Zurich: A Pleasant Surprise
November 18, 2009 | Laura Carroll
Zurich's Niederdorf district
If the mention of Zurich evokes imagery of suited bankers wearing overpriced watches and eating bars of fine chocolate (notice how each trait gets more appealing), then you probably haven’t spent too much time in quaint little Zurich – world renowned for its economic clout, but not quite the travel destination it deserves to be.
It may be pricey, and your standard German may not get you very far amongst all the schweizer deutsch, but something about the city is likely to stay with you, as it did with me. Zurich is actually one of my favorite cities, especially in the winter, when holiday lights dance through the fog that covers those Romanesque buildings, making the setting surprisingly similar to that of a fairy tale.
Zurich is small, but shouldn’t be regarded as a town you can get the gist of in the course of a weekend. Its layout would present a challenge to the complacent traveler who looks for the city highlights somewhere in the center – Zurich needs to be discovered.
Along my discovery, I somehow managed to miss the circuses that roll, swing and crawl into town during winter months, but the week that I spent in Zurich was wonderful, and the city as a whole left a lasting impression on me.
To see: The first stop on my art tour for one was Kunsthalle – Zurich’s contemporary art center. Housed in an old West Bank brewery (though not noticeably so), Kunsthalle has the big names of any international museum. Take them all in, then have an espresso and a look around the bookstore before heading downstairs to the Migros Museum – a privately funded museum of the same genre.
I then traveled off the beaten path (to the more beaten up path, I might add) to some really great contemporary galleries. I was freezing and buzzing on chocolate though, and so the exact locations of these venues have been forgotten. One might consult the Gallery Guide to find them – they are certainly worth the trek.
Other sight-worthies include St. Peter’s Church, the Kunsthaus and the Zoology Museum (or the zoo itself).
Kunsthalle Zurich, Limmatstrasse 270, Kreis 5; 044 2721515
To eat: The people of Zurich seem to have high expectations when it comes to their food quality, and the restaurants I visited seemed in keeping with this trend. The first was Hiltl, impressive not only for its all-vegetarian cuisine but for the fact that it has been a veg-friendly establishment since 1898! It’s a super-popular place with a full menu, a buffet and a very pleasing ambiance.
Perhaps better for lunch is Reithalle, where upscale buffets serve anything and everything, all at reasonable prices and eaten on mess hall tables where getting to know your neighbor is a definite possibility, though you’ll likely be too busy chowing down on your very tasty schmorgasboard.
Another option, if you’re in a rush or just have a taste for it, is one of the many street side sausage stands. Yum.
Hiltl, Sihlstrasse 28, Kreis 1; 044 2277000
Reithalle, Gessnerallee 8, Kries 1; 044 2120766
What not to eat? Despite the trendiness of these establishments (those moving belts are so cute), I would not recommend dining in one of Zurich’s sushi restaurants. Not only is the nearest body of water the narrow Zurich Lake, but this is the only city I’ve seen in which canned albacore is regarded as a legitimate tuna roll ingredient.
To buy: Zurich’s Niederdorf district is lined with those cool and not-so-commercial clothing stores, as well as several to-die-for antique book shops along its steep, upper streets. The Guccis and Pradas can be found at Storchengasse, while the city’s commercial side is on blatant display on Banhofstrasse. Switzerland’s biggest Christmas Market is on in December, when the city’s main train station is transformed into a winter wonderland complete with a Swarovski-embellished tree.
Regardless of what’s on your list (or diet), make sure you stop at one of Zurich’s chocolate shops. Nothing completes a winter day like a dose of Swiss chocolate in any form, and between the walking and the shivering, you needn’t feel guilty.
photo courtesy of scheuble.ch
