Dream Destinations – Zurich

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One of the most beautiful countries throughout the world has to be Switzerland with a perfect blend of rural beauty and cities that are full of history and cultural identity. Our latest Dream Destination is the gorgeous city of Zurich which in many ways is an iconic city for the Swiss stereotype. As it is the largest city in Switzerland, it is unsurprising that there are a plethora of attractions worth experiencing and must-see landmarks.

Here are some of the top reasons why you should take the time to visit Zurich, Switzerland.

Lake Zurich

Lake Zurich
Image courtesy of Roland zh (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
When you think about exploring a city like Zurich, you have to realize that even though it is like many other global cities, you are right on the edge of natural beauty as the city lies directly on the shores of Lake Zurich. If you are looking for a picture perfect opportunity, then visiting Lake Zurich will likely provide you with this chance because many of the postcards that you see associated with the city in general have the lake either in the foreground or background.

Lake Zurich also provides a perfect divide between the old town and new, modernized city of Zurich. It is a beautiful place to just sit and watch time pass by as you can see gorgeous scenery all around the lake.

Altstadt

Altstadt Zurich
Image courtesy of Michael D. Schmid (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Altstadt, or old town, is the historical and medieval part of Zurich. This region is full of winding cobblestoned streets, sat around the focal point that is Lindenhoff Square. Many of Zurich’s most acclaimed museums are located in this part of the city and it is a perfect place to just wander and take in some local cuisine or sample a late evening beverage.

Uetliberg

Uetliberg Zurich
Image courtesy of Roland zh (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (httpcreativecommons.orglicensesby-sa3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
If you dream of visiting the Swiss Alps whenever you visit Zurich, why not take a quick 20 minute trip outside of the city center to explore the Uetliberg which is part of the Albis chain but is a beautiful plateau overlooking the city of Zurich. After climbing to the summit of this plateau, you will be left with stunning views of both city and the Swiss Alps so even if you are not fortunate enough to get into the Alps themselves, you can still see their beauty from a distance.

This location just outside of Zurich is also famous for having gorgeous hiking trails which are another great reason to get out of the city lifestyle for a while.

Bahnhofstrasse

Bahnhofstrasse Zurich
Image courtesy of Sebastian Bergmann from Siegburg, Germany (Confiserie Sprüngli Uploaded by Sandstein) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (httpcreativecommons.orglicensesby-sa2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
One of Zurich’s essential locations is the Bahnhofstrasse which is home to many of Switzerland’s leading fashion and other retail stores. Strolling along this street, whether you have any intentions of splurging on Swiss products, will give you the opportunity to both window shop and people watch in an extremely upper class market.

Please note that for many the Bahnhofstrasse may not be for purchasing souvenirs or mementos, as you would be better suited heading to the Neiderdorf or Langstrasse areas of Zurich.

Rhine Falls

Rhine Falls
Image courtesy of Roland zh (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
You may have noticed a slight trend in many of our Dream Destinations that whenever a location is within close proximity to a waterfall, I am all for recommending folks to visit here. Zurich is no different as it plays host to Rhine Falls which is a short distance outside of the city limits. The beautiful falls are worth a trip to the Shaffhausen area of Switzerland as it is a perfect day trip to go hiking and exploring this part of Switzerland’s outdoors.

***This post is part of the 2014 A to Z Blogging Challenge (#DreamDestinations #AtoZChallenge)***

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Chris Boothmanhttps://abritandasoutherner.com
Chris Boothman is the co-founder of A Brit and A Southerner. Born near Manchester, England, Chris moved to USA in 2006 where he soon after met his wife and travel partner in crime, Heather. They have since embarked on an amazing journey of travel as they challenge others to follow in their paths of working full-time but also being able to travel frequently! If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact Chris at [email protected]

17 COMMENTS

  1. We love waterfalls as well, there is just something very relaxing about the sound of rushing water. We haven’t been to Zurich yet but love Switzerland as a country and would love to explore it more, maybe hike some of those mountains 🙂 Great end to the challenge!

    • Thanks Tam, part of me is glad that this challenge is at the end because I can now at least have a few days break from blogging but I am actually thinking about maintaining this Dream Destinations series and maybe posting on this on other locations around the world that we were not able to write about.

      Switzerland is one of the top countries that I would really love to explore, in particular the Swiss Alps. Taking a train ride through the Alps is something I would love to do.

  2. This is making me — I don’t know the word. Last year we were so close to moving to Zurich and I just love it there so much. It’s one place in the world that I could imagine staying forever.

    I agree with you on waterfalls, maybe that’s why I’ve really loved your dream destinations.

    Congrats on making it to Z!

  3. I just loved Zurich. Its just so classically beautiful and the people are so friendly. Before I went there a few people questioned why I was going there and I couldn’t and still can’t figure out why. I love the architecture, the lake and the mountains.

    • Thanks Anabel, YES WE ALL COMPLETED THE CHALLENGE! It really is a great sense of achievement because even though it doesn’t sound like much, planning, organizing and writing a post every day of the month nearly is a pretty tough ask. I am really happy that I didn’t let my standards slip towards the end (at least I hope I didn’t, I guess our readers should be the judges of that). Really enjoyed following your posts also!! Congratulations to you too!

    • Enjoy your time in Gruyere Corinne, I am sure that you will have a great time. Plus you are going at a beautiful time of the year, late Spring when the temperatures will just be warming up and Switzerland’s finest nature will be on display.

  4. Congrats on completing the challenge – and going out with a bang with Zurich. Switzerland looks so beautiful I’m sad we weren’t able to fit it into our budget during out time in Europe.

    • Thanks so much Calli, we have really enjoyed following you on your challenge also and learning a plethora of knowledge on BC. I am disappointed in myself that being from Europe I haven’t traveled there more, but I am hoping if we move there at some point that is when it will change!

    • I believe the term Amy is ‘Great minds think alike’ springs to mind here! But of course I agree with you that the end of this challenge is pretty rough with letters that are tough to come up with destinations on. However, we were very fortunate that both of those locations are definitely places we would love to explore further. Thanks so much for continuing to visit our site and hopefully you will continue to return in the future as we move back to our more traditional posts and adventures.

  5. We loved our few days in Zurich last year, but my gosh how expensive it is for the budget traveller!

    Thankfully it’s one of the most beautiful places we’ve ever been and we’d encourage everyone who reads to do the same. Just look at these great pictures and you’ll see exactly why it’s so incredible.

    • Thanks so much Dale for your comments and I would like to echo them by saying everyone that I spoke to about Switzerland in general is that it is expensive. But I guess you pay for ultimate luxury right 🙂 I really do look forward to exploring Zurich and seeing all of these attractions plus many more.

  6. When I lived in Switzerland, although I lived in the opposite corner of the country (in Lausanne), I had the chance to visit Zurich several times. It’s a picturesque city surrounded by beautiful nature! And the last one of the attractions you propose, the Rhinefall, is simply amazing. I recommend everybody to take a trip to Schaffhausen, it’s not a high waterfall, but the quantity of water is astonishing!

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