Switzerland Travel Guide (5)

Money
The safest and easiest form of money are traveller's checks and credit cards. All the ATMs accept foreign cards, so getting cash should not be a problem. The currency used is the Swiss Franc (CHF) however many places accept Euro notes (you will be given change in Swiss Francs).
 

Tipping
A service charge is normally included in hotel and restaurant bills as well as taxi fares. An extra tip is not expected but is always appreciated.
 

Money exchange places:
• Any Swiss bank
• Main railway stations
• Airports
• Major hotels
 

What to buy:
 

Watches
Switzerland is the watch‐making capital of the world. Every large town will have horologers and jewellers with a vast selection of watches, often accompanied by a large price tag. Bucherer is the country's biggest and most famous watch retailer offering a wide range of watches from CHF 50 to 100'000.
 

Chocolate
Two of the finest Swiss chocolatiers can be found in Zurich: Teuscher and Sprüngli. However even the grocery store brand chocolate in Switzerland will be much to your satisfaction.
 

 

Swiss Army knives
These are excellent high quality gifts. Most shops throughout Switzerland stock Victorinox knifes; even some newsagents, just remember to pack them in your hold luggage.
 

Souvenir gifts
These can be picked up in all ski and tourist areas.

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Swiss Ski Slopes

What’s on offer in Switzerland
 

Mountain climbing/hiking:
The Swiss mountains provide the ideal location for hikers and experienced climbers. Good equipment is necessary and remember to study the weather forecast.
 

Winter sports:
The numerous ski locations are one of the main attractions of the country. Other sports include: tobogganing, cross‐country skiing, ice‐skating and curling. Equipment can be hired on site.
 

Water sports:
The numerous lakes mean there are good water sports opportunities on offer in Switzerland. Sailing, canoeing and kayaking to name a few.
 

Other activities include:
Tennis, golf, squash, badminton, hang‐gliding, fishing, mountain biking and paragliding.

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Cities

Zermatt
Located at the northern base of the Matterhorn in the Pennine Alps, Zermatt is famed as a mountaineering and ski resort.

Lucerne
Centrally located and easy to reach. One of the city's famous landmarks is Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke), a wooden bridge first built in the 14th century.
 

The Abbey of St. Gall

St. Gallen
The main tourist attraction is the Abbey of St. Gall which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, housing a library which contains books dating back to the 9th century. It is well linked to the rest of the country and to neighbouring Germany and Austria. It also functions as the gate to the Appenzell Alps.

Interlaken
The town is home to numerous backpacker‐friendly hostels and companies that provide outdoor activities including: skydiving, canyoning, hang gliding, paragliding, rafting, bungee jumping and skiing.

Switzerland Travel Guide (2)

Cities
 

Zurich
This is the largest city and is situated close to the tourist resorts in the Swiss Alps and mountain scenery. It is often referred to as the "portal to the alps".
 

Geneva
Geneva is centre of arts and culture and is one of the world's major centres of international diplomacy. A must see in Geneva is the monumental Jet d'Eau; a fountain of water pumped 140m into the air.

Berne
The Swiss capital features an amazingly well preserved old‐town which is on UNESCO list of World Cultural Heritage sites.
 

The view from the top of Monte Brè, east of Lugarno.

Basel
Switzerland's third most populous city which features a number of heritage sites.

Lausanne
Lausanne is situated on the bank of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman in French) in the middle of a wine region. It boasts a dramatic panorama over the lake and the Alps.

Lugano
The city lies on Lake Lugano and is dubbed the "Monte Carlo of Switzerland" because of its warm summers and the fact that recently it has attracted an ever growing number of celebrities, entertainers and successful athletes.

Switzerland Travel Guide (1)

Geography
Switzerland comprises three basic topographical areas: the Swiss Alps, the Swiss plateau or "middleland" and the Jura mountains along the north‐western border with France.
 

Swiss Alps:
The Swiss Alps are situated south of the Swiss plateau and can be divided into two main parts; the Western Alps and Eastern Alps, divided along the Rhine from the lake Bodensee to the Splügen Pass (in Graubünden).
 

Swiss plateau:
It covers about 30% of the Swiss surface and lies at an average height between 400 and 700 meters AMSL. It is the most densely populated region of Switzerland, and the most important with respect to the economy and transportation network.
 

Jura mountains:
The Jura Mountains is a small mountain range located north of the Alps. La Chaux‐de‐Fonds is a city located in the Jura mountains at 1000m.
 

The Bernese Alps are located in the western part of the Swiss Alps.

Climate
The climate is generally temperate, but can vary greatly between the localities.

As a general guide:
• July to August the daytime temperature range is 18 to 28 °C (65° ‐ 82° F)
• January to February the range is ‐2 to 7 °C (28° ‐ 45° F)
• In spring and autumn, the range is 8 to 15 °C (46° ‐ 59° F) however all these temperatures depend on the altitude.
• Winters tend to be cold, cloudy, rainy and snowy.
• Summers are cool to warm, cloudy and humid with occasional showers.
 

Passport and Visa requirements
If your stay is shorter than three months you only need to bring your valid passport with you. This applies to citizens of the following countries: countries of the American Continent (except Belize, Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Peru), Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

Switzerland Map

Extending across the north and south side of the Alps in west-central Europe, Switzerland encompasses a great diversity of landscapes and climates on a limited area of 41,285 square kilometres (15,940 sq mi). The population is about 7.9 million, resulting in an average population density of around 190 people per square kilometre (485/sq mi). The more mountainous southern half of the country is far more sparsely populated than the northern half. In the largest Canton of Graubünden, lying entirely in the Alps, population density falls to 27 /km² (70 /sq mi).

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