Switzerland offers unparalleled opportunities for sports throughout the year, providing the perfect slopes and landscape for all activities.

With names like Roger Federer and Martina Hingis in the vocabulary of millions, one can fathom that sports are an essential part of Swiss life. The Swiss are very health-conscious and enhance their quality of life by indulging in various sports like tennis, football, mountain climbing and swimming.

Switzerland is also home to winter sports like ice skating, skiing and snowboarding. Skiing is very common for over 30 year olds. One can find several world-class ski resorts throughout its mountainous regions. Most families will spend at least a week of their vacation at a ski resort. In the winter months, all major towns and most alpine resorts have an ice field for skating. Young girls often follow elementary courses in figure skating.

In the summertime, biking and mountain climbing are popular sports. Several clubs exist for these sports, but most people prefer to indulge in them independently. For inexperienced climbers, guides are available. Hiking is just as popular, and why wouldn’t it be when Switzerland has more kilometres of hiking paths per capita than any other nation.

Another summer activity includes swimming. The Swiss love to swim and sunbathe, and the authorities ensure that the city’s waters are kept pollution free. Open-air public swimming pools and lakeside swimming facilities are dispersed all over the country. In the canton of Geneva, Bains des Pâquis and Genéva-Plage are the two main beaches. The latter, with its vast space of 42,000 m2, was created in 1933. This luxurious area beholds among others, an Olympic size heated pool, a large diving platform, basketball and volleyball courts, playgrounds, a giant chessboard, a private landing stage for water-skiing, a windsurfing base, a restaurant and snack bar and a boutique. 



Horse riding and golfing, though expensive with their equipment, indulge thousands of people during weekends. The Freiberge region, in the Fresh-speaking canton of Jura, is a paradise for horses, and its hills are ideal for riders, hikers and bikers. Switzerland is also ideal for golfing, with its mountainous landscapes and breathtaking nature. Its 91 golf courses leave one spoilt for choice, as do the 40 Swiss golf hotels to make this elitist sport a luxurious outdoors activity.

Opportunities to indulge in water sports are best found in Valais. Lakes such as Lake Geneva, Lugano, and Neuchâtel offer sailing, water-skiing and canoeing on a large scale.

For those who love the nature and want to get to the heart of the best scenery of Switzerland, camping may be the ultimate means to do this. The best camping facilities are in the south of Switzerland, namely around the lake of Geneva, the province of Tessin and the valley of Engadin. Swiss campsites are generally clean and well equipped. Availability is greater during the summer months between May and September. Each town and village in Switzerland has at least one campsite at its disposal. Campsites are classified according to facilities, ranging from one to five stars, and tourist offices in every region in the country have a camping map showing the locations, contact details and facilities of campsites in the locality. Camping is often underestimated in total financial damages.

Individuals who are not in favour of adventure sports but expect to get a healthy workout are also accommodated with several gym and health clubs. Geneva itself offers classes in Pilates and yoga, dancing and fitness centres.

[Expatica, 2008]