Germany Travel

Europe Travel - A European Vacation Travel Guide  You are here: About > Travel > Europe for Visitors Travel Go Europe Essentials European Vacation Planning Map Europe Travel 101 - Before you Go European Distances The Best of Europe European Photo Gallery Articles & Resources Europe Travel Planning What to do In Europe Lodging - Hotels and More European Travel Maps Sex and Nudism Travel Photography Transportation Benelux Countries France Germany Austria Switzerland Greece Italy and Malta Travel Info Scandinavian Travel Spain and Portugal United Kingdom and Ireland Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Italy Travel Guidebooks Europe Travel Guidebooks German Travel Guidebooks Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Europe for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Europe for Visitors From James Martin , Your Guide to Europe for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Antwerp Pictures Antwerp is a fashion and diamond center for Belgium and the world, it has one of the most beautiful train stations in Europe, and it was home to artist Peter Paul Rubens in the 17th century. What's not to like about this Belgian port city? See what it's all about in our latest photo Gallery: Antwerp Pictures . More Antwerp Travel: Antwerp Travel Directory | Antwerp Lodging | Antwerp Museums Wednesday December 28, 2005 | permalink Like to Travel Well? Follow the CIA! I really should have paid attention when the CIA came recruiting at my college. Operatives really get to live it up when they travel, apparently. Imagine, the lucky seven of the "Surveillance Team" sent out to case the joint before kidnapping 39-year-old Muslim preacher Osama Moustafa Hassan Nasr, also known as Abu Omar, managed to spend "$39,995, not counting meals, parking and other services" for a week at Milan's Principe di Savoia ( check prices ), where a room goes for a mere $588 a night, according to Newsday . Once Abu Omar was behind bars in Cairo the CIA folks broke up and went their various ways, some to the renowned Grand Hotel Baglioni ( check prices ) in Florence , a few in cozy pairs to save the taxpayers money, no doubt. Travel Resources: Milan Profile | Florence Profile Tuesday December 27, 2005 | permalink Tapas from Cans? Ok, so you wander into one of Barcelona's most celebrated tapas bars thinking, "wow, I'm gonna down me some fine, fresh seafood this evening--non of that canned stuff like we get at home..." Well, Quimet and Quimet is one of Barcelona's best tapas bars, recommended by just about anyone. Joaquim Perez, owner of Quimet and Quimet, has been called Barcelona's culinary king of canned food. That's right, a tapas king devoted to high-quality goods preserved in metal. I had heard about the increasing interest in vintage sardines , whose flavors are said to increase in intensity and complexity with aging. But Mr. Perez has extended this idea of unlikely gourmet tinkering; he buys "fresh" Galician navajas (clams) from the cannery and sets them to aging for a year or two before serving them (plain) to his customers. And they love 'em. Maybe you should go and see what this canned gourmet thing is all about. There are worse places to spend time on a research expedition. More: Gastronomic Route: Barcelona, a tapas town? Travel Resources: Barcelona Guide | Barcelona Pictures Thursday December 22, 2005 | permalink North Holland: Noah's Ark Redux A pious north Holland businessman took out a 300 000 loan and turned his investment into a "faithful reconstruction of Noah's Ark in scaled down form on the basis of biblical texts," according to the Mail & Guardian . Spring is the expected launch date. No word on where the animals will come from. Travel Resources: North Holland Travel | Holland Map | Benelux Rail Passes Thursday December 22, 2005 | permalink Appreciate Long John Shivers? Head for the Alps I know I frequently extol the virtues of off season travel, but there's a whole bunch of adventurers willing to go the extra mile in their long johns to enjoy icier surroundings than I'd care to experience. Those would be the Ice Hotel People. Word from Vagablond is that "a new ice hotel is being constructed 7,000 feet up into the German Alps." HotelChatter says this ice hotel might well be part of the Iglu-Dorf chain, who specialize in things like Inuit igloos in Switzerland. Like it cold? Get you thrills in the Alps this winter. I'll toast your bravado