Mexico Travel

Guadalajara Mexico - Travel Tourism Vacations  You are here: About > Travel > Mexico / Central America for Visitors > Other Places > Guadalajara Mexico - Travel Tourism Vacations Travel Go Mexico Essentials Packing List for Travelers to Mexico Health Information Mexico / C. America Safety Considerations Travel Books Mexico and Central America Tourism Offices Mexico/ Central America Articles & Resources Mexico Mexico City Acapulco, Mexico Cancun Yucatan Baja Los Cabos Puerto Vallarta Other Places Photos of Mexico Belize, Central America Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Nicaragua Panama Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Mexico / Central America for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Mexico / Central America for Visitors Guadalajara Cathedral Photo thanks to KSU.edu Stay up to date! Guadalajara Cathedral Photo thanks to KSU.edu Email to a friend Print this page Elsewhere on the Web Guadalajara Photos Guadalajara City Scenes Most Popular Mexican Music La Paz, Mexico Quinceanera Packing List Tijuana, Mexico What's Hot Buying Real Estate in Mexico Puerto Vallarta Cozumel, Mexico Whale Watching Fishing In Mexico Related Topics California for Visitors South America for Visitors Caribbean for Visitors Mexican Cuisine Guadalajara, Mexico From Apply Now , Your Guide to Mexico / Central America for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! The "Pearl of the West" Guadalajara, founded in 1542 by the Spanish conquistadors, is located in the western-central part of Mexico, in the state of Jalisco. It is a large and beautiful Mexican colonial city sitting on a high plateau more than 5,000 feet above sea level. The city is close to Lake Chapala, Mexico's largest lake, and is also close to the famous beach resort town of Puerto Vallarta. As the second largest city in Mexico with a population of several million persons, Guadalajara is a busy metropolis, and a major center of Mexican commerce. Despite its size, however, it is an easy city to navigate, and the residents are friendly and helpful to visitors. Guadalajara (and its surrounding area) is the birthplace of some of the most recognizable symbols of Mexico including mariachi music, the jarabe tapatío (Mexican hat dance), sombreros and tequila, and many consider Guadalajara to be the most traditional of all of the larger Mexican cities in the country. The city, while a large metropolis, nevertheless retains a small provincial town flavour with its numerous plazas, colonial buildings, broad tree-lined avenues, fountains, parks and colorful flowers. The city is famous for its local craftsmen, who produce a wide variety of high quality handmade items that are highly prized the world over. Because of its location at an altitude of 5000 feet above sea level, Guadalajara has a very comfortable climate year-round. Winters are mild and spring-like, and summers rarely get too hot. The wonderful climate, in large part, explains the city's enormous popularity as a retirement area. Guadalajara is not normally regarded as a resort town, and it is an ideal vacation destination for the traveler who is seeking a change of pace or escape from the traditional Mexican resort scene. The following are some of the many things to do and see in Guadalajara: Guadalajara Historic Center Perhaps the most beautiful area in the city is the historical downtown area of Guadalajara or "Centro Histórico", consisting of several large outdoor plazas, colonial buildings, museums and outside coffee places and restaurants. It is a great starting point for a leisurely stroll through the city's cultural center, enabling one to explore and obtain a taste of the town's gorgeous colonial architecture. The largest of the plazas in this area is the Plaza Tapatia, an huge 8 square-block plaza filled with important historical buildings and architecture, and a social meeting place for local residents to spend their free time in the evenings and on Saturdays and Sundays. As an alternative to exploring the area on foot, a unique way to see the historic center and the downtown area is to hire a Calandria - horse drawn carriages offering tours for nominal prices. Metropolitan Cathedral The Plaza Tapatia in downtown Guadalajara is the site of the city's most famous landmark - the Metropolitan Cathedral. Although construction commenced in 1561, the Cathedral took over 100 years to complete. The massive church, with its unique 65m high yellow-tiled twin steeples resembling inverted Calla Lillies, is an incredible example of Gothic, baroque, moorish and neoclassical architectural styles. The Cathedral houses the figures of many saints, has eleven alters and it is the final resting place for the assassinated and much beloved Cardinal Posadas. Guadalajara Zoo This wonderful zoo with lush vegetation is located about 9 miles from downtown Guadalajara, on the Barrancas de Oblatos - large deep gorges with rivers flowing over the edges. A mini-train travels throughout the zoo and will let you see all of the local animals, as well as many exotic animals from throughout the world. Connected to the zoo is a children's amusement park ("Selva Mágica") with dozens of different rides and other attractions for children, including a marine park with dolphin and seal shows. Parque Agua Azul This huge park is located just south of the city and is divided into two parts, connected by a bridge. There are large open green areas, an orchid house, a butterfly house, bird house, and various special attractions for the kids. Musical and cultural shows are performed regularly in the large outdoor auditorium, known as "La Concha Acústica". Local musicians perform along an area in the park known as "Musicians Boulevard". The Libertad Market Located in the historic center of Guadalajara is the Libertad Market ("Mercado Libertad"), said to be the largest market in Mexico under one roof. Inside this bustling and colorful market you will find dozens upon dozens of small stalls selling a wide range of products including Mexican handicrafts, household goods, food, chilies and leather goods. You can buy huaraches (sturdy Mexican sandals), authentic Mexican food, paper flowers, embroidered clothes, hammocks, guitars, hats, leather purses, belts, wood carvings, and so on. The very large food section of this market will dazzle you with its colors and aromas.        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 Buying Real Estate in Mexico Puerto Vallarta Cozumel, Mexico Whale Watching Fishing In Mexico

