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Best Castle Hikes in Switzerland

The directory currently contains 94 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Switzerland. Their average mapped distance is 2.0 km and average recorded ascent is 63 m (207 ft); the longest route in the set is 6.4 km.

This subset represents 1% of the 8,033 quality-checked routes in Switzerland. Its average distance is 2.0 km, compared with 5.0 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 63 m (207 ft), versus 234 m (768 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

These routes carry the castle tag. Opening hours, admission and whether the route enters the site must be checked with the operator. Within this set, 45 routes (48%) are rated easy, 0 (0%) are rated hard or expert, and 5 (5%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

1.3 km

Jussy le Château - Les Longerayes

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

0 m

Jussy le Château - Les Longerayes

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

0 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

Moderate

Col de la Chaux - Cabane Mont-Fort

Valais/Wallis · Switzerland

Distance
3.2 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
41 m
Typical duration
43 min
  • Mountain
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Bauen UR mit der Iddakirche
Moderate

Bauen-Schloss Beroldingen

Uri · Switzerland

Distance
3.1 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
66 m
Typical duration
45 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Ruins of castle Serravalle, Switzerland .
Moderate

Giro del Castello di Serravalle

Ticino · Switzerland

Distance
6.4 km
/ 4.0 mi
Elevation gain
505 m
Typical duration
2 hr 6 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Wanderwegweiser Schloss Beroldingen 870, Seelisberg UR
Moderate

Schloss Beroldingen - Weid

Uri · Switzerland

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
49 m
Typical duration
27 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Steg - Schloss

Zurich · Switzerland

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
59 m
Typical duration
31 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Schloss Wildegg, Kanton Aargau
Moderate

Chärnenberg - Schloss Wildegg

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
11 m
Typical duration
19 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Schloss Wildegg, Kanton Aargau
Moderate

Chärnenberg - Schloss Wildegg

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
165 m
Typical duration
41 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Switzerland , Thurgau , aerial view of Eschlikon from 4800 m asl.
Moderate

Fischingen Kloster - Ottenegg

Thurgau · Switzerland

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
221 m
Typical duration
47 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Naturpark Thal
Moderate

Holderbank - Ruine Alt Bechburg

Solothurn · Switzerland

Distance
1.9 km
/ 1.2 mi
Elevation gain
142 m
Typical duration
37 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Lewengrueben - Burg

Nidwalden · Switzerland

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
142 m
Typical duration
30 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Aesch, catholic church
Easy

Ruine Pfeffingen - Aesch

Basel-Landschaft · Switzerland

Distance
3.0 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
18 m
Typical duration
40 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Switzerland , Schaffhausen , Osterfingen
Moderate

Ruine Radegg - Osterfingen

Schaffhausen · Switzerland

Distance
2.9 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
45 m
Typical duration
40 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Lägern ridge seen from the West. Taken from Baldegg water tower
Easy

Ruine Stein-Baldegg

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
148 m
Typical duration
40 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Sie steht hoch oben auf dem Berg und ist ein markantes Wahrzeichen von Muttenz (BL).
Moderate

Ruine Wartenberg - Mittenza

Basel-Landschaft · Switzerland

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Typical duration
19 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Rundweg Burgholz

Zurich · Switzerland

Distance
5.7 km
/ 3.5 mi
Elevation gain
193 m
Typical duration
1 hr 29 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Schloss Wildegg
Moderate

Schloss Wildegg - Brunegg

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
4.5 km
/ 2.8 mi
Elevation gain
199 m
Typical duration
1 hr 14 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Anti-tank obstacles in Wimmis/Switzerland
Moderate

Wimmis/Schloss - Spissi

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
13 m
Typical duration
16 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Oberhard, Langenthal
Easy

Aarwangen Schloss - Langenthal

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
4.8 km
/ 3.0 mi
Elevation gain
19 m
Typical duration
1 hr 2 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Betti - Burg

Nidwalden · Switzerland

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
95 m
Typical duration
18 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Castle of Aarwangen
Easy

Buechban - Aarwangen Schloss

Bern · Switzerland

Distance
2.9 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
96 m
Typical duration
45 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Burg - Liebergott

Lucerne · Switzerland

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Typical duration
16 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Burg - Rotzberg

Nidwalden · Switzerland

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
66 m
Typical duration
12 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Burg - Uetikon Brand

Zurich · Switzerland

Distance
3.8 km
/ 2.3 mi
Elevation gain
113 m
Typical duration
57 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Sie steht hoch oben auf dem Berg und ist ein markantes Wahrzeichen von Muttenz (BL).
Moderate

Egglisgraben - Ruine Wartenberg

Basel-Landschaft · Switzerland

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
43 m
Typical duration
30 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Ein imposanter Fels ca. 5 Meter hoch mit Abbildung eines bunt bemalten Gesichtes, welches auf dem Fussweg von Ruine Pfeffingen nach Nenzlingen die Wanderer begrüsst
Easy

Grossi Weid - Ruine Pfeffingen

Basel-Landschaft · Switzerland

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
65 m
Typical duration
18 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Meilen ( Switzerland )
Easy

Meilen Dorfbach - Burg

Zurich · Switzerland

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Typical duration
10 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Reformierte Kirche Menziken
Moderate

Menziken - Burg

Aargau · Switzerland

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
74 m
Typical duration
22 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Das zu Winterthur gehörende Quartier und Aussenwacht Neuburg . Im Bild das "Zentrum" des Weilers: In der Mitte das Schulhaus und am linken Bildrand ist die Gastwirtschaft zu sehen.
Moderate

Neuburg - Berenberg Kloster

Zurich · Switzerland

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
44 m
Typical duration
25 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
de:Ruine Radegg Picknickplatz
Easy

Rossberg - Ruine Radegg

Schaffhausen · Switzerland

Distance
1.5 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
72 m
Typical duration
25 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Lac du Petit Mont-Fort - Col de la ChauxValais/Wallis1.6 km168 m35 minModerateJuly to September
Col de la Chaux - Cabane Mont-FortValais/Wallis3.2 km41 m43 minModerateJuly to September
Ruine Altlandenberg – ChämmerliZurich1.4 km89 m26 minModerateApril to October
Jussy le Château - Les Grands BoisGeneva2.4 km39 m33 minEasyApril to October
Jussy le Château - Les LongerayesGeneva1.3 km0 m16 minEasyApril to October
Bauen-Schloss BeroldingenUri3.1 km66 m45 minModerateApril to October
Giro del Castello di SerravalleTicino6.4 km505 m2 hr 6 minModerateApril to October
Schloss Beroldingen - WeidUri1.8 km49 m27 minModerateApril to October
Schloss Beroldingen - Hinter BarchiUri2.4 km51 m35 minModerateApril to October
Steg - SchlossZurich2.1 km59 m31 minModerateApril to October

Lac du Petit Mont-Fort - Col de la Chaux, Col de la Chaux - Cabane Mont-Fort, Ruine Altlandenberg – Chämmerli currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

Plan with more confidence

All planning articles →

Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

Read article →

Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

Read article →

Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

Read article →

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