Hotels in Switzerland

Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a country in Europe. It consists of 26 cantons, and the city of Bern is the seat of the federal authorities. The sovereign state is a federal republic situated in western, central and southern Europe and is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland is a landlocked country geographically divided between the Alps, the Swiss Plateau and the Jura, spanning a total area of 41,285 km2 (15,940 sq mi) (land area 39,997 km2 (15,443 sq mi)). While the Alps occupy the greater part of the territory, the Swiss population of approximately eight-and-a-half million people is concentrated mostly on the plateau, where the largest cities are to be found: among them are the two global cities and economic centres Zürich and Geneva.

The establishment of the Old Swiss Confederacy dates to the late medieval period, resulting from a series of military successes against Austria and Burgundy. Swiss independence from the Holy Roman Empire was formally recognised in the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. The country has a history of armed neutrality going back to the Reformation; it has not been in a state of war internationally since 1815 and did not join the United Nations until 2002. Nevertheless, it pursues an active foreign policy and is frequently involved in peace-building processes around the world. In addition to being the birthplace of the Red Cross, Switzerland is home to numerous international organisations, including the second largest UN office. On the European level, it is a founding member of the European Free Trade Association, but notably not part of the European Union, the European Economic Area or the Eurozone. However, it participates in the Schengen Area and the European Single Market through bilateral treaties.

Switzerland was not invaded during either of the world wars. During World War I, Switzerland was home to Vladimir Illych Ulyanov (Vladimir Lenin), and he remained there until 1917. Swiss neutrality was seriously questioned by the Grimm–Hoffmann Affair in 1917, but it was short-lived. In 1920, Switzerland joined the League of Nations, which was based in Geneva, on condition that it was exempt from any military requirements.

During World War II, detailed invasion plans were drawn up by the Germans, but Switzerland was never attacked. Switzerland was able to remain independent through a combination of military deterrence, concessions to Germany, and good fortune as larger events during the war delayed an invasion. Under General Henri Guisan, appointed the commander-in-chief for the duration of the war, a general mobilisation of the armed forces was ordered. The Swiss military strategy was changed from one of static defence at the borders to protect the economic heartland, to one of organised long-term attrition and withdrawal to strong, well-stockpiled positions high in the Alps known as the Reduit. Switzerland was an important base for espionage by both sides in the conflict and often mediated communications between the Axis and Allied powers.

Switzerland's trade was blockaded by both the Allies and by the Axis. Economic cooperation and extension of credit to the Third Reich varied according to the perceived likelihood of invasion and the availability of other trading partners. Concessions reached a peak after a crucial rail link through Vichy France was severed in 1942, leaving Switzerland (together with Liechtenstein) entirely isolated from the wider world by Axis controlled territory. Throughout the war, Switzerland interned over 300,000 refugees and the International Red Cross, based in Geneva, played an important part during the conflict. The strict immigration and asylum policies, as well as the financial relationships with Nazi Germany, rose up the controversy, but not until the end of the 20th century.

During the war, the Swiss Air Force engaged aircraft of both sides, shooting down 11 intruding Luftwaffe planes in May and June 1940, then forcing down other intruders after a change of policy following threats from Germany. Allied forces explained the bombings, which violated the 96th Article of War, resulting from navigation errors, equipment failure, weather conditions, and errors made by bomber pilots. The Swiss expressed fear and concern that the bombings were intended to put pressure on Switzerland to end economic cooperation and neutrality with Nazi Germany. Court-martial proceedings took place in England, and the U.S. Government paid 62,176,433.06 in Swiss francs for the reparations of the bombings.

After the war, the Swiss government exported credits through the charitable fund known as the Schweizerspende and also donated to the Marshall Plan to help Europe's recovery, efforts that ultimately benefited the Swiss economy

During the Cold War, Swiss authorities considered the construction of a Swiss nuclear bomb. Leading nuclear physicists at the Federal Institute of Technology Zürich such as Paul Scherrer made this a realistic possibility. In 1988, the Paul Scherrer Institute was founded in his name to explore the therapeutic uses of neutron scattering technologies. Financial problems with the defence budget and ethical considerations prevented the substantial funds from being allocated, and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty of 1968 was seen as a valid alternative. All remaining plans for building nuclear weapons were dropped by 1988.