at the hearth with a steaming hot toddy. Travel Resources: Germany map and Travel Essentials | Switzerland Map and Travel Essentials . Tuesday December 20, 2005 | permalink Europe Travel in the Off Season Why travel in the off season? Well, you know the reasons: fewer tourists, lower prices, and cooler temperatures, to name a few. But there's another reason for me, and that's the warm, slanting light that brings photos alive. See what I mean by taking a gander at: Liguria Pictures - Picture Gallery of Liguria in Autumn . And if you still want to see more pictures of Italy , try out Italy for Visitors Florence Pictures , taken in November. Travel Resources: Off Season Travel Tips | Italy Travel Map Sunday December 18, 2005 | permalink Travel Gifts Ok, you're thinkin' it's too late to post some ideas for gifts at this late date. Hey, you can chalk it up to sloth and indolence, but I don't start burdening my mind with thoughts about winter holidays in May like the rest of my family. The crunch starts now. So I've made up a list of recommended Travel Gifts . Of course, you could buy some of the stuff for yourself as well. Take a look. You've got language help, a deep, inside look at the Vatican, and more, not to mention that Tyrolean Boiled Wool Jacket like you've always wanted. More Stuff You Need: Top Travel Photography Gear Friday December 16, 2005 | permalink Joe Torre carries the Olympic Torch in Florence New York Yankee manager Joe Torre carried the Olympic torch 400 yards to the foot of the Ponte Vecchio in Florence yesterday as part of "American day" in the two-month Olympic torch relay. It was the first time he'd been to Italy in 20 years, despite the fact that his mother was born in the village of Patina near Naples. (Source: Indystar.com ) The torch Joe carried was designed by the folks at Pininfarina , who've banged out quite a few sexy Italian auto bodies in their time. The Olympic torch is designed to work in rain, snow and wind up to 74.56 miles per hour, not to mention temperatures from -4°F to +77°F. According to what I've heard, the torch suffered much less than Mr. Torre during the run. Travel Resources: Florence Travel Directory | Florence Pictures: Views from the Arno | Naples Travel Directory Photo above: Ponte Vecchio, Florence by Martha Bakerjian, Italy for Visitors ; click "read more" to see it larger. Read more... Thursday December 15, 2005 | permalink Sunny Valencia It's cold here in my corner of California, prime time to think of warmer climes. Valencia pops to mind. Host to the 2007 America's cup, the sunny Spanish port city has been spiffing itself up lately, and many travelers have remarked that Valencia seems to be passing Barcelona as Spain's city of tourist choice. What's not to like? The spring La Fallas festival is a not to be missed attraction (plan now if you're going), the City of Arts and Sciences holds 87 acres of fascinating art, science and architecture, and the Barrio del Carmen is chock full of music, restaurants and clubs. Find out more about Valence by taking a peek at our latest: Valencia Spain Travel Information - Valencia Profile , or peruse our Valencia Travel Directory . Wednesday December 14, 2005 | permalink Hey Santa! Take That! Scroogy Musings: So a couple guys in Germany get asked what they want for Christmas by Santa, who happens to be waiting for a train home. They've been out shopping all day, unsuccessfully one assumes, because the next thing you know they've latched on to Santa's sack and "beat him over the head with it, breaking his fingers as he tried to protect himself." ( Santa - Germany's new stress buster ) Santa on a train? in Germany? A bit early, isn't it? Has the Christmas spirit been so commercialized that the little people like us suffer with the stress of plunking down good cash for stuff we think people might like but probably won't? Where is the joy of it all? Everyone remembers the magical experience of visiting Santa in the mall when they were kids and the smile it brought to your face. Unfortunately over the last few years it seems the spirit of Christmas is slowly being lost due to many different reasons including political correctness, busier lifestyles and many more issues. Hold on a sec. Now I'm angrier than a red-nosed reindeer. Everyone doesn't remember. Some of us are way too old to conjure the disgraceful vision of mall Santas in their mothball costumes and fake beards. The statement above