Preface: Welcome to one of my Short City Adventures. These are shorter not due to any lack of affection for the featured locations, but because the visits were either brief, offering just a glimpse of the city, or because the cities only have a handful of attractions. Join me and discover whether these cities might interest you.
As a stopover on our trip to Appenzell in summer 2024, we explored the city of Zürich for a bit. Zürich is the largest city in Switzerland. Although it wasn’t the first Swiss city I knew of, Zürich had been on my list of places to visit since high school – maybe because of the beautiful translation of its name into Chinese, or perhaps because I was fascinated by the sight of planes taking off and flying over the mountains in Pilotseye. This time, I insisted on passing through the city and staying overnight to immerse myself in its atmosphere.
While Zürich is the country’s largest city, the main area worth exploring is its Altstadt (Old Town). Here, you will find churches, museums, and gardens that are definitely worth a visit. Bahnhofstraße is another notable street, bustling with tourists shopping in high-end stores. However, the highlight for me was walking across the different bridges over the Limmat and Sihl, Zürich’s two major rivers. The rivers run a striking turquoise – I’ve never seen rivers in any other city with this clean, green-blue color. The cobblestones on the narrow paths of the Altstadt seem to whisper stories about the rich history of this Alpine city.
Our brief stay didn’t allow us to explore much beyond the Altstadt, but it was enough to get a sense of Zürich’s charm. If we had more time, we would have definitely visited the lakeside of Zürichsee. Zürich may not be a city you need to explore in depth if your schedule is tight and you are visiting other places in Switzerland, but it’s a lovely city to enjoy if you have the time.
Zürich in a Day: Highlights of the Altstadt and Scenic Rivers
Preface: Welcome to one of my Short City Adventures. These are shorter not due to any lack of affection for the featured locations, but because the visits were either brief, offering just a glimpse of the city, or because the cities only have a handful of attractions. Join me and discover whether these cities might interest you.
As a stopover on our trip to Appenzell in summer 2024, we explored the city of Zürich for a bit. Zürich is the largest city in Switzerland. Although it wasn’t the first Swiss city I knew of, Zürich had been on my list of places to visit since high school – maybe because of the beautiful translation of its name into Chinese, or perhaps because I was fascinated by the sight of planes taking off and flying over the mountains in Pilotseye. This time, I insisted on passing through the city and staying overnight to immerse myself in its atmosphere.
While Zürich is the country’s largest city, the main area worth exploring is its Altstadt (Old Town). Here, you will find churches, museums, and gardens that are definitely worth a visit. Bahnhofstraße is another notable street, bustling with tourists shopping in high-end stores. However, the highlight for me was walking across the different bridges over the Limmat and Sihl, Zürich’s two major rivers. The rivers run a striking turquoise – I’ve never seen rivers in any other city with this clean, green-blue color. The cobblestones on the narrow paths of the Altstadt seem to whisper stories about the rich history of this Alpine city.
Our brief stay didn’t allow us to explore much beyond the Altstadt, but it was enough to get a sense of Zürich’s charm. If we had more time, we would have definitely visited the lakeside of Zürichsee. Zürich may not be a city you need to explore in depth if your schedule is tight and you are visiting other places in Switzerland, but it’s a lovely city to enjoy if you have the time.