Not that it is not a neat interesting city but when most folks thing of Switzerland - the Switzerland etched in one's minds' eyes it is not of spiffy clean modern cities but of awesome glacier-girdled Alpine peaks and though you could day trip to some of those from Zurich it is a long slog - but if big - no Zurich is not too small but a big busy city is your bag then fine = plan some day trips to the likes of Lucerne (Mt Pilatus here is a good place to take a mountain train up to to experience and Alpine wonderland - and Lucerne is one of the prettiest cities in Europe IMO

or day trip to einselden - a big pilgrimage mecca with a monumental basilica - takes hill-climbing trams into the forests high above Zurich or boats of lake Zurich say to Zug, a really sweet smaller city, etc.

But most folks think of a place like the fantastic Jungfrau Region to be the essence of the Switzerland they have a dreamy picture of, not some modern but in its way interesting city.

Use Switzerland's fantastic system of trains and lake boats to do day trips - Engelberg would be another easy Alpine adventure - much more the wondrous glacier-strewn area than Mt Pilatus which is basically one tall mountain which may not even have snow on it at all times.

Anyway for lots of great info on Swiss trains, boats, etc I always spotlight these IMO fantastic sites - www.swisstravelsystem.com; http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id3.html and www.ricksteves.com.

There are certainly things such as museums, various churches, etc., to see and do in Switzerland but Zurich's architecture seems severe to some and it just doesn't fit into that stereotypical chalets and cowbells "vision" many people have of the country.

Also, the city is somewhat "Germanic" and that alone seems to be a downer for some.

There's certainly the opportunity for shopping, especially if you go in for the high-end stuff.

Consider the possibility of basing yourself in nearby Lucern (a scant hour by rail) and when you get there you'll see a whole different "world."

Thank you Dukey and Palenq.

That's what I thought about Zurich not representing the image we all have of Switzerland whenever the country's name get mentioned. However, I don't consider I have enough time to get to these places, and that's why I wanted to focus on Zurich and surrounding area.

I checked the Swiss train website and I see that both Bern and Lucerne seem a feasible day trips. I read about both cities in my guidebook and they seem to be easy to walk for a day trip. I also read all the wondeful activities available around Lucerne, but that would mean basing there, as Dukey suggested.

Well, this is an itinerary I am still working on. I like Lucerne and Bern as day trips as well as a day on Lake Zurich. I think that makes up for a week in Zurich.

Thanks again,

Orlando

Also, the city is somewhat "Germanic" and that alone seems to be a downer for some>

Germanic a downer? Most of Switzerland is Germanic - nothing wrong with being Germanic to me and many others - perhaps for some but very few I think would think that!

Lucerne is an easy train ride from Zurich's airport. There are hourly no-change trains taking about an hour. So it's easy to get to and from Lucerne. You could base there, go back to Zurich for a day trip or two, and on to the Bernese Oberland or elsewhere in Switzerland.

Actually, I kind of like Zurich (I toured the chocolate shops ) but Lucerne is much more in the mountains, more of a Swiss experience.

Switzerland is an expensive country. Figure out how much train/bus/boat travel you'll be doing and look into the passes.

Switzerland is an expensive country to say the least - outrageously expensive to me and my type of budget at least. And Zurich is more expensive per hotels and restaurants IME than most any other place - Lucerne too but in places like Interlaken you have a much much more wider range of accommodations if you need to cut costs in this very very expensive country.

. I also read all the wonderful activities available around Lucerne, but that would mean basing there, as Dukey suggested.>

Well no Lucerne is only about 45 minutes from Zurich and right opposite the main Lucerne train station is the boat docks where boats leave frequently to ply around gorgeous Alp-hemmed in Lake Lucerne - head to fabled places like Mt Rigi or Mit Pilatus - trains or cable ways from boats docks take you up to these two Uber famous Alpine lookout points. If you had a Swiss Pass it would be fully valid on these lake boats as well as those on Lake Zurich and most any other Swiss lake or river.

Hi everybody and thanks again for your input.

I've decided to base myself in Zürich for 6 nights (5 full days) and day trip to Lucerne and Bern from there.

I've read about the many day trip options to the mountains and the lake from Lucerne, but I've looked up pictures and read about it and I'm not very much "convinced". I've looked up and read about Bern and Zürich and I like what I've seen. Specially, Bern looks very nice. However, I'll do Lucerne as a day trip. That'll give me 3 full days in Zürich and two days of day trips. If time in Zürich is too much, I can always visit Lake Zürick for the day.

By the way, are there currency exchange places in Zürich where I can buy cash with my credit card? I've seen them in both Rome and Madrid, but I am wondering if such currency exchange places exist in Zürich. Usually, you can exchange cash from one currency to another currency, but I mean a place where I can pay with my credit card and buy cash as if it were a book or a garment or food.

