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INFO on Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland is also known as "Confoederatio Helvetica", therefore the abbreviation CH. "Confoederatio" stands for "confederation", "Helvetica" derives from the Latin word "Helvetier", the name of the people who lived in the area which became later Switzerland.

Switzerland is a small, landlocked country in the heart of Europe. It has a strategic location at the crossroads of central Europe with many easily traversable passes ("Passstrasse", short term "Pass").

Switzerland is a landlocked country geographically divided between the Alps, the Central Plateau and the Jura, spanning an area of 41,285 km2 (15,940 sq mi). While the Alps occupy the greater part of the territory, the Swiss population of approximately 7.9 million people concentrates mostly on the Plateau, where the largest cities are to be found. Among them are the two global cities and economic centres of Zurich and Geneva.

Our Top Picks For Switzerland

1 Basel
Modern art and contemporary buildings by likes of Frank Gehry and Herzog & de Meuron

2 Lucerne
Iconic timber bridges, a stroll through the old town and cruises on the mountain-ringed lake

3 Bern
Bear pits, a dip in the Aare, Paul Klee in the Kunstmuseum and Einstein's house

4 Lac De Neuchâtel
The château of Neuchâtel, colourful historic fountains, the Gothic Église Collégiale and lake cruises

5 Lausanne
The Art Brut gallery, hilly medieval centre, Olympic museum and lakefront Lavaux vineyard hikes

Swiss Specials

World Heritage in Switzerland
The tiny country of Switzerland has 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites both natural and cultural, and two applications pending.

Swiss Watches
Precision, innovation and design - no wonder the Swiss took to watchmaking.

Swiss Cheese
Anyone can make the holes, but only the Swiss can make the cheese.

Swiss Chocolate
Food of the gods, or sweet temptation? The history of chocolate in Switzerland.

Swiss Bread
The Swiss are famous for the variety of their cheeses, but they are just as ingenious when it comes to making bread.

Swiss Mountains
A bird with two fathers and the last resting place of Pontius Pilate - the Swiss mountains are full of surprises.

Swiss Trains
A Swiss love affair which began with fresh Spanish rolls and continues 2.5 km under the mountains.

Green Technology
What role can a small country like Switzerland play in resolving global climate and energy problems?

When to go and weather

Weather
You'll need to be prepared for a range of temperatures, as the mountains create a variety of local and regional microclimates. That said, most of the country has a central European climate, with daytime temperatures around 18° to 28°C in summer and -2° to 7°C in winter. The coldest area is the Jura, in particular the Brevine Valley. By contrast, Ticino in the south has a hot Mediterranean climate.

Summer tends to bring a lot of sun, but also the most rain, and there were terrible floods in 1999 and 2005. Look out for the Föhn, a hot, dry wind that sweeps down into the valleys and can be oppressively uncomfortable (though some find its warming effect refreshing). It can strike at any time of the year, but especially in spring and autumn. When to go

When you visit Switzerland you will, at least in part, be dictated by where you want to go and what you intend to do, but there are good reasons for exploring at least parts of the country at any time of year.

Summer lasts roughly from June to September and offers the most pleasant climate for outdoor pursuits (apart from exclusively winter sports). In fact, many adventure sports, such as canyoning, are only offered during this time. The peak period is July and August, when prices are high, accommodation often fully booked and the sights packed. You'll find better deals, and fewer people, in the shoulder seasons either side of summer: in April, May and October. With the exception of the busy Easter break, spring is a beautiful time of year to explore the blooming countryside. In Ticino, flowers are in bloom as early as March. Hikers wanting to walk at high altitudes, however, should be equipped for snow and ice until well into June (and, in some tricky spots, all year).

The winter season in Alpine resorts kicks off in mid-December and moves into full swing around Christmas, closing down again when the snows begin to melt around mid-April. Between the summer and winter seasons, Alpine resorts all but close down (except where year-round glacier skiing is on offer). At the very best, they go into snooze mode and can even be a little depressing.

At any time, as you travel around the country you'll hit many different climatic conditions. The continental climate in the Alps tends to show the greatest extremes between summer and winter. Mid-August to late October generally has fairly settled weather, and is a good period for hiking trips.

Getting around

Boat
All the larger lakes are serviced by steamers operated by Swiss Federal Railways (SBB/CFF/FFS), or allied private companies for which national travel passes are valid. Lakes covered include Geneva, Constance, Lucerne, Lugano, Neuchâtel, Biel, Murten, Thun, Brienz and Zug, but not Lago Maggiore. Railpasses are not valid for cruises offered by smaller boat companies. The Swiss Boat Pass (Sfr35; valid for 1 year) gives you a 50% discount on travel on the country's 14 largest lakes

Public transport
All local city transport is linked via the same ticketing system, so you can change lines on one ticket. Usually you must buy tickets before boarding, from ticket dispensers at stops. Very occasionally you can also buy from machines on board.
In some Swiss towns, single tickets may give a time limit (eg one hour) for travel within a particular zone, and you can only break the journey within that time. Multistrip tickets may be available at a discount (validate them in the on-board machine at the outset of the journey), or one-day passes are even better value.
Inspectors regularly check for people travelling without tickets. Those found without a ticket pay an on-the-spot fine of up to Sfr80.

Bus & tram
Yellow 'postal buses' (Postbus in German, Car Postal in French, Auto Postale in Italian) supplement the rail network, following postal routes and linking towns to the more inaccessible mountain regions. They are extremely regular, and departures tie in with train arrivals. Bus stations are invariably next to train stations. Travel is one class only.
For a flat fee of Sfr12, your luggage can be sent on ahead to a post office and picked up later - especially useful for hikers relying on the postal bus network
. For those schlepping home late from a club or rushing to make a red-eye flight, there are several Nightbuses (0900 100 201; mct.sbb.ch/mct/nightbird in German & French) on weekends.

Best European Vacations - Zurich

Why go: Zürich is a city that offers its visitors a breath of fresh air. Yes, there are the requisite churches (Chagall did the stained glass), museums and the historic old town of cobbled streets, but there's a modern city with a vibrant nightlife centered in Zurich West, amazing chocolate and pastry shops, retail therapy (the Bahnhofstrasse), as well as an active populace who enjoy spending warm days swimming in the city's lake and hiking the nearby mountains. Hotels tend toward the expensive side, but budget accommodations are available.

INFO on Switzerland