Too many tourists knocking about in Zermatt and St Mortiz? Then consider heading instead to unsung Pizol in the yodel-echoing Rhine Valley in eastern Switzerland. The Tamina Gorge was a playground for Heidi author Johanna Spyri, while the mineral-rich bathing waters and thermal springs of basecamp village Bad Ragaz are among the very best in the world. Up on the slopes, Pizol dazzles with more than 30 miles of eerily quiet slopes, a freeride park and lift tickets that let you ski and spa in one blissful, muscle-soothing combo.
Swiss food is often pictured as a cheerful carb-loading stereotype, fuelled by classic dishes like fondue, raclette, rösti and spätzle. But if you’re seeking something more refined, head for The Alpina Gstaad. The passion at the valley’s standout hotel is for tasting menus that waltz between forkfuls of lake perch, quail and Swiss shrimp, found at Michelin-starred restaurants Sommet by Martin Göschel, and Megu, headed up, respectively, by chefs Martin Göschel and sushi master Tsutomu Kugota. To work off those calories, Gstaad has four separate mountain areas to chew on — and for steep slopes and deep powder, you’ll want the first lift up the Wasserngrat.