The more I travel, the more I realize how certain places around the world hold deeper meanings for different people. These are the destinations that resonate on an almost unexplainable level, and they’re the places we feel compelled to revisit, over and over again. As an adventure travel writer, I often find myself so swept up in the thrill of discovering new terrain or chasing the adrenaline rush that comes with exploring the unfamiliar that I rarely revisit the same place twice. But, as is the case with most things in life, there are, of course, exceptions. And my favorite exception has always been the Swiss Alps.

It’s easy for me to find an excuse to head back to this mesmerizing region … and even easier if there’s a chance to share my favorite exception with my favorite people. Remembering the purity and fresh smell of the alpine air when I first visited and later becoming entranced by the many personalities making up the vastly interconnected villages, I immediately began plans to bring my husband back as soon as his schedule cleared.

© Kristy Alpert

I wanted him to savor the nutty, butterscotch flavor of Berner Alpkäse – an AOP semi-hard cheese made with raw milk – sliced just months after the cows that make it had been grazing on high alpine herbs of the Bernese Oberland. I couldn’t wait to let him wake up to the sound of bronzed cow bells dangling from the necks of the goats and cows wandering the foothills beneath the ancient city of Gruyère. I wanted him to see the emerald-green waters that took my breath away at Seealpsee Lake. And I needed him to understand what I meant when I said the powder on the slopes of Gstaad sparkles as it flies from your skis.

We both grew up skiing the mountains throughout America, but after skiing the famous Klein Matterhorn to Valtournenche run (the longest on-piste ski run in the world at 13.6 miles long), it was clear we could never ski the same. We came back often, even taking the gondolas up to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (12,739 feet) while I was pregnant, with a sealed envelope revealing our child’s gender inside. We looked out on the 14 glaciers and three countries with giddy delight at the discovery we were having a boy, unaware six years later we would be back, holding hands with our son and his younger sister as we gazed upon the beautiful scenery below.

The Alpine region of Switzerland has become a pivotal element in many of our family’s favorite stories over the years, and for many other families and friends, the region represents an aspirational playground ripe for discovering alongside familiar faces.

© Kristy Alpert

The Swiss Alps are part of the greater Alps Mountain Range, which crosses through France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania. Although Switzerland encompasses just 14 percent of the entire Alps Mountain Range, the Alps cover more than two-thirds of the country, making it one of only two authentically Alpine countries, alongside Austria.

It helps to think of the Alps as four main regions within Switzerland: the Western Alps, Central Alps, Eastern Alps and Prealps, each easily accessible from any of the major international hubs in Geneva or Zürich. The country’s vast public transportation system operates like clockwork, quite literally in fact, as the iconic Swiss Railways Clock has become a symbol of precision for the world thanks to its signature synchronized pause that ensures every Swiss train departs on the minute. Swiss watchmaker Mondaine even emulates the clock’s technology and aesthetic in many of its luxury watch collections.

Three of the country’s most well-known peaks — the Matterhorn, Jungfrau and Eiger — call the Western Alps home, alongside the largest glacier in the Alps, the Aletsch Glacier. Over in Grindelwald, the village takes sledding to new heights with lengthy high-altitude runs, while the town of Zermatt has perfected the quintessential Swiss après scene, especially at Hotel Monte Rosa in Zermatt, dating back to 1839. The hotel sits within walking distance of the country’s first fully electrified rack railroad, the Gornergrat Bahn, which takes visitors on a historic ride up to the Gornergrat platform for what has become known as the best views of the Matterhorn. A formal breakfast at Hotel Monte Rosa’s velvet-clad Brasserie Belle-Époque starts every adventure with coffee and Swiss specialties at the base of the Matterhorn.

