Cosmopolitan Geneva is one of the world´s foremost international cities, but most of the time it´s far too busy working - and saving the world - to enjoy itself.   

Clean, stylish and businesslike, Geneva is too boring and too expensive to warrant spending longer than a couple of days.

The Valais is one of the most traditional - and iciest - regions of Switzerland.

In the southwest of the country, the Valais extends for 150km along the Rhone Valley between the Rhone Glacier and Lake Geneva. Glaciers make up almost 20% of the region, the most unmissable being the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Aletsch Glacier, the longest ice sheet in Europe.

Bern is Switzerland's exquisite but often overlooked capital. 

Set on a peninsula above the meandering green Aare River, Bern´s medieval Old Town is one of the most atmospheric in Europe.

Set on the shores of a glacial lake, medieval Lucerne is Switzerland´s prettiest city.

Located in central Switzerland, Lucerne is less than an hour´s hyper-efficient train ride from Zurich.

The azure Lake Lucerne is the city´s big blue heart; in the summer swimmers dive from public baths, lidos and the lakeside promenade into its Evian-fresh waters, while revellers soak up the view from paddle boats, yachts, lilos and small cruisers.