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The Main Attractions of Switzerland
The Matterhorn in Zermatt is certainly
the most famous of all mountain peaks and is a must for every visitor
of Switzerland. Upon spotting the Matterhorn, which is part of the
loftiest Alps in the Valais,
you will be overwhelmingly excited by its impressive beauty. Experience
the breathtaking scenery in this charming, traffic-free mountain
resort.
The Bernese Oberland invites
you with a great variety of attractions. An appealing countryside
is speckled by enchanting lakes and flanked by impressive mountains,
most importantly the Jungfraujoch, near Interlaken.
Other Alpine and mountain resorts in the area include Gstaad,
Grindelwald, Wengen
and Muerren.
The fame of
Lucerne as a tourist resort is legendary
and it is often considered to be the true "Swiss" capital.
This charming and attractive town straddles the Reuss River on the
western edge of Lake Lucerne and makes an excellent base for excursions
with its proximity to lakes and mountains as well as a base for
venturing south towards the Alps and the Ticino.
A good way to see Lucerne and Central
Switzerland is from the Pilatus: a towering monument of a mountain
with a view like a vision. It only takes one hour to reach the famous
7000-ft. landmark of Lucerne.
Switzerland's
southernmost canton, Italian-speaking Ticino,
can seem a world apart from the rest of the country, especially
the lakeside resorts of Lugano and Locarno,
with their Mediterranean Riviera like atmosphere. The romance that
surrounds the southern part of Switzerland is well worth the visit.
The isolated mountain valleys of Graubunden,
in the eastern corner of the country, provide the setting for winter
resorts like St. Moritz and Davos.
For the traveler this is no doubt the part of Switzerland where
he can enjoy the most spectacular mountain landscapes. The Engadin
lets you experience lovely panoramas of great, deep valleys, fiercely
blue mountain lakes and endless rows of white mountains, all blessed
by the sun.
Zurich,
the most populous city of Switzerland, is famous for its financial
institutions and shops on "Bahnhofstrasse" as well as
for its superb art galleries - all coexisting happily side by side.
Lake Zurich offers endless opportunities for swimming, sunbathing
and pick nicking.
In the west, the cities lining the northern shore of Lake Geneva
- Geneva, Montreux
and Lausanne - are surrounded by rolling
hills covered with woods and vineyards which shelter them from the
north and east winds. This area makes up the bulk of French-speaking
Switzerland. Geneva is unquestionably one
of Switzerland's most privileged cities on account of its exceptional
location. Visitors will be delighted by opulent mansions, the harbor
and its fountain, and the shimmering shores of the lake, set against
a backdrop of lush vegetation and wooded mountains.
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