ZURICH - SWITZERLAND TRAVEL TIPS

I'm not a nationalistic kind of person at all, but I'll carry the Swiss flag with pride because I just love Switzerland. Perhaps it's because it was the first European city I really lived in, for three months a long time ago, but also because it has absolutely everything. Beautiful cities near water, mountain backdrops, green grass, things are well organised, everywhere and everything is sparkling clean, the countryside is stunning with some mountains always having snow, and there are unforgettable drives forest drives over and through them. I could go on and on....

Arriving by plane, the journey to the centre by train is approximately 20 minutes and everything is easy to follow, just purchase your ticket from a machine and off you go. I used Air-Bnb and got a great big room about two kilometres from the Old Town. There is much to do and see though so you won't be home much.  Switzerland in comparison to the euro is not that expensive anymore. Perhaps only coffees which are a standard 5 euro anywhere, bank district, chic hotel or local suburb cafe. 

Zurich is quite a small city but it has its share of lovely old churches and walking along the rivers through both sides of the Old Town will bring you to the lake which is a hive of activity.  The best is to buy a 48 hour transport cards to find out which places you like the most and then you can hop on and off the trams wherever it pleases you. If you face the lake with your back to town, this church above below is on the tram direction ZH Enge. This one below towers out where ever you walk in the charming Old City streets and is called the Grossmünster (Great Minster).

 

 

View from Lindenhof 

 

South of the Lindenhof in the part of the Old Town that lies on the west bank of the River Limmat, are where most of the churches are. Here you can also see how lovely Swiss architecture is and it's houses, somewhat like Amsterdam, are packed together but a little more irregular in design host different but blending colours, which harmonize well into the overall atmosphere and stunning clear blue and turquoise colour of the river and lake.  

 

 

Gorgeous architectural decor from top to bottom. 

Swiss streets are lovely to wander through, and there are a few hills to climb but the views are worth it. The Lindenhof was once a Roman fortified settlement in the fourth century. It is close by the central Police Station which is also a gorgeous building decorated with balconies of massive red flowering geraniums.  The Lindenhof gives a view over the river and is now a quiet park with trees and benches on the top. On the walk down over the over side, there are small streets with expensive shops and cute shops,  that lead to cosy squares and European cafes with fountains and flora beautifully taken care of. Most of these areas are pedestrian only. Once at the bottom, near Bahnhof you'll pass quite a few funky cars and in the banking district, smartly dressed business professionals of all nationalities.

 

 

 

The nicest thing about travelling, when you have a few days to spare is getting lost in a new city. As long as you're kind of walking in the right direction it's okay, but I've always discovered the nicest of places by accident this way. The music conservatory was one of them. I had taken the tram along the lake at the lake centre point Bellevue Pletz, past the stunning Opera house along the lake, direction Utoquai and came across it. Lovely old buildings and gardens! I also visited the city's old and new Botanical garden. Both were beautiful but I preferred the old one as it's on a hill and has a wide range of different plants. Closer to the one of the main train station is also the City Museum. Worth a visit for the building alone and it's courtyard, decked out with comfy furniture, and some modern art in between the old. Really unique!

 

On of the four massive sculptures on the  Opera House roof

 

Music Conservatory Garden  (one side)

 

New Botanical Gardens 

If you travel to shop you will of course enjoy the most expensive shopping street in the world. I didn't, it's where the traffic is, many tourists and it's all very flashy and fake, in my opinion. What is worth visiting is definitely the Limmatquai and the Rathaus (Town Hall). This is the place to be on Friday night, lots of cafes, a happy buzz, boats on the water and lovely buildings. It is one tram stop from the lake centre point stop Bellevue. Just before Bellevue is a Frau-badhuis, which is a ladies only swimming pool of lake water and it's a stunning place. Do visit ladies! It's about 10 franc for the day and has everything you need.There is also a men's only bath on the other side of town. If you walk down the old Botanical garden hill and take the journey alongside the water, you'll walk by the men's bath, having an aerial viewpoint before descending.

 

 This is the Ladies Bath Club.

But the most beautiful part of Zurich is the lake. Solid iron fences in nautical style line the front edge, with this monument right in the middle and a wide promenade and benches to relax as you amble along. Someone will be playing the long Swiss horn instrument, and people will be commuting via the boat-metro. That's also a must do your 48 hour ticket gives you a ride to a few stops further out to the edge of Zurich, but not beyond. Here, each stop has adorable little rock bays, spectacular parks with trees, boats of all sorts, plus outdoor cinemas, restaurants and cafes. There's also a Chinese garden to visit along one of the stops. 

  

The reason Zurich is so beautiful if because of its lake. The water visibility at the edge is approximately 2-3 metres. It is sparkling clean and there are scores of elegant swans swimming around everywhere. They must be the luckiest swans in Europe!!

Viva la Suisse!