Switzerland Things to Do

For six centuries, Switzerland was part of the Roman Empire and several ruins from Roman settlements still remain today. Along with an accompanying Roman castle, the restored ruins and open-air theatre/museum of Augusta Raurica are listed on the Swiss Inventory of Cultural Property of National and Regional Significance.

Situated on the south bank of the Rhine near the villages of Augst and Kaiseraugst, Augusta is the oldest known Roman settlement in the region. Visitors interested in taking in the former colony should set aside a full day at a minimum, as the site consists of a full scale Roman theatre (home to an annual summer festival that is attended by tens of thousands), a museum with a collection including more than a million artifacts, an animal park wherein ancient Roman practices of animal husbandry are still practiced, and a fully restored example of a working Roman home complete with period-specific décor.

Situated on the Swiss-Italian border, the so-called “hundred valleys” train line known as the Centovalli Railway is an excellent bet for a day trip or weekend excursion. The trip to Locarno on Lake Maggiore from Domodossola in Italy is among the most memorable and picturesque means of entering Switzerland. During the trip (a minimum of two hours each way), you’ll see beautiful chestnut forests, jagged cliffs and gorges, rushing waterfalls, vineyards, monasteries and quaint villages. What you won’t see are the spectacular bridges that make passage along the vertiginous route possible, but then, you can’t have everything.