comes from Live From Lapland (dot com). For a bit less than 15 dollars they'll make a custom video staring Santa, who'll be talking to your kids using the words you put in his mouth via the web site's control panel. Their Santa evidently lives in a paneled room and wears mall Santa clothes and beardage. It's in the sample flick. He could be in Kansas. Still, where else you gonna get a five minute flick to your specs for $14.95? Travel Resources: Lapland (the real one) | Chrismas in Europe Tuesday December 13, 2005 | permalink Display Latest Headlines | | | Read Archives powered by Movable Type Advertisement Most Popular Europe Map - Distances Between Cities in Western Europe Europe's Best Nudist Beaches Europe Picture Galleries Italy Pictures Europe Travel 101 - Before You Travel to Europe for the Firs... What's Hot Power Adapters Noord-Holland - Delights of North Holland Travel Visiting Pompeii Italy Guidebooks Naples - Getting There Related Topics France for Visitors Greece for Visitors United Kingdom / Ireland for Visitors Eastern Europe for Visitors Italy for Visitors        Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About New Video iPod - Review POLL: Must-Have Gadgets VIDEO: Portable Gaming VIDEO: Choosing a TV Hugh Hefner's Life What's Hot Power Adapters Noord-Holland - Delights of North Holland Travel Visiting Pompeii Italy Guidebooks Naples - Getting There Headlines Antwerp Pictures Antwerp is a fashion and diamond center for Belgium and... Like to Travel Well? Follow the CIA! I really should have paid attention when the CIA came... Tapas from Cans? Ok, so you wander into one of Barcelona's most celebrated... North Holland: Noah's Ark Redux A pious north Holland businessman took out a 300 000...

Italy Travel Info AboutUs

Italian Travel Information | Travel-Italy.com HOME ITALY HOTELS ITALY VILLAS CLASSIFIEDS SEARCH ITALY MAPS Most Popular: Rome Hotels   | Tuscany Villas   | Florence Hotels   | Venice Hotels   | Italy Travel Info AboutUs | ContactUs | Community Italy Hotels Travel-Italy offer a nice selection of about 240 Italy hotels which can be booked online or by telephone. See our selection of Italian hotels from the links below: Rome Hotels , Florence Hotels , Venice Hotels , Amalfi Coast Hotels , Tuscany Hotels , and Italy Hotels in more cities . Italy Villas Staying in Italian villas can be a wonderful experience. Travel-Italy brings you a large selection of properties to choose from in most popular locations. See our selection of Italian villas from the links below: Tuscany Villas , Umbria Villas , Veneto Villas , Amalfi Coast Villas , Cinque Terre Villas , and Italian Villas in other locations Most Popular Links Rome Rome Hotels Rome Travel Information Rome City Maps Florence Florence Hotels Florence Travel Information Florence City Maps Venice Venice Hotels Venice Travel Information Venice City Maps Tuscany Tuscany Villas Tuscany Hotels Tuscany Travel Information Tuscany Maps Other Italy Travel Links Amalfi Coast Campania Travel Information Cinque Terre Liguria Travel Information Italy Maps Travel-Italy offers over 250 detailed Italian folding maps (city maps, provincial maps, regional maps, etc.) from suppliers like Touring Club Italiano through its sister company, TrekTools.com . Italy Apartments Much like a villa, staying in an apartment in Italy can let you see Italy like a local. Rome Apartments , Florence Apartments , Venice Apartments ItalyTalk.com Check out our new message board where you can communicate with other people about Italy and the Italian Travel Experience. There is one forum for each region, plus Rome, Florence and Venice of course. Italian Travel Information Find a large array of different types of travel information organized by region. You'll find information about regional tourist offices, books about Italy, hotel accommodation directly from the owners, as well as links to many resources. It's a work in progress. Travel Information for Italian Regions Abruzzo Travel Information Basilicata Travel Information Calabria Travel Information Campania Travel Information Emilia Romagna Travel Information Friuli Travel Information Lazio Travel Information Liguria Travel Information Lombardia Travel Information Marche Travel Information Molise Travel Information Piemonte Travel Information Puglia Travel Information Sardinia Travel Information Sicily Travel Information Trentino Travel Information Tuscany Travel Information Umbria Travel Information Valle D'Aosta Travel Information Veneto Travel Information Home | Italy Hotels | Italy Villas | Italy Maps | Italian Travel Info Hotel Owners | Advertising | Travel Agents About Us | Contact Us Read our Privacy Statement

