Facts at a Glance
Full country name: The Federal Republic of Switzerland
Area: 41,295 sq km
Population: 6.9 million
Capital city: Bern (pop: 150,000)
People: 74% Germanic origin, 20% French, 4% Italian & 1% Romansch
Language: German, French, Italian & Romansch
Religion: 49% Roman Catholic & 48% Protestant
Government: Federal republic
President: Ruth Dreifuss
Switzerland sits squarely in the stomach of western Europe, landlocked by France, Germany, Liechtenstein, Austria and Italy. The Alps occupy the central and southern regions of the country and the modest Jura Mountains straddle the border with France in the north-east. The Bernese Mittelland - an area of hills, rivers and winding valleys - lies between the two mountain systems and has spawned Switzerland's most populous cities. Over 60% of the country is mountainous and a quarter of it is covered in forests. Farming of cultivated land is intensive and cows graze in Alpine meadows as soon as the retreating snow line permits. The Dufour summit (4634m) of Monte Rosa is the highest peak, though the Matterhorn (4478m) is more well known.
The untamed Alps counteract Switzerland's tidy town aura (16K)
Climatic variations mean that vegetation ranges from palm trees in Ticino to Nordic flora in the Alps. There are plenty of conifer forests in the mountains, but as altitude increases these are replaced by bushes, scrub and pretty Alpine meadows. The most famous and distinctive Alpine animals are the ibex (a mountain goat with huge curved horns) and the chamois (a horned antelope good at cleaning cars). Despite strong environmental legislation, birdlife is on the retreat in Switzerland with 81 species currently threatened with extinction.
The mountains are mainly responsible for the variety of local and regional microclimates. Ticino in the south has a hot, Mediterranean climate, but most of the rest of the country has a central European climate, with temperatures typically between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius in summer (June to September) and between two and six degrees Celsius in winter (November to March). Travellers need to be prepared for a range of temperatures dependent on altitude. There is perennial snow cover at altitudes above 3000m. Summer is the most pleasant time for outdoor pursuits but everybody knows this so you'll get much better deals and less harassment in the shoulder seasons of spring and autumn. If you're keen on winter sports, resorts in the Alps begin operating in late-November and close down when the snow begins to melt around April.
The first inhabitants of the region were a Celtic tribe, the Helvetia. The Romans appeared on the scene in 107 BC by way of the St Bernard Pass, but owing to the difficulty of the terrain their attempted conquest of the area was never decisive. They were gradually driven back by the Germanic Altemanni tribe which settled in the 5th century. The territory was united under the Holy Roman Empire in 1032 but central control was never very tight. That was all changed by the Germanic Habsburg family, which became the most powerful dynasty in Central Europe. Habsburg expansion was spearheaded by Rudolph I, who gradually brought the squabbling nobles to heel.
Upon Rudolph's death in 1291, local leaders saw a chance to gain independence. Their pact of mutual assistance is seen as the origin of the Swiss Confederation, and their struggles against the Habsburgs is idealised in the familiar legend of William Tell. Encouraged by early successes, the Swiss gradually acquired a taste for territorial expansion themselves and gained independence from the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I in 1499. After a number of military victories, the Swiss finally over-reached themselves when they took on a combined force of French and Venetians in 1515. Realising they could no longer compete against larger powers with better equipment, they renounced expansionist policies and declared their neutrality.
The Reformation in the 16th century caused upheaval throughout Europe. The Protestant teachings of Luther, Zwingli and Calvin spread quickly, although central Switzerland remained Catholic. While the rest of Europe was fighting it out in the Thirty Years' War, the Swiss closed ranks and kept out of trouble. At the end of the war in 1648 they were recognised in the Treaty of Westphalia as a neutral state. Nevertheless, the French Republic invaded Switzerland in 1798 and established the Helvetic Republic. The Swiss, however, did not take too kindly to such centralised control. Napoleon was finally sent packing following his defeat by the British and Prussians at Waterloo. The ensuing Congress of Vienna guaranteed Switzerland's independence and permanent neutrality in 1815.
In 1848 a new federal constitution was agreed and it is largely still in place today. Bern was established as the capital and the federal assembly was set up to take care of national issues. Switzerland was then able to concentrate on economic and social matters. It developed industries predominantly dependent on highly skilled labour. Networks of railways and roads were built, opening up previously inaccessible Alpine regions and helping the development of tourism. The international Red Cross was founded in Geneva in 1863 and compulsory free education was introduced.
