EDITOR’S NOTE

Switzerland, Ernest Hemingway once wrote, is “a small, steep country, much more up and down than sideways.” It is, you could say, the Bhutan of Europe—both nations are mountainous, landlocked, and similarly sized. But compact as it may be (you can get from Zurich in the north to Lugano in the south in just over two hours by train), Switzerland is a surprisingly diverse place. For starters, there are its four distinct linguistic regions, where you can brush up on your French, German, Italian, and (okay, maybe not this one) Romansh. Then there are the varied landscapes, ranging from the snowy peaks of the Alps to the sultry lakes of the subtropical south. Cosmopolitan cities like Geneva and Zurich give way to medieval castle towns and remote highland villages. Even the food, as I discuss in my story about the Italian-leaning cuisine of Ticino (page 168), is more multifaceted than you might imagine.

I have visited Switzerland twice now, most recently to help compile this special all-Swiss edition of DestinAsian. Both times were rewarding beyond expectation. Yes, it’s an expensive place, but you get what you pay for: scenery and cultural attractions aside, this is one of the cleanest, safest, and most hospitable countries I’ve ever been to. And breathing in lungfuls of that fresh Alpine air? Priceless. Thanks to Switzerland’s streamlined public transportation system, you can also cover a lot of ground in a short period of time. The following pages offer plenty of destinations to add to your itinerary, from the adventure playground of Interlaken and Geneva’s art-filled Quartier des Bains, to the ski slopes of Zermatt and the many, many wineries found throughout the country. So get yourself a Swiss Travel Pass (details on page 146) and start making tracks. Or do what I did in the picturesque borderlands of Eastern Switzerland and drive yourself—you’ll be amazed by what lies around the next turn. –