What do you think of when you think of Switzerland? Is it the dramatic landscapes and quaint country settings? Or is it the unique French, German and Italian cultural influences? Maybe it's the historic castles and heritage? Whatever it is, Switzerland has something special for you. Whether your idea of the perfect vacation is hiking in a world of breathtaking vistas or pampering yourself in the lap of luxury.

Neuschwanstein is one of the most popular of all the palaces and castles in Europe. Every year 1.3 million people visit "the castle of the fairy-tale king". In the summer around 6,000 visitors a day stream through rooms that were intended for a single inhabitant. The setting of Neuschwanstein could not be more idyllic. However, movement in the foundation area has to be continuously monitored, and the sheer rock walls must be repeatedly secured.

Sion is dominated by 2 castles. One is rebuilt and the other is still in ruins. Castle Tourbillon is rebuilt and in the midst of being refurbished. The Old Town, castles and museums are all relics of the past that hug the Valère and Tourbillon Hills. The town is surrounded by vineyards and is located in one of the main vine-growing regions of Switzerland.

The maritime Voyages of Discovery turned Lisbon into one of the world’s great ports and the centre of an empire that stretched from Brazil in the West to India in the East. On the banks of the river, great monuments testify to that history. After the earthquake of 1755, the Baixa Pombalina downtown was rebuilt in the classical style while many of its adjoining medieval neighbourhoods survived and are now home to an amazing array of stores, restaurants and cafés.

From the outset, the Louvre has embodied the concept of a truly "universal" institution. Universal in the scope of its collections, it is also universal in its appeal to some 6 million visitors every year: a 21st-century museum rooted in 200 years of innovation.

If you've always wanted to test your off-road skills, VW's Autostadt complex is for you. Tackle steps and water with an expert instructor and learn how to handle a car in critical situations with a safety trainer. Young learners can get behind the wheel too - in a kiddies' electric car - and take a children's "driving test". And you don't need to be a Lamborghini fan to appreciate a guided tour of the Autostadt complex.

The Nufenen Pass is both Switzerland’s highest pass open to motor vehicles and the starting point for a superb cycling tour that actually passes through Italy for much of the way. Well, as spectacular as the circuit is, you’re still going to have to shoulder your bike for some of the stages. The Griess Pass, for example, resists all attempts to cross it in the saddle. But no matter, your extraordinary efforts will be rewarded by a peerless mountain landscape.

The most important monuments on the Acropolis is the Parthenon. It is also the most important and characteristic monument of the ancient Greek civilization and still remains its international symbol. It was dedicated to Athena Parthenos, the patron goddess of Athens. Built between 447 and 438 B.C. its sculptural decoration was completed in 432 B.C.

Geneva is the European headquarters of the United Nations and home of the Red Cross. The town is situated in an unspoiled natural landscape, yet it is still a pleasure to stroll within the city limits: along the shores of the lake, with its famous water jet, or up into the Old Town. And once night falls, the town's multicultural life awakens.

St. Peter's square, one of the most beautiful and famous in the world, is surrounded by Bernini's imposing colonnade that seems to "embrace" it with its 284 columns (1656-67). In the center stands a 26-meter tall Egyptian obelisk from Heliopolis; at its sides two beautiful fountains by Maderno and D. Fontana; everything is grandiose and at the same time extremely harmonious.