Germany Travel Guide, climate:

Germany Travel Guide - Information and Advice Germany Travel Guide Information and Advice Germany Map | Map of Europe Berlin Travel Guide | Heidelberg Travel Guide Germany Travel Guide, climate: Best: May-Sept. Worst: Nov-March . Short daylight hours, cold and grey, but snow helps the ambience and Christmas fairs in December are light and lively, especially in Munich, Berlin, Heidelberg, Lübek and Munster. Length of stay: Minimum worthwhile stay, not including flights: Berlin for a wild weekend. Recommended: 2 weeks to have a reasonable look at this huge country. Germany Festivals Guide: early December - late January, Lübek Ice Sculpture Festival . Glittering ice art in a gorgeous town. end of January, International Dog-Sled Racing in Todtmoos, two days . Thousands of dogs and many more spectators enjoy this event, particularly the torchlit night races. Feb/March Heidelberg Fasching - this elegant town's answer to Mardi Gras, with local festivities and parades. Feb/March Carnivals in many cities but the three best are in Dusseldorf, Cologne and Mainz. massive, colourful and vigorous. E aster week, Berlin Opera Festival . end of March, Munich Ballet Week. Top performances from international stars. early April, International Dance Theatre Days in Weimar. Wild dance in east Germany . early May, The Rhine in Flames [1st Saturday of May]. Towns south of Bonn, on the river Rhine, explode with celebrations and massive firework displays. end of June, Christopher Street day, Berlin. A monster Gay Pride parade and street party. mid July, Love Parade, Berlin - the wackiest of local festivals, a weekend of ecstatic body-baring by 1.5 million techno- ravers. most of August, Wagner Festival at Bayreuth - very expensive and elitist, held in the unusual theatre that Wagner built. most of August, Berlin International Dance - a wide range of innovative, international dances. l ate September for 2 weeks, Oktoberfest, Munich, mainly about downing vast quantities of beer and bratwurst then behaving badly with your neighbours. All December, Christmas Markets and Fairs in many cities and towns, especially Munich, Berlin, Heidelberg, Lübek and Munster. For some precise dates see: European Festivals or Arts Festiva ls . Activities Guide: Hiking: Germany's favourite outdoor pastime so trails are well developed and supported . They are also in some superb locations including the Alps, the Hartz Mountains, the Rhine Valley and the Black Forest. Biking: German efficiency and politically correct attitude combine to produce a mass of excellent city and rural cycle paths, well-posted, little used yet in awesome surroundings. During April- September many rail stations rent bikes which can be returned to other stations in the 'Fahrrad am Banhof' scheme. Canoeing and windsurfing: There is no shortage of rivers and lakes for strong-arm travel. Lake Constance down south in Bavaria is especially popular. Skiing: As with hiking and biking, there're plenty of places for gorgeous downhill and cross-country skiing, well-organised too, as you would expect. Germany Star Guide: Monuments *** Shopping and souvenirs *** Walkability **** Food Quality and Variety *** Value for Money *** Hotel Prices and Value ** Beaches * Wildlife *** Landscape *** Local People *** Architecture *** Safety **** Nightlife and Clubbing **** Health Problems none Museums ***** Accommodation guide: Hotels are plentiful and not necessarily pricey. Guesthouses and pension are also common and even better value. The only problem - apart from festival time when you should book way ahead - is in the east where you might have to take a room in a private house. Campsites are always well set-up but popular in the summer so plan to check in early in the afternoon. Why Travel to Germany? Apart from any interest in the huge historical and industrial impact of Germany on the world and especially on Europe, the country offers tourists many attractions: lovely rustic towns with well-preserved traditions; sophisticated cities sporting avant-garde art; spectacular castles; vast forests and mountains , and plenty of classic art and culture to fill in the cracks. With native sons such as Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Handel and Wagner, music is big in Germany, and not all of it classical. Berlin in particular is a breeding ground for youth-led musical outrage. Other artistic and intellectual spheres also embrace outstanding names. e.g. Goethe, Brecht, Einstein, Nietzsche, Karl Marx, Kant, Beuys, Ernst... the list goes on and on. This is a country with a HUGE past and a pretty enormous present. The future? Hmmm... Downside: - It may be surprising how many Germans speak no English. - Outside sophisticated towns eating often means meat and two veg, filling but not thrilling. Where to travel in Germany: East: - *** Berlin , a wild and exciting capital city, if