Fodor's Essential Switzerland

by Fodor's Travel Publications

Overview

Whether you want to ski in the shadow of the Matterhorn, try fondue in Gruyères, or hike in Lauterbrunnen Valley, the local Fodor’s travel experts in Switzerland are here to help! Fodor’s Essential Switzerland guidebook is packed with maps, carefully curated recommendations, and everything else you need to simplify your trip-planning process and make the most of your time. This new edition has been fully-redesigned with an easy-to-read layout, fresh information, and beautiful color photos. Fodor’s “Essential” guides have been named by Booklist as the Best Travel Guide Series of 2020!

Fodor’s Essential Switzerland includes:

• AN ILLUSTRATED ULTIMATE EXPERIENCES GUIDE to the top things to see and do
• MULTIPLE ITINERARIES to effectively organize your days and maximize your time
• MORE THAN 30 DETAILED MAPS to help you navigate confidently
• COLOR PHOTOS throughout to spark your wanderlust!
• HONEST RECOMMENDATIONS on the best sights, restaurants, hotels, nightlife, shopping, performing arts, activities, and more
• PHOTO-FILLED “BEST OF” FEATURES on “Best Hikes,” Switzerland’s Most Beautiful Villages,” and more
• TRIP-PLANNING TOOLS AND PRACTICAL TIPS including when to go, getting around, beating the crowds, and saving time and money
• HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INSIGHTS providing rich context on the local people, politics, cuisine, geography, and more
• SPECIAL FEATURES on “What to Watch and Read Before You Visit,” and “What to Eat and Drink” “Scenic Train Rides and Drives,” “The Bernese Alps,” and “The Vineyards of Lavaux”
• LOCAL WRITERS to help you find the under-the-radar gems
• French, German, and Italian LANGUAGE PRIMERS with useful words and essential phrases
• UP-TO-DATE COVERAGE ON: Geneva, Zurich, Luzern, St. Moritz, the Glacier Express, Zermatt, the Matterhorn, Lugano, Locarno, Bern, Basel, Lauterbrunnen Valley, Grindelwald, Graubunden, Liechtenstein, Gruyères, Interlaken, Montreux, Lausanne, Lavaux Vignobles, and more.

Planning on visiting Europe? Check out Fodor’s Essential France, Essential Germany, and Essential Italy.

*Important note for digital editions: The digital edition of this guide does not contain all the images or text included in the physical edition.

ABOUT FODOR'S AUTHORS: Each Fodor's Travel Guide is researched and written by local experts. Fodor’s has been offering expert advice for all tastes and budgets for over 80 years. For more travel inspiration, you can sign up for our travel newsletter at fodors.com/newsletter/signup, or follow us @FodorsTravel on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. We invite you to join our friendly community of travel experts at fodors.com/community to ask any other questions and share your experience with us!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781640973527
Publisher:	Fodor's Travel Publications, Inc.
Publication date:	06/14/2022
Series:	Fodor's Travel Guides Series
Edition description:	2nd ed.
Pages:	560
Sales rank:	55,703
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

For over 80 years, Fodor's Travel has been a trusted resource offering expert travel advice for every stage of a traveler's trip. We hire local writers who know their destinations better than anyone else, allowing us to provide the best travel recommendations for all tastes and budgets in over 7,500 worldwide destinations. Our books make it possible for every trip to be a trip of a lifetime.

