world's most influential art market each June, is also home to the lovely Munster Cathedral, made of red sandstone with a multi-colored tile roof. Green spaces abound, including the popular zoological gardens in the city center. Switzerland's largest site of Roman ruins, Augusta Raurica, are an easy day trip to the east.

The city of Freiburg im Breisgau sits austerely on the edge of the Black Forest. Home to one of Germany’s oldest universities and a Gothic sandstone cathedral, it’s a hub for academics and medieval history buffs. Chug German suds at a local brewery, then hop a cable car up Schauinsland mountain, where astounding views and a solar observatory await.

Grindelwald is postcard-perfect, a charming example of a Swiss ski resort. There are slopes for all experience levels, plus plenty of snowy activities for those who don’t ski, such as sledding, hiking or snowshoeing. Not feeling particularly active? Just cozy up by crackling fire and enjoy the merry atmosphere. After a long day, nothing’s better than lingering over a pot of Swiss fondue and a glass of crisp wine as you plan the next day’s adventures.

A powerful force since medieval times, the thriving Swiss capital is an appealing city of museums and collections. Bernmobil is the capital's transport system; a BernCard is valid on its trams and buses. A free bike service is also an option for getting around. The Historical Museum and the Collection of the Bern Museum of Fine Arts house the art and architecture of millennia. The Einstein House and the Paul Klee Centre showcase the work of two of Bern's famous former inhabitants.

This Swiss winter wonderland is also a summer playground. Snow-frosted peaks tower above charming towns and villages like Interlaken. Its position, between lakes Thun and Brienz, makes it a perfect base for cable-car rides up Jungfrau, Mönch and Eiger, or for hikes from the traditional village of Grindelwald. Thun offers exciting summer diving and sailing. To the west, the glitzy resort town of Gstaad attracts Europe's wealthy. The Jungfrau Railway boasts Europe's highest station. The region is accessible by bus or car.

Quaint alpine villages and great skiing entice travellers to the Grisons. The sparsely populated region of eastern Switzerland contains the source of the Rhine and Inn rivers, 140 square miles of glaciers and dense pine forests. Join the ski action at the resorts of St Moritz, Davos and Arosa, or stake a lofty claim with a visit to Juf, which boasts the highest altitude of any inhabited village in the Alps. In summer, hike through the Engadine Valley in the unspoiled beauty of the Swiss National Park.

The majestic Austrian Alps stretch across the country, an awe-striking area of Ice Age valleys, verdant heaths and alluvial cones within Europe's largest national park, 700-square-mile Hohe Tauern. Taking in the dramatic cities of Salzburg and Innsbruck and the beautiful province of Tirol, home to spectacular skiing and hiking, as well as Gross Glockner, Austria's highest peak, and some of the world's best winter and summer sports playgrounds, the Austrian Alps are an outdoor lover's paradise.

Colmar is a photographer's dream, with its labyrinth of cobbled lanes, flower-lined canals, and timber-framed houses painted in a rainbow of pastel hues. It's the quintessential Alsatian town, brimming with traditional restaurants and surrounded by vineyards and medieval castles.