Highlights of Zurich

Zurich is a surprisingly beautiful city. The Zurichsee and the River Limmat are two of the key elements but the charming old town which occupies a large part of the city center, with its narrow, hilly alleys and lovely restored buildings adds much to the appeal. So too do the distant snow-capped peaks overlooking the waters of the lake.

The city has five ‘not-to-be-missed’ attractions. There are the wonderful religious sites, the lake shores, the extraordinary museums and galleries, the medieval Niederdorf district and the swanky Bahnhofstrasse.

The Fraumunster with its delicate spires, the 12th century Grossmunster cathedral, and the old parish church of St Peters Kirche with the largest clock face in Europe are three wonderful places to visit. Don’t miss the modernistic Chagall stained-glass windows in the Fraumunster, and climb the tiny spiral staircase in the unique dual towers of the Grossmunster for a great view over the city.

During the daytime, the medieval ambience of the Niederdorf district is tranquil and relaxing. The waterfront is lined with old guildhalls that have converted their extravagantly decorated dining rooms into up-market restaurants. One block in is the Niederdorfstrasse with its cobbled side-alleys and secluded courtyards. At night the area becomes a bustling bar and club district.

The two-kilometre long Bahnhofstrasse on the opposite side of the river is a complete contrast. This runs from the railway station directly to the lake shore and is a shoppers paradise. Partly pedestrianised, Bahnhofstrasse is one of the most expensive streets in the world. It is rumoured that many Swiss banks hold their gold reserves in vaults that run under the street. Above ground, don’t miss the Jelmoli department store, the shops selling luxury goods from Bally, Hermes and Chanel and some of the swish cafes.

Quick Tips:

Zurich is a city where staying in the center is a huge advantage. The central city is a wonderful shopping, sightseeing, dining and entertainment precinct and it is all within walking distance of some of the central hotels. The city seems safe and even at night many women walk alone.

Zurich shopping is not just about luxury goods. For bargains try the Flea Market in Helvetziaplatz which operates on a Saturday from around 9am to 1pm. Most Zurich shops close at 4pm Saturday and reopen on Monday morning. For those who feel deprived of a shopping opportunity, the shops below the main railway station are open for business come Sunday morning.

Much of the city’s charm is to do with the lake. During winter a popular stroll is along the quay from Bellevue. One popular destination is the Chinese Garden within Zurichhorn Park. The garden is one of the most impressive outside China. Come springtime, the lake shore transforms with a host of bathing areas and ferry boats. There are many boat trips available to scenic lakeside towns, including Rapperswil.

Best Way To Get Around:

Zurich is compact and accessible with a maze of cobbled streets lined with shops, churches and decorated town houses so walking is easy and fun. Consider a walking tour organized by Zurich Tourism. It costs CHF20 for two hours. Trams are the quickest way of getting further afield. You can buy a 24-hour pass at any tram stop by paying around CHF7 and pressing the green button.

Zurich International Airport is the main point of entry to Switzerland so many international visitors arrive here. There is a cheap and excellent train service from here to the central city. The huge Hauptbahnhof (main railway station) is an attraction in its own right with a cinema, markets, fashion shows and other activities.

The 600-year old Hotel zum Storchen has the best location in the city. It is the only hotel on the banks of the Limmat River and is within walking distance of all the central city attractions. It is on the quieter left bank , close to St Peter’s Church, picturesque Lindenhf park and the Bahnhofstrasse, and the nightlife district is accessible by crossing the Rathaus bridge. The 4-star hotel is independently owned by a prominent local family and is operated by the Summit Group.

Although the hotel has existed for 600 years, it was completely rebuilt in 1939. Fortunately, some thought was given to the new structure and it is undeniably romantic. The rooms and bathrooms are small by modern standards but they are warmly appointed with pretty fabrics and some have French windows that open over the water. Fresh flowers and a fruit bowl are provided for guests. Rooms have a guest safe. The deluxe corner rooms are worth fighting for if money is no object.

The lobby incorporates a business center, newsstand, ladies and men’s hairdresser and car rental outlet. Other services are a porter, laundry/cleaning, valet service, doctor, shoe shine and safe deposit boxes. This is where you can run into a celebrity almost without knowing it. Recent guests have included Kofi Anan, Tina Turner and Michael Douglas. The hotel is popular because of its blend of excellent, friendly service, relaxed atmosphere and state-of-the-art facilities.

