There may be no better place for tourism than Switzerland. This tiny country at the crossroads of Europe functions as precisely as the watches for which it is famous. Its cities are clean and sophisticated, and it has some of the world’s most beautiful landscape.
Nothing is cheap (except enjoying the country’s natural beauty), but everything is of high value. The transportation network is so extensive that a visitor can get almost anywhere without a car, continuing from train stations by postal service van, boat, mountain railway, bicycle or on foot. Scheduled boats ply the large lakes, and some 500 mountain railways, including rack-railways, funiculars and cable cars, serve mountain areas. Bicycles can be rented at most railway stations, and many mountain areas are dotted with lodges where hikers can find good meals and accommodations.
The Alps offer winter sports on a par with anywhere in the world, but because of its varied topography, Switzerland can be enjoyed at any time of year. The expansive lowlands in central and eastern Switzerland are perfect in spring with their green meadows and blossoming orchards. Hiking in the mountains or lazing along the lakes is ideal in summer, and fall tends to be beautiful.
On the shores of Western Europe’s largest lake, Geneva is a polyglot, international city, the European headquarters of the UN, home of the International Red Cross and the World Health Organization. Geneva city is worth a visit to sniff the air of internationalism while strolling through its magnificent parks.
Zurich is the economic capital, home of the world’s third-largest stock exchange and the country’s five largest banks. The city is a shopping haven for the well-heeled, but it also offers a quaint and appealing old town of Gothic houses and cobbled streets filled with shops serving local needs.
Lucerne, the country’s tourism capital, is quintessentially Swiss, a picturesque city set on the water’s edge with towering mountains as a backdrop. Parts of the old town date to the 14th Century; most of the city is accessible on foot.
The canton of Ticino south of the Alps is a bastion of Catholicism in a predominantly Protestant country. As the land drops from the high elevations toward the Italian plains, the climate takes on a Mediterranean air, with palm trees and other temperate vegetation. The feel in Lugano is flamboyantly Italian, but with that Swiss touch of practicality-everything works.
All of the major cities have at least one theater and a symphony orchestra, with seasons running generally from September through June. Music festivals are held throughout the summer, and all the cities have major museums. Even many villages have small museums highlighting their contributions to Swiss culture, which is as varied as the Swiss landscape.
Worldwide updates
Armenia: Yerevan, the capital, has spent much of the winter without heating fuel because of sabotage of the gas pipeline that serves the country from neighboring Georgia. Expect inconveniences.
Colombia: The State Department urges travelers to avoid Colombia until further notice.
Egypt: Four people were killed in the bombing of a busy Cairo coffee shop Feb. 26. The blast injured 16 people, including 3 Americans. Muslim militants denied they were responsible. Militants attacked a tourist bus Feb. 4 near the Giza pyramids and warned tourists to stay away from the area. This is Egypt’s top tourist attraction, and tourism is the country’s largest industry, so the government cannot afford to let such attacks continue. Be alert at all times in Egypt.
Honduras: Thieves are attacking tourists for their shoes. Gangs of three approach their victims, two lift them up or hold them down, the third removes the shoes and they vanish.
Japan: A second passenger terminal in Tokyo’s Narita airport opened in December, and Japan Rail’s Narita Express (NEX) has begun service to and from the new Terminal 2. Running every half hour, the Narita Express is the most convenient way between downtown Tokyo and the airport. Leaving Tokyo, the stop for Terminal 2 comes before that for Terminal 1.
Kenya: Kenya’s first outbreak of yellow fever in 50 years has killed 60 people in the Kerio area of Rift Valley province. There have been no reports of yellow fever in Nairobi. Yellow fever immunizations should be up to date. The vaccination is good for 10 years.
Mexico: Crime has increased dramatically in Sinaloa, the state on the mainland across the Gulf of California from southern Baja. The crime wave has not affected the resort of Mazatlan.
Nigeria: Crime is high in Nigeria. Violent attacks for simple robbery is common and increasing. Travel in Nigeria with caution.
Philippines: Zamboanga province on the southwestern rim of Mindanao Island has been declared a calamity area because of fierce fighting between the military and Muslim rebels. Travel to Basilan, seven miles across the Basilan Strait from Zamboanga City, should be avoided. Travel to Zamboanga province should be restricted to Zamboanga City. A bomb exploded Feb. 28 in a gift shop in Zamboanga City’s airport, bringing down the terminal’s ceiling and injuring 23 people. Exercise caution at all times.
A traffic dispute in Makati, Manila’s financial district, left an American with a broken jaw and his car shot full of holes when he tangled with Makati’s vice mayor and his police escort. It’s a reminder that arguing over such things as congested traffic shouldn’t be pushed too far. Also, there are guns aplenty in the Philippines, and people aren’t afraid to use them.
Russia: A diptheria epidemic is spreading across Russia. The World Health Organization estimates that at the end of 1992 there were more than 4,000 cases across the country, up from 1,000 in 1990. Be sure your immunization is up to date.
Gambling fever has taken hold in Moscow, which now has 23 casinos, 19 of which opened in the last year. The best compare to Western casinos; the worst are guaranteed to take your money, win or lose. In the worst you must check your gun at the door. The rough places use rubles; in the fancier casinos dollars are the currency. Jobs in upscale casinos are coveted because the wages are paid in dollars.
Rwanda: Travel to Rwanda should be avoided because of renewed fighting between government forces and rebel troops throughout northern Rwanda. The U.S. State Department has authorized the voluntary departure of dependents and non-essential employees from the U.S. Embassy in Kigali, and the embassy reports that the mountain gorillas are no longer accessible to tourists.
Ukraine: The Ukrainian economy is collapsing. Hundreds of thousands of professionals have left their jobs because pay is in worthless coupons which replaced the Russian ruble in November. The black market seems to be the only viable means of support, and lawlessness is increasing. Travelers should expect inconveniences and remain alert to street crime. As in Russia, a diptheria outbreak is reaching epidemic proportions.
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Because conditions can change overnight, always make your own inquiries before you leave home. In the U.S., contact a Passport Agency office; abroad, check in with the nearest American embassy or consulate.
