My first visit to Zurich was close to 15 years ago when I went on a summer tour of Europe with the now-defunct People to People organization. Zurich was our first stop. I couldn’t believe the stunning colors of the water and quickly fell in love. Last year was the first time I had been back since then, and while the weather wasn’t as nice, the city was still as charming as I had remembered. One thing that was new to me was the prices - it is SO expensive. But for a weekend away, it’s worth the splurge. Here’s my Zurich travel blog.
WHAT TO DO IN ZURICH
While there are many boat cruise options on the river and lake, if you buy a city transit pass, there’s actually a line that runs via boat on the river and into the start of the lake - a cheaper and shorter version of the real cruises. You can rent bikes for free (must pay a deposit, get back at the end) from the city and take them around all day.
We did a free walking tour, which covered all the major sites. There are many spots for a great view, and the best viewpoints we went to were Zurichberg, the university area, and Lindenhof.
There are lots of museums to visit in Zurich; the Landesmuseum and Kunsthaus seemed worth a trip, but the only one we made it to was Lindt. Give yourself a few hours here and come with a sweet tooth and an empty stomach.
If you’re looking for shopping, you’ll find some upscale shops on Bahnhofstrasse, and cute, boutique shops in the old town.
WHERE TO EAT IN ZURICH
Swiss Chuchi was a traditional Swiss restaurant in our hotel where we ate the first night. We had to try the cheese fondue, and it did not disappoint. Note that it’s definitely filling, but literally just bread and cheese, so a side or a salad may be worth an add. Our waiter advised against it, but we ended up ordering salads in the end.
We also really liked Brassiere Schiller for lunch with a view of the opera house, Osteria Borgo for a tasty Italian dinner, and Cafe Henrici for coffee and brunch. The one spot we didn’t get to that I wish we had was 1842 im Haus Contidori for a sweet treat.
WHERE TO STAY
Hotel Adler Zurich is central and a very cute boutique hotel. It’s important to note that you can’t drive around here in the Old Town area, so if you have a car, you have to park it a bit farther from the hotel.
GENERAL TIPS:
There’s free, drinkable water in fountains throughout the city.
Remember they are on the Swiss franc and not euros. However they take cards in many places, unlike most of Europe, so having just a bit of cash should get you by.
It’s very expensive, so try to stick to less expensive lunches and splurge for dinner.
Just like in Germany, all shops are closed on Sundays (restaurants remain open).
