Switzerland - Swiss Confederation - Suisse - Svizzera - Швейцария
Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a sovereign state situated in the confluence of western, central, and southern Europe. It is a federal republic composed of 26 cantons, with federal authorities seated in Bern. Switzerland is a landlocked country bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. It is geographically divided between the Alps, the Swiss Plateau and the Jura, spanning a total area of 41,285 km2 (15,940 sq mi), and land area of 39,997 km2 (15,443 sq mi). While the Alps occupy the greater part of the territory, the Swiss population of approximately 8.5 million is concentrated mostly on the plateau, where the largest cities are located, among them the two global cities and economic centres of Zürich and Geneva.
Switzerland is one of the most developed countries in the world, with the highest nominal wealth per adult and the eighth-highest per capita gross domestic product. It ranks at or near the top in several international metrics, including economic competitiveness and human development. Zürich, Geneva and Basel have been ranked among the top ten cities in the world in terms of quality of life, with Zürich ranked second globally.
Tourism in Switzerland
Tourists are drawn to Switzerland's diverse landscape as well as activities. Most interesting are the Alpine climate and landscapes, in particular for skiing and mountaineering. Tourism begins with British mountaineers climbing the main peaks of the Bernese Alps in the early 19th century (Jungfrau 1811, Finsteraarhorn 1812). The Alpine Club in London is founded in 1857. Reconvalescence in the Alpine climate, in particular from Tuberculosis, is another important branch of tourism in the 19th and early 20th centuries for example in Davos, Graubünden. Because of the prominence of the Bernese Alps in British mountaineering, the Bernese Oberland was long especially known as a tourist destination. Meiringen's Reichenbach Falls achieved literary fame as the site of the fictional death of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes (1893).
To dive into Swiss tourism, you don’t have to travel too far and an excellent Swiss transport system makes it affordable to see the best places in Switzerland. The Swiss countryside, lakes and mountains are beautiful anytime of year, from snow-capped mountain peaks and ice-skating on lakes to hiking through green fields or celebrating the top Swiss festivals, Swiss carnival or national Swiss holidays. Those who want to experience this European gem will have no shortage of finding places to visit in Switzerland, and will feel safe travelling in this low-crime rate country, although a list of Swiss emergency numbers is always handy. Here are the top 16 places to visit in Switzerland you have to see to experience the best of Switzlerland’s tourism. So pack your bags and grab your passport because you’re going to want to book a flight to Switzerland...