Zurich and Switzerland, in plain English

A practical guide written by someone who lives here, not assembled from press releases.

Start with the city, or head straight for the mountains. If you would rather have the short list first, here are the twenty things worth seeing.

Zurich
Switzerland's largest city: a compact old town on a fast green river, a lake you can swim in from the middle of town, and the best public transport you will ever use.
Switzerland
A country you can cross in four hours, with four languages, twenty-six cantons and the best railway on earth.
Practical
Trains, passes, prices, customs and the things that catch visitors out.
See and do
The journeys, the mountains and the set pieces — panoramic trains, castles, lakes, spas and the walks.
Eat and drink
Cheese in three forms, a chocolate industry, wine almost nobody exports, and the trick to eating here without being fleeced.