If you plan a holiday in Switzerland you are a very lucky person. Switzerland is one of a kind. Its Alps are spectacular, the lakes are a dream, the snow is perfect during winter, and people here love to make chocolate and cheese.
Switzerland is a model of democracy and was neutral during World War II. The man who invented The International Committee of the Red Cross was Swiss and so was Audrey Hepburn.
But still, this isn’t everything to know before you travel. Here are some more interesting facts about Switzerland that will make your trip even better.
Switzerland does not belong to the EU
Although Switzerland is not a member of the European Union member, the country is a part of the Schengen Area. You can travel from EU countries to Switzerland with no border headache.
If you are traveling from EU, you’ll have no problem accommodating in Switzerland. If you are not an EU citizen, you’ll have to check the traveling conditions at the Swiss embassy in your country.
The currency in Switzerland is not euro, but Swiss franc. However, you can pay in euro in many places in Switzerland, especially near borders or in touristic areas. Even The Swiss Federal Railways accept euro.
Switzerland has four national languages
Switzerland is one of the few countries in the world where there are four national languages. French, German, Italian, and Rhaeto-Romanic are spoken here. German is the most popular of them, but don’t be afraid you’ll not be able to communicate.
In Swiss schools, the study of languages is very well put together, so many of the people here know at least two or three languages. And because they have to learn a foreign language like any other student in the world, they also speak English.
Trains are the best way to travel around
Take your time when you visit Switzerland. Open any travel book you want and you’ll find hundreds of reasons to visit this country. It is worth walking, so pretty it is. For our modern times, walking it is a courageous option, but driving or taking the train isn’t.
The Swiss Railway will offer you any connection you want, will take you any place you need and will operate like a Swiss clock. It is the world’s most dense railway network and the average of kilometers traveled in a year per inhabitant is over 2, 400. Well, it is not hard to be so good when you’ve started in 1847 (the first internal railway was open in 1847, between Zurich and Baden).
Definitely, the best Swiss perspective is from a train. The train stops in small villages and towns, letting you discover the heart of Switzerland, travel through the Alps and pass lots of lakes. Switzerland has over 100 lakes, some of them among the largest and the most beautiful in Europe (Lake Geneva, Lake Constance, Lake Maggiore, Lake Lucerne, and Lake Zurich).
The first Alpine railway is dated in 1882 and the second in 1906. Many others followed them. Furthermore, Swiss railway was mentioned even in 19th century travel guides.
ⓘ TIP: The Swiss Travel Pass is a good deal. Benefits include unlimited travel by train, bus and boat throughout Switzerland and Liechtenstein, free admission to over 500 museums, discounts on mountain excursions, and up to 30% off on SBB RailAway offers.
Fondue is a classic Swiss foodie experience
You have to eat fondue! It’s a must! Fondue is a Swiss dish with melted cheese. It contains several types of cheese and some alcohol and it is served on a heated device. Cold fondue is a sin.
Now, fondue comes with some variety of bread which has to be soaked into the cheese. The rule is to use very small pieces of bread and as much cheese as you can get. The waiter will notice that you are a foreigner after the way you eat your fondue.
Leaving the joke aside, fondue is the best Swiss food (besides chocolate) and it became famous all over the world. The first recipe is dated in 1699. Fondue became popular in the 1930s as a measure of increasing local cheese consumption. You cannot miss so many centuries of food history.
You can picnic how and where you want
If you get tired of sightseeing you can always take a break and go for a picnic in a park. Swiss parks are beautiful, full of colored flowers, with green lawns, and quiet people. Most of them have no regulation against picnics. Bring your blanket and basket, take your time and relax. You can even drink a glass of wine. There is no law to forbid drinking in public spaces and if the park has not other rules, you are free to do it.
Leave no garbage behind. Even if picnics are allowed, there are extremely large fines for throwing garbage in the park.
It’s a year-round destination
Switzerland is a year-round destination, with a mild climate where temperatures rarely dip below freezing even during winter.
- It’s a snow lover’s dream destination in winter, with some of the best conditions for skiing or snowboarding in Europe.
- The spring brings warmer weather and blooming flowers across the countryside.
- Summertime is perfect for exploring Switzerland’s picturesque towns and villages as well as taking part in outdoor activities such as hiking, rafting, paragliding or mountain biking.
- Autumn’s cooler temperatures still offer plenty of sunshine, but you also get stunning views of colorful foliage throughout the forests and valleys.
There are 7 international airports
There are 7 international airports in Switzerland: Zurich Airport (ZRH), Geneva Cointrin International Airport (GVA), EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg (BSL), Bern Airport (BRN), St Gallen Airport (ACH), Lugano Airport (LUG) and Sion Airport (SIR). There are also 11 other airports in Switzerland that do not fly internationally.
Over 30 million passengers pass through Zurich Airport every year, making it one of the busiest airports in Europe.
You know, I’ve found one interesting fact, the less index of religious fractionalization than more rich country is and higher Human Development Index (HDI) is! So here you can see it in details 😉
http://www.confiduss.com/en/jurisdictions/switzerland/demographics/
It’s an interesting article, Danila, but I doubt there’s a correlation across the board.