Zurich Sights / Attractions

You are in: Main Page » Sightseeing » Page 1 » P2 » P3
» P4 » P5 » P6

Schanzengraben

Take Tram 3, 14 or Bus 31 to << Löwenplatz >> or Tram 2, 5, 8, 9, 11 or Bus Nr. 161, 165 to << Bürkliplatz >>
Running alongside the luxury Hotel Baur au Lac and within easy walking distance of nearby Bürkliplatz, the Schanzengraben (or "Digging Ditch") is a canal that stretches from the northern end of Lake Zürich all the way through to Löwenplatz (near to the city's main railway station, Zürich Hauptbahnhof).

For anyone discovering the Schanzengraben in summer, the sight of small boats moored alongside a tree-lined embankment is a pleasant, relaxing one. Coupled with unusual views of some of the city's most historic buildings (from behind) it makes an afternoon stroll here worthwhile.

The tranquility of the canal certainly makes it difficult to imagine that, in 1798, the city (then occupied by Austrian and Russian forces) defended the Lake area from the French army. Nowadays, with all the feel of a Venetian canal, this quiet area has a life all of its own and feels a world away from the hustle and bustle of Zürich's main thoroughfares.

With the walk ending at Usteri bridge, Bahnhofstrasse and the Hauptbahnhof are just a few blocks away.

Schipfe

Website: www.schipfe.ch,
As one of the city's oldest quarters, "Schipfe" (derived from the nautical term "schupfen" (to push), which was used to describe how local fishermen handled the launch of their boats from the riverbank). Once the transfer point for essential merchandise, it became a centre for the city's silk industry, as well as being the location for bathhouses and boat related businesses.

An idyllic spot to explore, linger or eat/drink, the Schipfe runs though the quaint houses on the banks of the Limmat. Indeed, before the Limmatquai was constructed, it was the only pedestrian street connecting the Old Town to Zürich's main railway station area.

Today, it serves as a street where artisans and craftspeople ply their trade, offering quality and custom-made products from small workshops and inviting shops.

Stadthausquai

Take Tram 2, 5, 8, 9 or 11 to << Bürkliplatz >>, then walk for 2 minutes along by the Limmat, or take Tram 4, 15 to << Helmhaus >> then cross Münster-Brücke, where Stadthausquai is located a further 150m along on the right
As home to the women's only Frauenbad - which at night turns into the "Barfussbar" (bare foot bar) - the Stadthausquai (embankment) is also the setting for the traditional Christmas "Lichterschwimmen" or "light-floating" ceremony, where 800 floating candles are launched from the Stadthausquai on a journey along the Limmat River.

Storchengasse/Strehlgasse

Storchengasse/Strehlgasse, Postbox 2839, CH-8022 Zürich, Website: www.storchengasse.ch, Tram 6, 7, 11 and 13 to << Rennweg/Augustinergasse >>
Chock-full of trendy boutiques, antique shops and upscale jewellery stores, the immediate vicinity around Storchengasse/Strehlgasse (comprising also of Schipfe, Weggengasse, Weinplatz, Rathausbrücke, Glockengasse, Kämbelgasse, Münsterhof, Rathausbrücke, Schipfe, Schlüsselgasse, St. Peterhofstatt, Wühre and Zinnengasse) is a labyrinth of cobbled lanes and pleasant winding passages.

Here, you'll find one of the city's finest confiserei - Teuscher - complete with a delightful (and unashamedly over-the-top) interior stocking all manner of mouth-watering handmade chocolates, including their famous champagne truffles.

Also well-worth a visit is the Pastorini toy shop (near to the Hotel zum Storchen) where you'll find a delightful selection of wooden toys and ornaments.

Tonhalle

Claridenstrasse 7, CH-8002 Zürich, Tel: +41 (0) 44 206 34 34, Website: www.tonhalle.ch, Open for ticket sales (On concert days): Mon-Fri 10am-until the beginning of the concert, Sat/Sun, 1 hour prior to the concert. All other days
Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Tram 5 or Bus 161, 165 to << Bürkliplatz >>
As Zürich's most established concert hall, the Tonhalle benefits from glorious acoustics as well as first-rate performances based, by and large, on a traditional program of 90 performances per season.

Chief conductor David Zinman, who has been in charge since 1995, follows a long line of distinguished baton-wielders including Friedrich Hegar, its first conductor, who had a marked influence on Zürich's music scene between 1868 and 1906 and his successor, Volkmar Andreae, who directed the orchestra for over forty years (giving approximately 1300 concerts).

Comprising of 101 musicians, the symphony orchestra has, over the years, borne witness to performances by composers such as Brahms (who conducted the inaugural concert here in 1895 with a presentation of "Song of Triumph"), Richard Wagner, R. Strauss and Hindemith.