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Switzerland
About
Switzerland:
Switzerland is a landlocked
country in Central Europe. It has
borders with France to the west,
Italy to the south, Austria and
Liechtenstein to the east and
Germany to the north. It’s the country that fashioned tourism, so it’s no surprise that Switzerland caters to visitors all year round. In spring and summer it offers lakeside chalets, mountain trails and spa resorts. In the sunny southern region of Ticino, near the Italian border, visitors will find palm-fringed Riviera-style resorts offering a host of water sports. Those keen on hiking and mountaineering will find over 31,000 miles (50,000km) of mountain and forest trails throughout the country.
The culture of Switzerland is characterised by the diversity of its geography, its languages and its religious affiliation. This is reflected in the variety of its literature, art, architecture, music, and customs. The culture of Switzerland is influenced by its neighbours, but over the years a distinctive culture with strong regional differences has developed. Traditionally Switzerland is not considered one of the centres of European culture, but this conception might be deceptive.
Swiss Visa: Switzerland has one of the most clear-cut and transparent Visa and Travel regulatory systems. The safety and security of international tourists on tours to Switzerland is also monitored by the Switzerland Tourism Department.
Switzerland operates one of the
finest public transportation
systems in the world. It ensures
fast, efficient travel to every
part of the country. Currency :
Switzerland
currency is Swiss franc, usually
indicated as CHF. As Switzerland
is not part of the European Union
and thus is not obliged to convert
to the Euro, many prices are
nonetheless indicated in euros so
that visitors may compare prices.
Merchants may accept euros but are
not obliged to do so. Change given
back to the client will most
likely be in Swiss francs.
VAT Value added Taxes
MET (Middle European Time) (Co-ordinated World Time + 1); March to October: MET + 1 (Co-ordinated World Time + 2)
Communications & Useful Telephone Numbers
The
Swisscom Mobile network covers
over 99% of the populated area of
Switzerland. Upon entry to
Switzerland the mobile phone
generally searches on its own for
a network.
from Switzerland 0800 55 64 64
(free)
Important telephone numbers Making calls abroad when direct dialling is not possible : 1141
Meals include a service charge, but tipping is common. 5% of the total is the usual tip. According to locals in Zurich, it is customary, when paying with a credit card, to leave the tip in cash rather than adding it to the card total. The temperature is moderate with no extremes of hot and cold, so Switzerland can be visited at anytime of year. Summer is warm lasting from about June to September, and although good for outdoor activities it is also the most crowded time for a holiday. Ski resorts open in late November and remain so until the snow begins to melt in April. "Swiss-made": Souvenirs and Luxury Goods. Switzerland is famous for a few key goods: watches, chocolate, cheese, and Swiss Army knives:-
Watches - Switzerland is
the watch-making capital of the
world, and "Swiss Made" on a watch
face has long been a mark of
quality. While the French-speaking
regions of Switzerland are usually
associated with Swiss watchmakers
(like Rolex, Omega, and Patek
Philippe), some fine watches are
made in the Swiss-German-speaking
region, such as IWC in
Schaffhausen. (Fine watches are
also made in the nearby German
Glashütte region.) Every large
town will have quite a few
horologers and jewelers with a
vast selection of fancy watches
displayed their windows, with huge
price tags to go with them. For
fun, try to spot the most
expensive of these mechanical
creations and the ones with the
most "bling".
Chocolate - Switzerland may
always have a rivalry with Belgium
for the world's best chocolate,
but there's no doubting that the
Swiss variety is amazingly good.
Switzerland is also home to the
huge Nestlé food company. If you
have a fine palate (and a fat
wallet) - you can find two of the
finest Swiss chocolatiers in
Zürich: Teuscher (try the
champagne truffles) and Sprüngli.
For the rest of us, even the
generic grocery store brand
chocolates in Switzerland still
blow away the Hershey bars found
elsewhere. For a good value, try
the "Frey" brand chocolates sold
at Migros. If you want to try some
real good and exclusive swiss
chocolate, go for the Pamaco
chocolates, derived from the noble Criollo beans and accomplished
through the original, complex
process of refinement that
requires 72h (quite expensive
though, a bar of 125g costs about
CHF 8.
Cheese - many different
regions of Switzerland have their
own regional cheese specialty. Of
these, the most well-known are
Gruyere and Emmentaler (what
Americans know as "Swiss cheese").
Be sure to sample the wide variety
of cheeses sold in markets, and of
course try the cheese fondue! The
original mixture consists of half
Vacherin cheese and half Gruyère
but many different combinations
have been developed since. Swiss Army knives - Here you can find a huge variety of those handy Swiss Army knives, from the "My First Victorinox" for kids to the monstrous, pants-ripping, 72-function "SwissChamp XXLT" (now discontinued). Until recently, there were two "official" Swiss Army knife manufacturers, but now all official Swiss Army knives (and watches) are sold by Victorinox. Remember to pack that Swiss Army knife in your checked baggage when flying. get away, your way! destination guide |
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