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Grab your passport and request that PTO—it’s time to book a trip. But to where? Thankfully, we’ve got a few data-driven travel recs courtesy of a brand-new report. U.S. News & World Report’s 2020 Best Country index just named Switzerland the best country in the world…for the fourth year running. Could it be the chocolate?
The study examines 73 nations across the world, judging them on everything from school systems to cultural influence. The final Top 10 list included some comebacks from last year (including the United States!), as well as one newcomer, the Netherlands. But Switzerland is the reigning champ yet again, and it comes down to a lot more than Toblerone: low unemployment, a surprisingly high number of Nobel Prize recipients, and wealthy citizens, to name a few qualifiers.
And most exciting for us, it’s an up-and-coming design destination. The Experimental Chalet opened just last year in Verbier and it’s already one of our favorite buzzy hotels. Designed by Fabrizio Casairaghi, the 39-room retreat puts a fresh spin on old-school ski lodges with animal-fur rugs and cool lacquer furniture.
It’s also where you’ll find designers like Julie Richoz (remember these colorful glass vases we saw everywhere in 2019?) and recent Fendi collaborators Kueng Caputo. Then there’s Zurich-based Lars Müller Publishers, which prints the latest and greatest in Swiss design coffee-table books. The art/decor scene there is more than just Art Basel—so if you’ve been looking for a sign to book that wintry escape, consider this your go-ahead.
See more trending destinations: We Already Know What the Biggest 2020 Travel Hot Spots Will Be The Historic Resort Giving Us Major Gucci Vibes This Chic New Ski Lodge Is Where We’ll Be Hiding Out