The municipality of Baden lies on the west bank of the Limmat River, just north of Zurich. Baden, which is German for bath, contains thermal 18 springs. Healing treatments of the mineral springs date back to the Roman era. Baden is a small but lively town with less than 20,000 people and no cars. Besides its several and resorts, Baden has the Swiss Children Museum, the "Grand Casino" and the Langmatt Foundation, which contains ones of Switzerland's finest art collections. Baden is at an elevation of about 1,100 to 1,800 feet.
Valais lies in the Geneva region of Switzerland at an elevation ranging from 1,600 to 14,000 feet. The Valais region offers activities such as trekking in the high mountains or visiting the many small communities high on the slopes of the Alps. Bettmeralp is one such small community, only accessible by railway car. During the summer months, hiking, downhill biking and scooter trials open in the areas that include Bettmeralp, Belalp, Riederalp, and Fiescheralp. You can see Aletsch Glacier, the largest glacier in Europe, from these towns.
Covering about 96,000 acres, Entlebuch is Switzerland's first and only UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Entelbuch lies between Lucerne and Bern at elevations ranging from 2,300 to about 7,700 feet. Summer activities include, guided wildlife tours, cultural tours and a theme park built around energy. The area has a population of about 17,000 with nearby towns of Sörenberg and Schüpfheim. Rischli wellness hotel is in Sörenberg as well as restaurants using only local produce.
