Switzerland

For ravishing Alpine scenery and quaint villages oozing storybook charm, it’s hard to beat Switzerland. The soaring snowcapped peaks of the Alps, glittering blue lakes, emerald valleys, glaciers, and picturesque lakeside hamlets imbue this landlocked nation with a fairy-tale beauty. Snuggled amid the mountain valleys and lakes lie world-class international resorts and a long list of things to do, including hiking, biking, climbing, paragliding, skiing, and tobogganing.

Travelers come here for jaw-dropping scenery but are charmed by the many cultural attractions. Steeped in history, cities such as Zurich, Geneva, and Lausanne offer excellent museums and galleries, historic buildings, and renowned music festivals. The capital is Bern, with a stunning medieval old town, hugging the crook of a river. Germany, Italy, Austria, and France border Switzerland, and their languages and customs infuse this country with a multicultural sophistication.

From the Italian architecture of palm-studded Ticino to the dialects of Swiss-German and Latin-derived Romansch, Switzerland can sometimes feel like several countries in one–yet all with the slick packaging and punctuality for which it is famous