Switzerland

Landlocked in central Europe and bordered by France, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, and Italy, Switzerland organises itself around 26 cantons with considerable regional autonomy. Bern serves as the federal capital, though Zurich and Geneva carry greater international weight. German, French, Italian, and Romansh hold official status; the Swiss franc remains the currency despite the country's position at the centre of the eurozone.

The Bernese Oberland delivers the Alps in their most dramatic form — Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau visible from train windows that climb to over 3,400 metres. Geneva anchors the French-speaking west with its lake promenade and international institutions. Swiss cuisine shifts by region: cheese fondue and rösti in the German-speaking cantons, risotto and polenta across the Italian south in Ticino.

Most Western passport holders enter Switzerland visa-free for up to 90 days under the Schengen Agreement. The country is expensive by most measures; budget accordingly. Spring and autumn offer mild conditions and fewer crowds; winter draws skiers, summer hikers. The Swiss Travel Pass covers trains, buses, and many lake ferries efficiently.