Switzerland, the little alpine jewel

The first golf course on the European continent was built in  Switzerland – St. Moritz to be precise – and so was the first cog railway called the Rigi (1871). Switzerland is more than the land of Heidi and the alpenhorn. Guests from all over the world have been coming to Switzerland on vacation for more than two centuries. This small alpine nation combines all superlatives. Around 50 four-thousand-metre peaks of the Western Alps and countless over three thousand. The Matterhorn at 4,478 m, clearly the most impressive mountain peak in Switzerland. As countless as the peaks are the tours for mountain climbers and skiers. Alpine sports are offered in all four seasons. From extreme mountaineering and mountain climbing to hikes through glorious alpine landscapes with green meadows and mountain forests. Water sports enthusiasts seek refuge in scenic lakes like the Vierwaldstätter See, Genfer See, Thunersee and Schwarzsee. And don’t forget Lago Maggiore and Luganer See, the picturesque Tessiner Seen in the Italian region of Switzerland.

Swiss history began in 1291 with an alliance against the foreign rule of the Habsburger. Switzerland is rich in treasures from the past. Four languages are spoken in the country: German, French and Italian as official national languages as well as Rhaeto-Romanic (Ladin) spoken by approximately 50,000 people. This very ancient language is still heard in Graubünden (4 official languages).