Ah, Switzerland! One of the most gorgeous places on Earth and a top destination on many a traveler’s bucket list. However, aside from epic mountains, delish chocolate, and an affinity for clock-making, how much do we really know about the country?
Our team at Bored Panda has compiled a list of impressive photos of the beautiful landscapes, interesting architecture, and culinary delights that you can find in Switzerland, all to give you a fresh perspective on life in the country. Scroll down to check them out, and be sure to upvote your fave pics! However, don’t blame us if you feel inspired to book a flight…
#1 The Cat That Guided Me Down The Mountain When I Got Lost In Grindelwald, Switzerland
Image credits: sc4s2cg
#2 Mountain Finder Device In Switzerland
Image credits: TorteDeLini
#3 The Cream I Ordered With My Coffee At A Swiss Cafe Was Served Inside Of A Chocolate Treat
Image credits: TexasJoey
Yours truly is actually quite a huge fan of Switzerland. I spent a year living there when I was a very small child. I ‘blame’ that wonderful experience for my enduring love for the mountains, hiking, snow, gorgeous landscapes, giant chess sets (hi, Parc des Bastions!), and wild nature. Some of my earliest and most vivid memories are from going on walks in the mountains with my tiny little boots.
So, I genuinely understand the fascination with the country. To me, Switzerland represents freedom, nature, and beauty. But I’m a bit biased!
#4 Dinner In Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland
Image credits: Mark_dawsom
#5 Entrance Of An Underwater Observatory In Lake Zug (Switzerland). I Took The Photo During The Weekend, Reminds Me The Truman Show
Image credits: DIY_Maxwell
#6 I'm Visiting Switzerland For The First Time - I Got To Have Dinner With These Two
Image credits: im_joe
Switzerland had a population of around 8.9 million people in 2024 and boasts four official languages (Romansh, French, German, and Italian). The country’s GDP was a jaw-dropping $800.6 billion in 2021, according to the World Bank. Switzerland, one of the wealthiest countries in the world, has a very high-tech economy and a powerful banking sector of world renown.
#7 The View From Our Balcony In Switzerland
Image credits: bojevic
#8 Hiking In Switzerland
Image credits: loulan
#9 When I Went To Switzerland And Happened To Look Exactly Like This Random Wood Statue
Image credits: Blueskyblonde
Some of us automatically think of high-quality cheese and chocolate, as well as hand-crafted clocks and watches when we think of Switzerland; however, that's only the tip of the iceberg. The country's main exports include machinery, equipment, chemical and pharmaceutical products, watches, textiles, and apparel, as well as raw materials, food, vegetable oils, and fuel.
#10 The Toiletries At My Hotel In Switzerland Included A Rubber Ducky
Image credits: Shark-Farts
#11 The Children's Playground At The Airport In Zürich, Switzerland Is A Miniature Airport
Image credits: morbus
#12 The Skill Of Swiss (Especially Ticinesi) PostAuto Drivers Is Impressive
Image credits: thisothernameth
Alas! Not everything is great in this Alpine paradise. It’s this same powerful banking sector that has earned Switzerland a reputation for corruption and secrecy. It's a reputation that the Swiss have been trying to shake off for a while now.
A 2018 study conducted by the Tax Justice Network, an independent international advocacy group, found that the country was the most corrupt in the entire world, with the United States coming in second place.
#13 Swiss Rail Police Just Gave Me A Biscuit For Pushing My Bike On A Platform Rather Than Riding It. I’m Enjoying This Initiative
Image credits: Swisskommando
#14 Recently Drove Through Southern Switzerland, From Geneva To Zurich, After Seeing A Picture Of The Lauterbrunnen Valley. Here Are A Few Pictures From The Trip
Image credits: benmuzz
#15 The Edge Of The Knife In This Swiss Restaurant Was Shaped To Show Off Many Of The Peaks Found In The Swiss Alps
Image credits: TexasJoey
A few years after that, in 2022, the Tax Justice Network changed its ranking. The US rose to first place in the financial secrecy index, with Switzerland taking the silver. In third place that year you'd find Singapore, followed by Hong Kong, Luxembourg, Japan, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, the British Virgin Islands, as well as Guernsey.
#16 Only In Switzerland
Image credits: k.zrh.ch
#17 Large Ice Crystals In Switzerland
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#18 My Wife And I Are In Murren, Switzerland. One Of The Most Stunning Mountain Ranges I’ve Ever Visited
Image credits: cwesttheperson
According to the Tax Justice Network, Switzerland “supplies 3.43% of the world's financial secrecy.” Meanwhile, Transparency International notes that “for decades, corrupt elites from across the world have used Swiss financial intermediaries and service providers to take advantage of legal loopholes that allow them to hide and launder their ill-gotten wealth.” However, the Swiss government is taking steps to tackle these issues.