Bern - the unbelievably quaint Swiss capital (22K)
The Swiss have carefully guarded their neutrality in the 20th century. Their only WW I involvement lay in the organising of Red Cross units. In WW II, however, Switzerland played a more insidious role as amenable money launderer for Nazi Germany. Switzerland's quiet anti-Semitism included shutting its borders to Jewish refugees and forcibly repatriating many of those who escaped Nazi-occupied Europe, in full knowledge of the fate which awaited them. While the rest of Europe underwent the painful process of rebuilding from the ravages of war, Switzerland was able to expand from an already powerful commercial, financial and industrial base. Zürich developed as an international banking and insurance centre, and many international bodies, such as the World Health Organisation, based their headquarters in Geneva.
They may be neutral but they like their uniforms (16K)
Afraid that its neutrality would be compromised, Switzerland declined to become a member of the United Nations (though it currently has 'observer' status) or NATO. It did, however, join EFTA (the European Free Trade Association). In the face of other EFTA nations applying for EU (European Union) membership, Switzerland finally made its own application in 1992. As a prelude to full EU membership Switzerland was to join the EEA (European Economic Area), yet the government's strategy lay in ruins after citizens rejected the EEA in a referendum in December 1992. Switzerland's EU application has consequently been put on ice; in the meantime the government has been laying groundwork for closer integration with the rest of Europe.
GDP: US$171 billion
GDP per head: US$24,483
Annual growth: 0.7%
Inflation: 2.0%
Major industries: Banking, insurance, pharmaceuticals, chemicals & precision engineering
Major trading partners: Germany, France & Italy
Off the record
Switzerland does not have a strong tradition in the arts, even though many foreign writers and artists (such as Voltaire, Byron, Shelley, James Joyce and Charlie Chaplin) have resided or settled in the country. The 18th-century writings of Rousseau in Geneva played an important part in the development of democracy; Carl Jung, with his research in Zürich, was instrumental in developing modern psychoanalysis. In contrast, many creative Swiss left the country to make their name abroad, such as Charles Le Corbusier, Paul Klee, Albert Giacometti and Jean-Luc Godard.
The little tramp in exile in Vevey (18K)
The naturalised Swiss writer Hermann Hesse is the most famous `local' author. A copy of his novel Siddartha used to be found in the backpack of every questing Westerner heading on the hippy trail to India. German-Swiss dramatist and novelist Max Frisch was one of Europe's most respected authors in the 1950s. His best-selling 1957 novel Homo Faber was filmed in 1991 by Volker Schlondorff and released under the title Voyager.
Off the record
Swiss folk culture includes yodelling, playing the alp horn and Swiss wrestling. We suggest you don't indulge in any of these after a night in a Swiss tavern.
Splendiferous parade participants (23K)
Switzerland is a linguistic melting pot with three official federal languages. German is spoken by about 66% of the population, French by 18% and Italian by 10%. A fourth language, Romansch, is spoken by 1% of the population, mainly in the canton of Graubünden. Derived from Latin, it's a linguistic relic which has survived in the isolation of mountain valleys.
Ice hockey game, St Moritz (21K)
Switzerland hasn't got a great indigenous gastronomic tradition - instead, Swiss dishes borrow from the best of German and French cuisine. Cheeses form an important part of the Swiss diet. Emmentaler and Gruyere are combined with white wine to create fondue, which is served up in a vast pot and eaten with bread cubes. Rosti (crispy, fried, shredded potatoes) is German Switzerland's national dish. Fresh fish from the numerous lakes frequently crop up on menus, especially perch and trout. Swiss chocolate, excellent by itself, is often used in desserts and cakes.
February is carnival time or Fasnacht in many towns, but Basel really funks it up with elaborate parades beginning at a bleary 4 am. In the lower Valais, from March to October, cows battle it out in the Combat de Reines (cow fighting) to see which beast is most suited to lead the herd up to the summer pastures. The world renowned Montreux Jazz Festival attracts the top international jazz musicians to Montreaux in July. National Day (August 1) is celebrated with fireworks throughout the country, and Swiss wrestling in the Emmental area east of Bern. On the 4th Monday in November, Bern hosts its famous onion market (Zibelmarit), where traders take over the whole town centre and many a tear is shed.
Visas: Citizens of Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the UK and the USA do not require visas for visits of up to three months
Health risks: Altitude sickness, hypothermia & sunburn
Time: GMT/UTC plus one hour
Electricity: 220 volts, 50Hz
Weights & measures: Metric (see the conversion table.)
