welcome welcome to switzerland the tourist destination and congress host country that can offer not just nature at its most pristine but some very special cities as well much of what you will find here the houses romantic little streets and alleys and high quality of life for example has been spared the ravages of time yet in other respects these cities are very much in line with the times and have more than their fair share of designer boutiques trendy bars and pubs and modern architecture and all of these trends and traditions can be explored on foot too after all the theatre is never more than a short walk away from the lakeside lido and the historical sights are invariably within easy striking distance of the shops and boutiques and should you at some point tire of the city then there is bound to be unspoiled countryside near at hand you will find some of these city experiences together with the very best art architecture and design switzerland has to offer in this brochure and
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natural style opening up to the life of the city piazza riforma lugano it s only natural every swiss city has its favourite open-air meeting places its cherished pockets of greenery bern has the lush banks along the river aare for example zürich the botanical garden and basel the leafy pfalz and if those outdoor playgrounds aren t big enough well it s never far from any swiss city to reach the open countryside to get you there swiftly and comfortably there is the well-thought-out public transport system which extends to every corner of the country in switzerland nature is never far away each of the 26 swiss cities has its own connection with the nature in and around it each one has its own nature its own unique quality of life enjoyed by visitors as much as locals of course for residents and guests alike being natural also means being free to be oneself a freedom of which the swiss cities in their safe unassuming way have long been proud in switzerland the worlds of art and nature co
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rhine panorama with view of the münster cathedral basel basel is switzerland s cultural capital home to the country s richest concentration of fine art as well as some impressive architecture basel is a thrilling city unlike any other in switzerland where proverbial swiss quality meets a multicultural population in the border region close to france and germany all this makes the city unmistakably cosmopolitan international and innovative you can experience its stylish savoir-vivre throughout the city on the sunny banks of the rhine in the dreamy alleyways of one of europe s best preserved old towns and at the countless street and pavement cafes basel s motto is culture unlimited of which the diversity is breathtaking with nearly 40 museums home to spectacular special exhibitions as well as important permanent collections it is hardly surprising that basel has gained a worldwide reputation as a city of art and culture visitors encounter this richness not only in the many museums
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zytglogge medieval clock tower highlights bundeshaus seat of the federal parliament built in 1902 to plans by the architect hans auer the adjacent bundesplatz was redesigned in 2004 and given 26 fountains münster impressive late-gothic cathedral with three naves kunstmuseum bern s fine arts museum is housed in a classical building with a collection of swiss art including works by anker hodler and amiet kornhauskeller the scale and proportions of the spaces in this charming popular restaurant give it a sacred feel meret oppenheim fountain the 8-metre-high water tower by the swiss artist is a symbol of growth and life art architecture design paul klee centre the paul klee centre is much more ambitious than a traditional art museum designed by the italian architect renzo piano in the form of three undulating waves in a landscaped setting it is more of a cultural centre a place of encounter reflecting klee s interest in music and literature as well as art and consequently also a platform f
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view from the cathedral over the city towards the lake and the jet d eau geneva with its unmistakable symbol the jet d eau fountain this small city big on culture is the most cosmopolitan in the whole of switzerland the city in which henri dunant founded the red cross in 1864 is today the seat of several large international organizations including the european headquarters of the united nations of particular architectural note is the headquarters of the world meteorological organization wmo by rino brodbeck and jacques roulet the impressive cathedral towers over the old town around which are scattered many of the city s 40-odd museums for more than 2,000 years the city has been a crossroads of people and cultures in the 5th century geneva was the capital of the burgundian kingdom in 1536 jean calvin fled here from paris and turned the city into a protestant rome a time of immense religious and social change began which is documented in the international museum of the reformation
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lausanne the olympic capital is also a lively city with a large student population blessed with an exceptionally rich cultural scene lausanne lies on the slopes above lake geneva set in a landscape of terraced vineyards with the blue waters of the lake at its feet a broad spectrum of facilities for visitors and an exceptionally rich cultural life make it a friendly and attractive destination an intriguing blend of tradition and modernity the international olympic committee as well as some 30 national and international associations have their headquarters here and the city regularly stages world-class sporting events other notable features of the city include its lively and dynamic student population a beautiful geographical setting that makes for an exceptionally high quality of life legendary hospitality and higher educational establishments with an international reputation cultural highlights are the béjart ballet lausanne as well as many museums and galleries the buzzing city centre
