Zürich: Creativity, Culture and Stunning Natural Beauty

PHOTO: © BOGDAN LAZAR | DREAMSTIME.COM,

I’ve visited Zürich for most of my life. While I’m not one of the bankers or tech employees who define the city as a global financial hub, I often travel there as a tourist — frequently to buy shoes and bags from designer Stefi Talman, whose atelier sits in the Altstadt, or Old Town. That neighborhood’s narrow, cobbled lanes brim with creative shops, galleries, restaurants and bars tucked beneath church spires and clocktowers. A short walk brings you to the lakeshore, where in summer the water becomes a playground and year-round it reflects the Alps and sky. In Altstadt you can be immersed in centuries-old atmosphere one moment and encounter bold modernity the next.

Zürich is a compact city defined by Swiss efficiency and an exceptional public-transport system. Residents are culturally engaged, hardworking and often quietly confident. A local once summed up the city’s character simply: “We’re Swiss — quality is in our DNA.” That pragmatic pride can seem reserved, but it has long fueled innovation. Over the centuries Zürich has attracted pioneers in arts and letters, from Thomas Mann and Mozart to Chagall and Picasso. The city has been a hotbed of creative movements — the Protestant Reformation and, later, the birth of Dada at Cabaret Voltaire in 1916. Innovation is part of the civic fabric, whether subtle or transformative, as shown by the reinvention of Zürich West: an industrial riverside area reborn as a lively, modern district linking the center to the airport.

Asked how COVID-19 affected Switzerland’s largest city, Julia Müller of Zürich Tourism was direct: Zürich hardly faltered. Projects such as Europaallee and Zollhaus, planned before the pandemic, were completed and have become lively quarters adjacent to the main train station. In 2021 the Circle Convention Center opened at Zurich Airport, offering more than 54,000 square feet of meeting space and quickly becoming a business hub. Embracing its “Smart Meeting City” identity, Zürich also renovated the Tonhalle concert hall and congress center with sustainability goals in mind — from location and design to catering — and pledged to offset any surplus carbon impact.

CHECKING IN WITH THOMAS MAECHLER
General Manager, La Réserve Eden au Lac Zurich

What’s new in Zürich?
In late 2021 a David Chipperfield–designed extension to the Kunsthaus art museum opened, making it the largest art museum in Switzerland and among the largest collections in Europe. The new wing has energized the surrounding neighborhood, helping to create an art quarter where established galleries and newcomers now thrive.

What local things do you suggest out-of-town friends do when they visit Zürich?
Explore the Seefeld district on foot — a bohemian neighborhood full of concept shops, interior stores, bars and restaurants. Enjoy Lake Zürich by paddleboard, pedalo or lake cruiser, or relax on the hotel’s rooftop terrace with sweeping views across the city to the mountains.

Describe the attributes of your city and the people who live in it.
Zürich is inviting and culturally rich, prized for its high quality of life. Its lakeside setting and proximity to nature, along with excellent safety, make it exceptionally appealing. Zürchers tend to be open-minded, well-traveled and multilingual.

What do business travelers need to know?
Zürich is easy to reach and navigate. Daily non-stop flights connect the city with several major U.S. airports. La Réserve Eden au Lac Zurich is about a 30-minute drive from the airport and offers the comfort of lakeside amenities — even the chance for a quick swim after a long business day.

DIVERSIONS

Though Zürichers work hard, they also know how to relax. The city has more bars per capita than any other in Switzerland, reflecting a lively after-work and weekend scene. Dining is a favorite pastime: adventurous chefs and refined eateries share the culinary stage. Notable spots include The Artisan Kitchen and Urban Garden, the vegetable-focused Neue Taverne, Michelin-recognized Maison Manesse, and the eclectic Frau Gerolds Garten with its bar made from cargo containers. For a variety of tastes, visit Markthalle in Im Viadukt — a marketplace built into a railroad viaduct in Zürich West — where a range of food stalls and vendors offer local and international flavors. For classic Swiss with creative twists, Gamper is a popular bistro and Rosi serves cosmopolitan Bavarian dishes with a playful touch. Cocktail lovers flock to bars such as Sacchi Bar and the longstanding Widder Bar, and chic wine bars are scattered across the city. For sweets, Confiserie Sprüngli is famed for its luxemburgerli macarons, and the Lindt Home of Chocolate offers an interactive museum experience.

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Outdoor enthusiasts can hike, bike, sled or snowshoe on Uetliberg, Zürich’s local mountain. Lake Zürich invites boating, swimming, paddleboarding and sunbathing, while the Limmat River offers scenic tours. Culture lovers will find around 50 museums in the city, including Kunsthaus Zürich with its broad collection of European art spanning classic to modern masters such as Monet, Picasso and Warhol. The Gothic Fraumünster Church is notable for its vivid stained-glass windows by Marc Chagall, a striking blend of old and new that captures Zürich’s spirit.

JUST THE FACTS
Time zone: GMT+2
Country code: 41
City code: 43
Currency: Swiss franc
Key industries: Banking, information and communications technology, life sciences, tourism

INFO TO GO
Zurich Airport is about 6 miles from the city center and is linked by frequent train service to Zürich Main Station. The airport serves many direct destinations and is a hub for Swiss International Air Lines. Trains and the S-Bahn provide regular connections to the city, often included with a Zürich Card; taxis are available for the roughly 15-minute drive.