Zurich is the most visited city in Switzerland, so it was an essential stop on my recent visit to the country of cheese, chocolate and watches.
Getting there
The main international airport is located in Zurich, which makes it an easy place to fly into. We enjoyed the full Swiss experience and flew Swissair from London, for a quick 1.5-hour flight complete with in a complimentary Swiss chocolate. 🙂
Directly underneath Zurich airport terminal is the train station, known as Zurich Flughafen Bahnhof. It is very well connected with fast trains to Zurich’s main station (Zurich Hauptbahnhof) and other cities across Switzerland. To purchase tickets, I would recommend buying them directly on The SBB online portal for timetable, trains and public transport. Important to know that you won’t need to scan your tickets to get on or off the train, as the entire process works on the honor system. That being said they can do random spot checks and hand out fines for not having tickets. So best be safe and buy your tickets before boarding!
The train into the city is just 10mins, and when you get out at Zurich Hauptbanhof you are central to the old town and other sites.
Where to stay
Switzerland is not known for its affordability, so accommodation can be pricey. As we were only staying one night we opted for convenience over price and it was honestly great. Hotel Josef was a boutique hotel located a short 3 min walk from the central train station. It had a very cool coffee shop/bar on the bottom floor, and offered easy self-check-in. Bonus was the roof top access.
Travel tips
Cash for tips – Switzerland has its own currency, the Swiss Franc. The only reason we took out currency, was to have cash to tip our tour guide while we were there. Otherwise we never used cash in Zurich, as every place takes card and even better uses contactless.
Plug converters – Switzerland has a very specific electrical socket (Type J) that requires a separate converter. Sorry to say your Euro converter most likely won’t work. Modern hotels and perhaps some Airbnb’s will have USB outlets, but if not, you will need this specific converter to charge your phone or use your electrical gadgets. We did not have one and were forced to go out and purchase one, which was a little annoying given Switzerland and Lichtenstein are literally the only places in the world we can use it. We scoured a few shops and finally found one for CHF20.
Food recommendations
Cartell – What can I say I must find Mexican food wherever I am in the world. Zurich had a few, but this place had glowing reviews so it was our choice. After having been I definitely agree with those reviews.
We just happened to be there for Taco Tuesday which they serve in 8, 10 or 12 portions. We went for 8 and ordered 2 of each of the non-meat options (Fish, Shrimp, Veggie and Plant Based) and I can say more than enough. As pescatarians, no meat options were enjoyed, but to those carnivores out there the options looked pretty good!!
The margaritas were tasty and the service even came with free chips and salsa on arrival– for my US readers note this is a novelty, as many Mexican restaurants don’t serve this as standard in Europe.
Swiss Chuchi Restaurant – What could be more Swiss than Fondue? Rhetorical question as I’m sure you’re saying to yourself well duh chocolate. Don’t worry I had plenty of chocolate which I’ll tell you about shortly, but fondue was to be had before departing Switzerland.
There are plenty of places where fondue can be found, but we ended up choosing this restaurant for its central location in the Old Town, its pretty good reviews, and the option to sit outside. The inside here was pretty with plenty of Swiss decor, but unless you are ready for an overwhelming continuous smell of cheese in the air, I would recommend an outside table if you can get one 🙂 .
We had the traditional fondue for two and just stuck with the bread they provided. You can get some vegetable sides, but we saw them on other peoples’ table and you don’t get many and they looked pretty dry and tasteless. The standard option was a delicious and enjoyable experience.
Bridge – We stopped in here for breakfast and coffee and thought this place was great and also offered so many options for quick food, take away meals and a market with items from their selected providers. A very hipster and foodie vibe here.
Jules Verne Panoramabar – visiting here is like combining a visit to a tourist site while enjoying a fancy crafted cocktail.
The bar is located in the Urania Observatory and offers a 360 view of the old town, the Limmat River and on clear days the Alps.
The bar is small and has limited seating so I advise to arrive a few minutes before it opens (5:30pm) and join the queue to be seated. We were the second couple in, and within 15 minutes of arriving the entire bar was full. I would say the turnover is quicker than most bars, especially considering the price tag on the drinks, but sometimes the experience is just worth it!
