Zurich in winter. Where to go in winter: Zurich - circus show, organic pasta and evening at the skating rink

— there are even more attractions, several routes, and geolocation and work completely offline will make it easy to see all the sights of Zurich in the most optimal way!

Tourist route in Zurich:

1. Station

In front of it stands a monument to Alfred Escher (1819-1882), the founder of the Swiss railways and Credit Swiss. Bahnhofstrasse stretches from the monument to the lake - the main shopping and banking street of the city, one of the most expensive streets in the world.

2. Pestalozzi Park

300 meters from the station, on the right of Bahnhofstrasse. Monument to Pestalozzi, a reformer of the education system. Behind the monument is the Globus department store, the city's elite department store.

3. Paradeplatz

2 tram stops from the station, one of the transport hubs. In addition, a popular place for various events (literally the name means Parade Square). The procession starts from here during the Zurich Carnival.

On Paradeplatz there is the famous cafe Confiserie Sprüngli, famous for the most delicious desserts in the city.

From Paradeplatz you need to turn left along the direction of travel and go to the towering tower of St. Peter's Church.

4. Church of St. Petra

5. Lindenhof Hill

Walking from St. Peter Kirche uphill, you will find yourself on the “linden yard”. This is the very heart of Zurich, from where the city has grown. Lindenhof was once a Roman customs post, controlling the flow of goods along the Limmat River (which then headed north along the Rhine). There was once a Roman castle here, and later the Carolingian palace Kaiserpfalz.

In 1747, during archaeological excavations, a Roman tombstone dating from the second century was discovered here. On the slab is the first mention of Zurich - Turīcum, the Roman version of the city's name: STA TURIC.

On the square there is a fountain dedicated to the events of 1291, when, during the siege of the city by Albert the First, women came to the defense, dressed in military uniforms. The enemy thought that reinforcements had arrived and lifted the siege.

The square offers a panoramic view of the entire city, the Grossmünster Cathedral, Lake Zurich with the Alps in the background, and the Limmat River. Ahead on the mountain you can see two university buildings: on the left will be ETH - the Higher Polytechnic School, and on the right - the University of Zurich.

6. Roman baths

After descending from Lindenhof, pass by St. Peter's Church. Perpendicularly from the high wall of the church to the left, a narrow street with steps goes down. There is an observation deck at the bottom, where behind the glass you can see the remains of ancient Roman baths.

7. Fraumünster

Going down to the embankment you will find yourself close to another significant cathedral - Fraumünster. Once upon a time it was a convent for aristocratic persons, and the abbess of the monastery had considerable power in the city, and even had the privilege of printing money.

Nowadays the cathedral is famous primarily for its stunning stained glass windows by Marc Chagall. It is better to come in the morning, when the sun shines directly into the windows of the building.

8. Weinplatz

Without crossing the river, turn back towards the station and walk along the embankment. You will pass by the Teuscher chocolate shop - their stores are easily recognizable by the huge number of flowers in the window and inside the store. Teuscher is one of the best (albeit quite expensive) brands of chocolate, but you need to be prepared for the fact that a bar of chocolate can cost 7.5 francs.

Next from the store you will walk along an ancient vaulted gallery, which will lead you past the Storchen restaurant to the square Weinplatz. It served as a grain exchange until 1620, and is in fact the oldest trading square in Zurich. The name comes from the Weinbauer fountain installed here in 1909, depicting a Swiss winemaker holding a basket of grapes.

9. Rathausbrücke

This is a bridge connecting Weinplatz with the opposite bank of the Limmat river. The bridge was built in 1878.

10. Rathaus

Crossing the Rathausbrücke bridge you will see the City Hall (Rathaus), built in the late Renaissance style, facing the Limmatquai embankment on the right bank of the Limmat River. The building was built in the second half of the 17th century. The cantonal council still meets here. The Town Hall is open to tourists on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10:00 to 11:30 am.

