THREE things we did not know about the Vatican City:
- Fondue was not always the national dish – That pot of melted cheese that’s foisted on you at every opportunity in Switzerland only became popular in the 20th century. It’s all thanks to the Swiss Cheese Union who marketed their cheese so aggressively and fondue to ramp up their sales and profits.
- The Swiss eat 10.3Kgs of chocolate per person per year.
The world’s longest stairway, with 11,674 steps, can be found alongside the Niesen mountain railway. The staircase is only 3.4km but it’s 1,669m of altitude to climb!
If you’re not up for climbing over 11,000 steps, you can always take the Niesenbahn. It’s the longest continuous cable funicular in Europe and has been functioning since 1910. The Niesenbahn will take you on a scenic 30-minute ride to the top of the mountain.