Family Vacation Michigan Historical

FamilyFun: Michigan Family Vacation Sign Up for Free Newsletters Michigan History Lesson by Robert N. Jenkins What to see and do in Lower Michigan 1 of 4 Souvenirs and memories define the success of any vacation, and my family came away from a trip to Michigan with a minivan-load of them. Long after he has outgrown the T-shirt listing 10 reasons why it's neat to be a nuclear engineer, my 14-year-old son Michael will remember our guided tour of a reactor. When 10-year-old Ryan's crush on Dominique Moceanu has evaporated, he will still have the aluminum coin he made that linked their names. And with nothing more than a couple of glossy magazines and some creased floor-plan maps, the boys—and their Mom and I—will recall the thrill of gazing at the long tables of beakers and mechanical gadgets in Thomas Edison's lab, of staring at a moon rock and imagining its secrets, of learning the human side of the Great Depression and World War II's homefront. The boys might even reflect on the curious diversity that Michigan presents: From the skyscrapers and historic major league baseball stadium of downtown Detroit, to the blocks-long auto factories, to mile upon mile of cornfields and forests, the way to see Michigan is to drive it. Time, not the horizon beyond our windshield, was the real limit on our trip. My family spent 12 days circling the southern half of the state starting in Lansing and ending in Holland; the journey could be completed in less time without the stop in Holland. We began our family trip to Michigan by flying to Detroit, where we rented a minivan. For the most part we stayed in East Lansing and generally made day trips out and back. A good place to stay is the Kellogg Center (517-432-4000), located on the Michigan State University campus. Athletic facilities, classroom buildings and dormitories are only a short walk away. A deluxe room, which provided a sitting area and beds for everyone, costs $126 per night. Also close to the campus, in the town of Okemos, is a Holiday Inn Express (517-347-6690). Rates are about $89 a night for a two-bed room. Robert N. Jenkins is the travel editor of the ST. PETERSBURG TIMES in St. Petersburg, Florida. Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Updated August 2005. 1 of 4 IN THIS ARTICLE: Michigan Family Vacation Michigan Historical Center Henry Ford Museum Planning a Michigan Vacation RELATED LINKS:

Europe Travel

Eurail, Eurorail pass, Europe train tickets, Eurostar reservations and much more from the official Rail Europe site. Interactive Map of Europe Home | Rail Passes | Hotel | Air + Hotel | Car | Packages | Group Travel | Destination | About Us | FAQ | Email | Site Map | View Shopping Cart Rail Passes Train Tickets Eurail pass Eurail Selectpass British Products France'n Italy France'n Switzerland France'n Spain France Railpass Swiss Pass Single Country Passes Multiple Country Passes Rail 'n Drive Rail Packages All Premier Trains Eurostar Tickets TGV Train Hotel Elipsos Travel Agents Track Your Shipment Download Brochure Group Travel Additional Services Hotel Air + Hotel Car Packages Rail Packages Travel Resources Non U.S. residents please choose: Canadian , UK or Other Countries . En Español Most Popular Rail Passes Eurailpass Train Tickets Europass ® France Railpass Eurorail Swiss Pass Eurostar tickets British Products Eurail Selectpass Italian Rail Rail 'n Drive Regional Passes : Single Country France 'n Switzerland Multiple Country France 'n Italy France 'n Spain Rail Packages Germany 'n Benelux Germany 'n Denmark SAVE! on Hotels in Europe Greece 'n Italy Romania 'n Hungary Spain 'n Portugal Senior Passes for those 60 years of age and over. Find the Right Rail Pass Pass comparison chart What to consider before choosing a pass The most popular passes Learn from the best experts in European travel in 1 click. It's FREE! Why buy your Eurail pass or Eurail ticket anywhere else? Rail Europe is North America's official distributor of these products as well as the France Rail Pass, BritRail Pass, Swiss Rail Pass, Eurostar Tickets, Trenitalia Tickets, SNCF Tickets and DeutscheBahn Tickets. Plus, we offer the largest customer care center in North