There are twenty-six member states of Switzerland known as ‘cantons’ and each one is responsible for its own legislation, government and courts, with each cantonal government consisting of five or seven members. Switzerland is a nation of three distinct cultures and languages. The population is made up of Swiss-German, Swiss-French and Swiss-Italians and where these areas crossover, so does the culture to some extent.
The strong regionalism of Switzerland means that many people do not speak the other languages and it is often more common to find English as a second language rather than one of those native to the Swiss, the only exception being residents near the borders who tend to grow up bilingual. Dialects can vary hugely within the country and spoken Swiss-German is quite different from the written German language. There is no written Swiss language as such, but the nearest thing is traditional Romansch, which is spoken by only 0.5% of the country and now is sadly in decline.
Food in the Swiss-German region is very similar to the Austrian and German menus that you would find just across the border and similarly the Swiss-French favour the cuisine of France, the Swiss-Italians prefer traditional Italian food. Places that you are likely to find all the different culinary styles are cosmopolitan areas that cater for tourists such as the ski resorts of the Alps.
Switzerland is surrounded by Europe, but it is an independent country retaining neutrality and democracy. The country also has its own currency, the Swiss Franc. Euros are accepted in some shops and restaurants but you will be given your change in francs regardless of the currency you use to pay. Cash and debit cards are the preferred method of payment in Switzerland, so be warned that many retailers do not take credit cards or they may impose a high ‘minimum spend’ should you wish to use one.
Shops are open from 9am to 12noon and 2pm to 6.30pm Monday to Friday. Saturday is considered a half day from 8.30am until noon and on Sunday most places are closed. A two hour break, when the majority of shops close to allow their staff to go home for lunch, is normal. You might find that times vary slightly between areas, as the final decision for opening hours of everything from restaurants and bars to shops is democratically decided by each particular canton.
Establishments in larger towns, cities and tourist spots are becoming more flexible now in keeping with their European neighbours and many do not close at all through the day and even open on a Sunday.
Switzerland has one of the most organised and clean public transport systems in the world with a great fare system in place. Almost everyone has a ‘half fare pass’ giving you 50% off trains, boats, buses and even travel in the ski resorts, potentially saving a huge amount. These are definitely worth getting if you are a visitor as hardly anyone pays full price for travel tickets.