Tucked between Germany, France, Austria, and Italy, the country of Switzerland is a little bit of each of those countries with its own flair added to the mix. The regions bordering each previously mentioned country have thickly blended cultures. Swiss versions of French, German, and Italian are spoken depending on the region and a fourth language called Romansch is spoken among a few people. Switzerland is a legendarily beautiful country that lives up to all the hype given to it. The Alps are just as green as any postcard in the summer, the ski slopes are ready for you in the winter, and the lakes really do glisten in the sunlight.

The Alps are a tall, craggy paradise for skiers and hikers everywhere with milkmaids strolling down the mountains in summer and lodges filled with skiers drinking hot chocolate in the winter. Skiing (at least recreational skiing) was born here, which is no surprise when you take in the vast mountains that stretch across the country just begging us to coast down. You can take a ritzy ski vacation in St. Moritz to see and be seen sashaying down the slopes. Or you could head to a smaller off the beaten track mountain for a touch of solitude on your runs down the mountain. Whichever you choose, you’ll find enjoyable slopes, impressive mountain views, and lodges with roaring fires and coffee.

In summer, why not grab a trail map and set off on a several-day trek through the mountains? Stay in little mountain inns each night after a day of hiking. Bring cheese and bread for picnicking and plenty of water to drink as you climb up and down the peaks and valleys of Europe’s greatest mountains. Hiking a bit too much for you? Why not take a train ride across the mountain range?

Many people think of Swiss cheese as that one kind of cheese at the grocery store with the holes in it. But in Switzerland, Swiss cheese is a completely new world of cheese. The tiny little country produces over four hundred and fifty varieties. The famed cheese with the holes in it is Emmentaler, a hard mild cheese. Vacherin d’Or is similar to Brie or Camembert while sbrinz is more like Parmesan. The Swiss like to eat cheese in a variety of ways from slicing off a hunk and eating it straight up to melting it into ooey gooey goodness.

Fondue and raclette are the melted cheese staples of Switzerland. Cheese fondue is a pot of melted cheese that is communally shared for dipping bread, fruit, and other foods that are easy to spear. Raclette is the name of a cheese, but also the name of another melty dish. This one involves melting an entire wheel of cheese and then scraping it out of the rind to eat with potatoes.

Each region of Switzerland also has its own unique dishes. In Graubünden Canton, for example, a Bündner Nusstorte or nut cake is a favorite dessert. In the Italian area of Switzerland, polenta and risotto are often served. Swiss food is quite varied because of all the cultures that converge in the region and visitors rarely lack for a new dish to try.

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