Issue 149

Switzerland

20th November 2006

With its deep crystal-blue lakes, snow capped slopes, mountains that reach the sky and cosmopolitan cities, Switzerland is the place to be this winter break.

It is a country with a great variety of climatic regions, cultures and languages. There are four official languages (German, French, Italian and Raeto Romansh) but most of the younger people speak English as well. To begin with the good news all cities and towns in Switzerland are very easy to reach by public transport. The trains are extremely punctual, comfortable, have a high standard of cleanliness, run on a very frequent timetable and are a lot cheaper than renting a car.

There are many fascinating and beautiful places in this small country and one of the highlights is the region of Graubünden. One of Switzerland's 26 cantons Graubünden is located in the South-East of the country, just about two hours away from Switzerland's main airport in Zurich.

Davos- sport central

Skiing, boarding, climbing, Nordic walking, ice skating, horseback riding, cinemas, pubs, indoor swimming pool, amazing countryside – Davos offers all that and a lot more. It is the El Dorado for winter sport fans and is easy to reach by train. The journey from Zurich to Davos takes two hours 18 minutes and shows astonishingly beautiful countryside.

Being on skis all day long can be very exhausting. Why not take a day off from the snow? Situated in Scuol, the thermal bath "Bogn Engiadina" offers various indoor and outdoor pools with warm water (30°degrees and more) and saunas in an idyllic and quiet surrounding. The most revitalizing experience has to be the "Roman-Irish" bath that is situated in the same building as the thermal bath. It is not cheap to go in but it is worth it. The region around Scoul benefits from being on the sunny side of the mountains and therefore is also a paradise for winter sport fans. 14 different ski-lifts bring skiers into the high-alpine first-class skiing area.

Shopping

Had enough of skiing? Always up for a good night out? Zurich is the place to go. Switzerland's largest city provides a wide range of entertainment during the day and after dark. With 550 bars, pubs, clubs, restaurants and various cinemas and theatres – there is no shortage of places to go. Most popular are the pubs and bars situated in the "Niederdörfli" which are in walking distance from the main station.

For around £6 you can get a ZurichCARD, offering unlimited use of the city's public transport for a 24hr period – it even includes free admission to over 40 museums, reductions and a complimentary welcome drink in 20 restaurants.

Shopping in Zurich is certainly an experience. The main shopping street is the Bahnhofstrasse, which during December is decorated with illuminated stars hanging above the heads of the pedestrians. These special Christmas decorations bathe Zurich in a peaceful light and emphasises the city's luxurious appearance. Although most of the stores sell items that are not affordable, even for Swiss people, it is worth to have a look around as some of the shops on the Bahnhofstrasse also sell trendy fashion items for the more restricted budget.

Andrea Baumgartner-Ledger