Tourism: 20 million visitors annually
Money & Costs
Currency: Swiss francs
Exchange rate: US$1 = Sfr1.4
Relative costs:
- cheap meal: US$5
- restaurant meal: US$15
- cheap room: US$12
- hotel room: US$40
Costs are higher in Switzerland than anywhere else in Europe. If you're on a tight budget, stay in hostels, self-cater you could get by on around US$35 a day after buying a rail pass. If you stay in pensions, enjoy eating out and want to sample the nightlife count on spending at least twice as much.
All major travellers' cheques and credit cards are accepted. Commission is not charged for changing cash or cheques, but shop around for the best rates (hotels usually have the worst rates). Tipping is rarely necessary as hotels, restaurants and bars are required by law to include a 15% service charge. Even taxis normally have a service charge included.
When to Go
You can visit Switzerland any time throughout the year. Summer lasts roughly from June to September, and offers the most pleasant climate for outdoor pursuits. Unfortunately, you won't be the only tourist during this period so prices can be high, accommodation hard to find and the mainstream sights crowded. You'll find much better deals and less crowds in the shoulder seasons of April-May or late-September-October.
If you're keen on winter sports, resorts in the Alps begin operating in late-November, move into full swing around Christmas, and close down when the snow begins to melt in April.
Zürich
Switzerland's most populous city is reputed to be the intellectual and cultural capital of the nation. It's most famous burst of creativity came in 1916 when the Dada art movement emerged from the Cabaret Voltaire - strangely enough at exactly the same time those playful dudes Lenin and Trotsky were also in residence. Today the city is more famous for its pinstriped gnomes and art galleries, and for the way it manages to balance finance and aesthetics better than anyone but Sothebys.
The city is situated some 400m above sea level, straddling the Limmat River as it leaves the northern end of Lake Zürich. The pedestrian streets of the old town contain most of the major sights, including winding alleyways, 16th and 17th-century houses, guildhalls and courtyards, and rather a lot of fountains (1030 if you're taking notes).
The elegant Bahnhofstrasse was built on the site of the city walls, which were torn down 150 years ago. Underfoot are bank vaults crammed with gold and silver and other booty - unfortunately these are not open to the public (we can't figure out why). For the clock-watchers, the 13th-century tower of St Peter's Church has the largest clock face in Europe. The Fraumünster Church nearby is noted for the distinctive stained-glass windows in the choir, which were created by Marc Chagall in 1970 at the ripe old age of 83.
Marc Chagall, glazier extraordinaire, Fraumünster Church (14K)
The Museum of Fine Arts has a large permanent collection ranging from 15th-century religious art to the `modern' art of Monet, Manet and Man Ray. The Swiss National Museum, housed in a pseudo-castle north of the city centre, provides the ultimate rundown on the life and times of the Swiss nation and, just in case you forgot you were in Switzerland, has an interesting section on book-inscribing in the Middle Ages. When the culture vulture in you can't take any more, there are pleasant pathways along the shores of Lake Zürich which pass picnic, sunbathing and swimming spots.
Hostels are located on the perimeter of the city centre and there are a few budget hotels on the east bank of Limmat River. Accommodation can be a problem during the summer months, so book ahead if possible. Nightlife is centred on the streets around Niederdorfstrasse. This is also a red-light district so don't be alarmed if you stumble bleary-eyed out of a club on Sunday morning to be met by devout parishioners parading through the sin-sodden streets singing hymns to anyone who will listen.
Comfortably encamped on the shore of Lake Geneva, this spic-and-span city belongs to the international community as much as it belongs to the Swiss: over 200 international organisations are headquartered here; one in three residents are non-Swiss; and just about every global problem from nuclear proliferation to ethnic cleansing has done a star turn at Geneva's famously neutral negotiating tables. The global affairs it tries to make sense of may be murky, distressing and dangerous, but the city itself is pristine, efficient and safe. Some punters have gone as far as to complain about sterility, but then some people wouldn't recognise a good thing if it waved a dozen flags and shouted in their ear.
The city enjoys a fine location and strolls around the lake and boating excursions are hugely enjoyable. The cable car up Mont Salève offers the complete picturesque panorama. The River Rhône runs through the city with the old part of town lying on the south side. The centre of town is dominated by the partially Romanesque, partially Gothic Cathedral St Pierre. John Calvin preached here from 1536 to 1564 and the body of the church matches the austerity of his teachings. The nearby Place du Bourg-de-Four is the oldest square in Geneva. It was once a Roman forum, evolved into a medieval marketplace, and is now destined for a future as the loci of touristy shops.
Fortunately, there's plenty of culture to combat the kitsch. The Museum of Art and History has a vast and varied collection including paintings, sculpture, weapons and archaeology. The compact Petit Palais has an excellent and focussed collection of modern art. The International Red Cross & Red Crescent Museum offers a vivid multimedia trawl through atrocities perpetuated by humanity in recent history. Other museums include the catchy Museum of Old Musical Instruments; the Horology Museum and the Voltaire Museum.
