Switzerland

Discover Switzerland

Fun Foods

Cheese Fondue, Raclette, Rösti, Älplermagronen, Birchermüesli, Swiss Chocolate, Meringue

According to legend, a Swiss hero named William Tell was once forced to shoot an apple off the top of his own son's head, using a crossbow.

The story goes that a cruel ruler ordered Tell to make the impossible shot as a punishment. Tell took careful aim and hit the apple cleanly, without harming his son. Then he helped spark a rebellion that set his people free.

Nobody knows if William Tell was truly real. But the legend grew out of something that was.

Way back in 1291, three small mountain communities joined together and promised to protect one another from powerful foreign rulers. That alliance slowly grew into the country we call Switzerland.

Switzerland became famous for one big idea: staying out of other people's fights. The country has been officially neutral since 1815, which means it doesn't take sides in wars.

It even managed to stay out of both World War I and World War II while battles raged all around it.

The Swiss also love letting ordinary people make decisions. Several times a year, Swiss citizens vote directly on real laws and questions, not just on which leaders to elect. Few countries give regular people that much say.

Strangely, though, that famous fairness took a long time to reach everyone. Women in Switzerland weren't allowed to vote in national elections until 1971, making it one of the last countries in Europe to let women vote.

Today, Switzerland is wrapped in the snowy peaks of the Alps. The most famous is the Matterhorn, the sharp, pointy mountain you've seen on the Toblerone chocolate box.

You can ride a cogwheel train, a special train with a toothed wheel that grips the track, straight up a steep mountainside for incredible views over the lakes below.

For food, the Swiss are masters of melted cheese. Dip bread into a bubbling pot of cheese fondue, or try raclette, where melted cheese is scraped hot over potatoes.

And save plenty of room for Swiss chocolate, some of the best in the world.