Posted by First stop Zurich on Euro 2023 trip and what a nice suprise it was. Stepping off the plane we bumped into some old RE friends from Melbourne in the very very long customs line, and then again staying at the same hotel. its a very small world out there with so many Aussie’s travelling to Europe this year. We decided to get straight out into exploring as we could not check-in yet so we embarked on a wander along the lovely Zurichsee shoreline park for a while before grabbing a nice lunch at the resturant in the Ambassador Hotel acroos the road from our hotel.
We then hopped on board the local ferry service and did the Lake tour which covered about half the length all up and was very picturesque. Very pretty and a good way to get a sense of the burbs of Zurich with a vast array of homes with fabulous lake and mountain views all the way along the shores and hills.
Back in the main town we skirted the fringes of the city at the bayside and decided to checkin to the hotel and have a rest. We then followed up with a wander around the local streets surrounding the Opera House which was virtually next door. Our room is very nice on the 2nd floor and looks out over some lovely 19th century buildings and classy Hotels and our night was quiet and peaceful but as always its an early wake the next morning with the time change.
Our first exploration was to head up to the Zurich HB railway station and check on our tickets to Milan. This took us along the big Sechselautenplatz plaza in front of the Opera House up to the Bellevue Terrace along the banks of the Limmet river to the Rathaus and over the Brun-Brucke bridge. Passing the three famous churches of Zurich, Grossmunster, Fraumunster and St Peter’s along the way. We were then walking up the main shopping street, the Bahnhofstrasse which was very 19th century style and it led us to the main train station.
After checking on our tickets and having a good look at the impressive station we decided to go on the tourist train to see the sights around the backside of Zurich and up to the lakeside mountains for a walk.
We were not sure about the interesting Giraffe statues all around the park but what we did disclover was that many of the walking trails were closed so access to the cable car was going to be problematic so we decided to grab some lunch instead and come back down to the city centre.
The train took us to the top of the Uetiberg mountain with its fabulous view all over Zurich and the valleys and mountains beyond but this day was very cloudy and misty so the views were very hazy. Back down in the main town we strolled the side streets skirting the main shopping and business districts and and founf our way through the winding mediaeval streets to the Lindenhoff fortress park. The old town was facinating and very well preserved with its wooden storehouses along the river side and merchant buildings that have grown over time dotting the small hillsides and winding streets.
Some fabulous little bespoke shops and art Nouveau desinged facades along the way.
There are two main old town regions in Zurich, one on each side of the river with the Lindenhof on the west side and the Niederdorf on the East side. The Eastide was far more vibrant especially along the Munstergrasse and Niederdorfstrasse with its facinating shops, bars, cafes and restaurants full of people. We had massages booked that afrernoon so while Ann took the first one i got walking and explored the whole east side up the hills and down the dales and knocked over 20,000 steps in the afternoon. The massage was amazing and can highly recommend the therapist…..
Staying right near the Opera House was great as the trams and walkways were so accessable to get around town and the next day we wandered around the flea market early before heading on the tram up the Ramistrasse to the Kunsthaus Art gallery. And what a gallery it was with some fabulous old masters as well as one of the best modern art from the turn of the 19/20th century. The newish annex museum was a masterpiece of modern design and understated simplicity and the Monet and Chagal permanant works were outstanding.
Sunrise was lovely with hardly a soul around apart from a few fiserpeople at the wharfs with most of the activity happeneing around the Opera hpouse for thier open day.
After exploring the Uniuversity district on the hill we walked down to Spitalgrasse and had lunch at a lovely japanese cafe called Barfusser, absolutley first class. From there we grabbed a tram down on Limmatquai steet along the river to the the Seeferweg gardens along the lake and the Pavillon Le Corbusier, an amazing modernist building built in1960 as an artgallery but instead it is a beacon of modern design and it was decided that it should stand alone as mueum to itself, and we wholeheartedly agree, it is truly unique.
Our last night in Zurich before heading off on the train was spent having a lovely dinner on the roof of an historic 19th century Hotel by the lake shore called La Muna. Great food and atmophere with the well heeled of Zurich enjoying the fabulous sunset.
it is always great to see a town come alive on the weekend and Zurich was no exception with the lake shore full of life and dining enjoying the last of thier Indian summer.
it was a great city to wander and some of the highlights were to be found in the oldtown down near the lake shore with portico cafe’s and old medieavil churches.
But the big suprise was to be found in the Fraumunster church with both stunning frescos from the 15th and 16th centuries in the Cloisters and the Marc Chagal Stained glass panels above the altar, The detail in the panels design and colouring was mesmerising.
We loved the variety of architecture throughout Zurich which has been well preserved through all the Europen turmoil through the countries neutrality.
Leaving Zurich by train was inreresting especially when we were told that our train had been cancelled and that we would be rerouted and had to change trains…we eventually sorted it out on the train and then were able to enjoy the scenery through the alps on the way.
