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Visiting Zurich (Zürich*) - City Guide, Zurich Hotels, Zurich Tourist and Travel Information, Holidays and Vacations in Switzerland,

Our updated 2007 Zürich guide includes authoritative listings for the city's major sights, museums and galleries, with essential "survival tips" and information on how to reach the city, as well as an easy to use booking facility for Zurich Hotels (with detailed listings for five, four and three star hotels in the downtown area).

In addition, you'll find a critical guide to the best restaurants in town, plus a detailed shopping section and all the very latest information on arts and entertainment in Zürich (including opera, ballet and cinema).

*referred to as Zurich (rather than Zürich) on some pages of this guide for search engine ranking purposes.

Zürich Welcome's You!

Forever associated with banking, business and chocolate, the 'little big city' (as its known) lies at the northern end of Lake Zürich (Zürichsee). Divided in two by the Limmat river, Zürich is Switzerland's most populated city (with 350,000 inhabitants), although its compact size and convenient layout, make it one that's easily explored in just a few days.

At its heart is the charming, medieval Old Town which, as well as being an architectural delight, is chock full of elegant boutiques, antiques shops and restaurants. Here, you'll find Zürich's oldest parish church, Sankt Peterskirche, (with the largest clock face in Europe) as well as the famous Fraumünster, a Romanesque ladies convent with a delicate Gothic tower and beautiful stained-glass windows by Augusto Giacometti and the Russian-born Marc Chagall.

Across the Limmat you'll find the area known as Niederdorf (or the "Dörfli"), a collection of cobbled streets and alleyways each lined with trendy cafés and small shops. Dominated by the imposing twin towers of the Grossmünster, other major attractions here include the slender spire of the Dominican Predigerkirche, while on a hill to the west, lies the grandiose architecture of the city's university.

For many, however, a visit to Zürich begins with the world famous Bahnhofstraße, an upmarket, tree lined avenue that connects the city's main train station (Hauptbahnhof) to the lakefront. Here, you'll find the latest in haute couture and custom-made jewellery, along with fine foods and, of course, the chocolate phenomenon that is Sprüngli!

Further afield, a visit to Üetliberg (a scenic ridge of hills some 871 metres above sea-level) makes for an exciting excursion out of Zürich. As well as providing breathtaking views of the city (with snow-capped peaks such as the Jungfrau in the distance) you can also enjoy a panoramic walking tour of the hills by following a Planetary Path (Planetenweg). Featuring scale models of the planets in our solar system (on a scale of 1:1 billion) the distances between each are also to scale, making a visit to Pluto quite a hike!!

Of course, whichever way you spend time here, you'll be assured of a warm, friendly welcome and genuine hospitality. So begin exploring our guide by choosing from the options below and say "Grüezi" to the wonderful city of Zürich!

Zürich Essentials - Hot Tips and Useful Information

Facts, figures and top tips to help you plan a successful trip to Zürich, with topics such as customs formalities, car rentals, banking and money, embassy information, local newspapers, published guides and public transport all covered in detail. With 10 pages of information and over fifty categories to choose from, our Zurich essentials section is a must read!

Zürich Travel - Flights, Rail, Coaches, Car Rental

Up-to-date information on travelling to Zurich with information to help you plan a successful city break, holiday or business trip to Switzerland from the UK, mainland Europe, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Offering a booking engine for Zurich flights, we've also included sections on Switzerland's excellent rail network, as well as coach and driving holidays across mainland Europe. With plenty of useful links to travel agents/major airlines, hints for bargain hunting and time-saving local information, planning a trip to Switzerland should be a breeze!

Zürich Hotels - Listings and Secure Online Booking

Zurich is blessed with a wide-range of guest accommodation ranging from upscale, luxury properties to ladies only hotels and cheaper backpacking establishments (in the centre of town) for budget conscious travellers.

Helping you to make an informed choice, we've put together reviews for well-over 80 downtown Zürich hotels, also incorporating an easy-to-use booking engine with discount room rates and instant reservation confirmations.

Zürich Sights - Tourist Areas, Museums and Galleries

With the Canton of Zürich offering a multitude of sightseeing opportunities, we give you the low-down on the city's best museums, galleries and places of interest, as well as providing ideas on day trips to places further afield such as Luzern and Winterthur.

Our pages give the low-down on what's really worth seeing in Zürich, and include a guided walks section and downloadable 'Instant Guide', plus the opportunity to book Zürich sightseeing tours, river cruises and other events online!

Also on our Zürich Guide...

Despite being an expensive city to visit, Zürich remains an excellent choice for a spot of retail therapy in the course of a fun-filled city break. Our pages on shopping in Zürich contain listings for department stores such as Globus, Jelmoli and Manor, food shops such as Migros and a whole range of ideas for gift, souvenir, antique and fashion shopping. What's more, we've even put together a whole page devoted to the best chocolate retailers in the city!

Our six page entertainment guide contains everything you need to know about events and nightlife in the city. Whether it's a theatre performance at the Schauspielhaus, rhythm and blues at Devino or a visit to the Opernhaus, we've got it covered. Also with full club, cinema and theatre listings, plus information on sporting venues and one-off events.

If you're due for a fondue, tempted by teigwaren, or unable to resist rösti, then check out our restaurant guide with over 50 listings. In addition, you'll find detailed bar and café pages, with invaluable advice on finding the best establishments in town.

Zürich News - Headlines and Features

For Zürich headlines, breaking news stories, sports, arts, entertainment and travel coverage click here.

Editor Acknowledgements

This Zürich guide would not have been made possible without the kind assistance of B. M. Some photographs on this website appear courtesy of www.ramin.ch (copyrights acknowledged).