Learn how to make your trip to Switzerland memorable

Tips, entry requirements, and places to visit while on vacation in Switzerland

Where is Switzerland?

Switzerland is a small country that is located in the heart of Western Europe and is located at some of the highest points in the Alps. Unlike most Western European nations, Switzerland is not part of the European Union nor is it in the Schengen Zone.

Switzerland still has its own currency, the Swiss franc, which is more valuable than the euro, the US dollar, or the British pound. The main industries in Switzerland are banking and tourism. Due to its banks, Switzerland is one of the richest countries in the world.

Entry requirements for Switzerland

To enter Switzerland, depending on your country of origin, you may or may not need a visa to enter Switzerland. Citizens of EU member countries, as well as the United States and Canada, do not need a visa to enter Switzerland.

The only requirement that the citizens mentioned above need is to have a valid passport that is valid for up to three months after the end of their intended stay in the country. If you are from the United States, Canada or any of the EU member countries, you can stay in Switzerland for up to three months without a visa.

If you are a citizen of another country, but you are a legal resident of the United States and have a United States Green Card, you also do not need a visa to enter Switzerland. You will need to follow the same requirements as those of a US citizen.

If your home country is not the United States, Canada, or EU member states, check with your local Swiss consulate or embassy for visa requirements for your country.

Places to see

Switzerland is a very beautiful country. You can enjoy the mountainous beauty of the Swiss Alps and visit beautiful cultivated European cities with excellent restaurants. Some of the best places to visit in Switzerland are listed below.

1. Basel is a unique city in that it is located in an area where different languages ​​are spoken. The unique thing about Switzerland is that the country has four different national languages. The northern part of Switzerland is German-speaking, the southern part of the country is Italian-speaking, and the western part of the country is French-speaking.

In a small area of ​​the high Swiss Alps, there is a small group of people who speak Romansh, which is a living language that is as close to Latin as the Romance languages. Basel is officially in the German-speaking part of Switzerland and all street signs are in German, but the French-speaking part of Switzerland is not far away.

Basel is also unique in its proximity to the German and French borders. The center of Basel is a beautiful medieval city on the banks of the Rhine. Tiny dark green trams can take you to all parts of the city. Basel also offers steam rides on the Rhine with excellent dining on board.

Some of the steamers sailing along the Rhine in Basel will even take you to a section of the Rhine that allows you to see both Germany and France. You can also get to Switzerland in Basel, but Basel airport is in France.

Basel’s international airport is called Moulhouse International Airport and is located in France, just outside the Swiss border. You have the option of traveling to France and visiting Dijon or going to Basel. There are different forms of entry.

2. Bern is the capital of Switzerland and is located in the French-speaking part of the country. Bern is quite a small city and everything in the city center can be reached on foot. Not far from Bern, in an area where French and German Switzerland meet, is Luzernne, which sits on the shore of a lake and is home to the famous Luzernne wooden bridge. The bridge was damaged by fire a few years ago, but has been restored.

3. Geneva is the most famous city in Switzerland. Geneva is home to some of the United Nations offices, including the famous World Health Organization. Geneva is considered the international city and during the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union had many summits there.

4. Zurich is the business center of Switzerland. It is also the largest city in Switzerland and is located in the Alps on Lake Zurich.

5. The Rhone Gletsch is a glacier in the western Alps and is the source of the Rhone, which flows from Switzerland through France, where it eventually empties into the Mediterranean Sea. The Rhone Gletsch is a great place to visit. You can take one-of-a-kind glacier tours and deep into some beautiful ice caves that, inside, cast a pale blue light as sunlight filters through the packed ice and snow.

6. The San Bernadino tunnel connects the northern part of German-speaking Switzerland with southern Italian-speaking Switzerland. The San Bernadino Tunnel passes under one of the most rugged and impassive alpine terrain and is the longest tunnel in continental Europe. South of the San Bernadino tunnel is also the scene where a large part of Ernest Hemmingway’s firing of arms took place.

Whatever the reason you want to travel to Switzerland, you will discover that it is a country of breathtaking beauty with friendly people. Switzerland also has one of the lowest crime rates in Europe. Another interesting fact about Switzerland is that it has been neutral for over 700 years and has not seen war since Napoleon’s time.

Although Switzerland is neutral, it is ready for external attack. All buildings in Switzerland, from businesses to residential houses, are required by law to have a built-in bomb shelter and every trained man must serve in the military for two years and then be in the reserves for forty years and be issued a rifle by the government. Swiss, which they must keep at home and be ready to be called to work at any time. The Swiss defense system also influenced the founding fathers of the United States to have the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution.