Why are alps so popular

This results in an excellent network of cogwheel trains, funiculars, cable cars, post cars and boats. Unlike many other mountainous regions, it is very easy for anyone to experience the Swiss Alps up close, and visit places that used to be accessible to mountaineers only. A great example of exploring the Swiss Alps the luxurious way is the Glacier Express. Since , this train allows people to enjoy the mountain scenery from the comfort of their train seat, and even wine and dine along the way.

Simplifying the layout of Switzerland at large, we can say that larger cities and industrial activities can be found in the relatively flat north and west excluding the Jura mountains. Particularly the surroundings of big cities like Basel , Zurich and Geneva are examples of that. The Alps can be found in the southern half of the country. This is where nature is most impressive.

Again greatly simplified: there are two types of landscapes in the Swiss Alps. North of the highest mountain tops, the landscape looks fresh and green. The landscape south of these tops is drier and rougher.

Both types of landscape have their charm. If you plan a tour across Switzerland , we would certainly advise to visit both. There are many different animals in the Swiss Alps. Some examples are wildcats, badgers, bats, salamanders, frogs, squirrels, rabbits, vipers and many birds. Like in other parts of western Europe, larger wild animals have been almost or completely extinct in Switzerland. However, wildlife organizations managed to re-introduce animals such as the ibex, the fox, the lynx and the wolf.

Wolves have been extinct from Switzerland for quite a while, but they are back. Wolves are not as dangerous as you may think. They avoid human beings and at the most they will protect themselves while being hunted. The chances of seeing one are slim. There aren't many wolves in Switzerland and they are shy.

If you do see one, it will usually hide in the bushes quickly. The traditional culture of farming, cheese-making and woodworking still exists in Alpine villages.

The Alps are one of the more popular tourist destinations in the world with many resorts such Oberstdorf, in Bavaria, Saalbach in Austria, Davos in Switzerland, Chamonix in France and Cortina d'Ampezzo in Italy recording more than a million annual visitors. With over million visitors a year, tourism is integral to the Alpine economy, with much of it coming from winter sports, although summer visitors are also an important component.

This is a collection of DW's content on the Alps. A boy who was the only survivor of a cable car crash in the Alps must go back to relatives in Italy, an Israeli court has ruled. He has been the focus of a bitter custody battle since his grandfather took him to Israel. At least 15 people were injured when a train derailed and a carriage toppled into the Mur River in Austria.

On their last day of school, dozen of students crawled out of the carriage. Packed with castles and palaces, churches and abbeys, picturesque towns and breathtaking nature, the Romantic Road between the Main river and the Alps is one of the most popular tourist routes in Germany. For tens of thousands of cows, their summer grazing in the Bavarian Alps will have to wait.

Thick layers of snow are still blanketing their pastures — but the cold and wet aren't all bad, say experts. How do communities around the world help empower and enable each other? In France, one group is helping migrants in the treacherous Alps, and a new report shows that there are more and more displaced people in the world.

And in Africa, women are supporting each other: An NGO in Nigeria is helping deaf pregnant women while in Somalia new fitness and work opportunities for women are being embraced.

Rescuers were able to save one person who was among the hikers. Authorities have warned that the risk of avalanches in the French Alps remains particularly high over the coming days. Germany's five glaciers, all in Bavaria's Alps and melting faster than once forecast, could be doomed within 10 years, experts have said.

The Swiss Alps is one the top spots for skiing in the world , and it boasts some of the best ski resorts, with, you guessed it, the best slopes. The scenery. The Swiss Alps are home to some of the most dramatic scenery in the world. To give you a small taste of what to expect, the ski resort of Zermatt boasts 38 peaks over 4, metres alone. The peculiar culture. The Swiss Alps gave us the infamous Alpenhorn and yodelling, as well as a fascination with cows and their bells.

The hiking. The Swiss Alpine Club is incredibly well organised and runs a wide range of retreats at a low cost for hikers all across the Swiss Alps. Experience the Alpine village life.

The Swiss Alps are full of charming little villages like Grindelwald where you can feel totally connected to nature and just relax and breathe the clean mountain air. Take a look at our guide to the most charming places in the Swiss Alps to explore the best that the Alps has to offer, be that skiing or hiking.

The food. Good old melted cheese fondue has its shady origins in the Swiss Alps as a dish for poor farmers who sought to make use of all their left-over ingredients during the tough winter months. On a trip to the Swiss Alps you can dig into this and other regional specialities like raclette while sipping on some fine Swiss wine.

The Matterhorn.