Lonely Planet Discover Switzerland

Look beyond the chocolate, cuckoo clocks and yodelling contemporary Switzerland, land of four languages, is all about once-in-a-lifetime journeys, heart-racing alpine pursuits, spectacular natural beauty and vibrant urban culture.

Switzerlands ravishing landscapes demand immediate action grab boots, leap on board, ring bike bell and let spirits rip. In summer, hiking and biking trails invite exploration of Switzerlands glacier-encrusted mountains and deep green valleys, glittering lakeshores and terraced vineyards. View the grandeur from a hot-air balloon, parachute, or white-water raft, or seek out close-up encounters with Eigers chiselled north face and Jungfraujochs crevassed icy expanses (extraordinarily, you dont need to be a mountaineer to do it). Come winter, skiing and snowboarding in Graubnden, Valais, Bernese Oberland and Central Switzerland take centre stage.

The perfect counterpoint to Switzerlands rural beauty is its urban edge. A host of great cities awaits you here: Bern with its medieval old town and worldclass modern art; chic Geneva astride Europes largest lake; and ubercool Zrich with its riverside bars and reborn industrial districts.

Ever innovative, the Swiss have always embraced the new and the experimental. Capturing the zeitgeist throughout the country even in back-of-beyond corners of the Alps are cutting-edge cultural venues, avant-garde galleries, attention-grabbing architecture and fresh-faced design.

And then theres Swiss cuisine: a hearty and flavoursome celebration of gooey cheese desperate to be dipped in, comfort food favourites such as rsti and Sptzli (egg noodles), air-dried meats and autumnal game and, of course, velvety Swiss chocolate.

Switzerlands international city by the lake

More than 150 nationalities jostle for a stool at the bar in this French-speaking , where luxury watchmakers, chocolate gods, diplomats and artists come together around lovely Lake Geneva. Canary-yellow mouettes (seagulls) ferry locals across the water and Mont Blanc looks over the action. Strolling Old Town streets, savouring the vibrant cafe and museum scene, paddleboarding on the lake and dashing beneath the iconic Jet dEau fountain is what lifes about here.