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Switzerland - Die Schweiz

Map of Switzerland - CIA - The World Factbook

Slideshow of photographs taken during one of our trips to our featured destination - Switzerland.

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Luzern, Switzerland

Images of Switzerland bring to mind the Swiss Alps, numerous lakes, picturesque towns, ski resorts, Swiss cheese, chocolate and, of course, the story of "Heidi" - the little girl who lives with her grandfather in the mountains. I remember walking down the main street in Interlaken and seeing several souvenir shops with names such as "Heidi's Shop" and "Heidi's Souvenir Shop". Also, at the train station in Luzern there was a huge sign advertising a show called "Heidi - Das Musical" (Heidi - The Musical). I definitely felt right at home :))

Other prominent images are Luzern's covered bridge, mountainous surroundings and postcard-perfect lakeshore.

Languages of Switzerland

Switzerland has four official languages: German, French, Italian and Romansh (or Rumantsch). German is spoken mainly in central, northern and eastern Switzerland; Italian is spoken in the south; French is spoken in western Switzerland and Romansh is spoken in southeastern Switzerland, where German is also widely used. Switzerland's four official languages are a reflection of its rich cultural diversity.

We used both Italian and German to interact with shopowners, restaurant staff, etc. during our time in Switzerland.

We have visited Switzerland twice - on both occasions we took day trips into Switzerland from neighbouring countries. During our trip to northern Italy, we took a day trip to Lugano; similarly, as part of our trip to Germany we took a day trip south to Switzerland during our stay in the Black Forest and visited Luzern, Interlaken and Basel.

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Places to Visit

Popular destinations in Switzerland include:

Luzern
Geneva
Interlaken
St. Moritz
Zürich
Bern (Capital city)
Basel
St. Gallen
Neuchâtel
Müstair
Lausanne
La Chaux-de-Fonds/Le Locle
Ticino villages

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Switzerland include (amongst others) St. Gallen's abbey, the Benedictine Convent of St. John in Müstair, Bern's historic centre, the Lavaux Vineyard Terraces, and the urban-planning design of La Chaux-de-Fonds/Le Locle - designed to support its watchmaking industry.