SWITZERLAND TRAVEL GUIDE

Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a mountainous country located in Central Europe. Its known for its mountainous landscapes, beautiful lakes, chocolate, castles and much more. Switzerland is a landlocked country that borders Germany to the north, Austria and Liechtenstein to the east, Italy to the South, and France to the West. It is small compared to many of its neighboring countries spanning a total of 15,937 square miles. Do not let its size fool you as Switzerland has one of the highest GDPs per capita. In addition to this, Switzerland has one of the highest cost of livings in the world. These factors make Switzerland one of the most expensive countries to travel.

Currency:

The official currency of Switzerland is the Swiss franc. The official abbreviation for the Swiss franc is CHF and the sign is fr. You can find ATM’s and banks located all throughout the country. Credit and Debit cards are also accepted throughout Switzerland.

Language:

Switzerland has four official languages which are German, French, Italian, and Romansh. German is the most common of the four official languages. An estimated 60 percent of the population speaks German as their primary language.. English is also widely spoken in Switzerland. According to a survey conducted in 2008, over 60 percent of the population can speak English to some degree. This percent is estimated to have increased over the last decade as well.

To decide the best time for you to visit Switzerland, you need to determine what activities you want to do. The winter months are popular for winter activities such as skiing and snowboarding. While the summer is a popular time for hiking and exploring the country’s beautiful landscape. Below is a breakdown of the different seasons and what to expect during them.

The Peak Season: June to August

Switzerland’s peak season is from mid-June through August. The weather is at its hottest with long days making it a great time to go hiking, biking and exploring. As with most destinations, this season also happens to be the busiest. You will have to navigate a much higher number of tourists during these months. Prices are also much higher this time of year. This can make travelling this expensive destination even pricier.

Shoulder Season: April-June and September-October

The shoulder season is from April to mid-June and September through October. During spring, the weather starts to warm up and the snow begins to melt. Fall weather is still pleasant before getting chillier as winter approaches. The shoulder season is great for hiking, biking and sightseeing Switzerland’s beautiful towns. Another great activity for this time of year is a scenic train ride to showcase the countries beauty.

The Low Season: November to March

Winter is the low season in many destinations across Europe. That is true for many of Switzerland’s towns with one giant exception. The exception to the low season in Switzerland is its winter sports. During the winter months tourists from all over come to Switzerland to go skiing in the Swiss Alps. For those that do not partake in winter sports, be sure to check out the Christmas Markets. Christmas markets showcase traditional foods, drinks and holiday traditions. These generally take place during late November through December. Keep in mind when visiting this time of year that the days will be much shorter than during the summer months. Also, snowstorms may cause travel delays if you are trying to bounce between cities.