Amazing Zürich

It is a wonderful town, sitting astride the Limmat River where it emerges from the Zürichsee (Zürich lake). Its charming Altstadt (Old Town) is full of beautifully restored historic buildings and narrow, hilly alleys. In the distance, snowy mountains overlook the waters of the lake, and the shores are dominated by the 1900s mansions.

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The earliest known Zürichers lived around 4500 BC in small houses perched on stilts by the lakeside. In the 1st century BC the Romans built a customs house on the hill overlooking the Limmat River. In the time the customs house became a fortress, the remains of which can be seen on the Lindenhof square. In the 5th century the Germanic Alemanni drove out the Romans. Four centuries later the Carolingians built an imperial palace on the Limmat and Louis the German founded an abbey here. By the 12th century Zürich became a center of commerce and merchants established famous guilds. However, the city is far from a cold-hearted business center. In the 1916 the avant-garde Dadaist movement started here. Zürich also drew in famous Irish writer James Joyce, who wrote “Ulysses” and “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man”. Now the city’s extraordinary museums and galleries, TV channels, and shops along the Bahnhofstrasse attest to its position as Switzerland’s cultural capital.

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Switzerland has the densest network of public transport in the world. Only Japanese railways are used more frequently per person than those in Switzerland. You can find some transportation tips in my “Swiss Transportation System” entry.

This is my favorite art museum in Switzerland. Near the museum`s entrance you can see Rodin`s `Gate of Hell`. Museum is devoted mainly to 19th and 20th centuries, although the range of painting and sculpture reaches back to antiquity. My favorite exhibits include the pictures by Monet, Cezanne, Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec, Utrillo and Picasso. The visitors come to see works of Rubens, Rembrandt, Chagall, Bonnard, Edward Munch, Mondrian and other famous artists.

SCHWEIZERISCHES LANDESMUSEUM (Swiss National Museum) conveniently located next to Hauptbahnhof (the main train station). Its collection contains works of religious art (frescoes, altarpieces etc.). There is a large display of Roman clothing, medieval silverware, furniture, costumes, dollhouses of various periods, and Swiss clocks.

Its towers are Zürich`s landmark. Romanesque and Gothic cathedral was founded by Charlemagne. Construction begun in 1090 and additions were made until early 14th century. The cathedral is dedicated to the patron saints of Zürich: Felix, Regula and Exuperantius. In the 3rd century the 3 martyrs attempted to convert the citizens of Turicum (original name for Zurich) to Christianity. The governor had them plunged into boiling oil, then forced them to drink molten lead. Nevertheless, they refused to renounce their faith and were beheaded. Miraculously, they had enough power to pick up their heads and climb to the top of the hill (the present site of the Grossmunster), where they dug their own graves and then interred themselves.

FRAUMUNSTER (The Church of Our Lady).This church is on the left bank overlooking Munsterhof square. The chief attractions of the church are 5 stained-glass windows designed by Marc Chagal in 1970. The Munster is also celebrated for its elaborate organ. The basilica has 3 aisles, the nave is in the Gothic style.

Zürich is situated on both shores of the Limmat river. Old Town is said to have begun at the Am Lindenhofe, which is where you too might have begin your orientation to the city. It is situated on the top of the hill and is the architectural center of historic Zurich. A Linde is a tree and the the Lindenhof was built originally by the Romans...

Swiss Federal Railways SBB offers a range of passes to suit the travel requirements of most visitors. The Swiss Pass entitles the holder to unlimited travel for 4, 8 or 15, 22 days or one month of railway, boat and postal bus networks and on the municipal transport system of 40+ cities and towns. Prices range from a 4-day 2nd class pass at $160 to one month 1st class $535. They also offer 1st and 2nd class Saver passes (2 or more people traveling together – 15% discount), and 1st and 2nd class Youth passes. These passes also entitle the holders to a reduction of 25% on many mountain railways and aerial lifts.

The Swiss Flexipass is ideal for those wanting to walk or cycle from a few centers: choose any 3 days (or 4, 5, 6, 8) within 1 month and enjoy the same benefits as the Swiss Pass holder ($132 - $424).

The Swiss Card is valid for one month and provides a round-trip ticket from the border point or airport to any Swiss resort (each direction completed in one day). It gives the holder unlimited ½ fare trips on all other trains, bus and steamer services ($155 1st class, $110 2nd class). Swiss Transfer Ticket is good for the winter sports travelers who will be likely to obtain a ski pass covering local transport, but would not wish to go further afield. It costs $118 1st class, $76 2nd class.

The Swiss Family Card allows children under 16 to travel free with their parents (parents must have a pass). It is available for 20SF per child at Swiss train stations, but you can get it free when you bought an adult Swiss Pass, Swiss Card or Swiss Transfer Ticked outside Switzerland. Kids 6 – 15 not accompanied by parent are ½ of single adult fare.

The Half-Fare Travel Card, sold at Swiss train stations, gives you 50% off on all national and private trains, postal buses, lifts and steamers for 95SF a month.

We usually buy our train passes from Rick Steves through his "Europe Through the Back Door", ricksteves.com . In this case, you can also buy the Swiss passes directly from SBB here .

Of great value to travelers is the facility to send luggage from all staffed stations to any other station, where it will be kept until the appropriate numbered form is presented (about $10 apiece). We arrived to Zürich, sent our luggage to Lausanne (our hub in Switzerland), and had our peace of mind during the day.

On the return, your suitcases can be sent from one of 125 Fly-Rail stations to the airport at home.

Another facility for the return journey is the opportunity to rail passengers to check in up to 24 hours before take-off and reserve a seat long before other passengers. To obtain a boarding pass, you need to show your train ticket, airline ticket and passport. It works for some 20 stations including Basel, Bern, Davos, Fribourg, Geneva, Interlaken, Lausanne, Montreux and Zürich.