Switzerland

Switzerland is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It has borders with France to the west, Italy to the south, Austria and Liechtenstein to the east and Germany to the north. Switzerland is known for its polite and efficient people, and the crisp, clean beauty of the landscape.

Switzerland is renowned  for its awe-inspiring mountains (Alps in the south, Jura in the northwest) but also has a central plateau of rolling hills, plains and large lakes. The highest point is Dufourspitze at 15,203 feet while Lake Maggiore (on the Italian border) is only 640 feet above sea level. The climate is temperate, but varies with altitude. Switzerland has cold, cloudy, precipitation-laden winters and warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers.

Besides the magnificent landscapes, mild climate and quaint, clean cities and towns, Switzerland is known for its neutrality in world affairs. It is considered an extremely safe and pleasant place to travel.

Zurich, Switzerland’s largest city, is located at the northwestern end of Lake Zurich at the mouth of the Limmat River, which divides the city in two. The modern heart of Zurich, including the train station and most churches, is on the west side of the river, while the hillier east is home to the little alleys of Old Town and the hip drinking spots of Niederdorfstrasse.

Contrary to popular belief, Zurich is not the capital of Switzerland (which is Bern), just its largest city. Zurich has long been known as a clean, efficient city, but it is also a truly fascinating and worthwhile travel destination. Zurich boasts an increasingly cosmopolitan population, though the more buttoned-down Geneva remains Switzerland's most culturally heterogeneous city.

The iconic symbol of Zurich is St. Peter Church, which has the largest clock face in Europe. A great place to relax around town is Lake Promenade, with a long lakeside boardwalk and a meadow where you can find thousands of people on a sunny day. You can get free bikes, skates or other fun transport at several stops throughout town, though be sure to watch out for buses and trams. Zurich also has several nearby ski areas that are easily accessible by train.

Of course, Zurich is as good a place as any to procure rich Swiss chocolate, precise Swiss clocks and watches and real Swiss army knives. You can always get some banking done here, too.

Switzerland is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It has borders with France to the west, Italy to the south, Austria and Liechtenstein to the east and Germany to the north. Switzerland is known for its polite and efficient people, and the crisp, clean beauty of the landscape.

Switzerland is renowned  for its awe-inspiring mountains (Alps in the south, Jura in the northwest) but also has a central plateau of rolling hills, plains and large lakes. The highest point is Dufourspitze at 15,203 feet while Lake Maggiore (on the Italian border) is only 640 feet above sea level. The climate is temperate, but varies with altitude. Switzerland has cold, cloudy, precipitation-laden winters and warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers.

Besides the magnificent landscapes, mild climate and quaint, clean cities and towns, Switzerland is known for its neutrality in world affairs. It is considered an extremely safe and pleasant place to travel.