Product Description

The Rough Guide to Switzerland tells you all there is to know about this beautiful and varied country. The 36-page, full-colour section introduces all of Switzerland's highlights, from snowboarding in the Alps and sampling swiss wine to the country's Gothic cathedrals and medieval castles. The guide includes extensive listings of the all the top places to eat, drink and stay, whatever your budget, plus brand-new 'author picks' to highlight the very best. There is plenty of practical advice on outdoor pursuits, including where to find the best mountain walks and most scenic ski resorts. The guide takes a detailed look at Switzerland's history, wildlife and culture and comes complete with maps and plans for every region.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #142440 in Books
• Published on: 2006-07-27
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 608 pages

About the Author
Matthew Teller is an experienced and accomplished travel writer. He is also the author of the Rough Guide to Jordan.

Customer Reviews

as efficient as the Swiss railways...
I know the guide-book-buying public are often split into those who like Rough Guides and those who like Lonely Planet, and ne'er the twain shall meet, so I may be preaching to the converted, but never mind...
This is, of course, another excellent example of a Rough Guide - detailed, well-researched & useful, with lovely photos to whet your appetite, but also full of those interesting little snippets that make you interested in a country or town. For instance, who knew that we Brits consume a measly 9kg of chocolate each per year, whereas the Swiss munch through over 11kg? (but is this surprising, given the quality of their chocolate?? 11kg sounds quite low...!) Or that in Valais, the much-less-violent-than-it-sounds cow fight is still extremely popular? I love dipping into books like this, as well as using them for more practical purposes. I lived in Switzerland for a year and feel pretty confident that I know my way around the transport system and know a fair amount about all the famous sights, but on a recent trip, this book was still invaluable to me, as shown by the sun tan lotion-ed fingerprints on the well-thumbed pages & all the leaflets and timetables bookmarking different sections for quick access, from the cafés of Lausanne, the turrets of the Château de Chillon and the paddle steamers of Lake Geneva to the Sherlock Holmes museum in Meiringen, hiking in the Hasliberg and taking the train through the Eiger to the Jungfraujoch. I love Switzerland, and I think the author must have quite a soft spot for it too, as he doesn't fall into the usual stereotypes of the Swiss being just a bit too tidy and neat and efficient, and therefore boring, for their own good. He makes it sound like a fun place to be. And how right he is...

My only (slightly biased) gripe is that if Lausanne really is "simply Switzerland's sexiest city",(which it is ;-D) then why did they choose a random photo of any old building to illustrate it in the Things Not to Miss section?! Not enough to knock a star off though. If you want to find your way round Switzerland and learn some pretty interesting stuff in the process, then look no further than this book.

Perfect for forst time travellers
I bought this guide as a last minute thought before heading to Zurich for the first time. And I'm very glad I did as the book was so helpful...it definately pointed out all the best places to visit whilst within the city. As it was from 2006 I was worried that the prices would be totaly wrong but I was pleasantly surprised as they were only out by 1 or 2 francs. I would recommend this book to anyone travelling to Switzerland particularly if, like my friend and I, they were a first time traveller

Great country, outstanding guide...
Of all the Rough Guides so far used, this one has been my favourite: exceptionally well-researched and erudite in its discussion, yet leavened by a pervading wit that makes this an entertaining read as well as a deeply informative one.