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The 15 best Wellness hotels
Bad Ragaz » 1. - Grand Hotels Bad Ragaz*****
Complete Wellness and beauty facilities, casino, golf, top restaurants and much more. This splendid resort has made a big name for itself far beyond the Swiss borders.
Interlaken » 2. - Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa*****
Inspiring monument to the Swiss hotel business. The Wellness area is as superb as anything in Emmanuel Bergers world-famous empire.
St. Moritz » 3. - Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains
This newly opened luxury hotel with casino, the first Kempinski in Switzerland is, especially due to its extensive Wellness and beauty range, an enriching addition to the top hotels in Engadine.
A transport system
Trains and buses
Travelling through Switzerland by train is invariably comfortable, hassle-free and extremely scenic, with many mountain routes an attraction in their own right. The main network, run by SBB OFF FFS (Schweizerische Bundesbahnen, Chemins de Fer Federaux, Ferrovie Federali Svizzere), covers much of the country, but many routes, especially Alpine lines, are operated by the smaller companies which pioneered them a century or more ago. Buses take over where train track runs out. These are generally yellow postbuses (www.post.ch), which depart from train-station forecourts.
InterRail (also EuroDomino) and Eurail passes are vaild on SBB and most smaller lines, but the discounts they bring are patchy on boats, cable cars and mountain railways (specified in the text as IR for InterRail and ER for Eurail). Postbuses are free to holders of all Swiss passes - although certain Alpine routes command a Sfr5-10 supplement, along with advance seat reser- vation) - but not to Eurail and InterRail pass holders.
Boats
All of Switzerland's bigger lakes are crossed by ferry services of one sort or another. Most run only during the summer season (June-Sept), and duplicate routes which can I be covered more cheaply and quickly by rail. But if you have the time, cruising through the Alpine foothills to Interlaken or between villages on the Lake Geneva shoreline beats the equivalent train journeys hands down.
Berne, the Capital of the Swiss Confederation
Bern is Switzerland's romantic political capital, the city of the bear pits, flowers, fountains and museums, and the unique medieval Old Town (UNESCO World Cultural Heritage).
The Bernese Old Town is situated on a peninsula of the River Aare. Its centre is dominated by the imposing Government Building where the parliamentary sessions are held. Museums, theatres, historical attractions, restaurants and inns, shops and the weekly markets are all easily accessible on foot. Bern's 6 kilometres of arcades make it the city with the longest weather-protected shopping promenade in Europe. Bern's Renaissance fountains were constructed in the mid-16th century. The Zähringer fountain was erected to the memory of Berthold V of Zähringen who founded the town in 1191. The Zeitglocke Tower with the famous glockenspiel originates from the 12th century. The Bear Pit it the City's most popular tourist attraction.
Discover the city of Berne on a exciting guided tour in a riverrafting boat on the river Aare.
The Old Town of Bern
The capital of Switzerland has many charms. Its quaint old town is framed by the Aare River and offers spectacular views of the Alps. With its 6 km of limestone buildings and medieval arcades,its Renaissance fountains with colorful figures,and its beautiful cathedral surrounded by picturesque rooftops,Bern, founded in 1191,i s truly a gem of medieval architecture in Europe.
Swiss Alpine Museum Berne
The only museum dedicated to the Swiss Alps introduces the visitors to cultural and natural pecularities of the alpine world. The journey of discovery into history und present of the Swiss Alps is accompanied by videos, commented slides, multivision, infos-stations, atmospheric representations, and impressive originals.
The main features of the exhibition are relief art, geology, tectonics, glaciers, climate, fauna, flora; cartography and survey; alpine agriculture, folklore, settlement, house construction, development and change of landscape; alpinism, tourism, wintersports; endangering and protection of the Alps; paintings, and prints (dioramas from Ferdinand Hodler 1894, paintings from Alexandre Calame, E.T. Compton and others).
The exhibition is throughout in four languages.
Geneva
1. The smallest of big Capitals
In Geneva there are a lot of hotels of all categories and the highest density of restaurants in Switzerland, in comparison to the number of inhabitants. Many among these are classified among the world’s best in the famous guides. Geneva also proposes a large number of restaurants with dishes from the whole world.
Sportsmen will love Geneva, especially golf players who have the choice between 26 greens in the Geneva region.
There are a lot of possibilities for excursions in the surrounding countryside, the Swiss Alps, to France and even to Italy.
2. The Assets of Geneva
Situated between the Alps and the Jura Mountains at the very south- west part of Switzerland, Geneva has a very nice temperate climate. The Canton with its 282 square km, with the lake and the river Rhone, presents a marvellous surrounding to its visitors who can enjoy the alpine mountains in the background of the environing green countryside.
A great number of International Organizations, among which the U.N. is the most famous, have their head quarters in Geneva, making it to the Capital of Peace.
With its over 40 museums its numerous art galleries as well as its theatres and its opera where famous international artists perform, Geneva is also an important cultural centre.
3. General Information
The town and the canton of Geneva have a population of 180’000 and 400’000 inhabitants respectively.
The official language is French, but many people in Geneva speak English and German.
Geneva enjoys a temperate climate with average temperatures of 10° Celsius in the winter and 23° in the summer.
Its altitude is 375 m above the sea level.
It lies in the time zone of Central Europe (Greenwich GMT. + 1) and applies Summer Time (+ 1 hour, from the last week-end of March till the last week-end of October).
