Switzerland Travel Guide

If you follow Heidi's diet in Switzerland -- that is, cheese in the morning, cheese at noon, and cheese at dinner -- you'll surely die of cholesterol before the trip is over. Of course, Swiss cuisine has undergone a radical transformation since Heidi's days. In most cases, only the big cities have vegetarian restaurants, but don't despair if you're traveling in smaller towns and villages. Nearly all restaurants, aware of the ever growing number of vegetarians in the world, offer one or possibly two vegetarian specials a day.

Many restaurants now feature a section of the menu to be enjoyed by vegetarians. Of course, you can always sample such classic cheese dishes as fondue and raclette. Other dishes to order -- available almost anywhere -- are omelettes or rösti (the Swiss version of hash browns). Salads and meatless pastas, available in most restaurants, are another choice for the vegetarian. If you're dining at a hotel and/or booked in on a half or full board arrangement, you can always request meatless dishes. Most independent restaurants will also serve you meatless dishes on request. So, never fear you'll be facing a bloody slab of Swiss beef.