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Swiss culture

Get to know Switzerland's bustling culture, forged over hundreds of years as the country existed as both the crossroads of Europe and a patchwork of isolated mountain communities.

Travelers call Switzerland “Europe in miniature” because several distinct cultures thrive there. There are four national languages: German, French, Italian and the exotic Romansch, the official language of Switzerland. Nestled in the heart of the European continent, Switzerland's neighbors include Germany to the north, Liechtenstein and Austria to the east, Italy to the south, and France to the west. Europe's largest mountain range, the Alps, covers 60 percent of the Swiss terrain.

Daily direct flights arrive from North America and all around Europe, and many one-stop flights connect Switzerland with other world capitals. Within the country, travel between large cities and villages is fast and easy. The Swiss railway and public transportation system rank among the world's finest.

Although pastoral panoramas have become synonymous with a Swiss vacation, Switzerland's six largest cities – Zürich, Basel, St. Gallen, Lausanne, Bern and Geneva – offer a range of cosmopolitan diversions and cultural discoveries set against the dramatic backdrop of history.