“I really like downtown Zurich. It’s got a quaint atmosphere, narrow, winding streets, and can easily be explored on foot. The lake shore is also great for taking a stroll. One of my favorite spots is the Fraumünster (a monastery church) which is beautiful inside as well, but from outside you can also photograph it together with the surrounding buildings and the river.
If you want to see the city from above, take a trip up the Ütliberg, also known as the roof of Zurich. Here there is a four-star hotel (the UTO Kulm) where it might be worth spending a little time. If you’re visiting with children, it’s definitely worth paying a visit to the Zurich zoo, which is special in that it contains one whole hectare of rainforest. In addition, I would recommend the Zoologisches Museum der Universitat Zürich, which is very interactive, informative, fun for the whole family, and free of charge.
A good spot to sit and chat with a friend is the Schaffel terrace, on Ankegasse. We regularly go with friends to the juice market on Augustinergasse, and I also recommend Hiltl (www.hiltl.ch), which is a vegetarian self-service restaurant with a great range of dishes. For coffee lovers, I have to admit there isn’t a particularly broad range. Being a big coffee drinker myself, I tried to discover some good places, but really, outside of Starbucks, there’s often only Jilly, which isn’t my favorite coffee. For instance, neither Segafredo nor Costa Coffee are present in Zurich (though you can find Segafredo in Basel).
If you want a taste of Zurich culture, you should definitely visit the Schiffbau.
What I don’t like is that you can smoke practically everywhere, and many people do. Surprisingly, Zurich has a lot of smokers, and you’re permitted to smoke at bus stops, playgrounds, almost everywhere. It’s very strange.
The other thing I don’t like is the way the rules are handled and interpreted. I think they’re too strict, and no form of appeal is offered. Parking is very difficult, and there are a whole host of rules. You have to pay careful attention to what color of line you’re parking next to, because if you get it wrong, punishment is swift. It’s difficult to work out what traffic zone you’re in, but the ticket inspectors show no mercy on the grounds of incomprehension, and there doesn’t seem to be any system for challenging an unfair ticket.
One thing I love, however, is how many options there are for excursions. If we have guests, I take them to see my favorite places, and they’re staying with us for several days we can take a trip up to Appenzell, for instance. There’s a wonderful place for hiking not far from Zurich, and it can be reached by cable car.
If you’re coming to Zurich as a tourist, you should be prepared to arrive in the world’s second most expensive city! If possible, leave your car at your accommodation, because you can get anywhere quickly and conveniently by public transport. Also, bring your hiking boots, and use them. A lot!” (kiki, 2015)
