Located in the center of Europe, with easy, convenient access to neighboring countries, Zurich is considered Switzerland’s center of economic life and education with all the amenities of a large city — combined with a natural side.
According to myswitzerland.com — operated by Switzerland Tourism — that and more makes Switzerland a wonderful place to visit in all seasons. Though Christmas is an obvious special favorite time of year for many visitors, Zurich and the surrounding east-to-reach region is well worth the effort at anytime.
We began our excursion to Zurich with a non-stop flight from Miami on Swiss Air (there a number of ways to connect from Raleigh).
Business Class to Zurich is a refreshing and rewarding experience, with convenient pre-boarding, leg raises, incredible food and spacious interior. Our flight was overnight, so we recommend you aim for two or three hours of sleep and try to stay as hydrated as possible.
Upon arrival, we eased through customs and made the short jaunt on the Express Train to Zurich HB (the main train station located in the center of downtown Zurich). This train runs regularly throughout the day and night – with easy access and ticketing,
After arrival at Zurich HB we made our way to the street level entrance of the Zurich Tourism office- a great source for all things Switzerland with a knowledgeable staff offering real assistance and reservations for various attractions - all at no charge. It was here we purchased the Zurich Card which provides you with 72 hours of FREE transportation throughout the region by bus, train or tram and deeply discounted or free admission to local museums and points of interest.
With all our valuable information and our Zurich Cards in hand, we hopped an electric tram headed to the nearby Hotel Europe to check-in and stay awake to adjust to local time. It helps to opt for
room service, dine close by the hotel, do a “take away” or – if all else fails – Uber eats is usually available.
We stayed several nights at Hotel Europe, a family run-4 start hotel with 39 stylish rooms and two suites in the heart of Zurich's city center and near the historic Zurich Opera House. Our accommodations included a light breakfast buffet with assorted hot and cold items and a very attentive staff offering unlimited, refills of fresh coffee and tea.
Our first day began with a neighborhood walk and lunch upstairs at Coop City. A multi level department store across the street from the Christmas markets and the Zurich Opera House. Coop City offers many cold weather essentials, clothing, cosmetics and don't forget to visit their paper and gift wrap section- a very special selection of hard to find luxury paper goods.
With our new Zurich cards in hand, we hopped on the local river boat for an extensive river tour along both shores of the Limmat river and continuing into Lake Zurich. This is indeed, the real way to see Zurich up close- simply beautiful.
The boat runs regularly throughout the day and makes several stops at suburban communities along the route. Passengers can hop off to stroll through the streets or visit such landmarks as the Lindt Chocolate facility. The lake offers an abundance of wildlife, and on most clear days riders can catch a glimpse of the famous Swiss Alps in the near distance.
Our first evening in Zurich, dinner was Max and Ottos, a farm to table experience located on Hotel Europe’s first floor. A favorite of locals visiting the nearby Opera House, the restaurant has a friendly, helpful staff, nightly specials and a stylish interior. Oh, and plenty of great food and drinks.
Our first big excursion outside of Zurich landed us in the charming town of Lucerne- only 45 minutes by train, but seemingly a world away, with cobblestone streets and “Olde World” restaurants – such as Restaurant Fritschi, a busy little family restaurant. We enjoyed an out-of-this world potato dish topped with egg and warm, gooey cheese fondue – bubbling table side with plenty of white wine.
Lucerne offers a slower pace and our advice is to relax and slow down. Any attempt to look like Americans in a rush will not score you a waitress. The hustle is not appreciated here. Act as if you have all day. Lucerne offers incredible food, shopping and great photo opportunities along the river and historic buildings.
train tickets from Zurich to Strasbourg, France. Strasbourg is only a couple of hours away and the cost is reasonable. We suggest you upgrade to first class seating when available, for a truly memorable experience.
In Strasbourg, visitors will find more bustling Christmas markets and several blocks of quaint gift shops and unique local eateries in the "Old Town '' section close to the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Strasbourg. Be sure to stop at the legendary Le Gruber french restaurant. Here you can dine on authentic French Onion soup, croissants, heavier fare with an extensive wine list. Le Gruber offers the best Black Forest Gateau one may ever taste.
After dining, step outside for a special photo opportunity in front of the "teddy bear building" located next door at 51 Rue du Fossedes-Tanneurs. This beautiful old building offers several floors of teddy bears affixed to the exterior structure with a nod to Germain design and influence.
Regularly rated high in international rankings for quality of life, Zurich is truly a lovely, boutique city…
SWITZERLAND TOURISM Zurich
Uponreturning
Zurich for our last night in town- we checked in for a memorable time at the Hotel Schweizerhof of Zurich. This 140-year-old landmark is as close as you can get to the action. Located next to all the high end boutiques and designers from around the world- this is one of the top stops for Switzerland. Upon entering the hotel lobby we were greeted by the front desk staff offering hot towels and a glass of champagne.
Our corner suite screamed luxury and offered adjustable beds, free high-speed wifi, fresh fruit and flowers and a well appointed bathroom with piped in music, marble tub and separate shower with double sink vanities.
Must sees at the hotel include: The Cafe Gourmet and its caviar bar, wines while serving salads, sandwiches and plenty of Champagne. An engraved, floor to ceiling mirrored wall touts the famous Coco Chanel quote "I only drink champagne when I'm in love....and when I'm not". Also be sure to check out - La Soupiere restaurant, reservations are a must and the wait list can be weeks in advance.
We were up early the next morning for our final day in Zurich. We enjoyed a luxurious breakfast in the historic, upper level dining room where we lingered for hours just to read the paper and take it all in a little bit longer.
When it was time to depart, we simply walked across the street to the main train station, (Zurich HB) for the quick, high speed train ride to the Zurich International Airport.
Regularly rated high in international rankings for quality of life, Zurich is oftentimes referred to as a lovely, boutique city that offers a little of everything— unique, exquisite and one of a kind. We couldn't agree more.
With the Zürich Card, city explorers can enjoy Zurich in all its diversity and save time and money. The Zürich Card offers the following for 24 or 72 hours:
• Unlimited 2nd class travel by tram, bus, train, boat and cable car in the city of Zurich and surrounding region
• Short boat trips and Limmat river cruise
• Free or reduced admission to 43 museums
• 50% discount on the Zurich Old Town Walking Tour
• And many more experiences
CONTACT/MORE INFORMATION: myswitzerland.com