25 articles
Basel
Basel: Swiss city on the Rhine at the French-German border triangle, capital of canton Basel-Stadt. Known for Switzerland's oldest university (1460), the 1356 earthquake, life-sciences industry (Novartis, Roche), Art Basel, and about 210,500 cantonal residents in 2025.
Bellinzona
Bellinzona, capital of Ticino, Switzerland since 1878, is a city of about 47,000 residents on the Gotthard axis, formed of 13 merged quartieri, and home to the UNESCO-listed Three Castles fortress (Castelgrande, Montebello, Sasso Corbaro).
Bern
Bern (Berne) is Switzerland's federal city and de facto capital, founded in 1191 by Berchtold V of Zähringen on the Aare, a confederation member since 1353, federal seat since 1848, with a UNESCO-listed Old City since 1983 and about 147,000 residents.
Chiasso
Chiasso is a border municipality in Ticino, Switzerland, at the country's southern tip near Como, including Pedrinate, the southernmost Swiss place. Known for its international railway station, customs role, and about 7,869 registered residents at end-2025.
Chur
Chur (Cuera, Coira, Coire) is the capital of Graubünden and Switzerland's oldest city, settled for 13,000 years, founded as Roman Curia Rhaetorum in 15 BC, seat of the diocese documented since 451, and hub of the Rhaetian Railway.
Fribourg
Fribourg (Freiburg im Üechtland), Swiss cantonal capital founded 1157 by Berthold IV of Zähringen on the Sarine; bilingual city-state until 1481, with a preserved medieval old town, 200 Gothic façades, and the bilingual University of Fribourg (1889).
Geneva
Geneva (Genève), capital of the Swiss canton of Geneva, is Switzerland's second largest city and a global diplomacy hub hosting the UN Office at Geneva, CERN, and WIPO, with about 210,600 residents, half of them foreign, and the world's highest expat cost of living in 2025.
Gruyères
Gruyères (Greyerz), Fribourg canton, Switzerland: hilltop medieval town and 13th-century castle of the counts of Gruyère, home of Gruyère AOP cheese, HR Giger Museum, 2,353 residents (2025).
Interlaken
Interlaken, Swiss Bernese Oberland town between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz on the Bödeli plain; gateway to the Jungfrau Region with 3.7 million overnight stays in 2025 and active Airbnb regulation.
Lausanne
Lausanne, capital of the Swiss canton of Vaud on Lake Geneva's north shore; 145,596 residents (2025), seat of the IOC since 1915, the Federal Supreme Court, UNIL and EPFL, with a new automated m3 metro line approved in 2026.
Lucerne
Lucerne (German: Luzern) is a city in central Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Lucerne, lying where the Reuss River leaves Lake Lucerne.
Lugano
Lugano, Ticino's largest city on Lake Lugano in Italian-speaking Switzerland: 68,633 inhabitants of 141 nationalities (2025), 75.8 km² across 21 districts, Switzerland's third-largest financial hub, formed by mergers in 1972, 2004, 2008, and 2013.
Martigny
Martigny, Valais, Switzerland: Rhone-valley town at the Great St Bernard and Simplon routes, ancient Octodurus/Forum Claudii Vallensium; 23,849 inhabitants (2026), Fondation Pierre Gianadda, Barryland, planned 2029 fusion with Vernayaz.
Montreux
Montreux, Vaud commune on the eastern shore of Lake Geneva in the Swiss Riviera; 28,052 residents (2025), formed 1962 by merger, home of the Montreux Jazz Festival and the 2M2C convention centre.
Neuchâtel
Neuchâtel (Neuenburg) is a French-speaking Swiss city and canton on Lake Neuchâtel, first recorded as novum castellum in 1011; a Prussian principality until 1857, it joined the Confederation in 1814 as the 21st canton and is a watchmaking and industrial center.
Schaffhausen
Schaffhausen: Swiss cantonal capital on the Rhine at Germany's border, first documented 1045, joined the Confederation in 1501; known for the Munot, its old town, the Rhine Falls, and 90,285 canton residents (2025).
Sion, Switzerland
Sion (Sitten) is the capital of Valais canton, Switzerland, in the sunny Rhone Valley. Settled since around 6200 BC, it is known for the Valere and Tourbillon castle hills, its old town, vineyards, airport, and about 37,800 residents.
Spiez
Spiez is a municipality on Lake Thun in the Bernese Oberland, canton of Bern, Switzerland, with five Baeuerten, about 13,400 residents, Spiez Castle, and Bern's second-largest vineyards.
St. Gallen
St. Gallen (St.Gallen), capital of the Swiss canton of St. Gallen in northeastern Switzerland, eighth-largest Swiss city with 83,843 residents in 2025, built around the UNESCO-listed Abbey of St. Gall and home to the University of St. Gallen (HSG).
Stein am Rhein
Stein am Rhein: small medieval town in canton Schaffhausen, Switzerland, at the Rhine outflow of Lake Constance's Untersee. Known for painted facades, St. Georgen abbey museum, Hohenklingen Castle; 3,993 residents (2025), Zurich rule 1484-1798.
Vaduz
Vaduz, capital of the Principality of Liechtenstein on the Rhine, seat of government, parliament, and the princely residence at Vaduz Castle since 1939; county founded 1342, about 5,800 residents.
Winterthur
Winterthur, Switzerland's sixth-largest city in canton Zurich, had 122,758 residents at end-2025. Known as Vitudurum in Roman times, a former industrial city now a museum and education center near Zurich.
Yverdon-les-Bains
Yverdon-les-Bains, second city of the Swiss canton of Vaud on Lake Neuchâtel, a thermal spa town founded as a Savoyard new town in 1260 by Pierre de Savoie, with Roman Eburodunum roots, a 13th-century castle, and the Y-Parc technology park.
Zug
Zug is a Swiss city and canton on Lake Zug, capital of Switzerland's smallest full canton (239 km², 11 municipalities, ~135,000 people). Known for low taxes, Glencore, Crypto Valley, and cherry traditions.
Zürich
Zürich, Switzerland's largest city and cantonal capital on the Limmat at Lake Zürich, grew from the Roman customs post Turicum into a financial hub with 452,421 residents, first place in Mercer's 2024 quality-of-living ranking, and a 0.1% vacancy rate.