EXPLORE CITIES OF SWITZERLAND

---

Located in the mountainous Bernese Oberland region of central Switzerland. Built on a narrow stretch of valley, between the emerald-colored waters of Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, it has old timber houses and parkland on either side of the Aare River.

It is the largest city in both Ticino and the Italian-speaking region of southern Switzerland. The city lies on lake Lugano, at its largest width, and, together with the adjacent town of Paradiso, occupies the entire bay of Lugano. The territory of the municipality encompasses a much larger region on both sides of the lake, with numerous isolated villages.

Lausanne is the capital and largest city of the Swiss French-speaking canton of Vaud. It is a hilly city situated on the shores of Lake Genova, about halfway between the Jura Mountains and the Alps, and facing the French town of Evian-les-Bains across the lake.

Geneva is a global city, a financial centre, and a worldwide centre for diplomacy due to the presence of numerous international organizations, including the headquarters of many agencies of the United Nations. Geneva was ranked as the world's tenth most important financial centre by the Global Financial Centres Index, second in Europe behind London. Geneva was ranked first for gross earnings, second most expensive, and fourth in purchasing power.

Lucerne is located at the outfall of Lake Lucerne into the river Reuss, which flows from south-east to north-west. The city occupies both banks of the river and the lowest reach of the lake, with the city centre straddling the river immediately downstream of the outfall. The city's suburbs climb the hills to the north-east and south-west, and stretch out along the river and lake banks, whilst the recently added area of Littau is to the north-west.

Zermatt is famed as a mountaineering and ski resort of the Swiss Alps. Until the mid-19th century, it was predominantly an agricultural community; the first and tragic ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865 was followed by a rush on the mountains surrounding the village, leading to the construction of many tourist facilities. Much of the local economy is based on tourism, with about half of the jobs in town in hotels or restaurants and just under half of all apartments are vacation apartments.

Fribourg is the capital of the Swiss canton of Fribourg and district of La Sarine. Located on both sides of the river Shane/Sarine, on the Swiss Plateau, it is a major economic, administrative and educational centre on the cultural border between German-speaking and French-speakig Switzerland. Its Old City, one of the best-maintained in Switzerland, sits on a small rocky hill above the valley of the Sarine.

Neuchatel is a town, a municipality, and the capital of the Swiss canton of Neuchâtel on Lake Neuchâtel. The city is sometimes referred to historically by the German name Neuenburg; both the French and German names mean "New Castle".

The castle after which the city is named was built by Rudolph III of Burgundy and completed in 1011.