A mini weekend away is always worthwhile and a spontaneous trip to Zurich was an extremely good decision. I am left wanting more of the city and promise myself to return again. Also, I was so lucky to be welcomed with a Sunny Day. Being constantly cursed with cold and rainy weather. I sure needed this!
With less than 24 hours in the city known for having the highest standard of living and an expensive place to live in , I was curious to visit Zurich and have an experience of my own.
This doesn’t come as a spoiler, I honestly loved Zurich. It is filled with immense love for nature, architecture and has all the modern and lavish amenities one can wish for in a city. I did not check everything on my list though and will be totally using that as an excuse to visit again someday.
Here is a short summary of my trip.
On My Way To Spend A Sunny Day in Zurich
I took an early morning flight from London and was in Zurich around 8:30 a.m with a whole day to explore the city. The only reason I’ll be excited to be awake before sunrise on a weekend is because I am getting on a plane, which I will highly recommend because watching the sun rise from a plane window is indeed heavenly.
The first thing I did after landing was to buy a Zurich Card at a Switzerlandinfo+ counter on the airport. It’s hard to miss it, as it’s on the way to the Departure Gates and covers a reasonable amount of space. Just don’t be as stupid as me and remember to punch the card on one of the platforms before alighting the trains. I was welcomed with a beautiful sunny weather as I reached the Zurich Main Station. It took me about 15 minutes to get there, and I realized I quickly regretted not bringing my sunglasses. Oh Well! :p
If I had to do it all over again, I would have booked this prior to my travel, to not waste time on the airport.
Book Your Zurich Card ahead of time here.
Ganymed – the Prominent Sculpture by Lake Zurich
On my way to the city center, I had a beautiful scene of Lake Zurich awaiting me, along with the prominent statue of Lake Zurich – The Ganymede Sculpture. It has adorned Bürkliterrasse since 1952 and symbolizes man’s longing to ascend Mount Olympus. With an outstretched hand, Ganymede, the son of the king Tros of Dardania pleads with Zeus, the father of the gods (who appears as an eagle), to take him there. Being introduced to Greek Mythology as a child through Rick Riordian’s books, I was bound to google and know more.
I also seen people paddle boarding in the lake, and thought it was a beautiful scene to capture. And, the blue skies that merged with the blue lake made it such a serene view to admire. I was mesmerized with the beauty already, and I had barely begun exploring. Can you blame me?
There were also so many beautiful birds that attracted bird lovers to feed them. I quickly realized it was just another day for them interacting with nature. It almost felt like all the bird lovers just move to Zurich and settle here. I could find one every where I looked. On my way back home, I noticed a Peace Flag, which went with the overall vibes I got from this place. I obviously did not miss the opportunity to click a picture for the gram. 😛
Exploring The Zurich Old Town
I decided to check out the Old Town before anything else. Most of the attractions were walking distance from each other which would help me cover most of the attractions on my list without me constantly checking on what transport do I need to take to reach from point A to B. 😛 Let’s be honest, I still had to get some coffee down my system 😛
I visited The Grossmünster, Equestrian statue of Hans Waldmann, The Fraumünster, walked through the bird friendly streets, got to see a panoramic view of the Old Town from Lindenhof hill and enjoyed a leisure brunch and had a mini reading session with a view of Zurich’s Scenic Old Town, for which I have shared my experience in detail on this blog already.
Enjoying the Sun in The Botanical Gardens Of Zurich
My next stop was the Botanical Gardens of Zurich which was a treat for a Nature Lover like me. The added benefit of visiting Zurich on a sunny day is to enjoy the outdoors and the beauty that nature holds. This would be my reading place if I ever end up living here. 😛
Zurich Lake Cruise
I spent 1.5 Hours cruising through the lake of Zurich and absorbing as much of the beauty of the Swiss Alps I could. This was again free with my Zurich Card and the view of the cascading pastel houses were truly exceptional.
I waited patiently admiring the horizon as I was about 20 minutes early for the next cruise ride. As you can see, the view was worth the waiting.
Visiting the Swiss National Museum
This was a rushed visit to the Museum. I barely had an hour to spend before it closes for the day. While I did not get much time to ponder through each section as much as I’d like to.It’s rich history and culture left me overwhelmed with its vast exhibits on ancient and the medieval age . This indeed has been an amazing introduction to Switzerland’s art and craftsmanship that finds it’s home in this historic building.
I found myself admiring the varied collection of Armour and Textile and spent most of my time learning about them. There was so many rooms and displays, too bad I could not cover everything.
Also, this crockery set is so beautiful. The next time I visit Zurich, I hope on visiting a lot of museums to make good use of my Zurich Card. There are about 43 museums on my list 😛
Admiring The Opera House
I kind of stumbled on this by chance while I was looking to buy some Swiss chocolates to take home. There were a bunch of kids practicing their dancing routine that caught my eye initially. Behind them, this building kind of stood out to me with its architecture. People even had random chairs all over while they enjoyed a smoke and their coffee. These people are so blessed with these views and sure know how to make the most of it.
The Important Stuff
A. I would prefer visiting on a Saturday instead of a Sunday, as most of the shops are closed.
B. The Zurich Card may seem pricey but is totally worth investing in. You don’t have to bother about any tickets and most of the attractions are free with an added benefit of shopping discounts for souvenirs.
To be honest, there were so many things on my list I wanted to tick off. With time passing by so quickly when you are truly waning it to pause, I had to bid goodbye to this beautiful city with a heavy heart. Until next time, I shall cherish these wonderful experiences and come back for more.
Do not forget to check out my Travel Posts and follow my blog for more such fun stuff .