not particularly sympathetic or staggeringly beautiful. See Berlin Travel Guide . - ***Leipzig. This laid back, pretty old town, is a musical pot of gold, the home of Wagner, Mendelssohn and Bach. All sorts of fine music is available in relaxed environments, from club to classical. - **Weimar is a minor city but a major tourist attraction for Germans, the place that launched a thousand quips - Nietzsche, Goethe, Klee, Kandinsky, Liszt and Bach [Bach again? How many homes did he have?!] all considered this home. More sobering, Buchenwald concentration camp is also here. W e st: - ***Lübek , a charming medieval town and UNESO World Heritage site, it's in the far north of Germany, not far from less attractive but very lively Hamburg. - **Cologne, beside the Rhine, is notable for its sights, including the massive cathedral, its colourful Christmas market and its outrageous Carnival. - *Frankfurt. A transport nexus and business centre, Frankfurt is cosmopolitan and offers the culture vulture a trove of superb galleries and museums. It's convenient for Heidelberg and the Rhine Valley. - ***Heidelberg. A small, relaxed, charming university city, with river, castle and old town. Near the Rhine Valley. See Heidelberg Travel Guide . Bavaria: - ***Munich - capital of Bavaria - is Berlin's main rival, deservedly so as it's relaxed yet sophisticated, spacious yet compact, with grand old buildings galore and the Alps only an hour away. - ***Füssen [or nearby Schwangau] in Bavaria is for lovers of fantasy castles, with mad King Ludwig's three spectacular offerings clustered around here, including Neuschwanstein. But the town is also attractive, as are the Alps nearby. The Great Outdoors: - ***The Rhine Valley is Germany's Top of the Hops, the best outdoor experience in the country. Hills, river, castles, vineyards combine to overpowering effect. And in May there's the epitome of river fever, The Rhine in Flames festival [see left]. Cruises through the spectacular Rhine Gorge are a favourite tourist experience. - **Hartz Mountains. Another excellent destination for all season outdoor sports freaks, and closer to most tourist destinations than the overblown Alps. Cuisine Guide: This is not a good destination for dieters. Traditional German food is heavy, fatty and sweet - or both - and tasty too if you have a simple palate. Meat, as you would expect, is a key ingredient, with sausages heading the menu, while potatoes, dumplings and chunky bread are the carbohydrate support act. This style is especially prevalent in east Germany. In the more sophisticated towns less disastrous foodstuffs are available, even vegetarian, and ethnic restaurants pop up everywhere, particularly Italian, Turkish and Chinese . A wonderful selection of beers and sweetish wines are also no help to modern tastes and waists. Few menus outside tourist-targeted restaurants show English translations, and German is not an easy language to guess, so consider bringing a phrase book along, or learn food vocabulary in advance. Germany Tours Tour operators offering travel in Germany can be found in our listings here: Germany 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 Visas: EU citizens are free to travel wherever, whenever in Germany, while 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 take 2 round pin or 2 flat pin plugs. Safety Guide: Germany is safe - though less so the east half - and locals are unlikely to dip their hands in your pockets, but new East Europeans are not so restrained, so take the usual precautions. Language: When you meet Germans abroad they always seem to speak excellent English - albeit with a harsh accent. Not so at home! It's worth learning a few key phrases to lube your travels, particularly food words as menus are rarely translated into English and guessing doesn't work well in German. Intercity Travel Guide: Trains are excellent in Germany, particularly ICE [Intercity Express]. Buses, though cheaper are a lot less comfortable and slower. Self drive is a great way to travel distances apart from the occasional jam and some intimidating driving on the autobahn [motorways]. Local Transport: Generally trains are the way to go, if they are available - which they are in urban areas. Buses are less ubiquitous while taxis are expensive. The S-Bahn is overground rail, the U-Bahn undergound. i.e. the metro. Money: The Euro is used in Germany. Costs are a little high though consuming fast food is one way to keep expenses [along with your lifespan] down. Tipping is not necessary in restaurants, but taxi drivers expect about 10%. Pictures are courtesy of the German Tourist Board. If you plan to travel Germany you may find these other Bugbog guides useful: Austria Travel Guide Czech Republic Travel Guide Hungary Travel Guide Belgium Travel Guide France Travel Guide UK Travel Guide Italy 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

