It has been quietly making its case for being one of the best places in the world to live, with multiple cities listed in 2024’s Global Liveability Index and Smart City Index.
When it comes to the world’s best country rankings, Scandinavia typically tops the charts. We’re used to seeing Denmark, Finland and Norway leading the pack in the world’s happiest country lists – but another European country has been quietly making its case for being one of the best places in the world to live.
With multiple cities listed in the top 10 of this year’s Global Liveability Index and the Smart City Index, Switzerland shows that its policies offer nationwide impact. Zurich and Geneva cracked the top 10 most liveable cities, with perfect scores in healthcare and education; while Zurich came in as the number one smart city for its chart-topping infrastructure and technology score, with Geneva following close behind in fourth place, followed by Lausanne in seventh.
As a smaller country bordered by five other nations, Switzerland has been influenced by various cultures and languages throughout its existence, which has led to positive styles of governance, according to residents. “One big cultural influence is our history as a ‘nation by will’, with a lot of minorities (cultural, ethnic, language etc), resulting in a high sensitivity and acceptance of compromises,” said resident Res Marty, founder of Switzerland Beyond Chocolate.
The country famously practices direct democracy where every citizen gets a vote on laws and referendums, which helps residents feel like they have a real voice when it comes to how they live and how their tax dollars are spent. “In our village, they wanted to extend the school so there was a vote to raise the tax for five years to pay for it,” said Rosamund Tagel, founder of Glow Concierge, who lives and works in Zürich. “The vote passed with an overwhelming majority because people understand the importance of education.”
We spoke to residents about how these policies shape Switzerland as a premier place to live, and how they contribute to an overall higher quality and enjoyment of life.
Education with impact
In the Global Liveability ranking, both Geneva and Zurich scored a perfect 100 on education – something that residents noted as particular point of pride. “Public schools are excellent. If I still lived in the UK, I would 100% send my children to private school. But in Switzerland it’s just not needed,” said Tagel. “It’s so international at our local school that my kids speak four languages and that is fairly typical. Every single one of their friends speaks at least two, and most three or four, which is such a massive advantage.”
The classes here aren’t just focussed on academic achievement either. Skills for life and work are also taught and graded. “The curriculum includes social competencies, independence, self-organisation and respectful conduct,” said Barbara Rose Collins, originally from Sydney, Australia, who lives in Küsnacht, a small lakeside town at the edge of Zurich. “All of these are separately assessed on school reports and carry equal weighting to academic results during progression decisions.”
Safety and social life
A strong sense of security and safety across Switzerland means kids walk to and from school as early as age four – perhaps no surprise as the Swiss cities ranked highly in the stability, culture and environment parts of the indexes. Tagel notes that she loves the fact that her kids can run off to play with their friends, knowing they will return safely and “magically appear” by sundown. “Of course there is crime like in any country, but the stats in Switzerland are one of the lowest in the world,” she said. “People still leave their doors unlocked outside of the cities when popping out.”
And popping out they do. Social and family life are prioritised here, which can lead to a slower pace of life. “When you enter Switzerland, you turn your watch back about 60 years and hit the slo-mo button on your remote,” said Collins. “Nobody is in a rush – rushing is considered something done by people who are disorganised. Everyone goes for their daily walks, fixed working hours are practically a religion, no long commutes, few traffic jams, and people take time to sit down to eat and drink with scarce takeaway options.”
This also comes across as a healthy respect for farming and the food supply, with traffic often coming to a halt to let animals walk down the street or allow a tractor to pass. Main streets might be closed during the morning commute for workers to plant seasonal flowers and update roadside landscaping, but that job is viewed just as important as anyone else’s role, according to Collins.
A nod to nature
Switzerland also lucks out thanks to its naturally beautiful landscape that’s painted with rivers, lakes and the imposing Alps (covering 60% of the country’s whole surface area). With high scores in culture and environment in the liveability index, Swiss cities’ proximity to nature contributes highly to residents’ sense of happiness, especially since governmental and cultural norms allow ample time and space to enjoy it.
“Switzerland recognises that contact with nature is essential for wellbeing and this concept is factored into planning of cities and living spaces,” said Collins. “Forests reach all the way to and into the city and natural rivers and streams run through the city rather than being diverted so everyone can always access nature.”
As one example, a viral TikTok by American DJ Diplo recently pointed to how the residents of Basel commute to work by jumping in the Rhine river and floating downstream – using a floatable bag for their clothes to change into at the end.
Residents of other cities also bask in the accessibility of the outdoors. “I often go for a walk along Lake Geneva with a stop in the gardens of the Olympic Museum, and then I continue until the village of Pully, where I relax by the bar La Générale,” said Olivia Bosshart, a manager at Lausanne Tourism. “I always have my swimsuit with me as there are several access points and beaches by the lake, not to mention the charming lakeside villages between St-Sulpice and Lutry.”
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Melanie Trummer, a resident of Grindelwald in the Bernese Alps, famous for the imposing Eiger mountain, adds that the benefits of the country’s engaged infrastructure even extends outside the major cities. “Grindelwald offers the advantages of a mountain village and the possibilities of a city,” she said. “Good tourist infrastructure and various service providers like cable cars, public transports, hotels, restaurants and businesses ensure that the Eiger village, despite its Alpine location, is an attractive workplace with secure working conditions.”
Travel and transport made easy
For travellers in particular, Switzerland offers easy access to the rest of Europe, as well as intercity public transportation with a reliable train system and technology services that make life more convenient. “The SwissPass card serves as a universal ticket for all public transport and provides access to libraries, museums and municipal facilities,” said Nausheen Farishta, founder of Globe Gazers, who splits her time between Geneva and northern Italy. “You can even use it as a digital identity card.”
She also notes that cities across Switzerland are testing self-driving vehicles, a project that is being managed country-wide via the Swiss Association for Autonomous Mobility. The platform aims to lead on the issues of regulation, social acceptance and technology to further help residents more easily access transportation. Thirteen test projects and vehicles have already been completed across cities like Bern and Zurich, with 11 more currently underway.
Residents consider Switzerland’s relatively small size a major strength – with no destination too far or remote. “Personally, I like how close everything is. This makes mountain excursions or leisure activities across the entire country very easy,” said Marty. “If I want to, I can be on hiking trails in the mountains, in the city centre or on the lake in about 30 minutes.”
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