Switzerland was the last Western republic to grant women the right to vote. Some Swiss cantons approved this in 1959, while at the federal level, it was achieved in 1971 and, after resistance, in the last canton Appenzell Innerrhoden (one of only two remaining Landsgemeinde) in 1990. After obtaining suffrage at the federal level, women quickly rose in political significance, with the first woman on the seven-member Federal Council executive being Elisabeth Kopp, who served from 1984–1989, and the first female president being Ruth Dreifuss in 1999.

Switzerland is one of the most developed countries in the world, with the highest nominal wealth per adult and the eighth-highest per capita gross domestic product according to the IMF. Switzerland ranks at or near the top globally in several metrics of national performance, including government transparency, civil liberties, quality of life, economic competitiveness, and human development. Zürich and Geneva have each been ranked among the top cities in the world regarding the quality of life, with the former ranked second globally, according to Mercer.

How to Get There

By Flight

If you are from Singapore and want to travel to Switzerland; you need to travel there by plane. You need to take a flight from Changi Airport and can choose for transit flights or straight flights to Switzerland. The ticket price per person will be around SGD875 to SGD1700 depends on your chosen airlines. However, the price of the ticket will be increased at the peak season, which is during the public holiday and school holiday season. Travel from Changi Airport to Zurich Airport will be around 13 hours depends on your flight. Once you arrive, you can grab a taxi and go straight to your staying place. Before that, you must ensure that you have a valid passport before visiting Switzerland.

What to Do There

Lindenhof Hill

Lindenhof Hill is a moraine hill which means it was formed thousands of years ago by the glacially formed accumulation of soil and rock. Today it is the only public park within the city walls and a quaint shaded square. The area is listed as a Swiss Heritage Site due to its historical significance. You can only reach the Zurich's oldest park by foot following the narrow alleys of the old city centre. Thanks to the park's elevated location 25 meters above the Limmat River it offers brilliant panoramic views across the river and Zurich. Lime trees provide shade on the gravel paths where people play chess and petanque. In the past, this area was the site of a Roman custom station and then a medieval royal residence, but today the historical significance is secondary to the recreational green areas the site provides. You can see reminders of Lindenhof Hill's history in the replica of a Roman tombstone in the wall of Pfalzgrasse which leads out of the square. In the park is the Hedwig Fountain which dates back to 1688 and in the square is the orange-coloured 1851 Masonic Lodge of Modestia cum Libertate.

Fraumunster Church

The Fraumunster church dates back to the 9th century when the abbey for women was established by Louis the German specifically for his daughter Hildegard. Here women were given refuge and were protected. The abbess of the Benedictine convent became quite powerful, and the tradition as a Frau-Munster or women's church continued. In 1045 the king made the convent even more powerful by granting the abbess permission to mint coins, hold markets and collect tolls. In 1218 the abbey was granted independent status, and the abbess would even choose the city mayor. The convent lost its power during the 1300s, and by the 1500s it was dissolved. In the 16th century, the narrow archway on the outer corner of the church was deliberately small to inhibit veiny women from entering with elaborate clothing like the fashionable wide hooped skirts. Today the church is an Evangelical Reform Church.

Zurich's beautiful Fraumunster church is best known for its five stained glass windows which were the creation of Marc Chagall. The windows are situated in the choir and were created in the 1970s. Each window makes use of a specific colour and illustrates a Biblical story. Chagall was also responsible for the church's rose window. In the north transept is a 9-meter high stained glass window by Augusto Giacometti, who created the artwork in 1940. In the former convent, the cloister is frescoed by Paul Bodmer depicting Zurich's saints.

Kunsthaus

The art held in this modern art museum span from the Middle Ages to contemporary art and comes from across the globe but with an emphasis on Swiss artists. The collection covers the paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, photography and video art.

Among the highlights you can see some Swiss altarpieces; paintings from the Dutch Golden Age; Flemish and Italian baroque periods and the Venetian Settecento. Swiss artists include work by Johann Heinrich Fuseli, Arnold Bocklin and Giovanni Segantini. There are works in the Zurich Concrete Art genre and the Swiss Realism genre. You can see impressionism, post-impressionism, pop art, Medieval sculptures and Nordic expressionism. The museum holds the largest collection of work by Munch outside of Norway. There are works by Bacon, Jacques Lipchitz, Twombly, Merz, Beuys, Chagell, Monet, Picasso, Henri Rousseau, Manet, J. M. William Turner and Alberto Giacometti.