America . Find a Product ---------------------------- Specials & Promotions Hotel Air + Hotel Car Packages Download Brochure ---------------------------- Rail Passes Single Country Multiple Country Rail 'n Drive Passes Senior Passes Youth Passes Train Tickets Eurostar Thalys TGV Med ---------------------------- London Airport Transfers ---------------------------- British Products Eurail passes Eurail Selectpasses Swiss Products ---------------------------- Austrian Railpass Balkan Flexipass Benelux Tourrail Pass Bulgaria Flexipass Czech Flexipass European East Pass Finnrail Pass France Railpass France 'n Italy Pass France'n Switzerland Pass Switzerland 'n Austria Pass German Rail Pass Greek Rail 'n Fly Holland Rail Pass Hungarian Flexipass Trenitalia Pass London Day Tour The London Pass Norway Railpass Paris Museum Pass Paris Visite Portuguese Railpass Romanian Pass Spain Flexipass Scanrail Pass Swiss Passes Specials/Promotions NEW! Britrail Off Peak Specials NEW! Trenitalia Winter Promo more special offers... How to Save When Buying Foreign Currency Under 26? Get a Deal! Eurail Selectpass 3 to 5 countries Eurailpass 17 countries France 'n Italy Youthpass Swiss Youth Pass Eurostar Youth Voucher Find a Hostel in Europe Get Your International Student ID card INTERACTIVE FLASH RAIL MAPS Home | Rail | Hotel | Air + Hotel | Car | Packages | Group Travel | Destination | Affiliates | About Us | FAQ | E-mail | Site Map View Shopping Cart © 2000 through 2005 Rail Europe Group, all rights reserved. Please read our privacy policy .

Switzerland Travel Guide, climate:

Switzerland Travel Guide - Information and Advice Switzerland Travel Guide Information and Advice Switzerland Pictures | Switzerland Map Guerba can take you walking in the very best parts of Switzerland with three itineraries ranging from 8 to 13 days. Guerba Tours | Swiss Alpine Trails | High Trails of Mont Blanc | Swiss Walking and Montreux Jazz | Free Brochure Switzerland Travel Guide, climate: Best: June-Sept for summer activities and Dec-March for winter sports. Length of stay: Minimum worthwhile stay, not including flights: Zurich or Lucerne for a romantic weekend, or Zermatt for a sports break. Recommended: 10 days to get totally knackered at your choice of activity. Switzerland Festivals Guide: Snow freaks have plenty of wacky winter festivals to attend, such as: pop festivals at 1,800m in deep snow [Fuchstival, mid March or Kleine Scheidegg early April]; dog sled racing [Zinal, mid March or Chandolin early April]; Waterslide Contest [Bettmeralp, late March or Valais, April]; downhill mountain bike races [on snow] from 3,600m [Allalin, early April]... Feb/March, Fasnacht [carnival] - especially colourful in Basel, but makes an appearance elsewhere too. July, Montreux Jazz Festival. August 1, Swiss National Day - with various activities including fireworks. For some precise dates see: European Festivals or Arts Festiva ls . Activities Guide: Hiking: With magnificent views of mountains, flower-carpeted alpine valleys, waterfalls and superbly organised and supported trails, this is a must-trek destination. Possibilities are too many to list with 50,000 kms of footpaths out there! Biking: There are over 150 well designed mountain bike routes in Switzerland, ranging from the easy to the insane, and all with staggering views. For regular bikes there are over 3,000 kms of track. Inline Skating: Around 600 kms of specially asphalted, reasonably flat, scenic routes , such as the Rhine, the Rhone and the Mittelland, make this possibly the world's best skating destination. Windsurfing: Wind can be erratic due to altitude or rock interference, but some popular spots are these lakes: Leman, Bieler, Urner, Alpenmacher, Maggiore [north], Lugano. Canoeing: The Muota River [Schwyz] and the Doubs [Jura] are most wanted. White-water rafting: The Rhine and Saane rivers are well known but the Alps provides many more possibilities. Mountaineering: Zermatt, Pontresina and Meiringen are areas favoured by serious climbers. Gliding: yet another use for those huge hunks of rock...hang and paragliding are well provided for in most larger resorts. Snow sports: Vast quantities of the white stuff are just about everywhere of course, but what makes this country a bit special is a] doing the white thing in the shadow of a truly awesome mountain, like Zermatt/Matterhorn, and b] that in some places the snow is around nearly all year. Zermatt and