The currency is Swiss Francs (CHF) one Franc is divided into 100 Centimes. Most credit cards are accepted in the majority of hotels, restaurants and shops. The prices for hotels, restaurants and taxis include taxes and service. Therefore tip is not indispensable, except when the customer is especially satisfied with the service.
You will find more details on next page...
4. The "Jet d’Eau"
The Traveller, who discovers Geneva for the first time, will certainly be fascinated by the Jet d’Eau, the water-fountain in the lake. This is a 140 meters high water monument, sort of an exclamation mark dominating the roadstead. A white column, constantly moving, mounting rapidly into the sky and then falling down again in millions of drops as a curtain with thousands of constantly renewed folds.
The Jet d’Eau of Geneva has a rich history. Originally it was the safety valve for a hydraulic plant, at the time when electricity was still a laboratory curiosity. Today it works through motor-driven pumps and its capacity is 500 litres per second. It works from the beginning of March till mid-October. When approaching the Jet d’Eau, the visitor feels a mixture of an indescribable power and freshness. Coming closer he will feel a draught filled with invigorating spray. After that he will get conscious about the environing sites, the harmony of the quays, the old town on the hills and the St Peter's Cathedral. Later he will admire the gentle lines of the Jura Mountains at the horizon. When going back in the dark of the night he will see the many multicolour lights of the town, emphasized by the line of the hundreds of small lamps along the quays. The Jet d’Eau will add its vertical line to this peaceful horizontal picture.
5.The Flower Watch
In 1955 the huge Flower Watch was created at the edge of the English Garden. Together with the Jet d’Eau they are the main attractions every year for the tourists visiting our town. The Flower Watch reminds us about that Geneva is the birthplace of the Swiss clock and watch making and that this industry has become internationally famous, as well through the quality of the watches as through their elegance.
Carried out thanks to the initiative of the "Association des Intérêts de Genève (former name of Geneva Tourism), and with the financial support by "l’Union des fabricants d’horlogerie de Genève et de Vaud" (the Geneva and Vaud watch maker’s Union), The Flower Watch reminds of Geneva’s importance within the international watch industry and also emphasizes the beauty of its parks with their magnificent flower beds. Managed by the " Service des Espaces Verts et de l’Environnement ", (park and environment service) concerning the flower arrangements, and the watch making society Favag of Neuchâtel concerning the mechanical part, the Flower Watch has the peculiarity to have the world’s longest arm for seconds. It measures 2 meters 50. Each second it moves about 27 cm. It was important to considerate the slope of the face to assure the preciseness of the watch. Its total circumference is 15,70 m, and its diameter is 5 m. For each flower decoration about 6’500 different plants are necessary.
6. Walks in Geneva
Discover Geneva, the world's most international city, with a licensed guide. There is much more to see than the "Jet d'Eau" and the flower clock ! Stroll with us, back through history, in the Old Town; admire our lakeside parks and elegant villas; discover our museums; learn about Geneva's unique role in diplomacy and peace making in the international sector.
- Walks with Geneva Tourism's Official Guides
- Audioguided Visit of the Old Town
- Geneva, the pleasure of water
- Escalade: walking tour through the Old Town New
7. Excursions
City tours
Our experienced official guides are at your disposal regardless of the object of your stay in Geneva. It is possible to take a guided tour of the town on foot from most of the hotels or other excursions a coach will pick the group up at their hotel.
Consult our list on the following page...
Cruises
Get to know Lake Geneva and the Rhône-River Valley by choosing from our wide range of cruises (some with commentaries) that leave from a variety of embarkation points around the harbour:
- Cruses on Lake Geneva
- Rhône River Cruise
- Rafting down the Arve Rive
- Boat & Pedal-boat Rental
Excursions
Thanks to its exceptional location in the centre of Europe, Geneva offers numerous possibilities for excursions. Whether by boat, train or coach, they represent an excellent opportunity to set off in discovery of the surroundings
- Excursions by Mini-train
- Excursions by Coach
- Excursions by Cable Car
8. Technical Visits
Geneva's industries and commerces await your visit. They will enable you to discover and learn about regional products. The next page will give you wealth of ideas as well as details enabling you to carry them out.
More informations on the following page... (ONLY FOR GROUPS)
9. GenèvRoule
Use free bicycles.
How can one discover the sights and lovely scenery of Geneva's surrounding countryside in a leisurely, ecological, healthy and invigorating manner? On a bicycle, of course! Urban and suburban Geneva boasts a large network of cycling lanes and signposted itineraries. A few pushes on the pedals will take you out into the country amidst the vineyards, forests, fields and brooks in no time. Do stop to relax in one of the charming villages which dot the landscape.
Zürich Downtown Switzerland
Zürich is top for leisure and pleasure. Gentle hills, peaceful woods, the unpolluted lakes and rivers, picturesque villages - and all just a stone's throw from the Alps. Zürich is the ideal starting point for all kinds of varied excursions.
Zürich
Enjoy the pretty old town, the trendy new Zürich West district and the glorious lake.
With opera, ballet, theater premieres, shows, musicals, art exhibitions in over 50 museums and 100 galleries, time never drags in Zürich. The famous Bahnhofstrasse and the Limmatquai are a shopper's paradise. Over 1,700 restaurants and bars serve both traditional Zürich and Swiss dishes as well as exotic specialties. The eveningswill leave you spoilt for choice: indoors or outdoors, anything is possible as far as the nightlife in Zürich goes.
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