Zurich, Switzerland — Things to Do
Sightseeing in Zurich
Brimming with attractions and sightseeing opportunities to suit every kind of traveler, Zurich has wonderful monuments, museums and churches to explore. Wander through the cobblestone streets of Niederhof and enjoy a light meal or cup of coffee while being entertained by the street performers and buskers. Culture vultures will love the Swiss National Museum, the Fine Arts Museum and the Museum of Design Zurich and children of all ages will love the Zurich Zoo, where endangered species such as snow leopards and red pandas can be seen. Visitors keen on doing a lot of sightseeing in Zurich should purchase the Zurich Tourist Card, which includes access to transport services of Zurich Public Transport and offers free admission to over 40 museums, reduced admission to the zoo, a complimentary welcome drink in over 20 restaurants and a number of other benefits. The card can be bought for 15 CHF for 24 hours or 30 CHF for 72 hours.
Shopping in Zurich
Shopping in Zurich is a fantastic vacation experience. While traditional Swiss products may be watches, cuckoo-clocks and chocolate, there are also many upmarket boutiques and specialty stores (such as the one dedicated entirely to button sales). This city is charmingly devoid of shopping malls.
The main shopping street is Bahnhofstrasse, home to department stores Globus and Jelmoli, and jewelry shops like Bucherer and Beyer, as well as fashion shops such as H&M. Fine chocolates, Swiss Army knives, watches, embroidery, linen and handmade clocks are available from shops like Schweizer Heimatwerk and Confiserie Sprüngli. At Zurich Hauptbahnhof, Shopville is a subway shopping center offering Swiss souvenirs and fine wines. Also close by, there's a flea market at Helvetiaplatz on Saturday mornings.
The Niederdorf district has trendy boutiques, 'modern' antiques and a few bookshops. Nearby, Schipfe is a street where artisans and craftsman offer quality and custom-made products. Elegant boutiques, department stores and specialty shops are clustered in the Old Town. International visitors may reclaim VAT but some conditions do apply.
Zurich Nightlife
Not the conservative city it used to be, the nightlife and entertainment scene in Zurich has come into its own, but don't expect it to be rip-roaring wild either. With most clubs closing relatively early, it's best to get a head start with a few early evening cocktails at your watering hole of choice. A good place to start is at one of the open-air bars for a relaxing drink before heading out to the trendy Zuri-West area where some of the city's hottest underground bars and nightclubs can be found. The Old Town is also worth checking out where Paradeplatz features a range of upmarket lounge and hotel bars. The former red-light district of Langstrasse is the place to go for an edgier night where biker bars can be found alongside strip clubs and just about anything goes. Being more culturally orientated, concerts, theater, ballet and opera dominate the scene here. It's worth picking up a copy of Zurich Newsor the ZüriTipp,the weekly supplement to the Tages Anzeigernewspaper to see what's on when you're in the city.
