| About Switzerland |
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| Landlocked and encompassed by jagged mountain ranges, Switzerland has since Roman times been the commercial as well as geographical centre of Europe. Ever since the 19th-century Romantics such as Byron, Shelley, and Goethe discovered its snow-capped peaks and the misty shores of its lakes, this small country has welcomed far more visitors than its size would suggest. From the undulating ridges of the Jura in the west to the jagged glaciers of the Engadine in the east, the mountains of Switzerland, more than any other feature of the country, have shaped its national identity. The slopes of the Swiss Alps are a major centre for skiing, and Switzerland still has the most spectacular and best organised (and most expensive) ski resorts in Europe. When the snows melt, the crisp, clear air, gushing waterfalls, wild flowers, and the tinkling of cowbells are a magical setting for hiking and mountaineering. But fresh air and dairy farming are only part of the Swiss way of life. |
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