11. Grossmunster

After the Town Hall, turn right. You will find yourself on the Limmatquai embankment, and in front will proudly rise the two towers of the main cathedral of Zurich - the Grossmünster, built in the 12th century.

20. ETN main building

Go around the ETH building, which will be behind Politerrasse. You will find yourself in front of the entrance to the main building of this university.

The building was built in 1854 by the Swiss Confederation and opened its doors in 1855 as a polytechnic institute (Eidgenössische Polytechnische Schule). Initially, the university included 6 faculties: architecture, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, chemistry, forestry and a general faculty for mathematics, natural sciences, literature, sociology and political science.

21. Kunsthaus

Drive or walk 1 stop to the right (if your back is to the main entrance to the ETH building) - to the main city museum Kunsthaus. It’s especially good if it’s a Wednesday when admission to the museum is free.
The building is easily recognizable by the strange artistic compositions at the entrance.
The museum contains a collection of classical and modern art, including several paintings by Salvador Dali, Monet, Picasso, and Marc Chagall. It features an extensive collection of works by the famous Swiss artist-sculptor Alberto Giacometti. Temporary exhibitions are held here regularly. The museum is not large, so you probably won’t have to spend more than two hours on it.

If you have time and energy left, you can go to.

22. Mount Uetliberg

At the station you will need to buy a ticket for two zones ahead. To do this, you will need to dial the code *003 on the machine at any stop in the city, select a one-way or both-way trip, and half price (if a child) or full price, as well as the class of pastures. Second class one way full tickets will be 8 francs.

You go down to the bottom floor of the station, go to the second platform (Gleis 2), take the S10 train, and after 20 minutes of travel you are at the top of the mountain (this is the final station).

Climb the path to the top with other people - there will be a panoramic platform with a gorgeous view of the entire city, a restaurant and a hotel. There is also a tower where you can climb even higher. At the top there will be a diagram of the surrounding mountains, so you can also determine which mountains you see based on the relief.

You can have dinner at the restaurant and watch the sunset on. Just remember that it’s usually windy at the top, so it’s better to take warm clothes.

In winter, to warm up, you can drink hot mulled wine, which is sold there. By the way, you can meet in the hotel-restaurant - a gala dinner is being held there.

Return to the station by the same train in 20 minutes.

Route map (you can zoom in, move and read information at points marked with asterisks):

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Zurich in January is still imbued with the spirit of the Christmas and New Year holidays, so it makes sense to stay in the city for a couple of days when returning to Russia from the ski resorts of Switzerland. In addition, the winter sale is going on all month in Zurich, famous for its luxury stores - a busy time for shopping lovers. Discounts in boutiques on the city's main shopping street - Bahnhofstrasse - reach 70%.

In January in Zurich you can go sledding down the Wittlieberg mountain. The toboggan run, more than three kilometers long, runs from the top of the mountain to the city quarter of Triemli. For two kilometers, the route is intended only for sledding, and for the remaining 1.1 kilometer long section, it is divided into two parts, one of which is intended for pedestrians, using appropriate signs. The S10 tram will take tourists to the Whitleyburg Mountain toboggan run. At the final station there is the famous Gmüetliberg restaurant, where you can taste fondue (from 23.5 euros for two) and other Swiss cuisine with panoramic views of the rooftops of Zurich.

Also, after the New Year, the free Live On Ice skating rink (www.liveonice.ch) continues to operate for a few more days in front of the building of the Swiss National Museum - Landesmuseum. Skates can be rented here.

After a day in the fresh air, warm up at Thermalbad & Spa Zurich, a popular city spa center located on the thermal springs. There are many steam rooms, saunas, massage rooms and even a meditation pool where music plays underwater.

Zurich museums invite you to interesting exhibitions in January. For example, the Kunsthaus (www.kunsthaus.ch) will host the exhibition Monolithic Water about water in art, and the exhibition The Tie can be seen at the Swiss National Museum until January 18. Men Fashion Power, dedicated to men's ties. In addition, this museum offers tourists from Russia an audio tour in Russian using iPad tablets, which can be rented here.

