View of the river and Altstadt from Lindenhof, Zurich
Our summer holiday started in the southern Swiss city of Zürich. Rowan and I arrived early Sunday morning and decided to buy a 72-hour Zurich card which would allow us unlimited travel on all public transport – trains, trams, buses, boats and even cable cars – as well as free entry to museums and discounts in shops and restaurants. Considering that the 10-minute train journey from the airport to the main train station costs 10 Swiss Francs and a single ride costs 4 Swiss Francs, we decided that it would be worth it.
During our stay in Zürich we were lucky enough to be able to use Sam’s apartment in the suburb of Wollishofen. It was a short tram ride from the city and gave us a very comfortable and stylish base for the 3 nights we were in town. After we had dropped off our bags and had a short rest, we were ready to start exploring the city.
The city straddles the top and both sides of Lake Zürich where it joins the Limmat River. The fast-flowing water is crystal clear and has a cool, greenish tinge. Small mountains (around 800 – 900m) hug the lake, squeezing the buildings into the strip of land between the foothills and the lake’s edge. The old town (Altstadt) sits at the very top of the lake, along the banks of the river and up the sides of the hills. The narrow cobblestone streets snake their way between centuries old buildings, up the hillsides and back and forth across the river. Every now and then the lanes lead into an open, sunny square with an outdoor café or restaurant. Window boxes, pots, troughs and barrels densely planted with flowers such as geraniums, lobelia, marigolds and petunias provide bright splashes of colour against the stone walls and streets.
Alongside the river is an area called ‘Schipfe’ which dates back to the 13th Century. Once the place where boats were lifted from the river and drinking water was stored, its nooks and crannies are now home to many boutiques and handicraft shops, as well as a very old riverside restaurant named after the area. Directly above these winding alleys is the Lindenhof – a large open park high above the river. You reach it by walking uphill (the sidewalk leading up to the park is stepped) from the river. The park overlooks the river and gives good views of the Altstadt as well. Archaeological finds indicate that there has been a settlement there since 1500BC and since the 13th Century it has been used as a community meeting place.
Zürich’s modern persona as a centre for banking, elegance and precision is revealed by walking along Bahnhofstrasse, the street that links the main train station and the lake. This wide avenue is lined by shops selling the world’s most expensive and exclusive fashion, watches and jewellery; ubiquitous banks; and, of course, shops and cafes selling the most delectable chocolate. It passes through Paradeplatz, once a pig market, later Europe’s biggest stagecoach centre and now the centre of Swiss banking, and ends at Bürkliplatz in front of the lake. It is from here that you can catch the boats to take you to a lakeside suburb, on a round trip of the lake, or even to villages and towns further afield.
On the second day we awoke to the heavy patter of rain and looked outside to see grey clouds brushing the tops of the mountains. By mid-morning the rain had stopped and the clouds were lifting and we decided to catch the train to Uetliberg, a mountain on the southern side of the city. From the train station it is a 10 minute walk uphill to a viewpoint 871m high. From here you have a wonderful view of the city and, on a clear day, the alps beyond Zürich. To get an even better view we climbed the viewing tower and were rewarded with a panoramic view of the area. From the top of the tower the villages were spread out below us like tiny doll houses and toy cars drove along roads that looked like pieces of string stretched between them.
Hiking – Uetliberg, Zurich
There are many hikes that you can do in this area. Rowan and I decided to walk along the ridge to Felsenegg (about 1 ½ hours away) where we could take the cable car down to the valley floor and catch a train back to the city. The walk was on a well-made path that the Swiss called “flat” and “easy”. Of course, if you live in the Alps, hills less than 1000m probably do look pretty flat and easy! In any case, it was a very enjoyable walk along the ridge line through forest. We ate our packed lunch sitting on a bench overlooking the valley and were able to catch brief glimpses of the snowy peaks of the Alps every now and then. There were numerous rest stops and spring-fed drinking fountains where we could refill our drink bottles. Near the end of the track the forest opened out into farmland and long before we could see any animals we could hear the clanking bells that the cows all wear around their necks. The track led us back into the forest and up one last hill where a castle once stood, over 1000 years ago. By now we were quite looking forward to the ride down to the valley in the cable car but as we turned the last corner, the sign on the side of the cable car building read: “Geschlossen. Revision”! The cable car was closed for repairs, which meant the only way to the train station on the valley floor was the track described by the Swiss information board as “steep” and “difficult”. However, we had no choice so off we went. It was only 1.5km to the village but it really was a steep and difficult track – well, more like steps than a track. Even the river flowing downhill beside us was stepped into a series of cascades and waterfalls. We passed quite a few people walking uphill and I was quietly grateful that we were not having to walk uphill. Once we reached the village at the bottom of the hill, it was easy to find the train station and get back to the city.
Altstadt, Zurich
On the third day in Zürich, when it stopped raining, we showed Chris around the Altstadt and then went on a short round trip of the lake. We got off the boat at Zürichorn – a large park with beautiful gardens on the northern side of the lake. From here you could walk back to the city through the gardens along the edge of the lake. By early afternoon the heavy clouds that had hidden the tops of the mountains from view were starting to lift and we decided to catch the train to Uetliberg again. We walked to the viewing point not far from the station and Chris climbed the tower for the 360 degree view of the area. Chris and I choose a different hiking trail and walked from the viewing point downhill to one of the stations on the Uetliberg train line, while Rowan went straight back to the apartment on the train. We wound our way down and around the hill through the forest and then the track mostly followed the train line to the next station.
For our last night in Zürich we went to the Zeughauskeller, a traditional Swiss restaurant recommended to Chris by one of the participants on his course. The style of the restaurant as well as the food was very similar to a German beerhall. We sat at a long bench that we shared with a young couple from Australia. The menu consisted of a lot of pork dishes served with rosti (grated potato mixed with egg and then fried). Rowan opted for a schnitzel while Chris and I tried a local dish of pork in a creamy mushroom sauce. The food was tasty and the beer was delicious. Like everything in Switzerland though, it was expensive!
Despite the fairly constant rain and the high prices for everything, we had really enjoyed this clean, green and efficient city. Being able to walk through the city centre and then look down on the same streets from the top of a mountain less than an hour later was a treat. If the weather had been better we would have taken advantage of the free bicycles that are available, too.
Postcards from Somewhere Else 