Geneva has decent nightlife, but it ain't cheap. The presence of so many diplomats, international administrators and bankers also means that prices for food and accommodation can be high. A handful of hostels and budget hotels can be found on both sides of the river. Inexpensive restaurants are concentrated in the vicinity of the university, or north and west of Gare de Cornavin.
Lucerne is ideally situated in the historic and scenic heart of what many believe to be the 'true' Switzerland - picture mountains, lakes, cowbells, Alpine villages and meadows full of edelweiss. The charming town straddles the Reuss River on the western edge of Lake Lucerne and makes an excellent base for excursions.
Kapellbrücke before the firebugs got to it, Lucerne (18K)
On the north bank of the Reuss, the picturesque old-town centre offers 15th-century buildings with painted facades, towers, a 17th-century Renaissance town hall and a couple of postcard-perfect covered bridges. North-east of the city centre is the poignant Lion Monument which was carved out of natural rock in 1820 and is dedicated to the Swiss soldiers who died in the French Revolution. Next to it is the fascinating Gletschergarten (Glacier Garden) where giant glacial potholes prove that 20 million years ago Lucerne was a subtropical palm beach.
The Lion Monument, Lucerne (19K)
The Transport Museum contains trains, planes and automobiles and includes the Swissorama, a 20-minute, 360-degree film which whizzes you around the sights of Switzerland as if you were travelling by air, sea, road and foot. If you need some fresh air and exercise to work off all those yummy chocolates you've been scoffing, pedalboats, row boats and kayaks can be hired on the Reuss River and on Lake Lucerne. If you need some fresh vegies to combat the calories, there are oh-so-picturesque fruit and vegetable markets along the river quays.
Jungfrau Region
If you're looking for jaw-dropping scenery, the Jungfrau region south of Interlaken has it in spades. The towering 4000m triplets - the Jungfrau, Mönch and Eiger - dominate the area, and there are plenty of cable cars, funiculars, cog-wheel railways and hiking trails offering panoramic vantage points for those not suffering landscape vertigo. Grindelwald is the most established skiing and hiking centre in the region; watch out for the yodelling festival held here in July.
Chillon Castle receives more visitors than any other historical building in Switzerland. Occupying a stunning position right on Lake Geneva, the fortress caught the public imagination when Lord Byron wrote about the fate of Bonivard, a follower of the Reformation, who was chained to the fifth pillar in the dungeons for four years in the 16th century. Byron etched his own name on the third pillar. The castle, still in excellent condition, dates from the 11th century and has been much modified and enlarged since then. It's worth spending an afternoon viewing the tower, courtyards, dungeons and numerous rooms containing weapons, utensils, frescos and tupperware. The castle is located within walking distance of Montreux, the centrepiece of the Swiss Riviera.
Castles of the Bernese Oberland
For some great castle touring head to the Lake Thun area in central Switzerland just south of Bern. In the town of Thun itself, you'll find the 12th-century Schloss Thun on the hill. It contains a good historical museum and there are fine views from the turrets of the Romanesque tower. One of the best castles around the lake is the 13-century Schloss Oberhofen, which was once held by the Habsburgs, and has a good collection of grand furniture, portraits and weapons, and even boasts a Turkish smoking room. The gardens were landscaped in the 19th century and are a fine place for a stroll. Schloss Hunegg at nearby Hilterfingen was built in the 1860s and renovated in 1900. It's a fascinating mix of Neo-Renaissance and art nouveau styles and has a funky split-level bathroom complete with nickel-plated bathtub. If you're a castle buff, you can squeeze in a visit to all three fortifications in a day-trip by boat.
This swanky skiing and mountaineering resort bathes in the reflected glory of one of the most famous peaks in the Alps, the 4478m Matterhorn. Skiers come here to enjoy virtually year-round skiing and there are 230km of runs in the area, catering mainly to intermediate and experienced skiers. The more sedentary come simply to enjoy the awe-inspiring views. For some magical vistas of the Matterhorn and surrounding peaks, take the popular cog-wheel railway to Gornergrat. It's easy to get around Zermatt on foot (the town is car-free) and it's well worth exploring the Hinter Dorf area which is crammed with traditional tumble-down wooden Valais homes. A walk in the cemetery is a sobering experience for would-be mountaineers. The names of those who attempted the Matterhorn and Mt Rosa and did not live to tell the tale are inscribed on stone monuments.
