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SWITZERLAND
Switzerland is one of Europe's most visited
countries, but one of its least understood. Pass
through for a day or two and you'll get all the
quaint stereotypes – cheese, chocolate and clocks
– but not much else. Stay a bit longer and another
Switzerland will emerge, which can be an infinitely
more rewarding place to explore.
Sights are breathtaking, transport links are excellent
and costs are no higher than in Britain or Germany.
Almost everyone speaks some English along with
at least one of the official languages (German,
French, Italian, and, in the southeast, Romansh).
Notoriously placid these days, Switzerland spent
the first 500 years of its existence rent by conflict.
The Swiss Confederation (abbreviated to "CH")
dates back to 1291, when Alpine peasants formed
an alliance to defend themselves against the Habsburgs.
By the early 1500s, it had grown into a military
superpower. The Swiss reputation for neutrality
emerged with the Reformation and persisted right
through to the boom years after World War II.
In the 1990s, exposés uncovered Swiss banks' wartime
collusion with the Nazis. Public soul-searching
in the aftermath of the scandal heralded Switzerland's
entry into the UN, and its first steps towards
joining the EU. The most visited Alpine area is
the central Bernese Oberland, which has the highest
concentration of picturesque peaks and mountainside
villages; the loftiest Alps are further south,
where Zermatt provides access to the Toblerone-peaked
Matterhorn. In the southeast, forested mountain
slopes surround the chic resort of St Moritz.
Of the northern German-speaking cities, Zürich
has a wealth of sightseeing and nightlife possibilities
and provides easy access to the tiny principality
of Liechtenstein on the Rhine. Basel and the capital
Bern are quieter, each with an attractive historic
core, while Luzern lies in an appealing setting
close to lakes and mountains. In the French-speaking
west, the cities lining the northern shore of
Lake Geneva – notably Geneva and Lausanne – make
up the heart of Suisse-Romande. South of the Alps,
sunny, Italian-speaking Ticino can seem a world
apart, particularly the palm-fringed lakeside
resorts of Lugano and Locarno, with their Mediterranean
atmosphere.
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