Switzerland is classic example of touristic country. Elegant cities and popular resorts with cozy hotels, great mountains, clear lakes and picturesque green hills, unique culture and tolerance – these are the main advantages. All beauties of nature are concentrated in a small territory. The most of them are created by people. Actually, you cannot find a lot of historical monuments and special architectural masterpieces. The country boasts with small towns with the unique colors and charm. Each of them needs special attention. If you want to combine active leisure and beauty of nature – welcome to visit theme parks.
Basel Zoo
Basel Zoo is considered to be one of the best-visiting attractions of the country (more than million guests every year). By the way, this is one of the oldest complexes in the country. It was opened in 1874. The territory occupies about 12 hectares to be the sweet home for 6 000 animals, more than 600 kinds of animals. You can see not only cages with natural surroundings from different regions, but sea pavilion, vivarium, evolutional platform and other zones of different specializations. It is surprising but Zoo is situated in the center of the city. You cannot hear the city noise and other sounds of civilizations when you are inside.
The open-air cages are compact and easy to watch them from different sides. It is very important for kids to watch animals. It takes you 2-3 hours to go through the park from the beginning to the end. There are 3 restaurants and lots of cafes. Zoo works the year round with no weekends. The entrance ticket for adults costs about 18 francs, for teens – 12 francs, 6-16 kids – 7 francs. The easiest way to get to the Basel Zoo is public transport for 10 minutes from the Central Railway Station. It is comfortably located to be surrounded by railways and automobile routs.
Kindercity
If you decided to stay in Zurich, you should spend at least one day for visiting Kindercity. It is needful to hire a car in Zurich and go to the city province Volketswil. You goal is get to the Kindercity. This is the biggest attractive educational center in Switzerland for kids under 12. What is more, you may use your car and visit the chain of interesting attractions such as Connyland in Lipperswil for water attractions and mini-park of dinosaurs, Bruno Weber Weg Dietikon in Dietikon and museum and glass-blowing factory not far from Luzern.
Tierpark Goldau
You can visit a lot of Zoos that are attractive for natural and attractive function. First of all, this is Tierpark Goldau, where the territory divided into special zones. There are many pavilions for aquariums and outdoor cages for wild dangerous animals. People cross the park by special pathways and viewing points. There are also open water territories. You can see the brightest representatives of Swiss nature. You can feed them all with special feeds. The territory is divided into many picnic places – free firewoods. So, this is big natural park is even better than usual Zoos. It is not Zoo but scientific-entertaining park!
The park is situated in Goldau, on the lake Zug, 12 kilometers to the East from Luzern and 36 kilometers to the South from Zurich. You can get there from any part of the country by train (20-25 minutes from Zurich) or by car. Tierpark Goldau is opened the year round. The ticket price for adults is 18 francs, for kids 4-16 years – 10 francs.
Labyrinth Adventure Evionnaz
The small city Evionnaz in the valley of Rhone welcomes you with the park of adventures Labyrinth Adventure Evionnaz. This is a compact complex that is the biggest open-air park in Europe. You can find more than 50 playgrounds and attractions here. Pay attention to labyrinth made of 1000 cedar trees. There are 30 meters high hills, walls and launch pads, mini-golf and playgrounds. Everything is specially decorated, offering Halloween thematic, for example. Actually, thematic differs every season.
There is also a big number of cafes, Creperie restaurant and picnic playgrounds. The park territory and attractions are available for disabled people. The park works from April to September. The ticket for adults is 16 francs, for kids 5-16 – 14 francs. You can get there by train or car from every point. It takes you 30 minutes from Lausanne or 5-7 minutes from Martigny.
Ballenberg
The popular open-air museum of Swiss architecture Ballenberg is situated дnot far from Ballenberg Village. Actually, the big part of this village is included in the museum exposition. There are more than 90 old houses from different parts of the country. You can visit colorful gardens, wineries, fields and traditional workshops, including potteries. The museum landscape is specially profiled to make you learn different parts of the country by means of architecture. All museum exposits welcome you to come and see, touch and taste. You can easily come in any house and learn something new by practice.
How about the chance to try aromatic pastry from the old bakery or wind mill? It would be also great to visit chocolate factory and folk theater, ancient pharmacy and horse farm. You may learn play musical instruments to be inspired by Swiss nature. In short, this is place of wide opportunities and big interest.
The museum works from the middle of April till October with no weekends. It starts work at 10 a.m. till 7 p.m. The ticket price for adults is 16 francs, for kids 6-16 – 8 francs, group ticket – 14 and 7 francs. It is also popular place for excursions to come here with groups. It is better to get there traditionally by train from Interlaken to Brienz and 15 minutes by car or public transport to Hofstetten bei Brienz. There is another way to start your travelling from Flugplatz Meiringen station – the destination from the airport to museum is the same as from Hofstetten. So, the choice is yours.