Small mountainous country in central Europe, famed for its spectacular scenery, chocolates, cheeses, watch making and precision time keeping. Switzerland is a landlocked country that borders
France in the west, Lichtenstein in the east,
Germany to the north and
Italy to the south. Most of the country is covered by mountains, but in between there are elegant towns and cities.
The city of Berne, is the capital city and offers some of the finest dining in the country, as well as some intriguing sites. From the church tower of The Münster Cathedral you can see great views of Bern and the surrounding countryside. Outside the country's parliament, the Bundeshhaus, there's a beautiful series of fountains, representing the states of Switzerland.
Geneva is home to dozens of international organisations. It's worth visiting the Old Town, but for an unusual trip, drop in on CERN, the European organisation for nuclear research. Deep below the ground, scientists are trying to unravel the mysteries of the Universe by smashing atoms together at incredible speeds. There's an excellent visitors centre here.
Being a mountainous country there are so many opportunities for outdoor activities. If you're into skiing there are many swish and stylish ski resorts such as Verbier and St Moritz. If climbing is more your thing then there's the Berner Alpen with the Eiger and Mönch and many more peaks to satisfy you. In the Pennine Alps, there's the splendid grandeur of the Matterhorn.
Switzerland tours and sightseeing
The lakeside setting of Lucerne is popular with many, and there's good shopping to be had in the Old Town. There are also many excellent museums including the Wagner Museum, and the Picasso Museum.
Zurich and Geneva are the main international flights hubs, but there are several other airports operating internationally. The country is well served by rail and a European railcard is a possibility. Getting there by road is an easy option as the motorways of the surrounding countries are well maintained. Internally there's a range of domestic flights, excellent roads and rail networks, and as you might expect, punctual public transport.
The temperature is moderate with no extremes of hot and cold.
Zurich
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