Downtown Switzerland

For a very long time Zurich was in the bucket list awaiting for a good occasion, and finally the time came. Quite unexpectedly I have to say. We planned the weekend for a long drive from Dusseldorf to Heidelberg at the south of Germany, farther beyond Frankfurt, and visiting on the way back both Eppstein and Diez. However things got in our usual crazy travelling way and noticed we were merely 300 kilometres away from Zurich. Let’s say no more, temptation is our weakness, but always plays in our favour.

Now that was a well worth decision, although very tiring too. 610 kilometres is what we did in total just on a Saturday since the very early morning, arriving to Zurich right in time for lunch. And what a day! Over 30 degrees and sun, that is a rare sight on its own. Rearranging the rest of the weekend was the less difficult. Since the cities we would be visiting were very small, reducing time here and there was indeed a good decision or we would have ended up with too much time not knowing what to do or where to spend. Zurich in any case deserves much more time than what we spent in all and will plan in the near future a full weekend only for this city and its lake.

Mentioning again the weather, that was by far too hot, at times uncomfortable. Not the temperature itself which 30 I can stand perfectly, but being so dry without any air made it quite complicated. We were not strolling slowly around, we were on a quite busy rushy agenda making it even more difficult. In any case that is no excuse for complaint, I rather “suffer” for hot than rain, cloudy, cold and ugly.

The city, like anywhere else and anything in Switzerland, is very expensive. It was my first contact with this country and I can only imagine how the rest of the country is. Surely I will plan with more money and have at least nice food avoiding any fast food chain as we did on this occasion. But hey, if you though McDonalds for example would be normal price then you are mistaken, (I was). It costs on average triple than the prices elsewhere, and that for a simple small menu. If you want to have a laugh, then check the prices at restaurants, shocking honestly. I have never been keen to pay such prices and won’t do.

Walking along the elegant streets is the best way to enjoy the beautiful architecture and views of the city, from the river and the lake. Having a car is also a great plus since you can drive the whole lake around where you will get impressive views of the mountains, nature and landscapes, and also the little villages and castles all around.

For more information about the city check Wikipedia and Wikitravel sites. Switzerland’s currency is the Swiss Franc (CHF). Please note that any price reference is true as from when this guide was created, therefore check prices in advance as with the time they change.

What to see and do in Zurich

• Lindenhof Quarter The oldest part of the medieval core and also the most prestigious.

-Münsterhof Square The largest square in the old town filled with medieval guild houses, which are one of the major sights in Zurich.

-Zunfthaus zur Meisen A large guild house housing the Swiss National Museum.

-Fraumünster Women’s Minster Church founded in 853, few remains from those origins. The choir is from the 12th century, and as the Great Minster Church, it has elements of recent addition as the north transept window from 1945.

-Augustinerkirche Another of the major churches in the city.

-Augustinergasse The main street in this quarter famous for the beautiful wooden bay windows from the 17th century houses.

-Münsterbrücke Connects Lindenhof and Rathaus quarters. The views of both banks are the best from the bridge.

• Rathaus Quarter On the opposite side of Lindenhof across the river is the other part of the historic city.

-Town Hall Very beautiful stone structure built atop the river.

-Grossmünster The Great Minster Church started construction in 1100 with elements added as recently as 1932 with the choir windows and 1950 bronze doors. It is the most important church in the city. The views from the top of the tower are a must do.

-Limmatquai Street Built in the 19th century as a promenade parallel to the Limmat river. It passes many guild houses and bridges.

-Saint Peter Church Originally built on the 9th century, most of the building you see today is from the 15th century. It is also famous as having the largest clock face anywhere in Europe, dating from 1538.

• Central Train Station Zürich Hauptbahnhof, to the north of the city next to the historic districts and surrounding by beautiful grand buildings is the largest train station in Switzerland, major train hub with connections to many European countries and one of the busiest train stations in the world.
• Bahnhofstrasse The main and most important shopping street in the city, running all the way from the train station to the lake.
• Opera House Near the Quaibrucke at the beginning of Lake Zurich.
• Lake Promenade Runs from Bellevue to Tiefenbrunnen. Very picturesque and nice for walking and relaxing specially if the weather is good.
• Centre Le Corbusier Directly on the shore of the lake, for architecture lovers this is the place. Also named Heidi Weber Museum, it is the last building he designed and never saw it finished as he died before. Le Corbusier was an architect from Zurich and revolutionised the world with the use of concrete, steel and glass.

Transports

Zurich International Airport is just few kilometres away from the city centre, taking you only 12 minutes by train to the Central Train Station for 6.6 CHF. The ticket is valid for an hour after it is validated, therefore you can continue your journey to your final destination either by bus or tram within the city. For the same price, you can take a tram instead but this will take around 35 minutes. Travel cards are sold on 24 or 72 hours basis and they grant access to all Zurich museums free of charge. These cost 24 or 48 CHF.

Within the city there there is a huge public transportation network if you compare it to the actual size of the city. Many buses and trams criss-cross the city to every corner therefore you are never far away from a stop, although what is the historical centre and majority of the sights do not require any public transportation to reach, distances are short for what walking is the best option, and sometimes the fastest.

Accommodation

Let’s face it, we did not stay overnight in the city and on purpose. Hotels here are very expensive, and does not matter if you opt for a smaller or guest house. We instead slept over in Mannheim, very near Heidelberg which was our actual destination on the following day.

Whichever the case, you have absolutely every hotel chain in the city, especially the luxurious brands. A good and reasonable point to start your search is by checking some of our preferred affiliate hotel search engine such as Hotels.com, Booking.com, Expedia, Otel.com, Agoda, Opodo or Ebookers.

Photo Gallery

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