We are committed to making your stay at the Victoria an experience you will never forget. As part of this meaningful hospitality journey, we invite you to an adventure full of surprises.
Wander around the corridors and discover the secrets of Switzerland through fun facts and anecdotes. Run down the stairs and find out what's on each floor...
Or cross the street and wander through the Palace hallways….
Located on the shores of Lake Geneva in Montreux, the Mountain Studio has hosted some of the biggest stars in music: the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, David Bowie, Michael Jackson, Iggy Pop, and of course, Queen. The studio was rebuilt in 1975 after the Montreux Casino burned down and was bought by Queen in 1979, who have recorded nearly all of their songs there since 1978. A statue of Freddie Mercury was inaugurated in Montreux in 1995 to pay tribute to the singer.
Martina Hingis is the youngest player to ever reach the top of the WTA rankings at the age of 16. She won 107 singles and doubles titles, as well as 25 Grand Slam victories. In addition to her incredible solo career, she won numerous titles in both women's and mixed doubles. After a last successful season in 2017, she decided to retire.
In terms of robotics, Switzerland is a front-runner. Despite its small size and a total population of only 8 million people, Switzerland is mighty: almost one-fourth of the top 20 laboratories worldwide are based in the country.
On average, the Swiss took the train on 74 times and traveled 2,505 km in 2019. Japan is the only country in which trains are similarly popular. With 40 trips per person, Luxembourg is second in Europe. Despite a late start with the construction of its first line in 1847, the Swiss railway network grew rapidly in the 1950s and became the densest network in Europe by 1960. The shortage of coal caused by the Second World War contributed to electrifying the lines. From 1944 onwards, the railway clocks were synchronized, and in 1982 the network switched to a clockface timetable with unprecedented punctuality.
To greet each other in Switzerland, you can say “Bonjour” or“Salut” in French, “Grüezi” or “Hoi” in Swiss German, and“Buongiorno” or “Ciao” in Italian. For the very small part of the Romansh speaking population, you might also hear "Bun di" or"Allegra".
The Matterhorn’s pyramid-shaped peak is a true symbol of the Swiss Alps. In fact, so iconic that Toblerone used the Matterhorn’s shape as inspiration for their chocolate bars, giving everyone the chance to taste a piece of the Matterhorn.
Tavillons, layered wooden tiles, are mainly used to decorate farms and mountain chalets, but can also be found on the facades of buidlings, chapels, or even monuments. This art represents a know-how transmitted from generation to generation. The tools and ancestral techniques have remained the same for centuries and belong to the heritage of the alpine regions.
The discovery of fondue was made by the people of Fribourg. At the beginning of the 18th century, the farmers of the Fribourg Alps reused the leftover cheese and stale break from their previous meals. Economical and very nutritious, the recipe quickly spread to the rest of the country as well as to the whole world at the 1940 New York World's Fair.