Central Europe
Mountains, lakes, and a country that works like a watch.
Switzerland is Europe's showpiece — snow-topped Alps, mirror lakes and impeccable cities where the trains run to the second and the chocolate is a food group. It's tiny, four-language, and effortless to travel: a scenic railway drops you from a glacier to a lakeside café in an afternoon. Zürich, the biggest city, is the sophisticated, moneyed front door — banking and bijou old town by day, a surprisingly lively lake-and-art scene by night. Breathtaking, spotless, and eye-wateringly expensive.
What things cost: Switzerland is the most expensive country in Europe, full stop — a coffee, a beer, a bowl of soup each cost what a meal would elsewhere, and hotels are steep. You pay for a country that works flawlessly, is spotlessly clean and sits among the Alps. Tap water is free and excellent, and a supermarket picnic saves a fortune. When a zone below says 'low', that means low for Switzerland — still not cheap.
Sometimes the event picks the city for you.
Late September into early October, every year
Eleven days of premieres, stars on the green carpet and world cinema across the city's grand old picture houses — Switzerland's biggest film event, and a stylish reason to visit in the crisp early autumn.
Zürich · Cinemas citywide
Zürich glitters in December — a giant Swarovski-crystal tree inside the main station, wooden chalets of mulled wine and raclette on the squares, and lights strung the length of Bahnhofstrasse. Cold, sparkling and thoroughly festive; wrap up warm.
Zürich · Main station & old town squares
Zürich's spring festival, where the guilds parade in historic costume and a snowman effigy, the Böögg, is stuffed with fireworks and burned on a pyre — the faster his head explodes, the better the summer, so the legend goes. A gloriously odd, only-in-Zürich spectacle.
Zürich · Sechseläutenplatz & old town
One of the world's biggest technoparties — a million ravers follow floats booming house and techno around the lakefront on a single delirious August day. Free, huge and joyous; the one day buttoned-up Zürich completely lets go.
Zürich · Around the lake basin
