- Time Zone: GMT +1
- Currency: Swiss franc
Known as a summer and winter sports paradise, Switzerland is where people first skied for fun. Illustrious names evoke all the romance and glamorous drama of the mountain high life: Zermatt, St Moritz, Interlaken, Gstaad, the Jungfrau, Verbier and more. Cities like Geneva (the most cosmopolitan), Zürich (the most outrageous), Basel and Lausanne heave with heady artistic activity and sometimes incendiary nightlife. Beyond the après-ski chic, edelweiss and Heidi lies a complex country of cohabiting cultures. You could be chomping on sausages over beer in an oom-pah-pah Stübli one day and pasta over a glass of merlot in a granite grotto the next. And if over-indulgence becomes a problem try one of the country’s thermal baths, from Yverdon-les-Bains to Scuol. The grandeur of the finest churches, such as the cathedrals in Lausanne and Bern, contrasts with sparkling but lesser-known treasures like the frescoes of Müstair or the abbey complex of St Gallen (both World Heritage sites). The list of enchanting towns is endless: from Lucerne with its covered bridge to Neuchâtel and its fountains; from Gruyeres with its cheese, and Grimentz with its traditional timber houses to the sgraffito-blazoned buildings of Engadine towns like Scuol and Zuoz.
Cities
Bern
Wandering its picture-postcard Old Town, with arcaded stone streets and a provincial, laidback air, it is hard to believe that Bern is the capital of Switzerland, but it is, plus a UNESCO World Heritage Site to boot. Indeed, on the city’s long, cobbled streets, lined with 15th-century terraced buildings and fantastical folk figures frolicking on fountains since the 16th century, you feel as if you’re in some kind of dizzying architectural canyon. From the surrounding hills, you’re presented with an equally captivating picture of red roofs crammed on a spit of land within a bend of the Aare River. In a nutshell, Bern captivates. Its alternative arts scene happening and its locals happy to switch from their famously lilting and slow local dialect to English, which all goes to show that there’s more to Bern than bureaucracy.
Geneva
Super sleek, slick and cosmopolitan, Geneva is a rare breed of city. It’s one of Europe’s priciest. Its people chatter in every language under the sun and it’s constantly thought of as the Swiss capital – which it isn’t. This gem of a city superbly strung around the sparkling shores of Europe’s largest Alpine lake is, in fact, only Switzerland’s third-largest city. Find luxury jewelers and chocolate shops for which the city is known. Strolling through manicured city parks, sailing on the lake and skiing in the Alps next door are hot weekend pursuits.
Language
Swiss German, French, Italian and English
Electricity
The electricity is 230 volts; therefore, an adapter and/or converter will be required
Entry requirements
Kindly make sure to have the proper documents required to enter the countries you are visiting. Please refer to www.travel.gc.ca for updated information. Regarding visas, you can refer the link:www.travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories.Failure to obtain these documents prior to travel can result in being denied entry or exit from the country