In geographical terms, Switzerland is about the same size as Wales or West Virginia; while in terms of population (around 8 million), it’s no bigger than London or New York City.  It is a land of contrasts and surprises – lakes and mountains, skiing and walking, banking and engineering, watches and clocks, cheeses and wines. It has 26 cantons, each with their own parliament, constitution and judiciary. It has 4 languages, its own currency and has never been part of the EU.

Switzerland Spa: Grand Hotel Bad Ragaz

It also has a burgeoning spa and wellness industry, among Switzerland Spas there are famous names like Clinic La Prairie, Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa and new kid on the block Tschuggen Bergoase. So what makes Swiss spas tick? We took a few days this summer to find out!

Travelling from the UK, Switzerland is an easy place to get to. We flew into Zurich, hired a car and decided to head for the hills to get a feel for the Swiss Alpine spa scene. We were targeting the east of the country – adjacent to Austria, Lichtenstein and Italy and home to some famous ski resorts including Arosa, Davos, Klosters and St Moritz. We singled out a number of key destination spas in Switzerland  – not necessarily in the glamour hot spots – but ones that would give a feel for the spa industry in this part of the country.

First stop Bad Ragaz, a charming town 62 miles south-east of Zurich and home to the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz. Very fancy, very 5 Star, very Leading Hotels of the World and very much the subject of my next blog!