La Rotisserie is the hotel’s signature restaurant. The atmosphere is extraordinary and reminiscent of an authentic guildhouse. There are a series of menus which run from SF70-94 and change depending on the seasons. Imagine enjoying home made morel ravioli with baby vegetables followed by a pot-stew of turbot, lobster, shrimps and scallops and finished with a raspberry and peach parfait on a Bourbon vanilla sauce. Fortunately, I don’t have to imagine. It was delicious.

I also checked out the ground floor Barchetta Café and Bar with its jumbo cappuccinos, delicious snacks and wines, and the first floor Storchen Piano Bar which has nightly entertainment. In summer there are two further options. The Storchen Terrace overlooks the river and serves warm meals from morning till late evening. The Boulevard Café operates under the lime trees next to the romantic fountain for light lunches, afternoon ice cream sundaes or an after-work beer or wine.

Rates: Single rooms from CHF470, doubles from CHF680, suites CHF910

This is one of Zurich’s best five-star hotels that has been in the hands of the same family since it was established more than 150 years ago. The location, close to the lake, is excellent and the hotel combines this with a spectacular interior and a highly personal service. Whether you can justify the cost will depend on your personal circumstances.

The hotel’s front rooms overlook the lake, the canal and the lawns of its private park. All rooms and bathrooms are generous in size and the décor is elegant and classy. There is an attention to detail that provides a very comfortable and relaxing ambiance. The signature classic décor gleams with rich fabrics and fine furniture. The bathrooms are marble all round and there are elegant fittings due to the recent refurbishment of most rooms.

Rooms are air-conditioned and have a mini-bar, safe, satellite/cable TV, pay TV showing the latest movies, two telephone lines, wireless internet access, a modem/fax connection and a full-size work desk. International newspapers are provided free of charge. The standard of service was above the ordinary, as it should be for these prices.

The spacious hotel lobby has plenty of class and elegance. This is a place to meet business contacts for an aperitif or a nightcap. There are a choice of restaurants depending on the time of the year. Between February and October light, finely balanced meals are served in the glassed-in Le Pavillion in the park along the canal. From October to April haute cuisine is served in the glowing Restaurant Francais. The Rive Gauche Restaurant and Bar is open all year, but not on a Sunday. This is an informal downtown restaurant featuring traditional and classical dishes presented in a trendy manner. I like its elegant bar. Here appetizers are CHF28, soups CHF13, mains CHF28-49 and desserts CHF17. My recommendation is the lemon tart at CHF9.50. On Sunday, La Terrasse has a Sunday brunch from April to September and cool drinks and snacks during the day.

The hotel has a fitness club on the top floor with nice views to the lake and city. You can book a massage or relax in the solarium. There is a barber/beauty salon and a dance club called the Diagonal in the basement. A limousine service is available from the railway station or the airport.

The Swiss National Museum is actually made up of eight museums spread around the country but the main museum in Zurich is the parent of the group. This is situated in an imposing castle-like building behind the main central railway station. It was officially opened in 1898 and contains an extensive collection of objects that were either produced or used in regions belonging to today’s Switzerland.

The museum covers the period from the Stone Age through the Roman period to present times. In the rambling rooms and corridors of the building there is the work of goldsmith and silversmiths, textiles, coins, watches and clocks, furniture and interiors, paintings and sculptures. Of particular interest is the collection of arms and armor, with Swiss-made weapons from medieval times, including impressive crossbows and swords. Also impressive is the series of rooms containing religious objects including gilded altarpieces and 15th century stained glass windows. I happily spent a couple of hours just wandering around but if you had a particular interest in one aspect of the collection you could stay much longer. There are tours available.

There is a cafeteria which operates indoors most of the year but outdoors in the courtyard in summer. It is operated by the Zurich Women’s Association. Drinks and hot and cold food is available at reasonable prices. In the midst of the exhibition on tourism and the souvenir industry, the museum has developed a function room called Salon Rouge with its own Steinway grand piano. If you have the chance to attend a function there, don’t miss it.

The museum opens Tuesday to Sunday from 10.30am-5pm. Admission charge is CHF5 for adults, free for children.

