Flying into Switzerland, the rocky and mountainous terrain will be the first thing that catches your eye from the airplane. Whether you are arriving in Zermatt, Bern or Geneva, there are plenty of opportunities to get out of the cities and on to the rocks.

North of Bern, along the border with France and Germany are the Jura Mountains. Here there is also excellent climbing on some fantastic limestone towers, such as the Falkenstein. Farther south, what feels like a world away from Bern, are the much less traveled, but no less brilliant southern Swiss Alps. Here you’ll find Ticino, which offers some excellent advanced multi-pitch climbs as well as plenty of opportunities to cross over into Italy.

However, the western Swiss Alps, around Zurich and Geneva, as well as the eastern Swiss Alps, farther into the center of the country, is where much of the most famous rock climbing abounds.

Eiger, Jungfrau and Monch, all of which are near Interlocken, offer many great climbing opportunities in the former. Meanwhile, in the latter, Andermatt, Grimsel, Susten and Nufenen, are often considered the heart of the Alps and have the single and multi-pitch sport and trad routes to keep up with that reputation.