The latest Best in Travel guide from Lonely Planet has rated Valais as one of the best places to visit in 2025. The Swiss canton placed in the top 10 on the bucket list for regions, amongst the soaring landscapes of Nepal and the hallowed lands of Jordan.

Valais: The icon of the Alps

Described by Lonely Planet experts as an “icon of the Alps,” Valais was rated as one of the 10 regions to visit on holiday in 2025. Amid “charming forests and villages”, the “refreshing” and swimmable lakes and “beneath the brooding Matterhorn, there is always a cutting edge adventure", the guide wrote.

Along with praising its natural landscape, the guide also highlighted the stunning historical sites and traditions on display in Valais. Upcoming events were also championed: the region will host the UCI World Mountain Bike Championships in 2025. The event will be held across seven ski resorts, with an opening ceremony in the capital Sion.

What are some of the top things to do in Valais / Wallis?

Lonely Planet was also keen to provide some top tips and attractions for those looking to visit Valais. These were:

• Take the Glacier Express.
• Ride three cable cars from Zermatt to Klein Matterhorn to see 14 Swiss glaciers and 30 mountain peaks.
• Explore the Aletsch Glacier, one of Switzerland’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
• Visit Barryland, the theme park dedicated to Saint Bernard Dogs - set to reopen in the summer of 2025.
• A swim at Lac de Géronde.
• Visit the underground lake at Saint-Léonard.
• Visit the Basilica de Valère.
• Have a fondue on Mont-Fort.

According to the guide, this itinerary allows travellers to “see what makes Valais effortlessly cool.”

Valais joins Fiji and India on Lonely Planet travel guide

Valais was joined by the German state of Bavaria, East Anglia in England, the Jordan Trail and the low country of South Carolina and Georgia as some of the top regions to visit. For cities, the French gem of Toulouse and the vibrant streets of Puducherry in India were the front runners, while Cameroon, Lithuania and Fiji should be the countries most prominent on traveller bucket lists.

To see the full list of destinations for 2025, check out the official Lonely Planet guide.