The photography collection includes works by Jean-Marc Bustamante, Maurizio Cattelan, Jeff Wall and Andreas Gursky among others. There is a collection of rare vintage photo collages and photo sculptures by Herbert Bayer as well as other colleges, slide projections, large format images, installations and photo montages. The video collection consists of artistic pieces rather than commercial or documentary productions. The videos date back to the 60s and cover innovative pieces up until modern video artwork. There are video pieces by Pipilotti Rist, Peter Fischli and Vito Acconci among others. Within the museum building is a library of modern art with books, magazines and video art amounting to about 244,000 volumes.

Landesmuseum

The Swiss National Museum (SNM) covers several locations and collections – the Castle of Prangins; the Forum of Swiss History Schwyz; the collection centre at Affoltern am Albis; Zunfthaus zur Meisen Porcelain Museum; Museo Doganale Cantine di Gandria and the main museum, the Landesmuseum Zurich. The building which houses this prestigious art museum was constructed in 1898 according to the design of Gustav Gull. The building was inspired by French Renaissance Chateaus, castle-looking country homes. The building has many towers, courtyards and lush gardens and is located on an island between the Sihl River and Limmat River.

The museum's collection includes art from prehistory through the medieval period and into the 20th century. The most prominent pieces are Gothic art, liturgical wooden sculptures, medieval panel paintings and ornate altars. The art offers an overview of Swiss history and Swiss identity and culture. There are over 840,000 items in the collection, which is divided into 14 sections: archaeology; precious and non-ferrous metals; graphic arts and photography; ceramics and glass; carriages, sledges and wagons; paintings and sculptures; furnishings; numismatics and seals; jewelry and timepieces; technology and traditions; textiles and fashion; arms and uniforms contemporary witnesses and special collections. The special collections include toys, musical instruments, models and antique household items. This extensive museum will give you a complete overview of the history and culture of Switzerland.

Where to Stay

Swissotel Zurich

The Swissotel Zurich is located in the Kanton Zurich, Switzerland. This hotel is situated 20-minutes away from Zurich Airport. This hotel offers a top class and very quality accommodation in the city of Yangon. The in-room facilities are well equipped with luxurious amenities such as flat-screen television with cable channels, a coffee or tea maker, hypo-allergic bedding, bathrobes, slippers, a private bathroom, and a tub. Besides that, they also provide a place with an air-conditioner and also sofa beds. Even, you as the guests can request extra beds or infant beds.

Moreover, you can enjoy free international calls, and also a free Wi-Fi. The hotel has always kept the rooms clean since they offer a daily housekeeping service. If you have any questions to ask, their 24-hour front desk will always assist you in any related matter. After a long day trip to a few places in Yangon, you can relax your mind and body by swimming at the provided pool. There is also a restaurant that serves different types of dishes which can meet the taste of most guests in this place.

FIFA Hotel Ascot

As it is located 40-minutes away from the Zurich Airport, the FIFA Hotel Ascot provides affordable accommodation in Zurich. Every room in this hotel is well equipped with basic amenities. Besides that, the hotel provides the best facilities and services to make their guests feel more comfortable and convenient during their stays at this hotel. You also can access free Wi-Fi from their room and also in the public area of the hotel.

Youth Hostel Zurich

For those who want to stay in a hostel rather than a hotel, the ideal choice of a hostel to stay is at Youth Hostel Zurich. It is a perfect accommodation for the backpackers and also for those who want to stay a bit longer in Zurich but with fewer budgets. You can freely use a few facilities that provided by the hostel.  Every dormitory in this hostel is equipped with basic amenities such as a desk, a bed and a pillow. There will be a 24-hour front desk to handle the process of check-in and out of the rooms. They are also available to help the guests in case if the guests need any assistance from them. Moreover, the guests who rented a car, they can park them at the provided space. They also can stay connected with their families and friends because there is a free Wi-Fi available in public area.