Schwyz is rather awkward both to get to and to stay in, and you’d probably do better spending the night in Brunnen down the road. Schwyz is a bus-oriented town, with the main central bus station (“Schwyz-Post”) handling arrivals from Brunnen. The train station is in the suburb of Seewen, some 2km west of Schwyz centre – buses run from outside to Schwyz-Post. The tourist office is a counter within the central post office off Schmiedgasse, down the hill from Hauptplatz (Mon–Fri 7.30am–noon & 1.30–6.30pm, Sat 8–11am; 041/810 19 91).

Places to stay are limited to the Hirschen, Hinterdorfstrasse 14 (041/811 12 76, h.elmiger.schwyz@swissonline.ch; a), a cosy old place with rooms both en suite and not; and the Wysses Rössli, Hauptplatz 3 (041/811 19 22, fax 811 10 46) with large pleasant rooms and an excellent restaurant, especially strong on fish specialities (menus Fr.23). Ratskeller, Strehlgasse 3 (closed Sun & Mon), is another quality restaurant, with a less expensive bistro area to one side (menus Fr.18).