Switzerland

Switzerland is the country that turned neutrality into a brand. It hasn't fought a war since 1815, hosts more international organizations than any other country, and somehow manages to have four official languages without anyone getting too upset about it. The Swiss have built a society that runs with the precision of, well, a Swiss watch - trains arrive on time, streets are clean, and the economy is one of the strongest in the world per capita.

But beyond the stereotypes of banks and chocolate, Switzerland is genuinely spectacular. The Alps dominate the south, with the Matterhorn, the Jungfrau, and the Eiger forming some of the most iconic mountain landscapes on the planet. The trains that wind through these mountains are engineering marvels - the Glacier Express and the Bernina Express are bucket-list journeys. Zurich and Geneva are consistently ranked among the world's most livable (and most expensive) cities, the old town in Bern is a UNESCO site, and the lakes - Geneva, Lucerne, Zurich - are as blue as the sky. Yes, everything costs a fortune. Yes, it's worth it.