Verbier are best targets for skiing and nightlife. Wellness: With pure alpine air and a teutonic attitude to health, Switzerland offers a mass of spas, saunas and therapy centres in stunning locations. More unusual activities: Switzerland goes in for some off-the-wall sports too, such as canyoning , zorbing [rolling down a mountainside in huge transparent ball] or house running [abseiling down tall buildings at high speed]. Interlaken and Lucerne are centres for these mad moments. Switzerland Star Guide: Monuments * Shopping and souvenirs *** Walkability ***** Food Quality and Variety **** Value for Money *** Hotel Prices and Value ** Beaches lakes Wildlife *** Landscape ***** Local People ** Architecture **** Safety ***** Nightlife and Clubbing **** Health Problems none Museums **** Accommodation Guide: Tourist offices are efficient in listing local rooms/hotels available, often with boards placed outside rail stations. They also hand out 'guest cards' that secure various discounts. Hotels are not necessarily expensive but hostels are, of course, the cheapest option , though still good quality. Campsites are good too, mostly open only in summertime. Free camping is not permitted. Cuisine Guide: If you're a non-dairy eater then you'll have a big problem if you travel in Switzerland, though vegetarians will be unusually fulfilled. Cheese appears frequently and is the star of Swiss specialities like fondue [dipping bread or potato into melted cheese], raclette [similar] and rosti [cheese-topped grated potatoes]. Lake fish are a popular dish and vegetarian restaurants common. Those on a budget can find good value set lunch menus or self-service restaurants in department stores. Why Travel to Switzerland? Yet another quirky little European country, Switzerland is unique, spectacular and well worth a trip or two. Clichés perhaps, but some of the best Swiss experiences involve incredible mountains and lakes, stunning sports - summer or winter, stylish, lively towns, quaint hillside villages , and all tied together with a supremely efficient transport system . In addition it's super-safe , just about everyone speaks two or three languages , including English, and it's loaded with terrific beers, rich food and amazing pastries and chocolate . Is that a good thing? You choose. Downside: - this not a cheap destination . - don't try anything remotely illegal , [such as crossing the road when the little man is red], this is a very law-abiding state. - Swiss people - about 65% Germanic - though extremely polite, are, like their climate, cool towards foreigners. Where to travel in Switzerland: South-west [Lake Geneva]: ** Geneva , attractively situated at the southwest tip of Lake Geneva and near France, is cultured and metropolitan, but more of a business and diplomatic centre than party place. It does, however, offer a great selection of museums and some decent architecture including the ubiquitous old town. ***Lausanne, on the other hand and the other side of the lake, really knows how to play, due partly to the university's youth contribution. Steeply tiered, it 's stylish and pleasantly walkable [going down or along the waterfront] and alive with varied street action and nutty cafés. On the east side of Lake Geneva lie three smaller locations of interest: *Vevey is a small, appealing market town with a lively Street Artist's Festival in late August; *Montreux , 6km down the road is bijou but wealth-oriented and not particularly hospitable apart from July's Jazz Festival; the 13thC ***Chateau de Chillon is the star attraction in this area, a beautifully located and well-preserved castle popularised by Lord Byron's ' Prisoner of Chillon .' The middle [Mittelland ]: **Bern's tiny, quiet, riverside elegance is not at all what you would expect of Switzerland's capital. The old town's cobbled streets and arcaded buildings date from the 11thC to the 18thC, and there is life there still... Just south of Bern the Lake Thun area affords castle freaks the opportunity to pleasure themselves repeatedly on fine 12th and 13thC fortifications. ***Lucerne [Luzern] is more than just another gorgeous Swiss city. Mix lake with river with mountain with alpine meadows with well-preserved old town, throw in some stunning new architecture, a lively youth-oriented street culture, plenty of adventure sports [mostly 1 hour by train uphill to Engelberg ], simmer gently and you've got the young traveller's #1 