Ascona
The relatively low-lying canton of Ticino situated south of the Alps enjoys a Mediterranean climate and imports a distinctive Italian flavour to Switzerland. The village of Ascona on the shore of Lake Maggiore is a regional centre for the arts and its backstreets are filled with art galleries and craft shops. The community of artists and intellectuals living here embraced the 'back to nature' movement at the beginning of the century, and welcomed the exiled Lenin for a time. The Museo Comunale D'Arte Moderna includes paintings by artists connected with the town, among them Paul Klee, Hans Arp, Ben Nicholson and Alexej Jawlensky.
Estavayer-le-Lac
This small resort on the shores of Lake Neuchâtel has a perfectly preserved medieval town centre and all manner of watersports facilities, but it's uniqueness is heralded by the collection of 130-year-old frogs lying under glass in the Regional Museum. The stuffed slimeys are the work of an eccentric 19th century military man called François Perrier who spent much of his leisure time killing frogs, preserving their skins, and filling them with sand (nice hobby Frank). He then arranged the frogs in parodies of human situations - courting, studying, playing games, etc - and ornamented them with props. Although Estavayer-le-Lac is close to the French border, quite what François was trying to convey about the human condition remains to be deciphered.
Overlooked by most visitors, this pretty area of pastures and woodlands in the Jura mountain chain has 1500km of hiking trails and some 200km of cross-country ski trails. Horse-riding is also popular, and the horses in the area are supposedly renowned for their gentleness and calm disposition. The main town in the region is Saignelégier, which hosts the national horse show in August.
The mountains and lakes of Switzerland are a natural playground. There are dozens of ski resorts throughout the Alps, the Pre-Alps and the Jura. Zermatt and Verbier have the best combination of slopes, scenery and nightlife. Hiking is the number one activity in the country with 50,000km of designated footpaths and regular refreshment stops en route. There are well-established mountaineering schools in Pontresina and Meiringen, though Zermatt is perhaps the most famous destination for experienced mountaineers. Ski mountaineering is popular along the Haute Route in Valais. Many of the resorts also offer paragliding and hang-gliding and hire out the gear. Water-skiing, sailing and windsurfing are common on most lakes. Rafting is possible on many Alpine rivers including the Rhine and the Saane. Canoeing is mainly centred on the Muota in the Schwyz canton and on the Doubs River in the Jura.
A light dusting of snow at Arosa, an Alpine ski resort (22K)
The main entry points for international flights are Zürich and Geneva. Basel, Bern and Lugarno airport also have international flights. There is no departure tax when flying out of Switzerland. Trains are a popular and convenient way to travel to Switzerland, and European rail passes make train travel affordable. Buses tend to be slower and less comfortable, though are sometimes cheaper. Getting to Switzerland by road is simple, since there are fast, well-maintained motorways through all surrounding countries. If you have time and money, it's possible to get to Switzerland by boat along the Rhine all the way from Amsterdam. Switzerland can also be reached by lake steamer ferries from Germany via Lake Constance, from Italy via Lake Maggiore and from France via Lake Geneva.
Switzerland has a fully integrated and comprehensive public transport system incorporating trains, buses, boats, funiculars and cable cars. Internal flights are not of great interest to the visitor, owing to the excellent ground transportation. The Swiss rail network covers 5000km. Trains are clean, reliable and frequent. Yellow postbuses supplement the rail network and their stations are next to railway stations. There are car-rental agencies in most sizeable towns. Roads are well-maintained, well signposted and generally not too congested, though you may find it hard to concentrate with such wonderful scenery unfolding around you. Bicycles can be hired from most railway stations and returned to any station with a rental office. You'll need calf muscles the size of an ox to get very far though. All the larger lakes are serviced by steamers, and rail passes are valid on most steamer routes.
- Why Switzerland? by Jonathan Steinberg is a light and insightful look at Switzerland's social and political life. George Mikes Introduces Switzerland is a more sober collection of essays covering all aspects of Swiss life.
- Blood Money: the Swiss, the Nazis and the Looted Billions by Tom Bower is a sobering exposé of one of the sleazier sides of Switzerland's banks.
- Max Frisch explores Swiss identity through denial in his novel I'm Not Stiller, and examines the idea of detached neutrality in Homo Faber.
- The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann is a weighty, reflective novel set in the Alps. Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein in Switzerland and set much of the action around Lake Geneva. Heidi, the famous children's story by Johanna Spyri, is set in the Maienfeld region, just north of Chur.
- Anecdotal travel books about Europe which have sizeable sections on Switzerland include Mark Twain's A Tramp Abroad and Bill Bryson's Neither Here Nor There.
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