It is only a small town in the south-western part of Switzerland, yet it has managed to become a famous resort, receiving crowds of visitors in all seasons of the year. Built at an altitude of 1,050 meters in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, Gstaad has a history that goes back to medieval times, when the area was part of the County of Gruyère. In 1554 Count Michel died completely bankrupt, resulting in the dissolution of his state. In return for the debts, the lands were divided between Bern and Freiburg, with Gstaad going to the former.
What drastically changed its fortunes was the disaster of 1898, when it burned down almost completely. Bravely receiving financial support for reconstruction, the residents decided to build a tourism-oriented town, which had begun to flourish in Switzerland. Beyond that, of course, Gstaad’s reputation was helped by the fact that it hosted international schools for children of wealthy families from all over Europe.
After the disruption of World War II, the city experienced rapid growth, emerging as one of Switzerland’s most cosmopolitan resorts. The list of celebrities who have been seen vacationing there is long, including e.g. Madonna, Sophia Loren, Quentin Tarantino, Margaret Thatcher and Jackie Kennedy. In Gstaad, in fact, part of the filming of Blake Edwards’ legendary comedy “The Return of the Pink Panther” took place.
How to go
As the nearest airport is Geneva, most visitors choose to get there by taking the train: there are hourly services to Montreaux, where you will need to get off and board the so-called “panorama train”, which will take you goes to Gstaad. In total, this route takes 3 hours and 22 minutes.
Something similar can be done from Zurich airport, but the trip will be a bit longer (around 4 hours), with the cost increasing accordingly. However, note that Gstaad also has its own small airport, 6.5 kilometers outside the city. But it only serves private jets.
Where to stay
Due to the rapid tourist development Gstaad has several ultra-luxurious hotels, but also several traditional chalets at more accessible prices, guaranteeing that you will find many accommodation options.
Among the best and most affordable options (by Gstaad standards, always) is the Posthotel Rössli, or the oldest hotel in town: it opened in 1845 as a traditional wooden inn, and has maintained that character ever since. It may be considered 3-star by today’s standards, but it is well maintained, standing on the pedestrian street in the center of the city, and also offers free parking. For a more modern 4-star hotel you’ll head to the Bernerhof, which is also on the pedestrianized part of the center, just a 2-minute walk from the train station. The beautiful chalet-hotel Arc-en-ciel is also worth checking out, especially if you’re visiting Gstaad with children. It even has space for them to play driving electric cars.
Stepping up a notch, Gstaad Palace has remained an architectural icon of the city since 1913 when it opened as its first luxury hotel. The view it offers of the Swiss Alps is wonderful, and it also has an indoor pool, as well as a 7-room hammam. The majestic Le Grand Bellevue in a central park is one of the most popular 5-star options, with beautiful art deco interiors. Alpina Gstaad has only 56 rooms, but it is one of the most modern and talked about hotels in the area. It has an amazing view as it is built on a hillside, while among other things it houses its own collection of works of art.
Where to drink coffee and drink
Most places in Gstaad are designed to offer a total experience of coffee, food and drink, so there is not much choice in what we call “cafe”. However, it is worth taking a walk from “Charly’s” to accompany the drink of your choice with delicious sweets.
Otherwise, wine lovers should not miss the opportunity to dine at the Leonard restaurant at the Le Grand Bellevue hotel: its cellar is incredible, with over 9,000 brands from around the world. It is also recommended to check out the local production of the Valais and Vaud regions as, due to the small quantity, they are not usually found outside of Switzerland. For younger people who want a night out with a club character, the ultimate destination is ‘GreenGo’ at the Gstaad Palace Hotel: a stylish, ultra-luxurious venue with a dance floor and seating, serving classic drinks, cocktails and champagne.
Don’t miss the opportunity, however, to try the local soft drink Rivella, but also the Kirch liqueur, made from local cherries.
Where will you sit to eat?
Gstaad has an abundance of good restaurants, so the main choice you have to make before you go out for a meal is whether you want French cuisine, Swiss/German or something different.
For Michelin-starred French cuisine, you’ll head to La Bagatelle: côte de boeuf with béarnaise sauce and foie gras promise to be worth the (considerable) money you’ll be asked to pay. For traditional Swiss options – fondue, raclette (local semi-hard cheese baked with salted meat, pickles and potatoes) and rosti (potatoes fried in butter) – you will visit Le Petit Chalet, in the garden of the Le Grand Bellevue hotel: it is laid out like a traditional wooden cabin in the alps.
Otherwise, Arc-en-ciel has a pizzeria with excellent Italian-style pizzas, Mango offers tasty Indian dishes, and (Michelin-starred) Megu serves sushi and Japanese cuisine.
5 things worth doing if you travel to Gstaad
Gstaad has a great reputation as a ski destination. However, this reputation is at the same time a bit limiting, as you can enjoy its mountainous landscape without engaging in the sport, if you are not attracted to it.
- Test your skiing skills
The main reason Gstaad ranks among Europe’s most renowned destinations for ski enthusiasts is its ski resort: manned with pistes for every level and built to meet the high standards to which the area’s famous visitors are accustomed, it offers an experience with a special class.
You can try the sport even if you are a complete beginner, while the red and blue slopes will satisfy even more intermediate or advanced skiers. But the Tiger Run route in the Wasserngrat area is also offered for the very experienced, who want to test their endurance and skills on a particularly difficult and steep track.
- Off-ski activities
If skiing isn’t your thing, Gstaad has made sure to offer its visitors a significant variety of outdoor activities – not all related to the snow.
So you can enjoy a ride on a traditional wooden dog sled, go mountain biking or climbing in the surrounding mountains, go paragliding, visit the Glacier 3000 snow park in Diablerets, play golf or go down the Saane river with canoeing (weather permitting, in winter). But what is definitely worth trying is a hot air balloon ride over the area: by asking at your hotel, you will easily find the companies that offer this possibility.
- Stroll and shop on the Promenade
Gstaad is a city that is very easy to walk, being well laid out, but also attractive to the eye: many houses among the modern hotels have preserved the elegant traditional architecture of Switzerland and this is one of the reasons for the preference shown by the international jet set. The main reason, however, is the Promenade. It is the main street of Gstaad, around which a large part of the social and professional life flourishes. It is the smallest shopping street in Switzerland, but at the same time one of the most famous in the country, which guarantees that you will find plenty to browse, even if you want to stroll without shopping.
- See the church of Saint Nicholas
Small Protestant church with characteristic medieval architecture, dedicated to Agios Nikolaos. It has stood on the Promenade since 1402, when the town had managed to gain a reputation as a station for traders traversing the mountainous regions of southwestern Switzerland.
The temple was among the few buildings that survived the devastating fire of 1898. Which is especially fortunate, as it gives you the chance to admire the impressive frescoes inside, which date back to the 15th century. If you are lucky, you can even see a concert there.
- Visit a traditional Alpine cheese factory
One of the most unique experiences you can have in Gstaad is to arrange a trip to the traditional farms of the area (it’s easy, you book it online before you travel).
Going there you will have the opportunity to see up close the whole process that gives the famous Swiss cheeses, which has remained the same for at least 100 years. The guide you will have with you will answer all your questions, while if you are accompanied by children they will also be given access to the farm animals – weather permitting. If you wish, you can even try the cheeses produced on site.
