Sitting astride the River Limmat, Zurich Switzerland is a beautiful city set against a backdrop of snow-clad peaks in the distance and overlooking the waters of the lake. A large part of the city is occupied by its charming old town, composed of narrow, hilly alleys and historic buildings magnificently restored to their former beauties.
But more than just candy for the eyes and a source of traveling delights for tourists, Zurich Switzerland is also one of the leading financial centers of the world. In fact, the Zurich stock exchange is one of world’s four largest, with those in New York, London, and Tokyo occupying the top three spots, respectively.
And the seemingly endless facets of Zurich Switzerland does not stop there. More than just a cold-hearted business city, Zurich Switzerland is also seat of the avant-garde Dadaist movement that started in 1916.
Among the group of writers and artists who joined the movement were famous names, like Jean Arp, Tristan Tzara, and Hugo Ball, all of whom rebelled against the traditional artistic expression.
Yet, Zurich Switzerland also has its fair share of non-activist residents. The city has attracted the likes of Irish author James Joyce who re-envisioned his native Dublin in Ulysses by observing the mores of Zurich.
The city is considered as not only the political but also the spiritual capital of Switzerland. No wonder. Zurich Switzerland is full of extraordinary galleries and museums and luxury shops along Zurich’s Fifth Avenue, the Bahnofstrasse. The city’s important position as the political capital is further sealed with the latest addition to its profile - Zurich West, which used to be an industrial neighborhood of cranes and former factories. Now, this part of Zurich Switzerland is quickly being transformed, turning spaces into restaurants, art galleries, bars, and dance clubs.
When you visit Zurich Switzerland, be sure not to miss the following places:
Grossmunster
English speakers affectionately call it the “Gross Monster,” but the Grossmunster is a magnificent cathedral with impressive twin towers circa 1781. Each of the towers features caricatures of Gothic forms bordering on the comical, figures which perhaps earned its English nickname as well as a clever play on the pronunciation. On one side of the south tower is an enormous stone statue of Charlemagne, the Holy Roman Emperor, who sits enthroned.
Kunsthaus
If you like to visit museums or galleries on your travels, then you shouldn’t miss Zurich Switzerland’s Kunsthaus. The gallery houses a permanent collection of excellent paintings ranging from the medieval, Dutch and Italian baroque to the impressionistic styles. One of the rooms contains the superb works of Johann Heinrich Fussli whose paintings hover in the space between the grotesque and the darkly ethereal. Painters like Picasso, Klee, Kandinsky, Degas, Chagall, Munch, and Matisse are also well represented.
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Switzerland Tours
... stopping for a morning break and a visit to a chocolate factory in Lugano. The tour ends as you reach Lake Lucerne in one of Switzerland's finest cities, Zurich, but from Lugano to Zurich, plenty more delights await you. SwitzerlandFlexiTours.com Offering Switzerland tours and all throughout Europe, Switzerland Flexi Tours provides opportunities for you to see the famous Swiss Alps, the beautiful lake of Geneva, and the cities renowned Zurich Switzerland not only for their beauty but also for their roles in European affairs, Berne, Zurich and Lausanne. Among the Switzerland tours offered include Switzerland Rail Adventure, Golden Swiss Trip, Major Swiss Cities, Grand Tour of Switzerland, Honeymoon Special, Interlaken and Jungfraujock, Swiss Classical Resorts, and Mt. Rigi Experience. What's more, Switzerland Flexi Tours also offers special packages for those who want something more in their Switzerland tours. They have honeymoon packages for lovebirds,...
Switzerland Travel
... plenty of opportunities. Mountain sports such as climbing, ski touring, ice climbing, deep-snow skiing, heli-skiing, glacier walking, and snow boarding are but only a few. Accommodations come in the form of alpine huts and chalets. However, if you have decided to spend your Switzerland travel vacation in Geneva, Zurich Switzerland there are a variety of ski resorts where you can check in. Portes de Soleil, for instance, is excellent for traveling families with its cluster of small resorts that form a large skiing circuit straddling the French-Swiss border. Cycling Another excellent activity you can enjoy while on a Switzerland travel vacation is cycling. Do not let the mountainous terrain fool you into thinking that the whole thing might turn out to be more strenuous than fun. The view from the mountains more than makes up for any achy and tired...
Switzerland Chocolate
Christopher Columbus encountered the Mayas, he did not at once realize the importance of this drink. It was Hernando Cortes, the Spanish conquistador, who understood its potential. He established a cocoa plantation in Mexico and also introduced the drink, along with the methodologies involved, to the Spanish court. The Spanish did not like it right away. But after much experimentation with ingredients, chocolate drink was consumed as a fashionable drink for the wealth in such countries as France and the rest of Europe. It was in 1697 that chocolate was first introduced to Switzerland. The mayor of Zurich, Heinrich Escher brought it to his home after tasting the drink in Brussels. Chocolate, at this point in history, was Zurich Switzerland largely known as an aphrodisiac, and was thus only discreetly consumed at feasts. Then the Italians came, but their first attempt at making a milling business out of Switzerland chocolate was a failure. The locals did not take to it and the mill had to be...