#19 Glowing Matterhorn, Switzerland
Image credits: randumchicken
#20 Swiss Police Saving A Swan That Was On The Highway
Image credits: TheBlackCom
#21 Swiss Cliché
The thing with Switzerland is that it actually, truly looks like that. It's not like there's the postcard shot and the rest of the place is completely different.
Image credits: Bobwindy
"The analysis of past cases sheds light on the role of Switzerland as an important hub where corrupt foreign elites can easily find intermediaries to create and manage companies and trusts for them," Transparency International wrote in early 2024.
#22 A Cheese Vending Machine In A Mountain Village In Switzerland
Image credits: SuspiciousLizardo
#23 Spotted On A Walk. I've Never Seen This Kind Of Thing Before. A Pflanzenhotel (Plant Hotel) In Switzerland. People Bring All Their Big Outdoor Plants To Enormous Greenhouses For The Winter
Image credits: richard_littler
#24 Breakfast In Switzerland
Image credits: crumbbelly
"For far too long, Swiss lawyers have been able to do so without due diligence and reporting duties to detect money laundering. Last year, the Swiss government proposed new legislation to extend anti-money laundering obligations to lawyers and other professionals and, while there is much room for improvement, this is welcome."
#25 Rainbows In Switzerland
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#26 A Normal Day In The Countryside Of Switzerland
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#27 One Word: Switzerland
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In this particular case, this won't be the first time that the Swiss authorities have tried to reform the system.
"This is not the first attempt to bring much-needed regulation to the sector. In 2021, following lobbying by the industry, the parliament watered down amendments to the anti-money laundering legislation during their final deliberations. As a result, lawyers and notaries were able to escape regulation," Transparency International stated.
#28 The Family Coach On A Swiss Train, They Are Equipped With A Small Play Area (A Slide On This One)
Image credits: SteO153
#29 Two Rivers Meet And Mix In Geneva, Switzerland
Image credits: Simple_Candidate
#30 A Friend Of Mine Went To Switzerland, I Received An Appropriate Picture
Image credits: wirelesslanny
Have you ever been to Switzerland, dear Pandas? How was your experience? If you still haven’t traveled there, do you have plans to visit in the near future? What do you look forward to doing the most? We’d love to hear all of your thoughts on Swiss life, so if you have a moment, tell us all about it in the comments!
#31 Went To Switzerland And It Is The Best Country I’ve Ever Been. This Lindt Museum Was So Good. That Lake And Houses. You Guys Have A Really Good Country
Image credits: NNC9Music
#32 I Saw This Church In Switzerland
Image credits: WartimeHotTot
#33 I Got The All-Clear To Travel Within Switzerland - An Empty Train With A Great View
Image credits: Swissconnie
#34 A Public Refrigerator Where People Can Put Food Or Their Leftovers For Others. In Lucerne, Switzerland
Image credits: Timo_bu
#35 This House In Zurich Is Covered In Solar Panels
Image credits: Milestonebrothers
#36 The Last Thing I Thought I Would See While Exploring The Canton Of Jura
Image credits: Moar_Donuts
#37 You Know You're In Switzerland When Your "Going Home Drunk" Meal Is A Block Of Gruyère, Bought In A Vending Machine
Image credits: Bjor88
#38 Police In Switzerland Distribute Free Water Due To The Heatwave
Image credits: crashwinston
#39 I Saw Some Posts From This Rainbow, So I Thought I'd Share The View From Merlischachen (Close To Lucerne)
Image credits: reddit.com
#40 In My Gymnasium There Are Period Products For Free, I’m Not Concerned By That But I Think It’s A Good Thing
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#41 The Suspicion In That Look, Like Y’all Stole Something
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#42 Some Houses In The Southern Part Of Switzerland (Ticino) Have Their Own Cable Car/Cog Railroad To Get Up The Steep Hills From The Street-Level Parking
Image credits: CompetitiveOven69
#43 So There's A Giant Fork In The Middle Of Lake Geneva
Image credits: JiveMonkey
#44 The Police In Switzerland Are Teaching Children How To Cross A Roundabout
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#45 At The Zurich Opera House, We (Singers) Have Free Ricolas On Stage Behind The Curtain
Image credits: Envelki
#46 Drinking Water Facility For Dogs In Public Places In Switzerland
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#47 Swiss Porta Johns Are Wooden
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#48 Vending Machines In Switzerland Sell Pregnancy Tests Called "Maybe Baby"
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#49 Police Car In Zermatt
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#50 German: Fast Food On The Train Is Not Possible. Swiss: Hold My Hash Browns
Image credits: kallekowalski
