Page 595 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

SWITZERLAND  593

Summer Sports
40 cinemas, almost all of which include the huge autumn fair
have regular showings of in Basel, harvest festivals in the In the summer, mountaineering
English-language films. country’s wine-growing regions, and hiking take over from skiing
and the Combat de Reines, as the most popular draw,
a form of cow fighting popular though skiing all year round is
Festivals and in some areas of the Valais. In an option on the glaciers of
Public Holidays spring, the animals are released Saas Fee and Zermatt. There
Across Switzerland, public from their often cramped winter are 60,000 km (37,200 miles)
holidays and religious events quarters. The cows butt heads in of marked hiking trails
are celebrated in different ways. a natural fight for dominance, to all over the country, including
Lent and Easter are marked by see who is “Queen of the Herd.” some long-distance ancient
masked parades, lantern Injuries are rare. trade and pilgrimage routes,
processions, music concerts, such as the Grand St-Bernard
and tree- and fountain-dressing Winter Sports trail. Yellow markers indicate
in many parts of the country. standard hiking trails. Higher,
Swiss National Day (August 1) Skiing and snowboarding are rougher trails have red and
commemorates the swearing just a couple of the many white markers and the very
of the Oath of Allegiance activities that Switzerland has high-altitude trails are marked in
between the original forest to offer. Despite the country’s blue. These should only be
cantons. Bonfires are lit and reputation for high costs, it is attempted with an experienced
huge firework displays put on possible to ski inexpensively. guide. Mountain biking is also
all over the country. Even the There is a wide range of catered for, with trails clearly
smallest village has a party options, from small, traditional indicated. Maps and infor-
with wine, food, and music. villages to large modern resorts mation are available from the
Switzerland has many other packed with lots of additional Swiss Alpine Club or the Swiss
annual festivals and themed facilities such as swimming Hiking Federation.
events. Geneva’s famous pools and ice-skating rinks.
International Motor Show is Advice on the range and Other Outdoor Activites
held every year in the spring. suitability of different resorts
The Montreux International can be sought from Switzerland Sailing and swimming are
Jazz Festival takes place in Tourism (see p590) or the Ski possible during summer at
July, as does the Paléo Music Club of Great Britain, which the country’s clean lakes. River
Festival, a week-long open-air provides information, advice, rafting is also a popular activity,
concert of world music at the and holiday and tuition especially along the Rhine. If
town of Nyon on Lake Geneva. packages. Cross-country skiing slightly gentler sports – such as
August brings the Locarno is very popular – some of the hot-air ballooning or horseback
International Film Festival and best places to try this are the riding – are more your thing,
Lucerne’s International Music villages of the Jura and the tourist offices will be able to
Festival. Other annual festivals Lower Engadine Valley. provide suggestions.
DIRECTORY
Handcrafts Entertainment Théâtre de l’Usine Paléo Music Festival
Venues 11 Rue de la ∑ paleo.ch
Schweizer
Heimatwerk Opernhaus Coulouvrenière, Geneva. Outdoor
∑ heimatwerk.ch Falkenstrasse 1, Zürich. Tel 022-328 0818. Activities
Schneidergasse 2, Basel. Tel 044-268 6400. ∑ theatredelusine.ch
Tel 061-261 9178. Widder Bar Ski Club of
Airport, Geneva. Fax 044-268 6401. Widdergasse 6, Zürich. Great Britain
Tel 022-788 3300. ∑ opernhaus.ch Tel 044-224 2411. 57–63 Church Road,
Bahnhofstrasse 2, Zürich. Reitschule ∑ widderhotel.ch London SW19.
Tel 044-221 0837. Tel 020-8410 2000.
Neubrückstrasse 8, Bern. Festivals
Uraniastrasse 1, Zürich. ∑ skiclub.co.uk
Tel 031-306 6969.
Tel 044-222 1955. Locarno Interna tional
∑ reitschule.ch Film Festival Swiss Alpine Club &
Entertainment ∑ pardo.ch Swiss Hiking
Tickets Rote Fabrik Federation
Seestrasse 395, Zürich. Montreux
Ticketcorner International Jazz Monbijoustrasse 61, Bern.
Tel 0900-800 800. Tel 044-485 5858. Festival Tel 031-370 1818.
∑ ticketcorner.com ∑ rotefabrik.ch ∑ montreuxjazz.com ∑ sac-cas.ch

592-593_EW_Europe.indd 593 14/07/16 10:19 am