To have time to see more in Zurich and at the same time save, it is worth buying a ZürichCARD tourist card (www.zuerich.com/en/visit/your-city-travel-pass) for a day or 72 hours (cost - 20 and 40 euros, respectively) . The card allows you to use public transport without restrictions, including steamboats and ski lifts, as well as free access to most museums and exhibitions in the city. In addition, cardholders receive many discounts in restaurants and hotels.

Ekaterina Romanova-Panina

Well, let's continue walking around winter Switzerland)))

We spent only a few hours in Zurich on December 4th. Therefore, a post from the category “What can you see in one day”)))

Seven hours for a transfer is quite a long time. And more or less regularly we use such transfers to our advantage when going into the city. True, more often than not there is more time, so I resisted a little - I didn’t want to explore Zurich at a vigorous gallop. But the advantage was that the airport is only a fifteen-minute drive from the center. Trains (in our case, commuter trains) run remarkably regularly, with the precision of a Swiss watch :-)) Therefore, at 11 am we already went out to the square in front of Zurich Central Station with a green light Alfred Escher , founder of the Swiss railways.

I mentioned that the main bazaar was right at the station. But we didn’t see it because our train arrived at the lower platform (there are also upper ones))), so we immediately found ourselves in underground passages, very similar to ours in Moscow, when Sobyanin had not yet overcome the “underground” trade. And most of the shops are not the cheapest)))

And this is just such a fountain)))

Most tourists who come to Zurich - especially by train - will go straight to Bahnhofstrasse (just Zheleznodorozhnaya Street)))), but in its 1.5 km it has the most expensive shops and five-star hotels. Decent people shop here.

But I’m so not into shopping:((that my respectability extended only to a pretzel bought on the “golden” street of Zurich. I just wanted to eat))) And I adore pretzels!

So we immediately turned from Bahnhofstrasse into the Old Town.

Altstadt It is a must in every European city. A sort of “sacred cow” where nothing can be altered, where crowds of tourists are hanging around from morning to morning, where living is expensive and inconvenient, but terribly prestigious...

I don’t know if I would like everyone passing by to stare at my cute little balcony))))

But it’s nice to live in a house with its own store)))

This part of the Old Town is traditionally pedestrian, only residents enter.

Many streets are decorated with illumination. It was a pity that we couldn’t stay until the evening. Surely it looks beautiful. But even without this, small squares with diverging streets are good. There are fountains with drinking water, various statues and colorful flower beds in different places.

I kept tormented by thoughts about whether it was worth drinking water from the gushing stream. I mean, is it really drinkable? Exactly. The local people drank. Then we kissed ourselves)))

The natural border of the pedestrian area is the Limmat River.

There are many beautiful and significant buildings along its banks. For example, the town hall. The building is actually part of the bridge, you can swim under it.

They write that if externally the town hall is a restrained baroque, then inside the decoration is very magnificent and looks more like a palace.

Visible to the right of the pink building St. Peter's Church .

From the network: A 9th-century temple with an ancient tower clock with a 4-meter minute hand and a dial diameter of about 9 meters.

On the left is the green tower Fraumünster.

From the network: According to surviving documents, the temple was built in the 9th century under Louis II for his daughter Hildegard, who preferred monasticism to worldly life. For a long time, there was a convent attached to the church, where representatives of noble families took monastic vows.

Until the mid-20th century, the Fraumünster Church fell into decay, but in the 60s. was restored. The artist M. Chagall worked on the stained glass windows.

There is a monument next to the church Hans Waldmann , mayor of Zurich and military leader as far back as the 15th century...

And one more angle on Fraumünster- from another dominant city Grossmunster.

But the “pink building” itself should not be ignored)))) The name speaks for itself - “Storchen”, i.e. "Stork". And they say that this hotel has stood in this place for 650 years)).

Two equal-sized towers are visible from many parts of the city - this is Grossmünster.