The rugged peaks of the Central Alps have been one of the best-kept secrets for many skiers, most of whom opt for the lesser-visited village of Andermatt, just 90 minutes by car from Zürich. The drive passes through the impressive Schöllenen Gorge and arrives just beneath one of Europe’s highest-located Michelin-starred restaurants at The Chedi. This luxury hotel has three Michelin stars to its name and features the work of architect Jean-Michel Gathy, who designed the interiors to resemble a traditional Japanese onsen.

The lower peaks of the Eastern Alps prove ideal for cultural immersions, whether it’s watching the singing herdsman of Appenzell or experiencing a traditional torchlight hike in Davos. The resort town of St. Moritz often needs no introduction, at least not to the fashionable crowd frequenting the village each winter. St. Moritz is the birthplace of Alpine winter tourism, which goes beyond the traditional downhill sports. The city boasts the Cresta Run toboggan track and an Olympic bobsledding run but also hosts the Snow Polo World Cup each year. Badrutt’s Palace Hotel (a.k.a. “the palace”) boasts its own ice rink just outside its luxurious property, but locals know it best for its enigmatic nightclub, King’s Social House, where you never know who you will bump shoulders with each night.

© Kristy Alpert

The limestone foothills just east of Lake Geneva offer a playground of sorts for year-round family fun. In Gruyère, the cheese dairies and alpine slides (sledding hills in winter) wind through the hills beneath an ancient village, while Maison Callier showcases the sweeter side of the Prealps with its interactive chocolate factory and tasting room. A bit higher in altitude, Gstaad gleams with its car-free streets and chic alpine atmosphere. Gstaad Palace towers above the village, an icon of the region since opening in 1913. Royals and celebrities frequent the historical hotel, whether it’s for après around the grand fireplace in the lobby bar or cozying up in a corner of the hotel’s illustrious GreenGo Club (which has hosted both Princess Diana and Madonna).

I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a point of pride that my children know the rules of sharing a Swiss fondue: no double-dipping; don’t drop the bread; pair it with hot tea; stir the pot in a figure-eight pattern; and always, always save room for the crispy cheese that forms at the bottom of the empty pot, known as la religieuse. But it’s even more meaningful that I’ve been able to share with my own children a place that brings out the child in me and nurtures the mountain spirit within them, a place worthy of a return visit, any chance we get.

LODGING
BADRUTT’S PALACE HOTEL 
Family own-operated since 1896, this palace hotel has been at the heart of Switzerland’s winter tourism since the beginning and puts a glamorous twist on alpine adventuring.
Via Serlas 27, St. Moritz
$$$$$

THE CHEDI ANDERMATT
Unassuming luxury with a penchant for perfection pervades this 119- room exquisite hotel where Michelin stars grace its restaurants and alpine stars illuminate all other aspects.
Gotthardstrasse 4, Andermatt
$$$$$

GSTAAD PALACE
James Bond himself once stayed here … well, Roger Moore, at least. Still, this 90-room turreted palace remains the quintessential set- ting for savoring cinematic-worthy holidays.
Palacestrasse 28, Gstaad
$$$$$

DINING
CHEZ VRONY
Rising 6,889 feet above sea level, this chalet pairs upscale Swiss cuisine with incredible Matterhorn views. It’s worth the short hike down from the gondola for housemade specialties. Check website for seasonal opening dates.
Findeln, Zermatt
$$$

FIESCHERBLICK
The seasonally changing “chef’s choice” menu at this indoor/outdoor Nordic-inspired Alpine restaurant highlights local ingredients and includes four to six courses.
Dorfstrasse 203, Grindelwald
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LA FROMAGERIE
It’s all about the cheese at this fondue haven located inside a former bunker where a Swiss bank once stored gold bars during World War II.
Gstaad Palace, Palacestrasse 28, Gstaad
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INFO TO GO
Although Bern Airport is the nearest gateway to the Swiss Alps, it’s just as easy to fly into Zürich International Airport or Geneva International Airport and rent a car or take the train. Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) offers express routes direct to destinations like Zermatt or Chur but also gives options for scenic routes for slower journeys through the Alps.