It can be hard to spot the entrance, but there is a small elevator inside Brasserie Lipp.
St Jakob Beck & Kafi – delicious bakery and coffee shop located in Münsterhof sqauare. Great place to sit, have a quick treat and take in the charming area around you.
Things to See
Fraumünster
One of Zurich’s most famous landmarks. It’s meaning translates to “Women’s Minster”) and has a rich history dating back to 853 AD when it was founded as a convent for noblewomen. The convent was dissolved during the 16th century during the Protestant Reformation. The church is now renowned for the five stunning stained-glass windows created by artist Marc Chagall. I felt the entrance fee of 5 CHF was worth it to see these beautiful windows and to explore the crypt and read more on the history and transformation of this church.
Grossmünster
Is another Protestant church and iconic landmark which just happens to be located directly across the Limmat river from Fraumünster Church.
The twin towers of this church are hard to miss and for the small price of 5 CHF you can climb up the 180 steep steps to the top. At the top you are inside a small enclosed area with 4 big windows. Each window has metal bars that cover them and directly in front of that is the balcony.
The views are nice here, but obstructed and if you are short then seeing over these impediments makes you question why you climbed up these stairs in the first place. Unless you simply must climb to the top, I would give this a miss, especially if it’s a murky day. The church itself is free to enter and is pretty in its simplistic Protestant design.
Lindenhof
Is an elevated area of the city that provides a great viewing platform of the old town and the Limmat River. The area was originally the location of a Roman castle and later a Royal Palace. Today it’s a peaceful park where you can watch local games of Pétanque being played as well as chess on large boards. It’s a very popular tourist stop for the views and equally lovely stop to sit and relax.
Old Town (Altstadt)
Is this charming district filled with narrow, cobblestone streets, medieval buildings, and historical landmarks. I highly recommend meandering through the streets, turning down small alleyways and finding yourself standing in a beautiful idyllic square. The Old Town is also the heart of Zurich’s guild culture, with historical guild houses that date back to the Middle Ages.
Bahnhofstrasse
Is one of the world’s must exclusive shopping streets. It stretches all the way from the main train station to Lake Zurich. If you are in the mood for some luxury shopping then there’s no shortage of shops for you to peruse. For those of you on a tighter budget and want to go shopping, more wallet friendly retail chain stores can be found as well.
Lake Zurich
has a rich history dating back to prehistoric times, with archaeological evidence of settlements along its shores from around 4300 BC. During the Roman times a small customs station could be found on the lake which served as a major trade route connecting the Alps and northern Europe. It has since evolved into one of the cleanest lakes in Europe, with water that is even drinkable in many areas.
There’s loads to do on the lake, with daily boat tours, paddle boarding, kayaking, paddle boating, swimming and fishing. It has some great running and walking trails as well, and we just happened to walk by the Zurich Aviary Zoo that includes a variety of exotic and native bird species, including parrots, finches, and owls.
Lindt Home of Chocolate
was only opened in 2020 as Lindt’s premier chocolate experience center. How can you come to Switzerland and not partake in the ultimate chocolate indulgence. It’s located about 7 miles from Zurich city center so not necessarily walkable, but Uber does work in the city and it’s about a 15 min ride. Tickets for the tour are 17CHF and you are allocated a time slot – necessary to regulate the visitors through the self-guided museum.
You will be greeted by the world’s tallest chocolate fountain as you enter the building – unfortunately it’s not a help yourself opportunity but no fears as the chocolate tasting isn’t far off. You will get an audio guide to use as you walk throughout the museum, but I felt it was just too much information and preferred just reading the history and information as I made my way through.
Theres plenty of opportunity to indulge in some tasting, including spoonfuls of liquid chocolate, small bites of Lindt squares, taking one of each flavor of the Lindt chocolate balls, and lastly one final self-selected chocolate before you exit the museum.
And if you are still hungry after all of that there is a cafe located at the entrance as well as the largest Lindt chocolate store where you can buy as much chocolate as you can take home. I was very impressed with the experience and definitely recommend a stop here!!
Wrap Up
We spent 1.5 days in Zurich and for what I wanted to see and, all noted above, it was plenty of time. With an extra day I would have opted for a day trip to neighboring Lichtenstein, but alas I’ll just have to come back.