Switzerland travel guide

Combining expansive greenery, slick cities, and bucketfuls of fresh air, Switzerland is a stylish tourist destination that offers countless outdoor adventures and contemporary urban breaks.

Switzerland's Alpine vistas are so picture-perfect, they appear to have been plucked from a postcard or the pages of a storybook. But these disarming landscapes are alive and kicking, as the myriad spots for skiing, hiking, or mountain biking can attest. Ski resorts like Zermatt (home to the lofty Matterhorn), Verbier, and celebrity-studded St Moritz provide everything from big Olympic runs to encouragingly gentle novice slopes. And when the snow melts at lower altitudes, the white-tipped mountain peaks remain against a backdrop of blue skies, providing a superb setting for summertime hiking.

The ancient capital, Bern, provides almost endless opportunities for sightseeing, shopping, and traditional folk entertainment, while Zürich leads the way in art, design, and nightlife, from opera and world-class theatre to stylish bars and nightclubs. Geneva is the sleekest and most upscale of Switzerland's cities, acting as home to a thriving community of expats, many of whom work for the numerous international organisations headquartered there.

Yet Switzerland's cultural offerings don't stop there. When it comes to contemporary art, polished Basel reigns supreme, with more than 40 museums and galleries nestled in this compact city. For a few days every year, Basel takes centre stage for the eminent Art Basel fair. French-flavoured Montreux also steals a moment in the cultural spotlight when it becomes the centre of focus for the jazz world during the Montreux Jazz Festival. Elsewhere, dotted around green foothills, are countless spruce towns and folkloric villages, where ancient farm culture survives and cattle still loiter amid flower-filled pastures.

Small, mountainous, and wealthy, Switzerland is renowned for its enviable quality of life, with public services ticking along like clockwork. Come for the creamy, complex cheeses, smooth chocolates and luxury watches; stay for the exquisite culture, incredible scenery, and sheer sense of fun.