Perched on Lake Geneva in the southeast, Geneva is Switzerland’s most altogether city for tourists. Its old town and main sights can be explored on foot, including the Cathedral de St Pierre, the flower clock and the huge Jet d’Eau fountain.

As the largest city and business hub, though not the capital, Zurich is cosmopolitan and loaded with sights. It’s not as pretty or well situated as Geneva though its Altstadt (old town) has delightful cobbled streets, churches and amazing museums. The shopping on Zurich’s Bahnhofstrasse is unrivalled.

Lucerne is a wonderful waterfront town on the lake of the same name, between Zurich and Bern. Its main draw is its medieval old town and as a launch point for trips to major ski resorts in the region.

Nearby Interlaken is of similar disposition, serving the stunning Berner Oberland proper, with its typical Swiss scenery of green hills and wild flowers backed by jagged, snowy peaks. The Eiger, Jungfrau and Mönch peaks are world famous, and Grindelwald is a top ski resort.

Sat on the border with Italy is the distinctive Matterhorn, Switzerland’s most famous peak, which is worthy of a Swiss holiday on its own. Traffic-free Zermatt is the service village and famous ski resort; a typical alpine village of chalet restaurants and carriage rides. Nearby Gornergat has the best views of the mountain.

The small canton of Appenzell lies in the north and is replete with traditional-looking villages and a quiet air. It is a place of painted houses, lush valleys and rolling hills, backed by the likes of the Säntis peak.

Swiss capital Bern is noted for its medieval core of ancient, arcaded streets. It is less of a draw than Zurich or Geneva for tourists, so is quieter though nonetheless beautiful. Keep an eye out for the centuries-old clock tower.

Along with nearby Klosters and St Moritz in the east, Davos is one of Switzerland’s best known ski resorts. It is good for beginners and advanced skiers, and is loaded with hotels, restaurants and après-ski delights.

Switzerland’s standout landmarks are its peaks. The 4,478-metre Matterhorn (seen from Zermatt or Gornergrat) is the most impressive, while the Eiger and Jungfrau northern walls (viewed from Lauterbrunnen valley) are also heavily touted.

Impressive in another way is the 14-mile long Aletsch Glacier, Europe’s longest glacier and a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is easy to access, too, and is best viewed from Bettmeralp.

Europe’s largest falls, the Rhine Falls, are worth a look for those crossing from Germany. There are well set platforms and a boat takes intrepid visitors right up to a rock island amid the falls. A children’s playground and nearby castles are side attractions.

Jet d’Eau is somewhat of a symbol of Geneva and one of the world’s highest fountains at 460 feet. Located near the city centre, it is beautifully lit at night and, historically, hails from the 1890s.

Also near the city of Geneva is Chillon Castle; a striking stronghold on the east shore of Lake Geneva that is noted for its trio of courtyards and views. The vast castle hails from the 11th century and has dungeons and period collections.

The Swiss National Park-Switzerland’s only national park-covers much of the east and a variety of terrain. It boasts fantastic hiking along well-marked trails and is good for all the family, with its extensive wildlife.

The elliptical mountain chapel of Mario Botta (Mario Botta’s Mountain Church) in southern Switzerland is a must for those visiting Lugano. The modern church is a feast for the eyes with its checkerboard design. This canton is noted as the tropical Alps, where palm trees are under the guise of mountains and glaciers.

The Swiss Transport Museum of Lucerne is one of Switzerland’s more quirky museums. It features aircraft, trains, ships and cars, along with offbeat forms of travel, and has an IMAX theatre and planetarium.

Most towns and ski resorts have bars and nightclubs. Clubs play everything from dance music by way of DJ to live folk music. Many bars and restaurants also have folk entertainment, while all cities boast theatres and a symphony orchestra.

Zurich is best for a party, featuring numerous trendy bars and clubs. It is quite avant-garde, with the best of entertainment in post-industrial Zurich-West. The city centres of Geneva and Lausanne also have a decent amount of bars and pubs. Bern, the capital, is decidedly staid in comparison, though it has some good clubs and clubs/bars in Matte. Basel is liveliest in the Kleinbasel and Barfuesseplatz areas, from where you can nip across to Mulhouse to enjoy French hospitality.

Those on Switzerland holidays in winter for the skiing will find that all the main resorts have party-orientated après-ski. Verbier and Zermatt are particularly fun, Klosters and Davos will cost you a packet, while the service town of Interlaken has a huge number of nightclubs and is always pumping.

Switzerland also has casinos, one of the best being in Lugano in the south, at the Grand Hotel. Away from the traditional nightly entertainment, visitors may prefer to chill out at a spa (all towns and resorts have them) and Interlaken’s Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel and Spa is renowned. Cities also have entertainment in their shopping malls.

Eating out is a big deal in Switzerland and much of the nightlife centres on eating at street side/water side cafés. It’s quite expensive to dine in Switzerland though there are budget options to go with the predominantly mid-range to high-end choices, and the quality is generally good.

There are traditional restaurants galore, serving everything from fondue to the tastiest pork, sausages, cheeses and chocolates. Swiss, German, French and Italian foods are most prominent though every town has a slew of British-style eateries and American burger chains. If you’re somehow stuck for local cuisine, look for a tavern (stubli).

Local specialities include dried beef or pork (viande sèchée), pigs trotters (pieds de porc), fried potatoes (rösti) and fondue with vacherin and gruyere cheese. Salami and pork sausages come in many forms, such as knackerli, beinwurst and landjäger. For dessert, chocolate is always on the menu, and the honey cakes (leckerli) in Bern are a must-try.

For the Swiss, lunch tends to be the main meal, with lighter eating in the evening. Cafés and restaurants typically open until late, with those in Zurich and Geneva often attracting street performers.

Incidentally, posh ski resort eateries aside, these cities have the most expensive dining, with a meal at a similar Lucerne or Basel restaurant around 50 per cent cheaper. Those staying at resorts could opt for a half pension rate where a hot meal is included in the room price.

Swiss wines are available nationwide and there are also local lagers and ales. Kirsch, Marc and Pflümli are popular liquors, and Henniez is a tasty local mineral water. Service charges are included at all bars, cafés and restaurants though tips are expected at top eateries.