Rick Steves - Rick Steves Switzerland

Alpabfahrt in Appenzellwhen the cows come home from high pasture, cliffside dining at Ebenalp, the Bernina Express, relaxing at Lake Lugano

SWITZERLAND

Travel is intensified livingmaximum thrills per minute and one of the last great sources of legal adventure. Travel is freedom. Its recess, and we need it.

I discovered a passion for European travel as a teen and have been sharing it ever sincethrough my tours, public television and radio shows, and travel guidebooks. Over the years, Ive taught thousands of travelers how to best enjoy Europes blockbuster sightsand experience Back Door discoveries that most tourists miss.

This book on Switzerland offers you a balanced mix of cities and villages, mountaintop hikes and lake cruises, thought-provoking museums and sky-high gondola rides. And its selectiverather than listing dozens of mountain getaways, I recommend only the best ones. My self-guided museum tours and city walks give insight into Switzerlands vibrant history and todays living, breathing culture.

I advocate traveling simply and smartly. Take advantage of my money- and time-saving tips on sightseeing, transportation, and more. Try local, characteristic alternatives to expensive hotels and restaurants. In many ways, spending more money only builds a thicker wall between you and what you traveled so far to see.

We visit Switzerland to experience itto become temporary locals. Thoughtful travel engages us with the world, as we learn to appreciate other cultures and new ways to measure quality of life.

Judging from the positive feedback I receive from readers, this book will help you enjoy a fun, affordable, and rewarding vacationwhether its your first trip or your tenth.

Gute Reise! Happy travels!

Little, mountainous, efficient Switzerland is one of Europes most appealing destinations. Wedged neatly between Germany, Austria, France, and Italy, Switzerland melds the best of all worldsand adds a healthy dose of chocolate, cowbells, and cable cars. Fiercely independent and decidedly high-tech, the Swiss stubbornly hold on to their quaint traditions, too. Join cheesemakers in a high valley, try to call the shepherds on an alphorn, and hike through some of the worlds most stunning mountain scenery.

This book breaks Switzerland into its top big-city, small-town, and rural attractions. It gives you all the information and suggestions necessary to wring the maximum value out of your limited time and money. If you plan three weeks or less in Switzerland, this lean and mean little book has all the information you need...unless youre a skier. (This is a fair-weather bookit focuses on the highlights of summertime funbut for basic info for a winter visit, see the Switzerland in Winter chapter.)

Experiencing Europes culture, people, and natural wonders economically and hassle-free has been my goal throughout my life of traveling, tour guiding, and writing. With this guidebook, I pass on to you the lessons Ive learned.

This book covers the predictable biggies while mixing in a healthy dose of Back Door intimacy. Along with Luzern, the Matterhorn, and the Glacier Express, youll experience windswept Roman ruins and ramble through traffic-free alpine towns. Ive been selective, including only the top destinations. For example, the country is dotted with alpine villagesbut Gimmelwald is a cut above.

The best is, of course, only my opinion. But after spending much of my life exploring and researching Europe, Ive developed a sixth sense for what travelers enjoy. Just thinking about the places featured in this book makes me want to yodel.

This section will help you get started planning your tripwith advice on trip costs, when to go, and what you should know before you take off.

Five components make up your trip costs: airfare, surface transportation, room and board, sightseeing and entertainment, and shopping and miscellany.

Airfare to Europe: A basic round-trip flight from the US to Zrich can cost, on average, about $1,000-2,000 total, depending on where you fly from and when (cheaper in winter). If Switzerland is part of a longer trip, consider saving time and money in Europe by flying into one city and out of another; for instance, into Zrich and out of Paris. Overall, Kayak.com is the best place to start searching for flights on a combination of mainstream and budget carriers.

Transportation in Europe: For a two-week whirlwind trip of most of my recommended destinations by public transportation, allow $750 per person. This covers a second-class, 15-day consecutive Swiss Travel Pass, plus high-mountain trains and lifts, and reservation fees for scenic trains. You can purchase a Swiss Travel Pass before you leave home or wait until you arrive in Switzerlandtheyre also sold at local train stations.

If you plan to rent a car, allow at least $250 per week, not including tolls, gas, and supplemental insurance; figure on an additional $250 for mountain lifts sans car. If you need the car for three weeks or more, leasing can save you money on insurance and taxes.