The Alps, eight mountain countries linked by trains and cable cars.

What are the Alps?

The Alps are the great mountain range of central Europe: an arc of about 1,200 km that begins beside the Mediterranean, on the coast between Nice and Genoa, climbs along the French-Italian border, crosses Switzerland, southern Germany and Austria, and fades out in Slovenia, near the Pannonian plain. The Alpine Convention, the treaty signed by the countries of the range, counts eight: France, Monaco, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia. The roof is Mont Blanc, on the border between France and Italy, at a little over 4,800 m; the height changes slightly with the ice on the summit, and the latest measurement, in 2025, gave it 4,807 m. The UIAA's official list recognises 82 peaks above 4,000 m, almost all in the western Alps, between Switzerland, Italy and France.

For travelling it is best to think in valleys rather than countries. Each valley has its base village, its lifts and its paths, and what separates one valley from the next is mountain passes or tunnels. That is why a trip to the Alps works best by choosing two or three bases rather than trying to cross them whole.

How do you get there and get around?

By air, the airports that leave you at the foot of the mountains are Geneva, Zurich, Milan, Munich, Turin, Venice, Innsbruck and Salzburg. From Geneva to Chamonix it is about 80 km and an hour by car; from Munich to Innsbruck, about 160 km and two hours. By car from Spain, Barcelona is about 750 km from Annecy and almost 800 from Geneva: about eight hours of motorway without counting stops.

Switzerland and Austria are the countries where it is easiest to travel without a car. In Switzerland, trains reach almost every mountain village and connect with rack railways, funiculars and cable cars; some villages, such as Zermatt or those on the Aletsch glacier plateau, do not allow combustion-engine cars, and you leave the car in the valley. The Glacier Express links Zermatt and St. Moritz in about eight hours over 291 km of track and the Oberalp pass, at 2,033 m. In Austria, Innsbruck and Salzburg have good connections and from Vienna historic mountain trains leave, such as the Semmering one, the rack railway to Puchberg and the Schneeberg or the Mariazell one. In France and Italy the car is more practical, especially in parks such as Écrins, Gran Paradiso or the Dolomites.

On foot, the network of paths and huts allows multi-day crossings. The best known is the Tour du Mont Blanc, of about 170 km around the massif through France, Italy and Switzerland.

What to see in the Alps?

In Switzerland, the Jungfrau region, with Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald and the train to the Jungfraujoch, at 3,454 m; Zermatt at the foot of the Matterhorn; the Aletsch glacier, the largest in the Alps; the Engadine, with its high lakes and the Bernina railway; Lucerne and its lake, with Pilatus and the Rigi above; and Ticino, Italian-speaking Switzerland.

In France, Chamonix facing Mont Blanc, Annecy and its lake, and the wilder Écrins park. In Italy, Gran Paradiso, the Dolomites and the lakes at the foot of the range, such as Lake Como and Lake Garda.

In Germany, Berchtesgaden and the Königssee. In Austria, the Salzkammergut with Hallstatt, the Hohe Tauern park with the Grossglockner, Innsbruck and, near Vienna, day-trip mountains such as the Rax. In Slovenia there are the Julian Alps and Triglav, its highest point, at 2,864 m.

When to go and what changes with the season?

There are two good seasons and two bad ones. The walking season runs from late June to mid-September: the huts open, the summer lifts run and the high paths are clear of snow, although in June there are still snowfields above 2,000 m. September is the best month for many: fewer people, clear light and more settled weather. The skiing season runs from December to March or April, depending on the height of the resort.

In between, from mid-April to early June and from late October to early December, many cable cars and mountain hotels close for maintenance, the high passes remain closed by snow and the resort villages are left empty. It is a good time for the lakes and the cities on the edge, not for going up. In summer, afternoon storms are common: set out early and come down before three.

How many days and how to divide them?

With four or five days, choose a single base: the Jungfrau region, Zermatt, Chamonix or one of the Dolomites. With a week there is room for two nearby bases, for example Jungfrau and Zermatt, or Innsbruck and the Salzkammergut. With two weeks you can string together a train journey through Switzerland or a drive that links France and Italy through the Mont Blanc tunnel, of about 11.6 km. Always allow a spare day in case the weather closes the summits: with clouds you see nothing at the top.

What to know before you go?

Switzerland is expensive and uses francs; so does Liechtenstein. The rest use the euro. The motorways of Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia require a vignette; in Switzerland it costs 40 francs a year. France and Italy charge tolls by section, and the big Alpine tunnels have their own tolls. In heavily visited villages and in some parks you have to reserve parking or access in summer: this is the case for the Tre Cime and Lake Braies in the Dolomites. For walking above 2,500 m take warm clothing even in August and check the day's mountain forecast.