Italy travel! TripAdvisor SmartDeals

Italy Vacation Packages - Reviews of Italy Travel Packages - TripAdvisor Italy Vacation Packages and Hotel Deals Sign in • Sign up Home > Europe > Italy > SmartDeals > All travel offers Italy tourism: Overview Hotels Flights Attractions Deals Forums Maps, etc. Discount hotels | Hotel + air deals | All travel offers Search (e.g., Boston hotels, Las Vegas, Paris art museum) Italy Italy Overview Italy Hotels Flights to Italy Italy Deals Discount hotels Hotel + air deals All travel offers Italy Attractions Italy Forums Italy Maps Italy Discount Hotels Italy Vacation Packages Free Newsletter Get deals, news and articles on Italy Plus weekend trip ideas from your hometown e-mail this page to a friend Italy vacation packages Acapulco vacation packages Alaska vacation packages Amsterdam vacation packages Anaheim vacation packages Arizona vacation packages Aruba vacation packages Aspen vacation packages Atlanta vacation packages Atlantic City vacation packages Bahamas vacation packages Barbados 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TripAdvisor SmartDeals are the best deals on the best hotels in Italy. Visit our SmartDeals page. TripAdvisor's Tourism page has the web's best articles on Italy travel . Our Italy hotels page presents hotels ranked by popularity - read traveler reviews and guidebooks. Looking for things to do in Italy? Try our Attractions page! Visit our Italy forums page to ask questions and get advice about Italy travel. TripAdvisor forums let you ask questions and get advice - post in our Italy forums . Our Maps, etc. page has maps and other travel information. Visit our Italy discount hotels page for great savings on Italy hotels, including TripAdvisor SmartDeals. Looking for vacation packages to Italy? We've got deals including hotel and airfare. Book a flight to Italy on our Flights page. About TripAdvisor TripAdvisor lists special deals and discounts on great vacation packages and travel packages to Italy, Europe. 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South America Travel

South America Travel Pictures | South America Travel Photos South America Get travel inspiration and travel suggestions for visiting South America. Fly your way! Book your flight to South America online - saving 40% or more! Countries: Argentina Belize Bolivia Brazil Chile Costa Rica Cuba Ecuador El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Netherlands Antilles Nicaragua Panama Paraguay Peru Surinam Trinidad & Tobago Uruguay Venezuela The first occurrence in my life of South America was when I read Tintin and the Suntemple at a very young age (I must have been around 9 years old). On the first page of the album, there is a map with the West side of South America and I can remember how far, remote and unreachable that area seemed to me. Callao was the magic name. In 1989, when I studied Spanish in Madrid, for the first time in my life South America came closer. People in my school were studying Spanish because they were planning to go to South America. At that time, I had travelled already here and there, mainly in Europe, and also in Asia and Africa. But still "thinking West" was still something I did almost not consider. Nevertheless, it took me less than a year to start working as a flight attendant and then North America came into quick reach. My first wish for a flight was to be South America. By that time, end 1990, I was already fascinated by the stories, the pictures, and moreover my Spanish has become fluent. The first visit to South America, which took me to Rio de Janeiro and Santiago de Chile, was above my expectations. From that time, it has been my favourite destination, and I spent many holidays and working trips in one of the many South American countries.My first holidays I went to Guatemala and Belize, and I was struck by the many colours everywhere, in the clothes of the people, the landscapes, the villages. People often ask me which is my favourite destination, and I always answer: South America. It has much more to offer than many people think. Its inhabitants are mostly extremely friendly, interesting, and interested. Therefore: welcome to the Colourful Continent! Go directly to: Africa Asia Europe North America Oceania Join our mailinglist: If you want to be updated about developments at Around the World in 80 Clicks, subscribe! Your E-mail address: Travel Forum Join others in discussions on South America Also on this site: read and sign the guestbook send us your suggestions ! send this site to a friend read about the background of this site publications on this site meet new friends for travel, dating or just fun! Around the World in 80 Clicks All rights reserved - www.traveladventures.org - 1999-2005 Share your comments

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