Travel to Szitzerland

Basel Region - Wave good-bye as ships leave the shore. Let this unique , young-at-heart city kindle a yearning for far away places within you, and revel in its rich history and natural surroundings. The lanes and alley of the older quarter. But art and culture alone do not define Basel. Fairs and congresses, scientific institutes and world commerce have also left their mark on the metropolis on the River Rhine, at the heart of Europe. Nearby hills, forests, peaceful valleys and the peaks of the Jura mountains invite you to make an excursion, on foot or by bike, by rail or by tram.

Bernese Oberland - Sail boats roll and excursion steamers leave their wakes on the turquoise waters of Lakes Thun and Brienz. And on the shores, in tributary valleys and on sunny ledges, you'll discover picturesque villages of richly decorated chalets and guest houses in what surely is the embodiment of Swiss-style comfort and serenity. Delight in the best local art, in castles that are silent witnesses to wealth gone by, and in lovingly restored hotel palaces from the early days of tourism. Deep, dark forests end at the foot of rocky peaks, while cows graze under the ancient Alpine maple trees. Mountain lakes like jewels reflect towering white peaks, and above it all reigns the majestic chain of Eiger, M'nch and Jungfrau. Welcome to the Bernese Oberland.

Central Switzerland - Historic sites and enchanting countryside abound, from the monument to William Tell to commanding mountain peaks, from cities to remote Alpine valleys, from baroque monasteries to deserted canyons. Surfers brave wind and waves, lake steamers leave majestic wakes, colourful paragliders dot the sky. Mountain trains and suspended cable cars mount the peaks. This is Central Switzerland, the Switzerland of freedom and holidays.

Eastern Switzerland / Liechtenstein - Cyclists will find an excellently signposted network of cycle paths. Whether you prefer riding from one fishing village to the next along the shores of Lake Constance or scaling high peaks on a mountain bike. There are no limits to the fun you can get from exercise. Families with children are particularly welcome in Eastern Switzerland. On the eerily beautiful Toggenburg mystic route, for example, or on the Heidi path above Bad Ragaz or the Dwarf Baartli fun stations in Braunwald. Art and culture lovers will enjoy a stay in St Gallen, enticed by the monastery district - officially part of the World's Cultural Heritage - and the magnificent Baroque basilica. Or they might prefer the historic little town of Schaffhausen below the round Munot fortress. Walkers who appreciate good food and drink by the wayside should head for the Alpstein region. There are 28 mountain guesthouses to spoil guests and hikers with local Appenzeller specialities. Health and beauty are also on the menu in the Alps. In the Glarnerland, where you can climb up to the Berglialp, enjoy a hearty meal and then luxuriate in a bath of whey before retiring to bed.

Fribourg Region - On its southern slopes, terraces vineyards extend down to the shores of Lake Neuch'tel; Neuch'tel, elegant university town, is dominated by a castle and a splendid cathedral. Take a trip through the flat Broye valley and, on a rocky outcropping high above the looping River Sarine, discover the city of Fribourg, the ancient bishopric with one of Europe's best-preserved medieval city centres. Towards the south the country changes from hilly to pre-Alpine. Historic towns abound - Bulle, Gruy'res. The hills look as though covered in green velvet, interspersed with Alpine huts tiled in silvery shingles.

Geneva - Capital of Peace is one of its names - the European headquarters of the United Nations is located here.Another well-deserved name for this city with a humanitarian tradition, international organisations and cosmopolitan flair, is The World's Smallest Metropolis. Quays, lakeside promenades, parks, elegant stores and lively streets and alleyways in the old part of town wait to be discovered. Boat trips beckon on the lake and the Rhone River. The Alps seem close enough to touch. Geneva - small metropolis surrounded by unspoiled nature and breathtaking scenery. On its limits lie magnificent country estates, hidden behind ancient stands of oak, and, to the north, peaceful villages, home of fruity Perlan wines. Yet more villages and towns huddle the shores of Lake Geneva itself.

Graub'nden - Graub'nden has every colour: Red for the Rh'tische Bahn railway, yellow for the postal buses, blue for its 615 lakes and the skies above 150 valleys, green for forests and pastures, golden brown for larch trees in autumn, grey for castles and rocks, and white for snow and ice. Choose red to take the Rh'tische Bahn to Klosters, Davos, Arosa, St. Moritz, the Surselva region, the Engadine and Valposchiavo. Choose yellow and see Savognin and the M'stair valley, Lenzerheide, and the Mesolcina and Bregaglia valleys by postal bus. Pick grey for climbing a sheer rock face, and white for storming peaks and traversing glaciers. Or simply sit down on a patch of green and enjoy azure skies above.

