a to zurich

Yes, Zurich’s
clean, organized and easy to get around but there’s plenty of creativity
to go around, too. Try these stops on your next visit to Switzerland’s
financial capital.

pack

Switzerland ain’t cheap, so why pay for bottled water? Make sure to
bring a purse-size bottle to refill in one of the city’s more than 1,200
stylish fountains featuring the city’s very drinkable water. (The
exception? Any fountains marked with the sign "kein trinkwasser", which
we in fact never spotted.)

eat

To the Swiss, fondue’s a winter food, but we say tourists get to break
the rules. Head to Le
Dézaley to get your fix and sample other local specialities
like rösti (potato pancakes), spätli (dumplings) and Vaudois sausage.

shop

Look for souvenirs with class at Schweizer
Heimatwerk, which sells its selection of high-quality goods think
jewellery, home decor items and kids’ wooden toys both in the old town
and at the airport. Off the beaten path, head to West
Zurich’s Viadukt shopping centre, a reclaimed area nestled in the
arches of a working 19th-century rail viaduct, for more offbeat
retailers; around the corner, stop by Frau
Gerolds Garten to browse through several cute clothing boutiques.

drink

Thursday evenings, take a 90-minute city tour in a classic tram complete
with wine or champagne and snacks on the Apéritif
Tram, which makes its way past some of the city’s top sights. The
rest of the week, head up early to beat the crowds to the Jules
Verne bar with its panoramic views of the cityscape.

discover

Pick up a 24- or 72-hour Zürich
Card for unlimited access to the city’s beyond-amazing transit
system that means trams, trains, buses, boats and even the cable car
plus free access to most museums and discounted
city tours. Don’t miss a guided walk around the historic and
well-preserved Old Town.

Kat Tancock