Thanks again,

Orlando

To each his own - but IMHO one day is plenty for Zurich - while Lucern deserves 3 or 4 days given all of the nearby day trips (mountains, lakes and cute mountain villages as well as a charming city) - versus Zurich - which is primarily a business city.

Thanks for your opinion, Nytraveler.

I am probably talking out of ignorance here, and perhaps that's a lesson I must learn the hard way, and I am absolutely not trying offend anybody here, because, at the end of the day, the truth is that I have never been to Switzerland!, but the thing is Zürich looks to me like a real place, whereas Lucerne looks like a picture perfect place set up and groomed to attract and please tourism.

I hate to make comparisons, but it's a little bit what happens with Venice, in Italy. While I admit that it certainly is a gorgeous city, I am sorry, but give me Bologna, Turin or Trieste any time of the day in Northern Italy, instead, because they are closer to the real Italy than Venice.

However, Lucerne does look pretty in pictures, but that's why I'd rather visit it as a day trip.

I am still working on this idea and reading about it. I might end up splitting time between cities since Lucerne gets so much praising whenever I read about it.

Orlando

I like Zuerich and Bern very much as well!
What time of the year will you be going?
Rapperswil, a small town with a castle, rose gardens and a deer park is just 35 minutes by train from Zuerich and IMO, worth a partial daytrip visit.
Several roundtrip (circuit) boat trips are available from Lake Zurich as well, during the non-winter months.
Guided city tours of Zuerich are daily (most seasons) at 11 am and 3 PM. If you buy either a 24 hr or 72 hour Zurich Card, you get half off the tour price and free or reduced visits to a great many museums, in addition to use of local buses and trams.
I have trip reports from May and October 2010 if interested (just click on my name in blue and scroll down!)
Happy travels!

Well, yes and no, it is true that if the tourism industry were to suddenly stop, Venice would have little reason to continue it's existance, while Luzern is actually a real city with real industry and commerce not so much dependant on tourism. I understand your concern, however, you would undeniably despise Cancun, MX

If you like "Real" places, you may also wish to consider Konstanz (Constance) Germany, an easy day trip from Zurich. It is a fascinating city that is off many traveller's radar.

AS to the question of currency exchange; if you have your PIN, most ATMs will allow you to gain currency, and is recommended. There are also usually very good currency service centers in most train stations, especially the Zurich HBf. Finally, one can exchange currency in most banks in Switzerland as well as obtaining cash advances with credit cards. Just walk in with your passport and they will be happy to help. Bottom line: when it comes to currency, Zurich is a very tourist friendly town, you will be choked with good exchange options.

Thank you, Mokka4... I'll be checking them out!

Thanks as well, Docdan, for the day trip recommendation!

What I mean with my question regarding money exchange is places where I can "buy" cash paying with my credit card. They usually charge you the amount you want plus a percentage, to make a profit, and give you cash. I was able to recognize the ones I saw in Madrid and Rome because they have a Visa/Mastercard sign like those on shop doors. Because of a exchange control in my country, our use of cash is limited, specially withdrawn at an ATM, however, at such currency exchange places, I could simply get cash and had it charged on my credit card.

Thanks again!

Orlando

Usually IME getting cash from ATM with a charge card means a cash advance and a high interest rate from the get go - I always use my ATM card from my local bank and only pay a one time flat fee of $5 per transaction, getting up to about $250 or so max in one transaction. Be very careful IME about using a credit card to get cash - check the rates with your card company first to avoid a real shock later at how much that cash really cost you!

there is plenty to do in Zurich, and you can actually do a lot of day trips in case you want to visit other places: for example Lucerne, Bern, St Gallen can be reached in approx an hour by train.

Also around the lake of Zurich there are really nice town. Rapperswill is one of them!

If you haven't seen it, several people have mentioned great things to do in Zurich in response to my planning-a-trip-to-Switzerland thread. You can click on my name to find the thread and then search it to for "Zurich."

Orlando,

I recently visited Switzerland for the first time with my wife (June 2012) and we stayed in Zurich for 3 nites. We also stayed in Lucerne for 3 nites. If we were to do it all over again, we would probably stay in Zurich for the first night or two and head out to Interlaken into the real beauty of Switzerland. If you have time during your trip, you should consider taking a guided bike tour through the Alps with FlyingWheels bike tours. The full day tour through the mountains is fantastic and I highly recommend it. The bikes are semi automatic, meaning they have assistance to help you get over the steep terrain without much effort. The views, smells, experience will be life changing--and I would strongly consider at least a day tour there (which is what we did from Lucerne). Have a fantastic trip and be ready for some unbelievable beauty.