Swiss role model. The area also provides the country's most spectacular ferry rides. *Basel is wealthy, cultured and convenient, with a pleasant old town and fine museums, but too preoccupied with business to be much fun. ***Zurich, up north, is a far, gnomic cry from it's stuffy banking image these days. Gorgeously located astride a river and boxed in by Lake Zurich and distant snowy mountains, the city is a buzzing hive of creativity and charm, with a lovely medieval old town and a huge variety of imaginative new establishments to relieve you of your wad. The miniscule principality of Liechtenstein is two hours away but offers little of interest. The Alps mountains [south] : *** The Jungfrau Region towards the country's centre offers the highest and most scenic rail trip, connecting three peaks, the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau, though some argue that the Schilthorn cable-car is cheaper, quicker and more scenic. **Murren and **Grindelwald towns are good bases for both winter and summer sports, but Interlaken is too busy to be enjoyable for those who value tranquility. ***The Matterhorn is a Swiss icon and the original model for Toblerone chocolate, while traffic-free *** Zermatt - at it's foot - is the place to stay and base for any number of staggering view experiences, including year-round snow sports and the day-long, panoramic Glacier Express train from Zermatt to St Moritz. **St Moritz. Very posh, very beautiful, and very expensive, though St Moritz-Bad would be less bad for your wallet than snooty St Moritz-Dorf. Ticino, the Italian region, south of the Alps: Warmer and culturally very different from the rest of Switzerland , Ticino sports palm trees, piazzas and pizzas along with the usual lakes, woody hills and medieval old towns. Prime targets are **Locarno and ***Lugano, both on lakes, with the latter offering more views, style and sights. Switzerland Tours Tour operators offering travel around Switzerland can be found in our listings here: Switzerland Tours For links to Tourist Offices, Embassies, Cheap Air Tickets, Currency Converter, Climate, Language advice, other online Travel Guides and more, visit Bugbog Travel Directory Europe Map Visas: EU citizens and nationals of USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan do not need a visa for up to 3 months, though you should carry your passport. Electricity Guide: Electric sockets are 230v and are built for three round pin plugs but will accept the usual 2 round pin plugs , fortunately. Safety Guide: Switzerland is just about the safest place on the planet. Apart from overeating and snow accidents the biggest dangers are likely to be altitude sickness [AMS] or hypothermia if you overestimate your climbing/hiking ability . Language: Not a problem in this country which has more multi-lingual ability than any other on earth . A twisted German is the dominant tongue and French second, but everyone can handle English. Local Transport: Swiss transport is brilliant and trains are the way to go if available. InterRail or Eurail passes offer well-discounted travel, though not on a few spectacular mountain routes. Lake ferries are famously scenic [only June-Sept]. International Transport: Roads and railways from the rest of Europe are superb , while boating from Germany, France and Italy is also possible . Buses are a less comfortable option. Money: Contrary to expectations, the local currency is the Swiss Franc [also used by their little brother Liechtenstein], but most places in tourist areas will accept the Euro. Tipping is not necessary anywhere as 15% service charge is applied to just about everything including taxis. Costs are on the high side, though cheapish travel in Switzerland is possible if you eat fast food, use a railpass and stay in hostels. Pictures are courtesy of Switzerland Tourism. If you plan to travel Switzerland you may find these other Bugbog guides useful: Germany Travel Guide Austria Travel Guide France Travel Guide Italy Travel Guide Czech Republic Guide Hungary Travel Guide Belgium Travel Guide Travel Pictures | Destination Finder | Exotic Places | World Festivals | World Wonders | Safari Wildlife | Beaches | Top of Page European Places | Walking Tours | Travel Health | Travel Safety | Travel Directory | English Speaking Places | Tours Gap Year | Site Map | Travel Guide Homepage | Contact | Press | Advertising | Legal | Maps | Travelogue © 2000-2005 Bugbog