By Lea Struck
Gstaad is a village in the German-speaking section of the Canton of Bern in southwestern Switzerland. There are all kinds of activities in Gstaad to discover. The village can be reached via Gstaad airport. Quoting myswitzerland.com: “The Gstaad-Saanenland holiday region in the Bernese Oberland attracts a charming mix of visitors: while the chalet village of Gstaad welcomes famous guests, the smaller neighboring villages offer attractive options for families with children.”
Sights and activities in Gstaad
In Winter Gstaad is home to one of the largest ski areas in the Alps (220 km of slopes). With the neighboring resorts of Saanen, Schönried, Saanenmöser, Zweisimmen, Gsteig, Lauenen, Feutersoey, Turbach, and Abländschen, the Saanenland as a whole provides more than only winter sports possibilities! Gstaad is a city of culture, nature, and shopping, the perfect basis for an alternative summer holiday in the mountains.
Why don’t you visit the nature preserve by the idyllic Lake Lauenen with its waterfalls and high moors? Or you can take an adventurous walk over the hiking trails with varying degrees of difficulty. Another fun activity in Gstaad could also be an exciting ride on the panorama railway. With a “Golden Pass” you can travel on the train which makes a journey from Montreux on Lake Geneva via Gstaad to Lake Thun. From there on you will go to Lucerne in Central Switzerland.
If you fancy more culture? Visit the narrow streets of the traditional Saanen village or the idyllic mountain village of Abländschen.
In recent years the center of Gstaad has developed into the most popular and shortest “shopping mile” in Switzerland. Lonely planet cites: “Synonymous with the glitterati and fittingly twinned with Cannes, Gstaad appears smaller than its reputation – Too little for its designer ski boots, as it were.” Multiple celebrities spend their holidays in this little town and can be spotted on the slopes or in “the Promenade”. This shopping street is packed with boutiques: Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren, Hermès, Prada. Maison Lorenz Bach and its sister store Bach Sign both have well-curated collections with pieces from the likes of Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang, and Chloé.
Restaurants in Gstaad
After all the activities in Gstaad, you need refreshment? It is a no-brainer that eating raclette, a local dish based on heating the cheese and scraping off (racler) the melted part, is a must in Switzerland. Le Petit Chalet, a rustic log cabin seating only 18, serves fabulous raclette and fondue. You need to book ahead (+41 33 748 0000).
For a drink, we recommend sitting high above the town in “the Palace Hotel”. Here Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor already partied and Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald even performed. Have a Scherz-cocktail (named after the owner) in the lobby bar, or party the night away at the nightclub GreenGo.
Gstaad airport: A flight with a view
The closest airfield nearby is Saanen, operated by Air Sarina AG. Arriving at the Gstaad airport provides a spectacular view of the mountains. The short field is situated in the valley on an elevation of ca. 1 km and is a private airport. It is not possible to land without prior permission. So book your air taxi flight on time so we can make sure you can land hassle-free. From the airport, it is then only a 10-minute drive to Gstaad and all your upcoming activities.
Check out all the airports in the neighbourhood of Gstaad here.
Private Jet and Air taxi prices
Please refer to our price calculator for a personalized air taxi offer. Of course you can also contact us for further information at +32 (0)3 500 9082.
Rather discover a whole new region of Switzerland? Read in our blog ‘Samedan, on the roof of Europe‘ what there is to discover in this tourist region.