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Bordering France, Italy, ad Germany, Switzerland is often considered the heart Europe.

Famous for it's neutrality in times of war, and its "above it all" location in the stunning Alpine mountains, Switzlerand continues to maintain its reputation as one of the smartest and most sophisticated countries on the continent.

Linger awhile in Switzerland, and find out why casual visitors even after a brief stay want to stay a lot longer. Besides picturesque alpine villages, world class skiing, unforgettable lake and mountain views there are Swiss watches and world famous chocolate!

It ain't just swiss cheese

Sophisticated and stylish also describe a country which is home to celebrity-studded St. Moritz, together with the ancient capital city of Bern providing plenty of opportunities for sightseeing, museum-hopping and elegant shopping.

Switzerland's major tourist attractions include the Jet d'Eau in Geneva (left); world-class skiing
at St. Moritz (middle); and spectacular alpine views and summer fun at Lake Zurich (right).

Switzerland's largest city, Zurich, is country's main German-speaking business and banking center. While here, check out picture-postcard perfect walks through the Altstadt (Old Town), a boutique-filled pedestrian mall, and an impressive modern art collection at the Kunsthaus Zurich on Lake Zurich. At almost every turn you'll find most of the city's other major attractions clustered al around the stunning shores of Lake Zurich, with the spectacular snow-capped Alps as a backdrop.

Geneva, the center of international headquarters for such bodies as the United Nations and the International Red Cross, is a university town with a cosmopolitan flavor and rollicking nightlife. And, don't leave town without first capturing at least a couple of Geneva's top photo opportunities including the city's iconic Jet d'Eau or Geneva's giant flower clock laid out near Lake Geneva.

Switzerland's third largest city, Basel, is also known as "the City of Art" for it's density of art museums (a mind-blowing 40 in all) beginning with the famous Basel Art Museum featuring world-class collections ranging from medieval to post-modern.

DID YOU KNOW? Switzerland Travel Fun Facts

Another popular Swiss export.

• OK, Switzerland IS all about the cheese -- with some 450 varieties, ranging from extra hard to creamy soft.

• And...chocolate! There are almost 20 Swiss chocolate companies that account for almost 200,000 tons of Swiss chocolate produced each year. (The reason for its popularity? More cocoa bean goodness, meaning more chocolately flavor in Swiss chocolate.)

• If you're in the market for a Swiss army knife, go to the source, Victorinox in Ibach, Switzerland, the world's biggest manufacturer of pocket knives.

• Shop early. In Switzerland, alcohol is not sold after 9PM. Most shops close at 7PM, except for Thursdays when they are open late until 9PM.

More about Switzerland travel & tourism around the Web:

MySwitzerland.com - Switzerland Tourism - The official site with the complete online travel tour with pictures & video clips, snow reports, major Swiss attractions, hotel & restaurant guides, feature stories, event calendar, maps.

Switzerland for Visitors - The insider guide to Switzerland, written by those who've been there - with travel tips & advice on accommodations, tourist attractions, getting around, plus a library of related feature stories.