Switzerland Introduction
A landlocked country in Western Europe it is bordered by Germany to the north, France to the west, Italy to the south and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. The country is well known due to its neutrality and the Alps Mountains, which is a popular skiing destination. The country is also ranked is the most innovative country and one of the world's wealthiest countries. Switzerland is also the birthplace of the Red Cross organization including the second largest UN office. Three main linguistic and cultures makes up Switzerland such as German, French and Italian and therefore don't form a single ethnic or linguistic identity.
Tourism
Airport
The country has three major international airports located in Zurich, Geneva and Basel. Smaller international airports are located in Lugano and Berne. The main carrier of Switzerland is the Swiss and is a member of Star Alliance.
Airlines
The following airlines have flights to Switzerland:
- South African Airways (from Johannesburg & Cape Town)
- British Airways (from Johannesburg & Cape Town)
- Swiss (from Johannesburg, Cape Town & Durban)
- Emirates (Cape Town & Durban)
- Turkish Airlines (from Johannesburg
- Lufthansa (from Johannesburg (from Johannesburg, Cape Town & Durban)
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (from Johannesburg, Cape Town & Durban)
- Air France (from Johannesburg, Cape Town & Durban)
- Iberia (from Johannesburg)
- Virgin Atlantic (from Johannesburg)
What to see
- Lake Lucerne
- Castle of Chillon
- Lavaux Vineyards
- Abbey of St. Gallen
- Castles of Bellinzona
- Aletsch Glacier
- Northern Walls of the Jungfrau and Eiger
- Augusta Raurica
- Palace of Nations
General Info
Switzerland is located an hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, making it 1 hour behind South African time. The currency in Switzerland is called the Swizz Franc. Due to the strength of the economy, 1 ZAR will buy you 0.11 (11c) Swiss Francs. Switzerland is divided into different linguistic sections such as Swiss-German, French and Italian. Two thirds of the country is mainly German speaking. A German-speaking tourist will get around easily while other tourists can speak English to get around.
Speaking the mother tongue in the area where you will be staying is a sign of great respect while it is also polite to ask if they speak English before starting a conversation. When visiting Switzerland and you are introduced to someone in the French and German speaking parts, greet the person with 3 kisses on the cheek (left, right, left). Don’t be shy, as it might appear rude on your part. Your lips don’t actually have to touch the skin of the other person. A fake kiss will do. If your meeting is business related, shaking hands will be appropriate. Always be punctual!
Climate
The country has a general temperate and conditions can vary from glacier conditions on the mountaintops to near Mediterranean climate at the southern tip. Summers are normally warm and humid with periodic rainfall. Winters are less humid and can have long intervals of stable conditions while the lower lands have inversions, thus seeing no sun for weeks.
The föhn is a rare phenomenon and can occur at all times during the year. This phenomenon is characterized by unexpected warm wind. Rainfall is moderate throughout the year and peaks during the summer time with autumn as the driest season. Rainfall can be variable from year to year as it has no strict and predictable patterns and periods.
