Zurich is All About the Lake
A place THAT can feel equally like a forest, a lake, a town, or a city
I made a friend from Zurich while I was in Bordeaux who told me that Zurich can feel too perfect. To be honest, he’s right - but that doesn’t render the city any less delightful. It’s beautifully integrated with the nature around it, in particular its lake - leaving it feeling equal parts city and forest; in that sense, Zurich reminded me a bit of Seattle. You can walk a couple of miles in any direction and find yourself in more rural communities, including gardens and farm animals. There was a house about a10 minute walk from my hostel that had sheep! As I wandered, I was impressed by how well preserved the eco-system seemed to be - birds chirping constantly, bees everywhere on the flowers, clean air, and pristine blue water. In many ways, it felt like the model for what a modern city can be.
Zurich does feel exactly as rich as I’d expected. The buildings are pristine, the shops are luxury, espresso is almost $4, and everything feels idyllic. The overall effect is charming, though - not intimidating or off putting.
I had been hoping to feel some kinship to the city because the most recent immigrant in my family (a paternal great-grandmother) was from German Switzerland. While I did have a sort of spiritual experience in which I didn’t feel alone, like I was accompanied by a family member, I didn’t find any kind of cultural familiarity with Zurich - no sense of coming home. I don’t think it was disappointing, though, so much as an experience (or lack of experience) that I noted.
STROLL THROUGH THE HISTORIC DISTRICTS
The historic center of Zurich (District 1, Lindenhof, Niederdorf) has a perfectly-maintained old world charm. It’s easy to spend a few hours wandering through its streets, window shopping, or looking up to see one of the clock towers. As you move toward the lake, you get stunning views of the buildings against the water. It really never ceases being beautiful.
SOAK IN THE SUN AT THE LAKE
What I’ll remember most about Zurich is how much it felt like a dense lake town. The city is thoroughly integrated with its lake without disturbing it, and as you walk along the lakefront you’ll have plenty of options to lie down, go swimming, or sit on the rocks and stare out to the lake. I spent most of my time in Zurich doing just this - spending hours just soaking in the views or reading a book. It reminded me how naturally calming/grounding the combination of lake and mountain is for me.
HIKE UP UETLIBERG
Right outside of the city center is a small mountain, Uetliberg, full of hiking trails with panoramic views of Zurich and its lake. It’s an easy place to escape for the day, and there are many quiet benches placed throughout the trails for you to just sit and look out onto the city and lake. It’s really an exquisite place to spend a day hiking.
OTHER THINGS TO DO
Zurich is a place you’ll have no problem spending many days just soaking in the beauty without trying to entertain yourself. Nonetheless, if you’re looking to get up to something, the recommendations I received were to go on a boat tour or go to one of the city’s noteworthy museums: Museum of Art, Swiss National Museum, Rietberg Museum, Beyer Clock and Watch Museum, FIFA World Football Musuem, Zoological Museum.