From the network: The temple was built in a gloomy Romanesque style. It is believed that its history began in the 9th century and is associated with the name of Emperor Charlemagne. His horse fell to its knees in front of the grave of the Christian martyrs Felix and Regula, who fled from Roman persecution. The brother and sister were executed and buried on the hill where the Grossmünster was later built.

We went to this church. You are not allowed to take photographs inside. And okay - the interior is quite ascetic. Much has been greatly updated, and as a result the feeling of antiquity is lost.

For example, such gates are very modern and clearly installed recently)).

From Grossmunster we went deeper into another part of the Old City, beyond the Limmat.

This side is perhaps less old. But the same fountains in small squares, cute houses, small shops...

An unrealistic number of second-hand bookstores per capita, certainly not cheap. But they are so cute - I love old books...

There are dog bags everywhere here. But they don’t forget about people - there are also dry closets everywhere. They are probably trying to escape the tourists wandering around in all corners. And rightly so.

This is an even less historical part of the city, although it also looks nice)))))

In search of where to eat, we returned back and ended up on the shore Lake Zurich .

Well, really, then Zurich must be))).

The day was so different. Either grey-gloomy, even with rain, or bright sun and blue sky))) And +12, which is gratifying for Russians in December :-))

You can take a boat ride on the lake. And there will be an opportunity, let's go for a ride.

For some reason, I didn’t take pictures at all on the embankment of Lake Zurich. I was just looking at the daily life of the people of Zurich. Lots of people running, walking with children, playing with dogs. Even on lawns. And nowhere are there any prohibitions in the style of the house manager from “The Diamond Arm”)))

I watched the seagulls... But not about the birds now - there are so many.

Only the “green boy” with someone’s head remained in the photo. I think David? Why was the head cut off?

AND Opera theatre. I really liked it!

A very beautiful, light building. True, modern sculptures that are not unique to me are embedded around the perimeter (as is fashionable these days). Like an unidentified boy. On the other hand, today’s creators also need to leave a mark somewhere...

A river flows out of Lake Zurich Limmat. Which is good in itself.

It’s also very pleasant to walk along its embankments...

On the left is the building National Swiss Museum . It is located just behind the central station. And the plans were to visit it due to its proximity.

But the weather was favorable for the walk))) Which made me very happy. Although the reviews about the museum are good, it is large and would take a lot of time. And we wouldn’t be able to get around and see so much. So next time too))

There is a small park behind the museum. Again, people are walking. And we walked. The sound of falling water was heard all the time. I kept wondering, a waterfall or something, or a dam...

It turned out, indeed, a dam)) This is the quiet and calm Limmat flowing down...

And on the other side of the arrow, the flow from the mountains is seething Zil.

And also, Limmat and Zil mix their multi-colored waters.

We timed it well. We caught the right train. People wrote in the reviews: be careful, otherwise, if you take the wrong train, you may end up in Lausanne, or even Paris. It worked out. We climbed to the second floor of the train and watched the sunset over Zurich. There were no more cute antique pictures here. There were many office buildings with glass walls, and thousands of people could be seen sitting in these large "beehives"...

Mistakenly perceived as a boring financial centre, Zurich is a surprisingly vibrant place with hundreds of holiday options. And if you come here in winter, you will notice the transformation of this Swiss city into a winter wonderland with music, lights and Christmas markets. What to do in Zurich in winter to have fun?

Experience the magic of Christmas on Bahnhofstrasse

All Christmas events in Zurich begin when Bahnhofstrasse is suddenly illuminated with thousands of lights. One of the famous shopping streets in Europe is covered with snow in winter and looks like a fairy tale. Singing trees, garlands, Santa Clauses, brightly decorated shop windows - it seems that the festive mood of the whole of Zurich is concentrated precisely on Bahnhofstrasse. Townspeople go around local shops in search of gifts and simply enjoy the beauty of the illuminations. By the way, the lighting compositions change almost daily, culminating in the brightest effects that literally “flood” the street on Christmas night.

