Christmas Markets in Switzerland

Christmas Markets in Switzerland attract tourists as well as locals, and in a lot of ways contribute to the tourist industry in Switzerland.

Switzerland is famous for the breathtakingly magnificent Swiss Alps, the magnificent Matterhorn, and the beautiful lakes , like Lake Neuchatel, and Lake Geneva. Switzerland is also renowned for the Swiss bank, Swiss chocolates, and Swiss cheese, among a lot of other things.

Unlike a lot other European countries, where winter is an “off season” period for the travel and tourism industry, the winter season in Switzerland attracts a lot of tourists from all over the world. Christmas in Switzerland is observed with a lot of gaiety, and a lot of enthusiasm. Christmas in Switzerland is an experience that you should not miss, in case you are planning to visit the region during that period.

If you want to go on a holiday to Switzerland then it is compulsory that you have a valid passport. If you plan to stay, at a stretch, for a period that will cover more than three months, you need to have a visa too. This rule applies to tourists who are passport holders of Europe, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, and the continent of America with the exceptions of Dominican Republic, Haiti, Belize and Peru.

Switzerland is one of the rare European nations where tourists are pampered with duty free shopping, and tax free shopping. You will be spoiled for choice with the variety of perfumes, chocolates, and alcoholic beverages like wines that are available on sale. Attractive discounts are offered on these items, and you are sure to have a great time shopping for Christmas and New Year gifts for your near and dear ones.

Christmas Day (December 25), and Boxing Day (December 26), are public holidays in Switzerland. The country has a primarily Christian population. Usually, travel and tour operators offer White Christmas Tours of Switzerland, that cover the period from December twenty first to December twenty eighth.

Christmas Markets in Switzerland are a part of the holiday festivities in Switzerland. Santa Claus is known as Saint Nicholas in Switzerland. And the Christmas Markets in Switzerland are a part of this festival as much as the figurines of angels, butter cookies, the special chocolates, and the tram in Zurich, that treats children to rides at Bahnhofstrasse, with Saint Nicholas on board.

The period of these Christmas Markets in Switzerland, vary. The Christkindli Market at the main railroad station at Zurich, the capital of Switzerland, lasts for a month. Others are organized over the weekends. However, the items that are sold are more or less the same. The items on sale at the Christmas Markets in Switzerland, comprise of Christmas decorations, Christmas gift items, baked food items, special chocolates, Bratwurst and Gluhwein that are local delicacies, and lot of other local specialties. Not to mention, you will be treated to the largest collection of bells that you will ever get.

Bell ringing is an important Christmas tradition as far as Christmas in Switzerland, is concerned.

Some of the famous Christmas Markets in Switzerland are to be found in Bern, Geneva, Montreux, and Basel. A few start off from the month of November, while most are held from the middle of December, onwards.

Click on the links of holidayhub.com to learn more about the different foreign tour packages that are available.