Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers and Sw

Switzerland [2] (German: Schweiz , French: Suisse , Italian: Svizzera , Romansch: Svizra , Latin: Confoederatio Helvetica ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe . It has borders with France to the west, Italy to the south, Austria and Liechtenstein to the east and Germany to the north.
christian bus tours Switzerland is known for its mountains ( Alps in south, Jura in northwest) but it also has a central plateau christian bus tours of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes. The highest point is Dufourspitze at 4,634 m while Lake Maggiore is only 195 m above sea level.
Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers and Switzerland was not involved in either christian bus tours of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations, but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.
Switzerland showcases three of Europe's most distinct cultures. To the northeast is the clean and correct, 8-to-5-working, stiffer Swiss-German-speaking Switzerland; to the southwest you find the wine drinking and laissez-faire style known from the French; in the southeast, south of the Alps, the sun warms cappuccino-sippers loitering in Italian-style piazzas; and in the center: christian bus tours classic christian bus tours Swiss alphorns and mountain landscapes. christian bus tours Binding it all together is a distinct Swiss mentality.
Switzerland is a peaceful, prosperous, and stable modern market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP larger than that of the big Western European economies. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness. Switzerland remains a safe haven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value. Reflecting the anemic economic christian bus tours conditions of Europe, GDP growth dropped in 2001 to about 0.8%, to 0.2% in 2002, and to -0.3% in 2003, with a small rise to 1.8% in 2004-05. Even so, unemployment has remained at less than half the EU average.
Remark: All Swiss cities, villages, regions, or whatever geographical object do have official christian bus tours spellings in all four national christian bus tours languages; sometimes they are just the same. However, major cities and touristic regions also know official English spellings. Nevertheless, only a few years ago, the official Swiss tourism office started to advertise major spots and cities with their original, local spelling; with some exceptions of course, such as Geneva and Zurich for example. christian bus tours Obviously, it was too disturbing for anglo-saxon tourists to remember christian bus tours all the different spellings. But their real spellings are really important to the locals and helpful to know as a tourist of the respective region. So therefore, the following list will present you the advertised spelling first, followed with its local spelling, if different, then its English version, if different, and its other national spellings.
You could even enlarge this lists with other different, but hardly anymore used or even outdated christian bus tours spellings in other national languages (e.g. Bellinzona used to be spelled Bellenz in German or Bellence in French, or even more oudated: Lugano was known as Lauis in German). And this can even get escalated if you would want to refer to the different spellings of the different dialects in the different national language regions of Switzerland: the many 21+ Swiss-German dialects, the four Romansh dialects, the Franco-Provençal from the French speaking Switzerland, or the Lombard in Ticino ;-)
Basel ( ger ; eng : Basle (somehow outdated , however still used in the English christian bus tours press: [3] ); fre : Bâle; ita/roh christian bus tours : Basilea) — the traveller's gateway to the German Rhineland and French Alsace with an exceptional medieval downtown at the knee of the Rhine river; excellent museums christian bus tours (~40) and art's mecca during ART BASEL , world's largest art fair; also famous for its huge and contemplating carnival around February ( Basler Fasnacht ); German-speaking world wide renowned theatre (including opera and ballet).
Bellinzona ( ita/eng/ger/roh ; fre : Bellinzone) — renowned for its medieval castles, world UNESCO heritage, pretty center and capital of the canton of Ticino , overlooking one of the few flat rural areas of Switzerland towards Lake Maggiore .
Chur ( ger ; roh : Cuira; eng/fre : Coire; ita : Coira) — capital of the canton of Grisons ( ger : Kanton Graubünden; roh : Chantun Grischun; ita : Cantone dei Grigioni), the only trilingual Swiss canton, in the east-south of Switzerland, dates back almost 4000 years; lovely old town; gate to several glitzy ski and hiking resorts, such as St. Moritz , Davos , Arosa , Lenzerheide , Flims / Laax and many more; major hub to the Glacier Express and the Bernina Express
Bern ( ger ; eng/fre : Berne; ita/roh : Berna) — capital of Switzerland at the shores of the cristal-clear green-blue Aare river with an amazingly well preserved old-town with arcades along almost every street; great restaurants abound, as do bars and clubs.
