Zurich

ZURICH

Zurich is the biggest town in Switzerland, and also its most populous. It is home to some nice churches, a lovely lake, and great shopping.

Tram in Zurich

View of Zurich from Zurich Lake

The city is home to many churches, including one with the biggest clock face diameter in the whole of Europe.

I recommend first-timers to start exploring from the Old Town , on both the banks of the river Limmat. Start by walking around the riverside, then on Bahnhofstrasse till it ends on Paradeplatz.

The Hauphbahnhof (Central Station) is right in the Old Town, which is close to Bahnhofstrasse which is a lovely shopping street. It leads onto Paradeplatz .

A great shopping centre is Jelmoli

Zurich's riverside

Another highlight is the riverside, closeby is Limmatquai which has some street food stalls.

Another highlight is the lake cruise where you just sit back and enjoy, and take in some good views (and some food).

A highlight for kids is the Zoo Zurich , slightly away but reachable by tram. It has animals in their (mostly natural habitats) with some indoor rooms like the tropics (humid!).

We stayed in a nice hotel called Hôtel du Theatre in the Old Town.

From a now deleted post:

HOTEL DU THEATRE, ZURICH

Although the hotel looks slim, Hotel du Theatre has not-too-small rooms with a rare combination of price, location and size. I was with a family of 4 so a quadruple here turned out to be quite a deal.
The friendly receptionists will give you directions and maps. The elevator is not very big but good for a few people with a bit of luggage. The hotel is very close to the Hauphbahnhof and when going out, don't forget to pick up those numerous pamphlets about various attractions.

On my school trip we stayed in the Courtyard by Marriott Zurich-Nord . Not very convenient for tourist purposes by close enough to the airport. The hotel itself is very good and next to it is a park.

There is a lovely restaurant called Hiltl in the Old Town- buffet, much vegetarian, and the price is calculated by the weight. Take-away is cheaper (since packets are lighter than plates). An average meal should cost between CHF 20-25, free bread.

Maharani is an OK Indian restaurant in Zurich (north).

Safety
Although we were randomly approached by two guys while walking to the railway station in the wee hours, Zurich is generally a very safe city. Follow normal precautions what you will at home and you should be fine.

Itinerary: A day in Zurich
Enjoy a lake cruise in the morning, taking in the views. Check out the Old Town in the afternoon and evening, walking on Bahnhofstrasse to Paradeplatz and along the riverside. The churches may interest you as well.

Last visit- Aug 2010

No of visits- 2

First visit- Apr 2009

Mt Titlis and Engelberg

Closer to Zurich than Jungfraujoch, Mt Titlis is at a lesser height but still as much fun. The gondola takes you to a certain height and then change the gondolas and then take the Rotair which can get very crowded. The Rotair stand is at Engelberg, the lovely town below. The views are legendary and are white, white and white! Once on the slopes, there is an Ice Flyer which takes you around and around, huge fun. Be careful and bring sunglasses and gloves. Gloves can be bought (and are great souveniurs) from a shop below the mountain where you can also buy other sports goods as well as t-shirts. The Ice Caves are great but slippery. The restaurants serve good food and have fantastic views.

During my second visit, we ate at a good Indian restaurant. Follow signs towards 'Indian Group restaurant'.

ENGELBERG

Engelberg is your gateway to Mt Titlis. With perfect views around and a nice quaint centre, there's a good reason you might want to make it your base. There are restaurants around, shops and everything you'll need, but this is less touristy so it makes sense to spend time here.

We stayed at Hotel Edelweiss, great service and rooms plus great views! What else do you want?

Engelberg

Engelberg

Hotel Edelweiss

Last visit- Aug 2010
No of visits- 2
First visit- Apr 2009

Jungfraujoch and Lucerne

         JUNGFRAUJOCH

Bliss is found here at expensive prices yet its very widely available. The train itself is a journey in ways more than one and the views are incredible. Upon the cogwheel train, the views are remarkable if the weather is clear. From the summit also, the views are great and there are some nice souvenir shops and restaurants.

LUCERNE (Luzern)
Lucerne is a beautiful little city on the shore of Lake Lucerne. Here are some photos:

The old town (Altstadt) and the wooden bridge

Altstadt

Altstadt

View from bridge

The wooden bridge

Last visit- Aug 2010
No of visits- 2
First visit- Apr 2009