Why is Switzerland most popular for the Alps? Is it really the best place?

Question

I hadn't known before I went to Europe that you can also see the Alps in France, Austria and Itay. Why is Switzerland known the best for it?

Is it really the best place to see the Alps?
I met some European residents while I was there and they said Austria is actually the best place, Innsbruck is the capital of the Alps, It's most beautiful when you see it in Austria etc. (didn't meet anyone saying the same thing about France and Italy)

Most of my friends don't even know these four countries share the Alps and Switzerland is kinda officially related to this. What's the reason? Why did Switzerlad get famous and popular among these countries?

Answer 1

It is the only country which is more or less all Alpine. In the 19thC it was also remote, underdeveloped and rustic, which added to the tourist-appeal. Add to this that the Swis Alps are the highest, which gives them climber-appeal (very fashionable for Victorian rich young men) and you can see where the popular opinion is coming from.



There are those who even forget that there are other equally fine, if rather lower, mountains in the rest of Europe. I have a special fondness for the Pyrenees - still largely unspoilt in a way that the Alps are not.



Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Best Places In The Alps

Answer 3

The Alps are divided among the following countries:

Austria, Slovenia , Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, France, Italy and Monaco.



Italy has the largest part of the Alpine territory (32%).

instead, France Switzerland and Austria, all together, represent 55% of the Alpine territory.



However it’s possible that many American people think that Switzerland is the only one related with the Alps because, from a strictly national point of view, the Alps are only dominant in Austria (65,5% of its territory) and Switzerland (65%), while French and Italian territories are very diversified in terms of territory identity.

Moreover these two countries have other mountain ranges (Pyrenees in France and Apennins in Italy)



Innsbruck is called "the capital of the Alps" because it's the biggest city in the Alps range and is located in the middle of them.





In my opinion the best ski domain in the Alps is Matterhorn Ski-Paradise. It covers the ski resorts of Cervinia (ITA) and Zermatt (SWI) and it has 313km of slopes.



Other fantastic ski towns/resorts:

Val d'Isere (FRA), Chamonix (FRA), Kitsbuhel (AUS), Cortina (ITA), St. Moritz (SWI)





While the most wonderful mountain range are the Dolomites, in North-Eastern Italy.

They are an UNESCO World Heritage Site

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKuYDJ5wL0k

Answer 4

Italy has the most Alps.