Picture life in Switzerland. What do you see? Besides, of course, unlimited access to the world’s best cheese and chocolate.

Do you see yourself waking up to picturesque alpine vistas, watching the morning sun bounce of snow-capped mountain tops? Perhaps starting the day with a hike through quiet meadows; or a stroll past timber-clad storefronts in a nearby storybook town. Or maybe you’d prefer going on a reinvigorating ski run before cozying up to some fondue in a warm chalet.

This is what awaits travelers beyond Switzerland’s iconic cities, in those places where life slows down and the Alps unfold more intimately; in its ever-so-charming villages.

And here’s a quick guide to some of our favorites.