Things to See in Switzerland

The roar of water, the tang of salt spray and the chatter of hordes of day-trippers announce the presence of Europe's largest waterfalls. The Rhine Falls might not give Niagara much competition in terms of height (23m or 75ft), but it's a stunning sight when you arrive to see people standing on the tall rock in the middle, with the Swiss flag patriotically flying above.

These Roman ruins by the Rhein are Switzerland's largest, and the last remnants of a colony founded in 43 BC that had grown to 20,000 citizens by the 2nd century. Today, restored features include an open-air theatre and several temples, plus the Roman Museum, which features an authentic Roman house among its exhibits.

Overlooked by most visitors, this pretty woodlands area in the Jura mountain chain has hiking trails and cross-country ski trails. Horse-riding is also popular, and the horses in the area are supposedly renowned for their gentleness and calm disposition. The main town in the region is Saignelégier, which hosts the national horse show in August.

This extraordinary, oval-shaped castle was brought to the attention of the world by Lord Byron, and the world has been filing past ever since - they say the castle receives more visitors than any other historical building in Switzerland.

Perhaps the Great St Bernard Pass should be renamed the Great Alsation Pass. It might save the local rescue dogs at the local hospice some embarrassment. These days the affable Alsatian breed does the rescuing. The museum explains the importance of the monks' rescue work and religious vocation, which dates back to the 11th century.