Introduction - Switzerland Travel Guide

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France might have the real Magic Kingdom, but the true Disneyland of Europe belongs to the Swiss. Switzerland is a natural themepark showcasing three of Europe's most distinct cultures. To the north is the beer-drinking, sausage-eating stepchild of Germany; to the south-west the wine drinking and shopping spills effortlessly into France; in the south-east the sun warms cappuccino-sippers loitering in Italian-style plazas. And binding it all together is a distinctly, and sometimes bizarrely, Swiss mentality.

No one in the world is more proud of their stereotype. The Swiss are punctual, practical, traditional, and aloof to the point of xenophobia. Outsiders who visit are welcome to take-it-or-leave-it on Swiss terms and most people who visit the stunning pocket of Alpine mountains, valleys, and lakes, even for a day or two, are eager to take it. Switzerland is uncompromisingly expensive and Swiss logic can be frustrating to the point of madness. But the trains do run on time, the hills are alive - and the Swiss wouldn't listen to you if you tried to argue anyway.

Switzerland can be a glorious whirlwind trip whether you've packed your hiking boots, snowboard, or just a good book and a pair of sunglasses. A country that looks on a map like it could comfortably fit into a National Park, Switzerland packs into it a continent worth of natural wonders and a culture and history rich enough to provide five museums for every rainy day of the year.

Restaurants/Bars/Cafes
You'd think that Switzerland, next door neighbour to some of the best food in the world, would be a showcase of cross cultural delights. Well, not quite. That's not to say there isn't some fantastic Italian, French, German, and uniquely Swiss cuisine to be had, for a price. But those on a budget will quickly tire of seeing the same menu options at nearly every corner restaurant - fondue, three or four pastas, a few different pizzas, one or two fish dishes (usually filet de perch, a platter of tiny lake-caught fish sometimes refered to as "breaded goldfish"), and two or three meat plates. Even these Swiss standbys will put you back at least 30 CHF for a meal. Ethnic restaurants such as Thai, African, and Chinese are rare and usually pricey.

For true budget meal, stick to walk-and-eat kabab & falafel shops which usually charge less than 10 CHF for a la carte and less than 20 CHF for a full plate. During the summer, nothing beats a trip to a Migro or Co-op market for picnic fixings.

Bars and clubs are another budget-killer. A cocktail at even a small club will cost 10-20 CHF and a decent beer around 8.50CHF, though some places have drinkable 'house' beer for less than 5 CHF. Beer comes bottled or on tap ("pression"), in half pints, pints, and a uniquely Swiss quantity called un canet. Many bar/restaurants call themselves Brassieres, but real 'brew pubs' are hard to find. Beer gets better the closer you are to Germany. Swiss wines are usually very drinkable and almost never exported. Look for the light white wine Fendant, the traditional wine to accompany fondue and raclette, but it goes well with anything and is usually on the cheap side.

Most cafes serve croissants in the morning and sometimes have a plat du jour served from 11:30am-2pm. Coffee, beer and wine (as well as your usual array of European sodas) are served all day. The Swiss, like the French and Italians, take their coffee very seriously. "Express" is expresso, " ristretto" an even smaller cup of even stronger expresso, "cafe clair" is the closest thing to an American coffee, "renverse" is the term in Swiss Romande for cafe au lait (only ask for it in the morning or you'll get a funny look), cappuccino can be found in the Italian cantons and is also only drunk in the morning.

Accommodation

One of the few good deals in Switzerland are the dozens of hostels found in all major cities and most high mountain trekking and skiing areas. Less than 30 CHF gets you a nice dorm bed or half a double room usually with a down comforter, sheet, and towel (though you'll need to ask for the sheet and towel). Bathrooms and rooms are usually spotless, staff helpful and informative, and many hostels have surprisingly good locations. If you are travelling in a small group it's sometimes just as affordable to get a hotel room, though the standards can vary widely for the same price.

Language

No, there is no "Swiss Language." Depending on where you are in the country (or what street you're on in some cities) the locals might sprecken the Schwyzertutsch (a dialect of German pretty much unintelligible to speakers of other flavors of German), parlez le Francaise, parlano l'Italiano, or be confusing everyone with a little-known language called Romansh. English and German are your best bets for general use, but with a mostly multi-lingual population, it shouldn't be hard to find someone who can talk your talk.

Money
Switzerland is not part of the European Union (and only voted to join the UN in 2002), but many places along the border are starting to accept Euros. You probably won't get too far though without changing some money to Swiss Francs (CHF). As the banking capital of the world, you can get by almost anywhere on credit cards but ATMs that accept foreign cards (even Visa and Mastercard) can be a little harder than you'd think.

Transportation
The Swiss will ruin you with fantastic transportation - swift, disturbingly punctual trains, clean buses, and a half dozen different kinds of mountain transport systems. The Swiss rail system offeres a multitude of discount options, from half fare cards to multi-day, multi-use tickets good for buses, boats, trains, and even bike rentals. More information can be found at www.cff.ch (for rail) and www.gare-routiere.ch (for buses).

Cybercafés

The Swiss are surprisingly technophobic sometimes. The concept of 'cybercafes' hasn't quite caught on, but almost any video rental shop and most train stations will have a few Internet terminals. The tourist office should be able to direct you to the nearest one. The going rate is 5 CHF for 20 minutes.

Guidebooks

There are more than a few guidebooks covering Switzerland. My current favorite is The Rough Guide to Switzerland which includes lots of off-the-beaten-path day trips, good history and culture overviews, and really helpful travel time listings at the end of each section. The hotels listed range from youth hostels to three and four star splurges, though for some smaller towns there may be only one or two recommendations.

For more cushy travel suggestion, Fodor's Switzerland will help you spend your francs in style. Country Inns of Switzerland is another good one if you're looking for out of the way spots and have a car to get you there.

If you're planning on staying in one city for an extended stay, you'll want to pick up a copy of the local Petit Fout guide. The translated text is obnoxious at best, but the listings will tell you where to get everything from a pedicure to tofu.

For walking and hiking, the Lonely Planet Walking in Switzerland is a good standard, but it mostly focuses on the longer high mountain treks. You will need to supplement it with detailed maps for specific areas - usually easy to buy once you're in Switzerland.

Safety

Switzerland is not surprisingly, one of the safest countries in Europe, but anywhere that attracts Rolex-wearing bankers and crowds of distracted tourists will also bring out a few pickpockets. Obviously, keep an eye on belongings, especially in the midst of summer crowds. In most cities the area around the train stations tend to be the seediest, and there is always some sort of 'red light district', though it may only be a block or two long.

Woman travelling alone should have no problems, though the men in the Italian regions occasionally act a bit like, well, Italian men. The younger Swiss tend to be very open with public displays of affection - sometimes too open, and some woman may find people getting too friendly especially in the wee hours of the club & bar scene. Usually the international language of brush-offs or just walking away is enough.

Questions?
If you want more information about this area you can email the author or check out our Europe Insiders page.

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