Montreux

Resting on a small rocky island at the eastern end of Lake Geneva, Chateau de Chillon is a magnificent 13th-century fortress and one of Switzerland’s most visited sites. Originally owned by the House of Savoy, the castle is situated on the narrow shore between Montreux and Villeneuve with easy access to the Alpine valley of the Rhône, giving it both natural protection and a strategic position. The castle features circular towers, ramparts overlooking the lake, and a network of dungeons that inspired Lord Byron to pen his epic, 392-line poem The Prisoner of Chillon.

Avenue de Chillon 21, Veytaux / Montreux, Switzerland, Phone: +41-2-19-66-89-10

The Montreux Jazz Festival takes place every year on the shores of Lake Geneva in early July and is the second-largest annual jazz festival in the world. Founded in 1967 by Claude Nobs, the festival is famous for its diverse and renowned musical performances, which began as just a festival of jazz and has grown into a celebration of all kinds of music from jazz and blues to rock and other genres. The festival has seen performances from well-known artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, BB King, Nina Simone, and Pink Floyd throughout the years.

Fondation du Festival de Jazz de Montreux, Avenue Claude Nobs 5, Montreux, Switzerland

Running along the shoreline of Lake Geneva for over eight miles, the Promenade is a popular gathering place for both locals and tourists alike who flock to the picturesque pathway to enjoy walking, jogging, cycling, and soaking up the beautiful surroundings. The promenade passes the magnificent Château de Chillon and features a diverse array of blooming flowers and sculptures along the way against a backdrop of the rugged, snow-capped peaks of the Swiss Alps. The promenade ends at a lovely beach in Villeneuve, which is ideal for swimming in the summer.

Montreux, Switzerland

Queen: The Studio Experience is an exhibition of the legendary band based at the Montreux Mountain Studios. The studios are famous for being the place where the group created many of their most acclaimed albums and where Queen’s lead singer Freddie Mercury recorded his last songs. Established for fans and aficionados of the band, the exhibit features a wealth of memorabilia, including photographs, original handwritten copies of lyrics, signed artifacts, old music tapes, and some of some Freddie Mercury’s stage costumes. Visitors can enjoy an interactive experience in the control room, which is as it was in the days when the band used it.

Casino Barrière de Montreux Rue du Théâtre 9, Montreux, Switzerland

The Gorges du Chauderon is a scenic gorge with wild natural landscapes just a few steps from the Old Town of Montreux. Formed by the La Baye de Montreux river, which flows from the foot of the Rochers-de-Naye into Lake Geneva, the gorge can be explored on several hiking trails that wind their way to and from Montreux’s quaint Old Town through woodsy enclaves and other spectacular natural landscapes. Hiking into the gorge is best done in summer as it can be dangerous in winter due to thick snow and ice.

Old Town, Montreux, Switzerland

The Lantern Trail Of Les Pleiades is a unique winter attraction in Montreux in which locals and tourists alike flock to the lakeside town to walk through a magical wintry landscape by the light of the lanterns. The trail begins at the Les Pléiades train station and runs through the forests and snowy roads of the Pleiades, lined and lit with kerosene lanterns, creating a hushed, ethereal glow. End the evening with a dinner of traditional Alpine macaroni and steaming fondue at the restaurant of the Pleiades before catching the train back to Vevey.

Les Pléiades, Montreux, Switzerland

The town of Montreux comes alive at Christmas time with a traditional Christmas Market and an array of activities for the whole month of December. Surrounded by the magnificent snow-covered mountains of the Swiss Alps, the town transforms itself into a magical Christmas haven with Christmas decorations, twinkling Christmas trees, Father Christmas meet-and-greets, medieval markets and a fairytale festival hosted at the Château de Chillon. The nearby village of Caux transforms itself into an authentic and charming portrayal of a Christmas village.

Festive Montreux (Montreux Noel), Montreux, Switzerland

Covering an impressive 830 hectares between Lausanne and Montreux, Lavaux is a magnificent wine region and UNESCO World Heritage site. Stretching almost 19 miles along the shores of Lake Geneva, this beautiful region has been producing wine since Roman times, but has become famous for its stepped terraces that were cut into the 1100-foot-high slopes around the lake by the 11th-century Benedictine monks to create more usable land and stop soil erosion. Home to some of the world’s steepest vineyards, which are held together by 250 miles of medieval stone walls, the vineyards of Lavaux can be explored on well-trodden hiking and walking trails or the Lavaux Express or the Lavaux Panoramic tourist trains.

Lavaux Vineyards, Puidoux, Switzerland

The Narcissus Trails are a network of walking and hiking paths that run through Les Pléiades and are famous for being filled with Narcissus flowers, the native emblem of the region, in the spring and summer. The area attracts both locals and tourists alike and is popular with hikers, walkers, and photographers.

Les Pléiades, Montreux, Switzerland

Lake Geneva (Lac Léman) is the largest body of freshwater in both France and Switzerland and France and offers a wealth of water-based and recreational outdoor activities throughout the year. Swimming the lake can be enjoyed from June to September, along with boating, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, stand-up paddling, sailing, water-skiing, and more. The shores of the lake have lovely beaches and picnic areas with plenty of shade, and activities such as hiking, mountain biking, birdwatching, and winter offer snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, ice-skating, and snowshoeing.

Lake Geneva, Montreux, Switzerland