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Zurich Switzerland Travel Guide

Destination Travel Guide - Zurich Tourist Information

Zurich is the main hub for all commercial activities and cultural events. It is the largest city in Switzerland and is perceived as one of the global cities of the world. Zurich is the capital of the canton of Zurich.

Geographical position

Zurich is situated at the originating point of the Limmat River on the north-western side of Lake Zurich that is 30 km north of the Alps. The city is enclosed by hills with forests in the north and on the eastern side it is surrounded by the Gubrist, the Kaferberg, the Zurichberg, the Honggerberg, the Ottelisberg and the Adlisberg. The Uetliberg covers the western side.

The Limmat and Sihl rivers meet at the concluding point of Platzspitz that forms a boundary around the Swiss National Museum. The main historical center is the Lindenhof, a small hill situated on the left bank of the Limmat River that is 700 meters away north of the area where the river originates from Lake Zurich. The modern city also includes the neighboring territories towards the northeastern side of the river Glatt.

Climate

Zurich experiences spring from March to May. Summer lasts from June to August with fall from September to November and winters are from December to February. During summers Zurich is very hot and the temperature during the day can reach above 35 degrees Celsius though the maximum temperature is 22 degrees Celsius.

The humidity is tolerable. There is a stark contrast in winter with temperatures falling below 0 degrees when the city is dotted with snow. The temperature during winter can fluctuate between -2 and 3.5 degrees Celsius, Zurich experiences rainfall all the year round.

Language

The official language is German but Zurichdeutsch is the vernacular that is widely spoken. About 77% speak German and 4% speak Italian. There are other languages spoken in minority such as French, English, Portuguese, Spanish, Albanian, Macedonian, Serbian, Croatian and Slovenian.

Attractions

You can visit St Peter Church which has the largest clock face in Europe, the Grossmunster and the Fraumunster. You can also visit the Museum Barengasse, the Kunsthaus Zurich, Museum Rietberg, the Migros Museum, the Johann Jacobs Museum, the Johanna Spyri Museum and the NONAM

The other splendid sites to visit are Lindenhof, Parade-Platz, the Zoological garden, Rapperswil, the Chocolate Factory, Uetliberg, Old Town, the Cabaret Voltaire, the Fluntem Cemetery, and the Bahnhofstrasse.

Three churches towers are very popular in the city: the Grossmünster, built by Kaiser Karl the Great, the St. Peter’s Church with the largest clock dials in Europe and the Fraumünster, much admired because of its famous stained-glass windows by Marc Chagall.

Zurich is quite famous for shopping, although I must admit, I did find most of the shops a bit expensive. There seems to be good night life – apparently 500+ nightclubs and bars considering it’s a small town.

Some places to see:

  • Kunsthaus” – Art gallery contains - collection of European art
  • Rietberg Museum – non-European art, particularly from India, China and Africa.
  • Bahnhofstrasse – the mile-long street of banks featuring exclusive fashion boutiques, department stores and street cafes invites passers-by to linger.
  • Zurich Zoo
  • Old town – for art galleries, antique and book shops

Shopping

The famous Bahnhofstrasse is one of the most delightful areas for shopping in Europe which is in the center of the city with department stores, boutiques specializing in jewelry, porcelain, fur, watches and accessories, fashion stores, pastry shops and banks. The next place you can go shopping is Niederdorf which is meant for pedestrians during daytime with numerous boutiques lining the alleys. At night this place becomes an entertainment area with restaurants, bars and street artists.

If you want some antiques pieces then you should go to the Flea Market Burkliplatz which is open from 6 in the morning to 3,30 in the afternoon every Saturday from May to October. The Fleemarket Kanzlei is a paradise for the artistic lot who are good bargainers. Here you will get second hand items with a wine bar and an outdoor café.

 


How to go to Zurich- Train, Rail, Air/Flights

Transportation

Zurich has an excellent rail network, and trains with high speed such as the InterCity Express, the Cisalpino and the French TGV make their halts here. Zurich is also accessible by water with the A1, A3 and A4 motorways within close range. The A1 heads towards the west, the A4 is north bound and the A3 is directed towards the northwest and southeast. The Zurich International Airport is in Kloten which is situated at a distance less than 10 km from the northeastern side of the city.

Zurich also has an airfield in Dubendorf which is used solely for military purposes. Zurich has the highest density of public transportation in the world. You can use the local trains, the trolley buses and trams. There are excellent boat networks to facilitate river and lake transportation, funicular railways and also cable car facilities. A single ticket that you purchase can be used for any mode of transport.

Bus / Train / Rail: Zürich Main Train Station is a central railroad junction in Europe and handles more than 1,900 trains per day. Some of the Intercity trains run every half hour from other Swiss or European cities to Zürich.

Within the City of Zürich and Zürich Region there are rapid transit trains (S-Bahn) running every 15 to 30 minutes. Buses and streetcars run every few minutes.

By car: The center of Zürich can be accessed easily from all directions. Drive on the Autobahn in the direction of Zürich. The exit and the streets to the center of the city and to other important destinations are well sign-posted.

Other/Air: From Zürich Kloten Airport you will reach the center of Zürich City by train or S-Bahn (rapid transit train) in 10 - 15 minutes.

http://www.zurich-airport.com/

ZÜRICH TOURISMUS
Im Hauptbahnhof
8023 Zürich
Tel. +41 (0)44 215 40 40
Fax +41 (0)44 215 40 44
hotel@zuerich.com
www.zuerich.com



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This site covers all areas for travelling in Switzerland. It covers travels to many switzerland cities: Basel, Berne, Geneva, Zerlmat, Interlaken. There is a comprehensive travel information section: Swiss Rail Train Tickets, Switzerland Rail Train Map, Swiss Train Rail Timetable, Information, RailCards and Passes, Air Travel
 
 
   

This page last updated in Feb 2016