According to Top-mba-universities, the country of Switzerland is very popular with foreign tourists.
The main excursions are connected with natural attractions. These are the Alps, Lake Geneva and Lake Constance, as well as the Rheinfall Falls in Eastern Switzerland and the passes connecting Southern Switzerland with Italy.
Not far from the Great St. Bernard Pass (2469 m) there is a monastery in which St. Bernards are still being bred. He gave the name to these dogs, which were bred specifically to rescue victims of avalanches.
On the Saint Gotthard Pass, Suvorov’s soldiers stormed the Devil’s Bridge. In memory of this, a 12-meter cross was carved into the rock.
When traveling to Zurich, it is of interest to visit the historical center – Niederhof, St. Peter’s with the largest clock face in Europe, the Flaumünstkirche church with Chagall’s stained glass windows. There are many interesting museums in the city: ethnographic and archaeological museums, tin figures and fine arts, constructive art and clocks, a contemporary art center, and a technology park.
In the capital, it is interesting to see the parliament building, the art museum, the historical museum, the museum of the Alps and take a walk around the city center (XVIII century).
In Lucerne there is the Musegmauer rampart (1400) and the Baroque Jesuitenkirche, and in Montreux there is the Chillon Castle.
Chillon Castle is the most famous castle in Switzerland., was built in the 13th century. It is located on a small island on the eastern edge of Lake Geneva. Once the castle was visited by Lord Byron and in 1816 he wrote the poem “The Prisoner of Chillon” about the fate of Francois Bonivarde. François Bonivardet was the most famous prisoner of this castle from 1530 to 1536. He was arrested for trying to bring Protestantism to Switzerland. The castle was also an important medieval fort and occupied a strategic position on the road from Burgundy to Italy. Now the castle has been carefully restored and all rooms are available to visitors from the dungeons where the prison was located to the towers. In the premises of the castle, you can look at a collection of medieval weapons and other items found during excavations.
Geneva interesting castle (XVIII century) and a flower clock with the world’s largest second hand. Also in the city there is the Saint-Pierre Palace (XII-XIII centuries) and the altar of Konrad Witz in the Museum of Art and History.
Rest on the lakes
Switzerland is not often chosen for this type of holiday. But choosing it, the vacationer will be guaranteed: silence, tranquility, beautiful landscapes and European comfort. The beaches on the lakes are grassy, there are practically no sandy ones. Hotels do not have their own beaches and there are no paid municipal ones either. Sunbeds and umbrellas can only be found on site. hotels near the pool. Lake Geneva is the largest in Europe. The water in it is clean, but rather cool, you can swim only in July – August. Basically, tourists are attracted here not so much by beaches as by clean air, warm climate and a combination of subtropical vegetation and snow-capped mountain peaks. The warmest water is in Lake Luhansk and Lake Maggiore. The climate and vegetation here are subtropical and very different from the rest of Switzerland. The water is warm from June to September.
Therapeutic and health-improving.
The mountain air itself is beneficial, and in combination with a high level of medicine, it makes many resorts in the country attractive for treating the nervous system and improving the body.
Of the mountain climatic resorts, the following should be noted: Arosa, Davos, Interlaken, Lehsen, Pontresina, St. Moritz, Zermatt. The main healing factors are clean, dry, ozone-rich air and mild climate. It is recommended for the treatment of lung disease, anemia and functional disorders of the nervous system. Of the balneological resorts, Baden, Bad Ragaz, Baie-les-Bains, St. Moritz, Schinznach are very popular. The main healing factors are: mineral springs. Their thermal waters are used for baths, irrigation, swimming in the pool, for drinking treatment, as well as mud therapy procedures. They successfully treat diseases of the heart and blood vessels, the musculoskeletal system, digestion, as well as gynecological diseases. Excursions. On the territory of Switzerland traces of various civilizations can be found. The ruins in Nyon and Avenches remind of the Romans. Romanesque and Gothic monuments of architecture can be found in Basel, Geneva, Lausanne. A Renaissance fortress, Castello di Montebello, has been preserved. Baroque is richly represented. Its main monument – the famous cathedral in St. Gallen is under the protection of UNESCO. In central Switzerland are the shrines of the pilgrims Sachseln, Fueli and Ranft. The cultural life is also diverse – every big city has its own theater and symphony orchestra. Especially famous are the Opera House in Zurich and the Grand Theater in Geneva. 600 museums in Switzerland are open to visitors and delight with a variety of expositions. In one of the valleys of central Switzerland, memories of Suvorov, who commanded the Russian army here, have been preserved. On the San Gotthard pass there is an unusual monument to Russian soldiers, carved into the rock.
History in Switzerland
The lands of Switzerland have been inhabited since ancient times. Scientists believe that the first settlements arose here in the 12th millennium BC. At first, people lived in caves, and later – along the shores of lakes. This territory belonged to the Helvetii, a tribe of Celtic origin, as evidenced by archaeological finds dating back to 450 BC. e. In 58 B.C. e. the lands of the Helvetians, as a result of Caesar’s campaign, were captured. Roman rule continued until the 5th century. Since that time, the territory of Switzerland managed to be under the rule of the Franks, Burgundians, Germans. The independence of the Alpine territory was recognized in 1315, after the victory of the Swiss over the Austrians. Over time, more and more cantons join the Confederation. In 1789, French troops entered the country and the Helvetian Republic was formed. But Napoleon’s failures as well as the desire of the Swiss for independence, forced him to grant independence to the country. According to the new constitution, adopted in 1648, Switzerland becomes a confederal state. By this time, the number of its members was already 26. Since then, the country has not taken part in military conflicts and has become the center of diplomatic activity. Here is the European branch of the UN, the headquarters of many international organizations.