Walk through the Old Town

Although in winter you don’t always want to go for long walks, the Old Town of Zurich is especially beautiful at this time. So, wearing something warm, it's worth taking a trip through its cobbled streets. The old quarters contain a lot of interesting things, for example, the Schipfe district, where the most colorful and beautiful houses in Zurich, antique shops, and shops with folk goods are located. The next attraction is the majestic city cathedral in the Gothic and Romanesque style, from the bell tower of which everyone can look at winter Zurich. And to warm up, you can go to any cozy cafe in the Old Town for a hot drink.

Try fondue and other winter cuisine

Fondue is the most recognizable Swiss dish that will warm you up and taste especially delicious during the winter months. There are many places in Zurich where you can try authentic Swiss fondue, especially since there are enough variations of this dish for every day. Other dishes that are popular in winter in Zurich restaurants include veal with sauce, fresh pastries with hot chocolate, schnitzels, and also excellent homemade sausages. In winter, honey cookies, or tirrgel, traditionally appear on sale, which are prepared with spices. This popular Christmas treat with a festive design was first mentioned back in the 15th century.

Visit the Christmas market

Obviously, the list of seasonal entertainment in winter Zurich would not be complete without Christmas markets. Switzerland, like the rest of Europe, has no equal in organizing such markets. And for tourists, there is no more pleasant entertainment than strolling between rows of decorated kiosks with some hot drink in hand. In Zurich, on the eve of the most anticipated holiday, about five markets are opened. But the largest market is located under the roof of the railway station and opens after November 20th. More than 150 kiosks sell national sweets, cheeses, souvenirs, and unusual Christmas tree decorations. Here it is believed that it is in the interests of the seller to present the most original goods; products with history are welcomed. Therefore, guests of this market have long loved its assortment. In addition to the standard opportunity to buy goods, guests are offered to attend master classes of artisans.

Leave Zurich and go skiing

Alpine skiing and Switzerland are two inextricably linked concepts. And you simply cannot deny yourself this winter entertainment. Flumserberg is the closest resort to Zurich, 90 km away from the city. Its slopes are designed for absolutely all skiers, making Flumserberg accessible to beginners and more confident athletes. And if you have no skiing experience at all, you can enroll in a ski school. Here they will teach you how to ski and snowboard. The rest of the time, vacationers are entertained by Flumserberg restaurants with Italian and Swiss cuisine, including regional wines. Another resort close to Zurich is Engelberg, with plenty of snow, freeride opportunities and 28 slopes. There is a snow park for children and various international competitions are held here, including ski jumping. By the way, vacationers in Engelberg are offered excursions to places associated with Suvorov’s Swiss campaign.

Celebrate New Year

Zurich is one of those European cities where tourists tend to celebrate the New Year. People fill the squares and streets, treat themselves to hot chestnuts and traditional cookies, and then wait for the climax - a grandiose fireworks display over the lake. A festival is also held here, where musicians and vendors entertain guests until the morning. For those who like to celebrate the New Year in a more standard and warm way, Zurich hotels offer to order a New Year's dinner. Moreover, many of these establishments are famous for their good panoramas of the city.

Zurich has many faces, and this holiday season invites you not only to plunge into the purest waters of the lake, feeding the swans, but also to enjoy walks, shopping and restaurants with organic cuisine.

The best place to stay is the luxurious Park Hyatt Zurich, ideal for a romantic weekend (we recommend the Park Corner Suite), time with family (specify the age of the children when booking, and the hotel will take care of the comfort of little guests) or celebrating with a noisy group (note the new Presidential Suite with private sauna and fireplace). On the eve of the main night of the year, head for lunch to the Conelli Circus Christmas Show, which has been creating a festive atmosphere in the city for over 25 years (until January 1). After such a spectacular performance, your children will begin to stretch and practice acrobatic tricks with even greater zeal - all you have to do is make sure that not a single piece of furniture in the room is damaged. If in the pre-holiday bustle you haven’t planned where to spend New Year’s Eve, just go down to the ONYX Bar at the hotel. The selection of cocktails will surprise even the most experienced, the main thing is to have time to choose and make that very cherished wish from the entire list for 2019. At 00:20, colorful fireworks will begin; just leave the bar to admire it.

