In the second half of the 19th century, the world is explored and mapped by European colonial powers bent on expanding their political and economic influence overseas. At the heart of such «geographical» activities there are geographical societies, also known as private clubs, where businessmen, politicians, military officers and intellectuals get together to discuss official or unofficial possibilities for national expansion. Despite the lack of a colonial empire, Switzerland is among the first countries in the world to found geographical societies. In what ways do these societies allow us to identify the presence of Swiss imperialism? This issue is discussed in this article.