Switzerland

Overview

Switzerland ( German : Schweiz , French : Suisse , Italian : Svizzera , Romansch : Svizra ) is a mountainous country known globally for its neutrality, democracy, and almost-legendary affluence: Switzerland has one of the highest standards of living in the world, and prices to match.

Switzerland is known for its mountains ( Alps in the south, Jura in the northwest) but it also has a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes. The highest point is Dufourspitze at 4,634 m (15,203 ft), while Lake Maggiore is only 195 m (636 ft) above sea level, and the temperate climate varies greatly with altitude.

Switzerland is intrinsically more culturally diverse than perhaps any other European country. It has four national languages which have historically been dominant in various regions, or cantons . German, French and Italian are spoken in the regions bordering the respective country, and Romansch — a Romance language of Swiss origin — is spoken in the mountainous area of Graubünden .

Switzerland also has one of the proportionally largest expat/immigrant populations – literally every fourth resident of the almost 8.5 million inhabitants is a foreign national – consisting of almost all of the world's nationalities and ethnic groups.

A landlocked country with an area of 41,285 km², Switzerland is a land of picture-perfect Alpine ranges and verdant greenery. The country offers a range of old towns, diverse cultures and outdoor adventure-related activities.

It is officially known as the Swiss Confederation in English. Its abbreviation "CH" comes from Latin, Confoederatio Helvetica , which is often used internally to avoid giving preference to any of the country's official languages.

Experiences

Downhill skiing is the top draw, and the country is also great for many other outdoor activities, including hiking and mountain biking . Mountain climbing from easy to very hard can also be found in Switzerland and there is hardly a place with a longer tradition for it. Some routes, like the North face of the Eiger ("Eiger-Nordwand" in German) have become near-mythical due to the hardships, sacrifice and even deaths suffered by the first people to climb them. And because of the breathtaking views, travelling from one place to another by car, bus, train or bike along Alpine roads and railroads is often an experience in itself.

Football: The men's national soccer team don't have a fixed stadium. The league system includes clubs from Liechtenstein: Swiss Super League is the top tier with 12 clubs, and Challenge League is the second with 10.

Culture and food

Another typically Swiss dish is Rösti , a potato dish quite similar to hash browns, but usually with some Emmentaler cheese added into the mix. Originally from the German-speaking part of Switzerland, it gives its name to the colloquial political term Röstigraben (lit.: Rösti ditch), which refers to the quite different political preferences and voting habits of the German-speaking and the French-speaking parts of Switzerland.

If you instead prefer fish to meat, Swiss restaurants often serve the freshwater fish found in the many rivers and lakes. The most common fish dishes among the 55 kinds of Swiss fish include trout, European perch, or the whitefish known as (Blau-)Felchen , corégone/féra , or coregone blaufelchen respectively, cooked in a variety of ways. However, you will also find many imported fish on Swiss menus, since the domestic business (fished or bred) can never fulfill the strong demand for fish. Also, because the fish haul has become about a third smaller than 30 years ago, exclusively due to the much better quality of water nowadays; from this point of view, Swiss water is too clean!

Planning your route

Getting around Switzerland is quick and easy, albeit sometimes on the expensive side, no matter which mode you choose. The country has had a love affair with railways for over a century now, despite having been something of a late bloomer in railway construction. The few places not served by trains are served by the "Postauto" bus system and everything is seamlessly integrated, meaning you'll never have to wait long. Should you wish to drive a car, there are excellent highways throughout the country and many mountains are bypassed with tunnels. Hiking paths across the Alps have existed for centuries and are usually well blazed and maintained. Switzerland is also making an effort of marketing itself as bicycle friendly under the slogan "Veloland Schweiz".

Sights and landscapes

Extending across the north and south side of the Alps in west -central Europe, Switzerland encompasses diverse landscapes and climates across its 41,291 square kilometres (15,943 sq mi).

Forty-eight mountains are 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) or higher in height. At 4,634 m (15,203 ft), Monte Rosa is the highest, although the Matterhorn (4,478 m or 14,692 ft) is the best known. Both are located within the Pennine Alps in the canton of Valais , on the border with Italy. The section of the Bernese Alps above the deep glacial Lauterbrunnen valley, containing 72 waterfalls, is well known for the Jungfrau (4,158 m or 13,642 ft) Eiger and Mönch peaks, and its many picturesque valleys. In the southeast the long Engadin Valley, encompassing St. Moritz , is also well known; the highest peak in the neighbouring Bernina Alps is Piz Bernina (4,049 m or 13,284 ft).

The Swiss Plateau has greater open and hilly landscapes, partly forested, partly open pastures, usually with grazing herds or vegetable and fruit fields, but it is still hilly. Large lakes and the biggest Swiss cities are found there.

Travel guide text compiled and adapted from Wikivoyage article (contributors) and Wikipedia article (contributors). Sections were selected and reordered for this guide. Text is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Check current arrangements with your travel consultant.