Situated on the northwestern part of
Switzerland, the canton the Jura Mountains region is bordered by the country of
France on the north and west, the
Basel region to the north-east, the the
Schweizer Mittelland (and city of Bern) on the east and the
Lake Geneva region to the south.
Jura gets its name from the Jura mountain range that borders the canton on the south. Apart from providing such a picturesque backdrop to the quaint little towns that make up the region, the Jura mountain range has been particularly important to scientists and archaeologists all over the world. The mountain range holds a vast treasure of different fossils of extinct plant and animal species that had once thrived in this region. In fact, it is from the name of this mountain range where the name Jurassic Period was derived from.
Unlike the other cantons in Switzerland, the region of the Jura Mountains is a diamond in the rough just waiting to be discovered by tourists. Including Jura in your Swiss travel itinerary is a decision you would never regret. Those who have traveled to the canton of Jura are captivated with the beautiful little towns where time had seemed to have stood still, particularly in the canton’s capital of Delémont. Here, travelers are treated to the rich cultural and historical heritage of the canton with many of the buildings currently being used to this day being constructed and built to as far back as the 14th century.
Some of the region's well know cities are Fribourg and Neuchâtel.
