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- Destinations
- Europe
- Switzerland
- Bernese Oberland
- Gstaad
Gstaad
Bernese Oberland's most glamorous holiday resort and the place
for glittering socialites to be seen is the chic town of Gstaad,
known for its high society, luxury hotels, fine dining and
expensive boutiques. Gstaad has been the favoured holiday
destination of the rich and famous for years, entertaining the
likes of Roger Moore, Paris Hilton, Elle Macpherson and Tina
Turner, among others. The picturesque village is traditional in
style with delightful alpine chalets, a pedestrian-only centre and
spectacular scenery, and lies at the centre of the Gstaad Super Ski
Region, one of the largest ski areas in Europe.
Information & Facts
Activities
Besides skiing and snowboarding while on holiday, Gstaad offers
ice-skating, tobogganing, ice-climbing and curling in winter, as
well as a wide range of summer activities. In summer, hiking is
popular, as well as mountain biking, climbing, tennis, golf, horse
riding and even beach volleyball. There are also lots of excursions
in the surrounding area, and a variety of top events throughout the
year, including the Swiss Open Tennis Tournament, classic music
festivals and international hot-air ballooning.
Language
The three official languages are Swiss German, French and
Italian. A few people speak Romansch, but this is confined to the
southeastern corner of the country. Most people know at least three
languages, including English.
Money
The official currency is the Swiss franc (CHF) divided into 100
rappen (German) or centimes (French). Although not part of the EU
many prices are nonetheless indicated in Euros and some merchants
may accept Euros. Visa, MasterCard and American Express are widely
accepted and ATMs are widespread; many are equipped with the Cirrus
or Maestro system. Banks offer the best exchange rates for
travellers cheques and foreign currency, but it is also possible to
exchange money at major hotels, main train stations and airports.
Banks are open Monday to Friday.
Negatives
Gstaad has a reputation for being an exclusive holiday
destination and therefore rather expensive. The skiing might be a
disappointment for expert skiers, and snow coverage is unreliable
due to the relatively low altitude.
Night Life
There is a good choice of trendy bars and pubs in Gstaad, and
there is dancing at Rosie's Suite and Chlösterli. The GreenGo bar
and nightclub at the Palace Hotel is the place to be seen and is
the centre of Gstaad's nightlife with two bars and a massive dance
floor. Richie's Pub is a popular meeting spot for locals, an
English pub with a large TV screen for sporting events. The elegant
Rialto bar hosts live music in winter.
Restaurants
Visitors on holiday in Gstaad are spoiled for choice when it
comes to restaurants. A large number of establishments have been
awarded with Gault Milau points for outstanding cuisine, such as
Restaurant Le Grill at the Palace, while about 70 others offer
everything from traditional specialities to Asian, Italian, fish
and grills.
Shopping
Gstaad's main shopping street is Hauptstrasse, with a large
selection of stores and boutiques offering wares from the latest
fashions and exclusive sporting goods to jewellery and pastry
shops, catering mainly for the wealthy elite on holiday. There are
also a variety of Swiss-made devices to be found at Von
Siebenthal.
Time
Local time in Switzerland is GMT +1 (GMT +2 between March and
October).