Switzerland
... of the languages that the locals speak. In this case, German is your best bet. There are many schools and institutions that offer courses in the German language as well as other languages of the world. Getting There There are three major airports that service international flights. These are found in Geneva, Zurich Zurich Switzerland and Basel. You can also get in the country through any of the smaller airports in Bern and Lugano. Switzerland's Flagcarrier is called SWISS, a member of Star Alliance and successor of the famous Swissair. Another mode of entry to Switzerland is by railway. Trains are extremely common and they arrive from everywhere in Europe. As one of the two most central-lying countries in Europe (Germany being the other one), Switzerland proves to be a hub of railways and highways to the rest of Europe. Getting Around Switzerland...
Quality Hotels In Switzerland
... the hotels in Switzerland worth staying in. Eden Swiss Quality Single Hotel One of the hotels in Switzerland having a special concept fashioned for people traveling and living alone, Single Hotel Eden is a four-star hotel perfectly located in Spiez's bay, near Interlaken with view of the Bernese Alps and Thun Lake. The hotel features indoor swimming pool, equipped fitness room, tennis court, table tennis, steambath, whirlpools, special showers, relaxing room, Finnish and Bio Sauna, and juice bar. Hostellerie Geroldswil Swiss Quality Hotel An elegant three-star hotel, the Hostellerie Geroldswil includes a banquet and congress center with three restaurants and one bar for five-hundred-fifty persons. The hotel is part of the city center located nearby public transports, stores, post office, and bank. Hotel amenities include swimming pool indoors with solarium and sauna which can easily be accessed by guests with hotel elevator. The hotels restaurants also offers great dining including fine selection of Italian wine that guest can avail of. A stay in one of the many hotels...
Map Of Switzerland
... tool. LonelyPlanet.com Whenever you need travel information about a particular destination, one of the first places to visit is always Lonely Planet. As a travel website, Lonely Planet is a premier website that offers reliable information about the places you want to visit with tips from other "lonely planeteers" out there, including lists of top places to check out, sights to see, activities to enjoy, foods, and other miscellaneous stuff that travel magazines and brochures wouldn't normally cover. Now, being one of the must-go-to online sites to visit when planning a vacation, Lonely Planet has everything you need to map out your dream vacation. If they have lists of things you can see and do in Switzerland, they also have informative resources, such as a map...
Travel Information In Switzerland
Hotel Association that rates hotels according to the facilities they have and not mainly the charm of the hotel. Always make sure that prior to travel you have reserved the hotel of your choice to avoid incurring extra expenses of looking for other hotels if the hotel you like is fully booked. Switzerland's Currency Swiss franc is the official currency of the country, abbreviated as CHF. Banknotes issued denominations are 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1000 CHF. Look up the current rate of your currency with Francs before your time of travel to have a general idea of how much everything will cost for you. Switzerland Transportation There are more than thirteen-thousand miles of train, boat, and bus routes that Swiss transportation serves. Train is the most convenient...
Skiing In Switzerland
... quiet Alpine village. Or it could mean vibrant laces with superb apr s ski. Anything that suits your taste or fancy actually. So if you are planning on going skiing in Switzerland, consider our list of top most visited ski resorts: Zermatt Hugging the foot of the most famous mountain in Switzerland, the Matterhorn, Zurich Switzerland Zermatt is a car-free resort that offers skiing in Switzerland among various things. The resort combines the beautiful scenery of an Alpine village with the sophistication of a prime holiday destination, making it one of the top places to visit when you go to Switzerland. The Zermatt provides its guests with a modern lift system, practical holiday apartments, attractive hotels and friendly hosts. In addition to the 1,620-3,882 meters of skiing right at its doorstep, the Zermatt may also prove to be a great starting point for skiing in Italy with no less than 62 mountain trains providing you access across the border....
Switzerland Flag
... 1289, the region supported King Rudolf of Habsburg in a war against Burgundy. As recognition of their contribution, the emperor granted them the right to represent the crucifixion of Christ and the tools used to torture him. At first, these symbols were painted on parchment and fastened it on the Switzerland flag. Later on, the cross symbol was painted directly on the Switzerland flag itself. For a long time, the Switzerland flag was of this fashion. However, in 1798, the Swiss Revolution broke. Afterwards, much of the old structures of Swiss governance was abolished to be replaced with a centralistic democracy. Like all revolutionary governments, the newly formed Helvetic Republic adopted a tricolor for its Switzerland flag: green (symbolizing freedom/revolution) with a little freedom hat,...