There are two other outlets of the National Museum in Zurich. One is the Museum Barengasse, which showcases the everyday life of Zurich people from 1730 to 1800. The ground floor houses the Sasha Morgenthaler Museum. The other is the Guildhall at Munsterhof 20. The two guildhalls and the balcony between them are embellished with rich stuccos and are startlingly beautiful. The building contains an exhibition of pottery and faience table settings in the 18th century.

This Romanesque and Gothic cathedral is the city’s most famous landmark and it utterly dominates the landscape of the hip and trendy Niederdorf area. It was started in the 12th century on the site of a Carolingian church. The cathedral is dedicated to the patron saints of Zurich: Felix, Regula and Exuperantius who in the 3rd century attempted to convert the town to Christianity. For their trouble they were plunged into boiling oil then beheaded. It is said they were buried on the cathedral site.

Most of the building you now see is from the 15th century. The unique twin towers were topped with octagonal domes in the 17th century after a fire had almost destroyed them. There are some sculptures dating from the 12th century. The choir contains stained-glass windows completed in 1932 by Augusto Giacometti.

The cathedral was once the parish church of Huldrych Zwingli, one of the great leaders of the Protestant Reformation. He urged priests to take wives and attacked the "worship of idols" and the Roman mass. In accordance with Zwingli’s beliefs, the present Grossmunster is austere, stripped of the heavy ornamentation found in many Roman Catholic cathedrals. Walking through the deceptively large interior it is easy to imagine Zwingli preaching his austere message from the pulpit.

The attractions for visitors are the basic building, the 15th century statue of Charlemagne in the crypt, the stained-glass windows, the ornate bronze doors and the view from the towers. When you visit, don’t miss the chance to wind your way up the tiny spiral staircase to the tower viewing point. The city spreads out before you and down below you look on roof gardens. It is a great place for some memorable photographs. Today the complex houses the theological faculty of the University of Zurich. Church services are held on Sunday mornings.

Don’t miss the nearby guildhalls on Limmat-quai, several of which are now fine restaurants. A meal here can be both a visual and gastronomic treat. Even if you don’t plan to eat, pop in for a quick look to see the grand décor. We used the excuse of wanting to look at the menu on several occasions to great effect.

Grossmunsterplatz and Zwingliplatz, Old Town
Tel: 261 5311/ 252 5949
Entry: cathedral – free, towers – CHF3
Open: March – October 9am – 6pm, November – February 10am – 4pm.

Church spires are a feature of Zurich and the souring Fraumunster is the most delicate. The church was established in the 13th century on a site that had been a convent for noblewomen since 853. The present church, however, has been modernized. From the outside, the building looks fairly unassuming but once inside, the world-famous modernistic stained-glass windows by Russian-born Marc Chagall spring into life. Some of the other windows were designed by Augusto Giacometti.

Protestant mass in German is held on Sunday morning. The church is open Monday to Saturday from 9am-6pm during May-September and after mass on Sunday. During other months, hours may be shorter and it has been known to close for lunch. Guided tours are available. It is well worth a visit and the Romanesque choir is a perfect spot for meditation.

St Peter’s church is nearby. This is Zurich’s oldest parish church dating from the early 13th century. A church has been on this site since the 9th century. The present building’s claim to fame is the enormous clock face on the spire. It is claimed to be the largest in Europe. The building has been extensive changed over the years and you can see this in the architecture. The basement of the tower is the original Romanesque, but the tower was rebuilt and extended in 1534 when the clock was added and the nave was rebuilt in 1705.

There are services here on Sunday and the church has a tradition as a site for inexpensive classical concerts. The building is open to the public Monday to Saturday from 8am-6pm. While the interior is interesting, it is really the exterior that calls out for that photograph.

When in this area, take the time to visit Lindenhof. This is a delightful park on a hill where the settlement that is now Zurich began as a fortress that protected the Roman river crossing. There are excellent views of the old town on the other side of the River Limmat. Also close by is the famous Bahnhofstrasse, one of the world’s most elegant and exclusive shopping streets. Even if you are not buying, many will be interested in the spectacular window displays.

Contact details: Fraumunsterplatz; St Peterstrasse
Tel: 261 5311(Fraumunster)