To travel Switzerland is to travel in four countries at once because it has four distinct areas, French speaking, German speaking, Italian speaking and its own Romansch language. Yet even with this diversity you will find even more dialects within each language but do not be put off as many people speak English as well. Although the Switzerland map is divided into 23 cantons, they do not always have the same language. French may be spoken at one end, with German spoken at the other.
Skiing in Switzerland is probably the most well know activity with St Moritz, Gstaad and Klosters being the most famous, where all the worlds elite gather to ski. St Moritz, home of the famous Badrutts Palace Hotel is also known for the Cresta Run, a wild and dangerous tobogganing site as well as its amazing horse races on the frozen lake.
Yet Switzerland is just as interesting all year round, its rugged mountains are perfect for mountaineers and its lakes in summer are a joy to behold. Many of the main towns and cities are located beside lakes, for instance Geneva, Lucerne, Lugano, Zurich and Montreux where the festivals are held.
Only the capital, Bern is not on a lake but it has the river Aare running through it, where residents swim during the summer. Bern, founded in 1191 has a noble history, it was the city where Albert Einstein worked, no doubt because it is the home of Emmental cheese and Toblerone chocolate. It also has one of the best examples of medieval architectures in the world, so good in fact, that UNESCO has made it a World Heritage Site no doubt influenced by the beautiful towers and fountains.
Swiss trains are a good way to get around, not only are they clean but are punctual, which makes planning a journey a stress less affair, so think out of the box and try a Swiss holiday this summer