Table of Contents

1 Experience Switzerland 9

25 Ultimate Experiences 10

What's Where 20

Switzerland's Most Beautiful Villages 24

What to Eat and Drink in Switzerland 26

Switzerland's Best Hikes 28

Switzerland Today 30

Money-Saving Tips 32

What to Watch, Read, and Listen To 33

2 Travel Smart 41

Know Before You Go 42

Getting Here and Around 44

Essentials 52

Helpful French Phrases 60

Helpful German Phrases 62

Helpful Italian Phrases 64

Great Itineraries 66

On the Calendar 70

Contacts 72

3 Zürich 75

Welcome to Zürich 76

Planning 79

Kreis 1 85

Kreis 2 105

Kreis 3 107

Kreis 4 107

Kreis 5 108

Kreis 6 113

Kreis 7 113

Kreis 8 114

Winterthur 116

4 Eastern Switzerland and Liechtenstein 117

Welcome to Eastern Switzerland and Liechtenstein 118

Eating Well in Eastern Switzerland 120

Planning 123

Schaffhausen 125

Stein am Rhein 131

Arenenberg 133

Gottlieben 134

Bodensee 134

St. Gallen 136

Appenzell 142

Mt. Säntis 146

Walensee 147

Liechtenstein 147

5 Graubünden 153

Welcome to Graubünden 154

Planning 157

Maienfeld 160

Chur 163

Arosa 169

Lenzerheide and Valbella 174

Flims Laax Falera 175

Klosters 176

Davos 181

Guarda 187

Scuol and Tarasp-Vulpera 188

Pare Naziunal Svizzer 192

Pontresina 193

St. Moritz 201

6 Ticino 211

Welcome to Ticino 212

Ticino Lakes 214

Planning 217

Bellinzona 220

Locarno 224

Valle Verzasca 227

Ascona 228

Lugano 230

Gandria 239

Campione 239

Morcote 240

7 Luzern and Central Switzerland 241

Welcome to Luzern and Central Switzerland 242

Lake Luzern 244

Planning 247

Luzern 249

Mt. Pilatus 264

Stans 268

Engelberg 268

Weggis 269

Vitznau 270

Bürgenstock 272

Rütli Meadow 273

Altdorf 274

Tellskapelle 276

Bürglen 277

Schwyz 277

8 Basel 279

Welcome to Basel 280

Planning 283

Altstadt 286

Kleinbasel 301

St. Alban 303

Bahnhof SBB 304

Outside of Basel 305

9 Fribourg and Neuchâtel 309

Welcome to Fribourg and Neuchâtel 310

Cheese: Fribourg's Calling Card 312

Planning 315

Fribourg 317

Gruyères 323

Bulle 328

Romont 329

Payerne 329

Estavayer-le-Lac 329

Murten 330

Neuchâtel 333

Grandson 339

Yverdon-les-Bains 339

10 Bern 341

Welcome to Bern 342

Planning 345

Altstadt and City Center 348

Kirchenfeld 365

Marzili and Matte 367

Greater Bern 369

11 Berner Oberland 371

Welcome to Berner Oberland 372

Planning 375

Interlaken 377

Lauterbrunnen 384

Mürren 386

Wengen 389

Grindelwald 402

Iseltwald 406

Brienz 407

Meiringen 409

Spiez 411

Thun 413

Hilterfingen and Oberhofen 414

Gstaad 415

12 Valais 421

Welcome to Valais 422

Planning 426

Martigny 428

Verbier 430

Col du Grand St-Bernard 434

Sion 435

Crans-Montana 438

Val d'Anniviers 443

Leukerbad 444

Zermatt and the Matterhorn 446

Saas-Fee 455

Brig 458

Aletsch 460

13 Vaud 463

Welcome to Vaud 464

Eating Well in Vaud 466

Planning 469

Nyon 472

Prangins 474

Route du Vignoble 474

Morges 475

Lausanne 476

St-Saphorin 487

Vevey 496

Montreux 499

14 Geneva 505

Welcome to Geneva 506

Planning 509

Rive Droite (Right Bank) 513

International Area 517

Rive Gauche (Left Bank) 519

Greater Geneva 533

Index 535

About Our Writers 560

Fodor's Features

Scenic Train Rides and Drives 34

The Bernese Alps: Touring the Summits 392

The Vineyards of Lavaux 490

Maps

Travel Times by Train 51

Language Regions of Switzerland 59

Cantons of Switzerland 69

Zurich Orientation 76-77

Zurich Kreis 1 86-87

Greater Zurich 110-111

Eastern Switzerland and Liechtenstein Orientation 118-119

Schaffhausen 128

Schaffhausen and the Rhine 130

Bodensee to Liechtenstein 135

Graubünden Orientation 154-155

Churto Davos 165

Upper and Lower Engadine 184

Ticino Orientation 212-213

Sopraceneri 221

Lugano 232

Sottoceneri 238

Luzern and Central Switzerland Orientation 242-243

Luzern (Lucerne) 254-255

Central Switzerland 271

Basel 288-289

Fribourg and Neuchâtel Orientation 310-311

Fribourg and Neuchâtel 320

Bern Orientation 342-343

Bern 352-353

Berner Oberland Orientation 372-373

The Jungfrau Region 378

Brienzersee 408

Thunersee, Simmental, and Gstaad 412

Valais Orientation 422-423

Bas Valais and Sion 429

Conversion de la Vallée 439

Zermatt to Aletsch 450

Vaud Orientation 464-465

La Côte 475

Lausanne 478

Lavaux Vignobles and Riviera 488

Geneva Orientation 506-507

Rive Droite (Right Bank) 514

Rive Gauche (Left Bank) 520-521

Editorial Reviews

Fodor’s is pitched a few notches higher…aimed at a fairly discerning traveler with an appetite for background and the occasional surprise.” – New York Times

“The Fodor’s guides are notable for their ratings of sights, restaurants, shops, accommodations and attractions.” – Chicago Tribune

“In terms of comprehensiveness of coverage, the very accessible format, and the enthusiastic tone, this series remains one of the best on the market.” – Booklist

“Fodor’s super-informative guidebooks are known for accuracy and attention to detail.” – Sacramento Bee

“Fodor’s can help you plan the perfect adventure.” – Arizona Republic

From the Publisher