Morning joggers can go to the embankment: a breathtaking view of the lake and mountains will speed up their usual pace. On Tuesdays and Fridays from 6 am there is a market at Bürkliplatz, 5 minutes from the hotel, where you can buy seasonal flowers for your loved one as a gift for your morning coffee or glass of champagne. A breakfast to suit all tastes will be served at the hotel's restaurant upon your return. The chef also took care of lovers of a healthy lifestyle: smoothies with superfoods (ideal companions on the morning of January 1), gluten-free baked goods or pudding with chia seeds - everything is on the special menu.

A walk through the old town will be perfectly complemented by shopping at the Nook children's store, a cup of aromatic coffee at the cozy Schober confectionery (the courtyard is conducive to leisurely gatherings with loved ones even in winter!) and lunch at the Italian Cantinetta Antinori. After a portion of delicious pasta, do not rush to grab dessert, but go wander through the streets, on one of which there is a store with the most delicious chocolate - Max Chocolatier. If you are a vegetarian who loves not just a tasty, but also a beautiful meal, go for lunch to the Hiltl restaurant next to the famous Jelmoli shopping center, where the range and presentation of dishes amaze even the most notorious meat eaters.

After a busy day of shopping (the famous street is located two minutes from the hotel), order a gourmet dinner from the Park Hyatt Zurich's Parkhuus restaurant from the special New Year's Eve menu. Dishes made from selected organic ingredients are perfectly complemented by a sample from our own wine collection.

What to do

If your young talents do not like to sit still and the beauty of a European city has not touched their young hearts, be sure to go to Jucker Farm - a place where seasonal vegetables and fruits are collected in the warm season, and in winter they hold master classes for everyone and introduce them to winter products. Another main place in winter in Zurich is rightfully considered the open-air historical skating rink Dolder Ice Rink. Mulled wine and dynamic music will lift your spirits and help you work up an appetite.

What to bring

The best souvenir from Switzerland, while another response to sanctions limits their availability in their homeland, will be a selection of local cheeses (excellent choices at Chäs-Vreneli, Tritt Käse Markthalle and Jelmoli). For those who like to bring home foreign vitamins and healthy food products, we recommend checking out the MÜLLER Reformhaus chain; one of the stores is located two minutes from the Park Hyatt Zurich hotel. Life hack: here you will find the entire range of King Soba organic pasta, so beloved all over the world, the supply of which has not yet been established in Moscow.

What to plan

If you are one of those who like to plan their trips in advance, then we recommend adding a visit to the Züri Fäscht festival on July 5-7, 2019 to your calendar. Fans from all over the world come every 3 (!) years to taste local delicacies and dance along the banks of the Limmat River and Lake Zurich to the beat of musical fireworks. When planning your summer walk route, arrange a surprise for your loved ones - lunch outdoors under the gentle sun in picturesque places in Zurich. Inform the hotel concierge in advance about your intention to have a picnic - there are plenty of places for this pleasure in the business capital of Switzerland. You will have a lunch prepared from seasonal local products, which the chef personally selects from nearby farms, and a bottle of champagne and lemonade will be carefully packed. The cozy and beautiful Villa Patumbah is perfect for excursions and walks, unless you decide to stay in the wonderful Chinese Garden, which is located by the lake not far from the Villa. After a leisurely meal, rent bikes and ride along the boardwalk in the glow of the sunset. A must stop is the gelateria Gelati am See. We strongly recommend that you take care of a scoop of ice cream for yourself: it would be naive to think that your children will share with you the most delicious ice cream in the area.

Gourmet Guide: