Switzerland Travel Guide

Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art

This modern art museum features works from the 1960's and beyond. This museum was first opened in 1994 and is housed in a former factory building. The remarkable permanent collection features more than 300 works from modern masters like Segal and Stela. The museum also has temporary exhibitions that change throughout the year. Admission is 8F for adults, 6F for students and free for children.

Maison Tavel

Maison Tavel is the oldest house in Geneva, dating back to 1303. In 1986, this building became a museum and was opened to the public. Objects housed here date all the way back to the Middle Ages and include a variety of fascinating historical collections. Admission to the permanent collection is free, while temporary exhibitions cost 3F.

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum

At this museum, you will learn about the history of the Red Cross, an organization that started in Geneva. The story of the Red Cross is told through a variety of priceless slides, documents and photos. Admission to this museum costs 10F for adults, 5F for students, senior citizens, and children between the ages of 12 and 16.

Musee Ariana

The Musee Ariana is a museum that is home to one of the finest collections of pottery, glass and porcelain in all of Europe. It's also home to the International Academy of Ceramics. Almost as stunning as the collection housed here is the building it's kept in, which is an Italian Renaissance building from the 19th century. Admission to the permanent collection is free, while temporary exhibitions cost 5F for adults, free for children.

THE MUSÉES D'ART ET D'HISTOIRE

Comprised of eight different sites, the Musées d’Art et d’Histoire constitute one of the largest museum groups of Switzerland. Conceived with a multidisciplinary approach, the Musées maintain collections in the fields of archaeology, fine arts and applied arts, and bear witness to the history of civilisations from prehistoric to modern times.

More than 7,000 objects out of a total of around 1,000,000 are on permanent exhibition, and a programme of temporary exhibitions and rendezvous is offered throughout the year.

Palais des Nations

The Palais des Nations is the current location of the United Nations and the former location of the now non-existent League of Nations. Guided tours of the building are conducted daily in English, and last approximately one hour. Admission prices are 10F for adults, 8F for students, and 5F for children between the ages of 6 and 17.

Basel

Basel is a beautiful canton nestled in between the countries of Switzerland, France and Germany, on the bend of the Rhine. This is one of the most attractive Old Towns of Europe with its rich history dating back to 2000 years. On a visit to Basel, you will you’ll soon realize that this is a place where culture, heritage, and modernity peacefully go hand in hand.

When in Basel, you have to taste the beautiful food of the Roman town of Augusta that is a short journey from Basel and also taste the beautiful wine Basel is famous for. Sports enthusiasts can take a bike tour to explore the different corners of the canton.

With Basel lying on the bend of the Rhine, there are lots of places of interest and sights to visit here. Not to be mistaken, but the best means of transport for sightseeing in Basel is on foot! The Old Town has to be explored by foot as its places of interest are near each other. There are scores of museums, historical churches, art in public places and modern architecture all within walk-able distances.

To mark the meeting point of the countries France, Germany and Switzerland, you find a tall, metallic structure in front of the restaurant, Dreilandereck. To learn more about the history of Basel, make a visit to Tinguely Museum, Marktplatz and Town Hall and St Albantor. You get to see the different animals of Europe in the Zoological Garden of Basel. Then there is the Messeturm, White and Blue House, Tinguely Foutain, and many other places of interest to be explored on your visit to Basel. Only your eyes can believe the splendor and beauty the canton of Basel has to offer!

Basel can be reached through air, land or sea. There are three rail stations in Basel, and this is the reason why Basel is considered to be one of Europe’s important motorway junctions. These three stations are linked frequently by trains. There is an international airport called the Euro Airport Basel-Mulhouse Freiburg to facilitate international tourists. This airport is only a 10 minute drive from downtown Basel. If you wish to travel to Basel via boat, you have to berth at Elasserrheinweg, which is close to the city center.

Zurich

Zurich is not only the banking capital of the world but also a city housing great treasures in its streets and museums. Zurich is the city which gave birth to the Dadaist movement, and is the place where James Joyce penned the famous Ulysses.

Here is a sneak peak into the exploits of the city. The Bahnhofstrasse is one of Europe’s most attractive shopping areas where its streets have unimaginable treasures in its underground vaults. You can find the most exquisite collections from the 15th century to the modern works of art of Dali, Gaugin, Munch, Picasso and Cezanne in the city’s Museum of Fine Arts. The Fraumunster Church is one of the church spires that marks Zurich’s skyline. It overlooks the historic square of Munsterhof, which was a former pig market. The church was founded in 853, wherein its convent was the living place for German noblewomen till the 13th century. The chief attraction of this church is its five beautiful stained glass windows that were designed in the year 1970 by the 83 year old Marc Chagall.

A walk through the Swiss National Museum take back in time, littered with the works of art and everyday articles like toys, costumes, and wheels that are considered to be the first ever discovered. You can see an exhibit on Swiss clock making, and weapons of Swiss combat.

On your visit to Zurich, you will love exploring its cobbled streets while passing museums, exploring flea markets and receiving free gifts from its world famous chocolate factories. Zurich has a lively population that is multi-ethnic that rivals all other major European cities. Zurich is a country that has always been famous for its watches and chocolate; so if you want to buy the best of those, this is the place to go.

You can spend your time away walking on the quays and promenades that are found along shores of its lake. Zurich sports an active café culture where you can just sit and watch people go by! The Swiss are generally neat and precise in their work, and so they reflect an impression of a staid and prim society. However, the nightlife of Zurich is far from placid! There are many clubs, restaurants, and bars here, with festivals and street parades throughout the year, making Zurich exhausting to even the greatest party animal!

Geneva

Geneva is the soul of Switzerland, situated on the southwestern tip of Lake Geneva. It is a cosmopolitan, French-speaking territory where high profile people with varying cultures and influence from around the world meet. The lifestyle here is for the rich and wealthy with Rolls-Royces purring past beautiful promenades with beautiful mansions. Its combination of the French savoir faire and Swiss efficiency has produced luxurious and exclusive stores, and extravagant restaurants.

Geneva is most famous for its numerous private banks; and is also the home of the European headquarters of the United Nations. This is because Geneva has been always tolerant that it provided refuge to many religious reformers and had started the International Red Cross.

It is not the locals of Geneva who visit the pricy boutiques and hotels of Geneva; it is only the rich foreigners who indulge themselves in all this. It is only during the Les Fetes de Geneve in August and the Fete de l’Escalade in December that the people of Geneva let down their discretion.

The best pastime when in Geneva is of course, skiing. Besides just skiing, it is Verbier skiing that pulls tourists back to Geneva. This is basically a ski area perched in the southwest corner of Switzerland. It is draped over four mountain valleys and embraces six villages with a labyrinth of more than 100 interconnected lifts.

The slopes here are all interlaced so that the skier will be kept busy for a whole season! There are large mountains with huge vertical drops where you can drop four to six vertical feet in a single run. The runs here are so long that you have to stop halfway to visit the chalet restaurants found in the middle of nowhere. The scenery from the chalet is exhilarating, just as the food and drinks are!