Geneva ( eng ; fre : Genève; christian bus tours ger : Genf; ita : Ginevra; roh : Genevra) — this centre of arts and culture is an international city that is home to around 200 governmental and non-governmental organizations (with some major UN organizations) at the end of Lake Geneva ( Lac Léman flows into the river Rhône ), founding place of Calvinism and THE Red Cross (ICRC); almost christian bus tours every second inhabitant is a foreigner.
Interlaken ( ger/eng/fre/ita/roh ) — the outdoor and action sports capital of Switzerland; anything from skydiving, bungee jumping, hiking, white-water rafting, christian bus tours to canyoning; between the two lakes Brienz and Thun ; starting point for many, many tourists for excursions into the Bernese Alps.
Lausanne ( fre/eng/ger ; ita/roh : Losanna) — scenery, dining, dancing, boating and the Swiss wine-country are the draws at the shores of the great Lake Geneva (Lac Léman) with a view of Swiss and French Alps; world-wide renowned for its Béjart Ballet Lausanne
Luzern ( ger ; eng/fre : Lucerne; ita/roh : Lucerna) — main medievial city of the Central region with direct water links to all of the early Swiss historic sights at the end of the many branched lake Lucerne ( Vierwaldstättersee ends into the river Reuss ) along of many steep mountains; also famous for its tremendous and ethnic carnival christian bus tours ( Lozärner Fasnacht ) around February; host of the world-renowned Lucerne Festivals , a classical summer music festival in the Culture and Congress Centre (KKL) designed by Jean Nouvel ; starting point for many excursions into the Alps
Lugano ( ita/eng/ger/fre/roh ) — a bustling old-town in Italian-spoken Switzerland, at the southern end of the Alps with a Mediterranean climate christian bus tours at the pretty lake of Lugano in the middle of forested mountains; much Italianata combined with Swiss seriousness.
St. Gallen ( ger (also: Sankt Gallen); eng : St. Gall; fre : Saint-Gall; ita : San Gallo; roh : Son Gagl) — main city of north-eastern Switzerland, renowned for its Abbey of St. Gall , a UNESCO World Heritage Site and its library contains books which date back to the 9th century, it also functions as the gate to the very exclusive Appenzell region.
Zurich ( eng/fre ; ger : Zürich; ita : Zurigo; roh : Turitg) — largest city of Switzerland at the end of Lake Zurich (ends into the river Limmat ), a major centre of international christian bus tours banking and national major companies and media; great culture arts possibilities; more than 50 museums and around 100 galleries; great restaurants (more than 1500) and bars (more than 500); excellent cinema selection (~60 show rooms); has a thriving christian bus tours nightlife (~80 clubs on weekends); host of the largest European party rave Street Parade in August with almost 1 million visitors every year; renowned opera, excellent theatre; host of the renowned theatre festival Zürcher Theater Spektakel during August; every third inhabitant is a foreigner
EU and EEA citizens, as well as non-EU citizens who are visa-exempt (e.g. Americans, Canadians, New Zealanders and Australians), need only produce a passport which is valid for the entirety of their stay in Switzerland.
However christian bus tours , EU and EEA citizens can still enter Switzerland without a valid travel document if their citizenship has been established. The burden of proof rests with the person concerned. Proof of citizenship may be furnished by any appropriate means (e.g. an expired passport, official document proving identity christian bus tours and/or citizenship of holder).
christian bus tours More information about the minimum validity of travel documents, as well as entry for EU and EEA citizens without valid travel documents, is available at the FAQs section of the website of the Federal Office for Migration (under the 'Border-crossing/Travel christian bus tours documents' heading).
There are no border controls between countries that have signed and implemented this treaty - the European Union (except Bulgaria, christian bus tours Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania and the United Kingdom), Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Likewise, a visa granted for any Schengen christian bus tours member is valid in all other countries that have signed and implemented the treaty. But be careful: not all EU members have signed the Schengen treaty, and not all Schengen members are part of the European Union. This means that there may be spot customs checks but no immigration checks (travelling within Schengen but to/from a non-EU country) or you may have to clear immigration but not customs (travelling within the EU but to/from a non-Schengen country).
Switzerland is not a member of the EU and the EEA, and is not in the European Union Customs Union. Therefore, most travellers entering Switzerland are subject to customs controls even if there are no immigration controls, and persons travelling el