About Switzerland
26 cantons, 4 official languages, one mosaic. A short orientation for travellers who like context.
The land
Switzerland is small. From north to south it is 220 km. From east to west, 348. Inside that compact frame, the country fits four official languages, two religious traditions, 26 self-governing cantons and a landscape that ranges from Mediterranean palms in Lugano to glaciers at 4,000 m.
What surprises most travellers is how quickly things change. A 90-minute train ride takes you from the German-speaking, Protestant pace of Zürich to the Italian-speaking, Catholic afternoons of Ticino. The food changes. The light changes. The accents change. The Alps stay constant.
Abitanti
8,7 Mio.Lingue ufficiali
4Chilometro Quadrato
41’285
Heidi B.
Lead guide · 12 years guiding through the Alps
Heidi grew up in Grindelwald. She has been guiding parties through the Bernese Oberland and Wallis since 2014, with side specialties in alpine cuisine and the Swiss railway timetable as a kind of poetry. She has summited the Eiger three times and recommends none of them.
Switzerland through the ages
Six dates that shaped the country.
Il Patto Federale
Uri, Svitto e Untervaldo firmano il Patto Federale sul Rütli. La data tradizionale di fondazione della Vecchia Confederazione.
Indipendenza
La Pace di Vestfalia riconosce l'indipendenza della Svizzera dal Sacro Romano Impero.
Neutralità
Il Congresso di Vienna conferma la neutralità della Svizzera. Il paese ottiene i suoi confini attuali.
Costituzione federale
Uno stato federale moderno sostituisce la confederazione sciolta. Berna diventa la città federale.
Convenzione di Ginevra
La prima Convenzione di Ginevra viene firmata — le regole della guerra e la protezione dei feriti. La Croce Rossa è stata fondata un anno prima a Ginevra.
Diritto di voto delle donne
Appenzello Interno — l'ultimo cantone — concede il diritto di voto alle donne in questioni cantonali su ordine del Tribunale federale.
From the journal
Short reads from our guides and editors.
Avidia Travel expands service into southern Switzerland
New Ticino routes complete a north-to-south scenic corridor.
Avidia Travel appoints new Chief Executive
The board confirms a leadership transition effective next quarter.
Avidia Travel wins national sustainability award
Recognised for its low-carbon itineraries and rail-first approach.
New partnership links alpine resorts to the rail network
A multi-year agreement integrates resort shuttles with panoramic rail.
Avidia Travel reports strong 2026 half-year results
Passenger numbers and guest satisfaction both up year on year.
Overtourism and the future of the Alps
Loving a place to death is a real risk. So is hollowing out its towns.
Live conditions
Weather across Switzerland
Current conditions, updated live. Plan your day in the mountains.
Data: Open-Meteo.com (free, no API key). Refreshes every 10 minutes.