Lake Geneva Region (Vaud) - Gently sloping vineyards border the shores of the lake, with the capital city of Lausanne across from the highest Alpine peaks. Lively towns and small wine-growing villages appear scattered at random. The region seems half dream and half reality, but the people in the farm villages who work the wheat fields on the plain above the lake, the inhabitants of the medieval towns and the original inhabitants of the castles have always had both feet planted firmly on the ground. In the quiet Vall' de Joux, nature remains unspoiled. The Jura mountains lie to the north and the Vaud Alps to the east, with lush pastures, chalet villages, mountain peaks and glaciers - as well as sunny ledges ready-made for a relaxed vacation and sporting adventures.

Neuch'tel / Jura / Jura Bernois - In summer as well as in winter, enjoy moments of relaxation at the hot springs center and escape from everyday life; lakes, mountains and valleys offer many sports possibilities: hiking, riding, cycling, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, snow shoe touring, canoeing, paragliding, diving, golf, climbing& as many possibilities for recharging your batteries in the middle of the most beautiful landscapes of the region. As a reward for your efforts, try the local specialties round a table, in a wine cellar by the lake, in a mountain cheese dairy or a chalet on a summit. Very tasteful local produce are expecting you: T'te-de-Moine cheese, Vacherin Mont-D'Or, Damassine, Absinthe& Watch Valley also invite you to celebrating: during summer time, the little streets of the towns liven up on the occasaion of festivals, March'-Concours and Neuch'tel Wine Festival. Experience the magical moments of the St-Martin festivities and the Jura Carnival.

Schweizer Mittelland - The red of the geraniums in their window boxes is more intense than anywhere else in the world. At G'rben Valley and the Schwarzenburgerland, gentle hills, which mark the end of the pre-Alpine region, blend into the Laupenamt and Seeland plain, bordered in the north by the Jura range, next to Lake Bienne, Solothurn and the Oberaargau region. The prosperity of the villages flows into the cities with their massive protective walls, arcades, romantic alleyways and fountains topped with statues, which stand as silent witnesses to a colourful past. Time seems to stand still. Why hurry? In spite of the TGV, ICE and Pendolino high-speed trains that stop in Bern (UNESCO World Cultural Heritage) daily, that seems to be the city's motto. Take the time for a visit to the central part of the canton of Bern - the local inhabitants always have time for you.

Ticino - But the Alps are always close by. Mountain tours that start in snow, ice and rock, end in balmy chestnut forests. Gentian blooming on Alpine pastures and wooded hills rising to high peaks on the shores of Ticino's lakes contrast with rich camellia on lakeshore promenades. If you want la dolce vita, search no more - it is waiting for you in the numerous sub-tropical parks and gardens. If you crave excitement, take a whitewater ride. And if you prefer cultural pursuits, they're available at every turn; romantic landscapes have always attracted poets and artists and inspired architects to dream up daring constructions - often based on ancient architectural tradition. A rich blend of past and future, north and south, mountains and plains, nature and culture, city and country - that's Ticino in a nutshell.

Valais - A cool breeze wafts down from the glaciers. The mountain tops seem closer to reaching the heavens than anything else on earth. The Rhone River is like a blue ribbon, fed by numerous tributaries that emerge from steep valleys. In Goms, the river is wild, in the lower Valais, gentle. It flows past mountain villages of sun-scorched houses, past towns where ancient history and modern impulses combine, past orchards and vineyards, until, well tamed, it enters Lake Geneva. In short, it is a landscape of opposites; of steep rock faces and soaring Alps; of German and French; of northern and Mediterranean flair. It is a region of 4,000 metre peaks, the twelve largest glaciers and a multitude of Alpine passes.

Zurich Region - Enjoy the pretty old town, the trendy new Z'rich West district and the glorious lake. With opera, ballet, theater premieres, shows, musicals, art exhibitions in over 50 museums and 100 galleries, time never drags in Z'rich. The famous Bahnhofstrasse and the Limmatquai are a shopper's paradise. Over 1,700 restaurants and bars serve both traditional Z'rich and Swiss dishes as well as exotic specialties. The evenings will leave you spoilt for choice: indoors or outdoors, anything is possible as far as the nightlife in Z'rich goes.

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