Major Cities
Berne (Bern)
Bern is the capital of Switzerland and has a well-preserved Old Town that features sights like the Zeitglockenturm, a colorful clock tower with revolving figures and the Gothic 15th-century cathedral Münster with an impressive 12 meter high stained glass window. The city also has lots of modern and edgy boutiques, bars and a raging nightlife. On the outskirts of town you will find the Paul Klee Centre, a remarkable building also known as Bern’s Guggenheim.
Basel
Basel is known as the cultural capital of Switzerland. The city offers a wealth of cultural, historical, leisure and enjoyment experiences. There is also a lively modern art and cultural scene. Basel, also well-known for its university, lies in the heart of Europe, on both banks of the Rhine. The city is situated between the Swiss Jura, Germany’s Black Forest and the Vosges in Alsace. Basel is an important transport hub, and offers outstanding transport connections to the whole of Europe from its three train stations.
Geneva (Genève)
Switzerland’s second largest city, Geneva, is situated at the lower end of sparkling Lake Geneva (Lac Léman, as it is known in Switzerland). The city is pretty much surrounded by French territory and it is only connected to the rest of the country by the lake and a narrow corridor. Geneva is definitely Swiss, but with a French accent. Quite literally, because it is French-speaking. The city’s exquisite Old Town is known as ‘Europe’s best kept secret’ and is certainly worth a visit. And so is the Musée d’Art et Histoire, Geneva’s most important museum.
Zurich (Zürich)
Also called ‘the city by the lake’, Zurich straddles the Limmat and Sihl rivers. The quays lining the riverbanks and Lake Zurich make for grand promenades. It is also a city of commerce and industry and it boasts the fourth largest stock exchange in the world. The exclusive Bahnhofstrasse is one of the best places to shop in Europe. And the best place to learn all about Swiss culture, art and history is the Landesmuseum (Swiss National Museum).
Lausanne
Lausanne rises in spectacular tiers above Lake Geneva. The Upper Town (Haute Ville) is the oldest part of the city and it looks like time has stood still there since the Middle Ages. It’s focal point is Lausanne Cathédrale, a beautiful Gothic structure. The lower part of Lausanne has a few different districts: Ouchy, with a summer beach resort feel; Place St. Francois, with cute cobblestone streets; and Flon, district of bars, galleries and boutiques.
Regions
Central Switzerland
The central region of Switzerland looks like a fairy tale. Jagged mountain ranges as far as the eye can see and mirror like lakes with beautiful cities on their shores. Like the city of Lucerne, one of the nicest cities of the country. Another great city is Interlaken, a mecca for thrill seekers as a lot of adventure sports are offered here. And the views get better further south at Jungfrau, a magnet for skiers and snowboarders. Also take a train up the Jungfraujoch (3454 meters): the view from Europe’s highest train station will take your breathe away.
Valais (Wallis)
The Valais is a narrow, L-shaped valley which was cut by glaciers between two alpine mountain ranges. The river Rhône flows through the valley to Lake Geneva in the west. The region offers an amazing diversity of landscapes: from the highest glaciers and Alpine peaks (including the Matterhorn) to almost subtropical places where pomegranate tree grow. Some of the best spring skiing in the world is available in the Valais, like at Zermatt ski resort. The region is divided into two parts: Upper Valais is the German speaking, eastern part and Lower Valais, the French speaking, western part.
Ticino (Tessin)
Ticino is the Italian-speaking southern district of Switzerland known for its year-round mild climate, expensive shopping, and Italian laid-back attitude. Switzerland’s southernmost tourist town here is Lugano on the shore of Lake Lugano. It is a slice of Italian life with vibrant markets, piazza’s and fancy shops. The town of Locarno is not far away at the northern end of Lake Maggiore. This place enjoys more hours of sunshine than anywhere else in Switzerland.
Top ten attractions in Switzerland
- European Football Championships 2008
This exciting football tournament (the third-largest sports event worldwide!) will be held in Austria and Switzerland in the summer of 2008. - Scenic train routes
Travel by train through stunning Alpine scenery on the Glacier Express, one of Europe's greatest rail journeys from St. Moritz to the ski resort Zermatt at the very heart of Switzerland. - Fasnacht, Lucerne
A six-day boisterous carnival in Lucerne. The festivities start on ‘Dirty Thursday’ with the emergence of the character ‘Fritschi’ from a window in the town hall. Then bands, musicians and partygoers take to the streets. - Chateau de Chillon
This historical building on the shore of Lake Geneva is one of the most visited in Switzerland. Building started in the 11th century and dungeons, courtyards make it a fairytale castle. - Lake Thun
The 3 beautiful castles, Schloss Thun, Schloss Oberhofen and Schloss Hunegg stand on the shores of Lake Thun and you can visit them all by boat in just one day. - Swiss chocolate
Swiss chocolate is the finest in the world and to leave the country without tasting it is not done. The famous chocolate factory Lindt is located just outside Zurich and offers unlimited tasting at the end of the tour. - Montreux Jazz Festival
Europe’s most famous jazz festival attracts world famous musicians from BB King to The Black Eyed Peas. - Trummelbach Falls
These are the world’s largest subterranean waterfalls. The ten falls are created by the melting water of three glaciers and 20,000 liters of water come falling down per second. The falls are located in the Lauterbrunnen Valley near Interlaken. - The highest cablecar route in Europe
Take Europe's highest aerial cablecar up the Little Matterhorn at Zermatt. Then ski back to the village of Zermatt on one of the longest ski runs in Europe. - Gimmelwald
Incredible views and great hiking trails: that’s Gimmelwald and it’s magical. It’s a small mountain village in Bernese Highlands. This a car-free resort is accessible only by cable car.
Hiç yorum yok:
Yorum Gönder