Lugano Switzerland
... the day to the sound of several macho roosters crowing nearby. Lugano Switzerland is small enough to tour on foot. However, if you want to ride, cycling is a wonderful alternative. Circle the shore of Lago di Lugano for a picturesque view of the southern Alps with its combination of Alpine and Mediterranean flora. Afterwards, if you are up for more beautiful sights, consider this list of the top attractions in Lugano Switzerland: Chiesa di Santa Maria degli Angioli The church houses the magnificent frescoes dating back to the 16th century by Bernardino Luini. Located just a few hundred yards from the busy highway, the Chiesa di Santa Maria degli Angioli remarkably exudes a sense of calm. Gandria For one of the most picturesque places Zurich Switzerland in Lugano Switzerland, go to the tiny enclave of Gandria on the eastern side of Lake Lugano. A...
Brienz Switzerland
... hostel in Brienz Switzerland. However, you will have to cover a lot of ground. The good news is that this particular region of Switzerland has highly developed walking trails. They are well-groomed and often lead away from nearly every intersection, thus making your hike much more enjoyable and close to nature. Top Attractions For a destination of relatively low profile, Brienz Switzerland offers a cornucopia of wonderful sights and activities for you to enjoy. Foremost among its top attractions is the Viewpoint in Jungfraujoch. Considered as the granddaddy of all high-altitude excursions, it is here in Jungfraujoch that you will find the highest railroad station in the world. To get there, just take the green cogwheel Wengernalp Railway from Lauterbrunnen station up the wooded mountainside. If you like to immerse in Swiss arts and culture scene while on a trip to Brienz Switzerland, then don't miss...
Flag Of Switzerland
... was asymmetrical and drawn in great detail with the body of Christ. The white cross is a symbol of the Emperor as protector of Christianity. The red flag, on the other hand, was a sign of his power over life and death. When the Emperor granted the right to carry these two important symbols to Schwyz, he was granting the three cantons special honor, which included privileges like direct immediacy, as recognition for its resistance against the Habsburg aggression of King Rudolf I. The Confederacy Other cantons soon joined the Confederacy, with each one carrying their own flag and banners. However, to identify the allied troops in battles, what we know now as the flag of Switzerland was worn in tunics or as armbands by Swiss soldiers, a custom that is...
Swiss Watches Switzerland
Switzerland was already flourishing, continuing to prosper in subsequent years. Some would say that this is in part due to Jean Calvin, whose idea of Reformation included banning ostentatious shows of wealth. As a result, skilled jewelers were forced to turn their talents to watch-making instead of crafting jewelries. The center for design and marketing of Swiss watches Switzerland was Geneva. This is true both before and after the city joined the Swiss Confederation in 1815. However, the manufacture of Swiss watches Switzerland also spread to other areas, most notable of which is Canton Neuchatel. To learn more about watch-making as well as exercise their skills, many Swiss craftsmen traveled abroad. The best Zurich Switzerland known among them is undoubtedly Abraham-Louis Breguet who is regarded by many as the greatest watchmaker of all time. His...
Hiking Switzerland
Engadine. Valais Or Wallis in Swiss-German. The Valais features many of Europe's highest mountains with glaciated peaks and dry sunny weather. It is a true hiker's paradise and perfect for a hiking Switzerland vacation. Here you will find world-famous destinations such as Matterhorn, the resort town of Saas Fee and the Zermatt. In addition to top ski resorts and adventure vacations, Valais also offers numerous trails along ancient bisses and irrigation channels. Oberland This includes the Jungrau region, offering you a classic hiking Switzerland experience of snowy peaks towering over green meadows. It is here that you will get spectacular views of Europe's most beautiful mountain scenery, including Jungfrau, Monch and Eiger. If you want something off the beaten path, then head on over to Gimmelwald near Murren or Wilderswil at the mouth of Lauterbrunnen valley. The first offers you beautiful views of the valley, plus accommodations in the form of a youth hostel and pension houses. The second provides you the unique experience of a small...
History Of Switzerland
... by either dukes or counts, and sometimes bishops and abbots. Struggle for Independence The turn of the 13th century proved to be a significant turning point in the history of Switzerland for it was in 1276 that the Swiss' traditional liberties were clearly threatened. The Holy Roman Emperor, Rudolf I of the Habsburg dynasty wanted to acquire the territory that is now Switzerland. To resist this aggression, the three cantons, Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden, combined their defenses. This proved to be the foundation of the Old Swiss Confederacy, which was later on enlarged when other cantons likewise followed suit. The Reformation The history of Switzerland experienced another significant moment in 1518 when the Protestant Reformation came Zurich Switzerland into being. Among the leaders of this movement are the country pastor Huldreich Zwingli and the French theologian John Calvin. The Thirty Years'...