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lucerne festival at the concert hall of the kkl highlights palace hotel lucerne right on the waterfront promenade of lake lucerne a few minutes walk from the historical heart of the city this five-star hotel offers turn-of-the-century opulence combined with the most up-to-date facilities relaxation and rejuvenation are promised at the in-house palace spa hotel astoria/the hotel the astoria a business and conference hotel consists of three connected buildings the annexe is by the leading architects herzog de meuron meanwhile the hotel designed by the celebrated architect jean nouvel in 2000 combines spirituality and elegance with timeless design grand casino lucerne this neo-baroque palace built in 1882 takes its inspiration from the french renaissance rosengart collection housed in an imposing neoclassical building this important collection contains a large number of works by klee and picasso among others swiss museum of transport and communication the most rosengart collection visit
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hallen für neue kunst contemporary art spaces schaffhausen schaffhausen is celebrated for its oriel windows and munot fortress as well as nearby hiking on the randen picturesque stein-am-rhein the klettgau wine region and impressive rhineland scenery mountain summer the 52 most beautiful experiences in the swiss mountains and much more the largely car-free old town has a well-preserved medieval heart of romantic alleys and spacious squares the seductive charm of the past remains intact to this day the old town is above all a space for living for shopping culture and leisure highlights die schwarzen brüder the musical based on the muchloved book the black brothers by lisa tetzner this tale of a young ticino chimneysweep in milan will receive its world premiere as a musical on the stage of the city s former steelworks on 31 march the first of 40 performances no e wili 2007 the picturesque village of stein-am-rhein is the setting for open-air performances of no e wili from 7 j
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art and market hall altenrhein highlights cathedral the double-towered cathedral is the last latebaroque structure to have been built in the lake constance region abbey library one of the oldest and most beautiful libraries in the world with 150,000 books and 2,100 manuscripts history and folklore museum impressive neoclassical building with fascinating permanent and temporary exhibitions kunstmuseum the museum of fine arts houses paintings and sculpture from as far back as the middle ages neue kunst halle exhibition site for a lively modern art scene art architecture design a treasure trove of a very different kind is the textile museum which shows haute couture creations of leading designers alongside traditional embroidery from eastern switzerland both this and the kunstmuseum museum of fine arts were built in classical style in contrast to the modern neue kunst halle which is dedicated to the exploration and presentation of contemporary art top-class works by hans arp joan mirò and
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zug the small international metropolis on the lake is both cosmopolitan and strikingly manageable those in the know come to visit zug s surprisingly rich collection of architectural treats zug is still something of an insider secret but with its charming old town right beside the lake its friendly inhabitants and the vicinity of the surrounding nature it is well worth visiting it has surprises in store too not least a rich culture and some exciting modern architecture highlights old town among zug s characteristic towers is its emblematic zytturm clock tower climb it for an impressive view of the city and its surroundings culture the casino and burgbachkeller theatres stage per art architecture design the highlight zug is home to some thrilling modern art and right at its heart is the station with light installations by james turrell at night the building s sophisticated play of light turns it into a living work of art a special gem on a very human scale are the much-loved bathing hut
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useful information when travelling in switzerland for specific travel information visit www.myswitzerland.com shopping tax free/vat refunds visitors from abroad are entitled to a refund of the 7.6 swiss vat on items purchased during their visit min purchase amount chf 400 to obtain the refund please ask for form 1149 in the shop local authorities and offices monday to friday/8 to 12am and 2 to 5/6pm shops shops are open daily from 8/8.30am until 6.30pm and on saturdays until 4pm department stores and other shops often remain closed on monday mornings in the cities late night shopping takes place once a week until 9pm in smaller towns and outside of the city centre shops often close for 1 to 2 hours over midday in most holiday destinations the shops may remain open for longer and are sometimes also open for a few hours on sundays motorway toll a fee of chf 40 per calendar year is charged for all vehicles including rental cars with a total weight of up to 3.5 tons including trailers an
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