KathyBax

We will spend a day and a night in Zurich either side of a skiing trip to Italy, in late December and early January (2 days& nights in all, but not consecutive). Can anyone advise how to occupy these days fruitfully? 2 teenagers will be in the party, one of 14 and one of 18, just to complicate things!

PalenQ

Besides going shopping on the Bahnhofstrasse, often called the most expensive shopping street in the world, you can trek around the old town - cathedral, etc.

But check out Zurich's eclectic museum offerings that may interest the teens.

mainly topping for Schuler or Enzian or DollyLama or some Swiss expert to respond to

enzian

Maybe you need gruezi? I think she lives there.

We have never spent more than our arrival evening/night/morning in Zürich, so I don't know about the museums, etc. We are there in the summer and it is pleasant just to stroll, especially along the lake. But that won't be as attractive in winter. As for shopping, last time we spent several hours at H & M because teenage daughter forgot half her clothes for the trip. Carefully avoided Bahnhofstrasse!

PalenQ

yes i was thinking of gruezi as this Zurich and what to do was in a thread recently

thanks

Mimar

Research chocolate stores. Zurich has wonderful big ones: Teuscher, Sprungli, Merkur as well as other boutique stores.

DalaiLlama

What interests these teenagers? Are they bookish, does history impress them, is art something they want to know about (and if so - what kind?), would an ice-rink amuse them, or the Verkehrshaus in Lucerne (www.verkehrshaus.ch/en - transportation museum, with all kinds of vehicles from the past and more) etc?
Not knowing any of this, I'm just throwing out a few items to check out, if these don't suit, please come back and tell us more.

www.zuerich.com for all kinds of useful info

www.zsg.ch/english/home.html for ships on the lake Z.

The two landmark churches are the Grossmünster http://www.sacred-destinations.com/s...ossmunster.htm with its two towers and the http://www.sacred-destinations.com/s...raumunster.htm with its stained-glass windows by Marc Chagall. The surrounding area is old and historic - walk it and end up down by the lake.

A short train trip away, in Winterthur, is the fabulous www.museumoskarreinhart.ch art collection

Especially for youngsters: Events of all kinds, from rock to rollerskating etc. at these two youth centers:
www.dynamo.ch/agenda/agenda2.cfm
www.rotefabrik.ch/de/home/

To visit the chocolate factory Maestrani, a short train trip away, check out www.maestrani.ch and click on the link Schoggiland (bottom right). Schoggi is Swiss dialect for chocolate, reputed to be the first word newborns utter even before they say Mama or Gaga.

The ice rink is at www.doldersports.com/de/20/kunsteisbahn.aspx

Hope this helps.

KathyBax

Thanks, I am sure there is plenty to keep us all busy from these ideas!

The whole family will enjoy the chocolate factory I am sure! I will research the websites and take a family vote, but I really am grateful for the ideas.

What about photo-ops? My son (14 years old) is exploring his own views of the world, so lakesides in winter might be a good challenege for him, if anybody can suggest good views we could look out for?

Just experiencing winters in Europe is interesting for us, as is observing the lifestyle and the history and the culture is fascinating, as we come from a much warmer country, with far less history. Are there any guided tours of the heart of the city perhaps?

But thanks again, I really derive lots of pleasure from reading baout where we're going, and planning things to do, so these ideas are great to start working with.

DalaiLlama

For nice views and photo ops (on a good day you can see the lake and the distant alps from there), Zürich has two elevations, optimistically called "mountains" (...berg), the www.zuerichberg.ch with a swank hotel with restaurant, good for an afternoon tea with a view.

The other is the Uetliberg, also good for ditto and panoramic views - check out the hotel website with access info and with two views from webcams at
www.utokulm.ch/nc/english/news/webcam/

I gave you the website for the lake-boat timetables - the ships always make for good souvenir pictures

If you catch the sun and shades around the Max Bill sculpture (tall inverted U-shapes of stone) along the Bahnhofstrasse, it can yield good picture.

There is the zoo, of course, and the university maintains botanical gardens (bring your macro lens).

If you're into trams (those public-transport conveyances you grow to love in Europe unless you are driving a car and have to give way all the time...), go see the www.tram-museum.ch (open only on Wed. and Sun, 1:30PM to 4:30PM in winter).

Just down the road along the lake a bit (on the side where real estate is expensive, hence it is called the Gold Coast - Goldküste...) in Rapperswil is the Circus Museum - could be a great attraction for the family!

Or maybe the www.technorama.ch in nearby Winterthur?

I'll stop now, unless you tell me you have a minimum of two weeks to spend in Zürich...

Cicerone

I used to live in Zurich, and have posted some long lists of things to do under threads called &quot;One Day in Zurich&quot;, &quot;Two Days in Zurich&quot; . Not all of them will apply to a winter visit, so I have some more thoughts below. Note that days will be short, the sun is up rather late, and sets rather early, so plan accordingly, or see sunrisesunset.com. The plus side is that on some winter days the air is so clear that it will seem like you can reach out and <i>touch</i> the Alps.

1. If you will be in Zurich before Christmas Day, you can catch some of the Christmas markets, which admittedly are nothing compared to the ones in Austria or Germany; but still interesting. The main train station usually has the largest one and is indoors, there are smaller ones in the old town areas. All usually have some foods on offer too as well as hot chocolate and gluheiwein. If you have time and the inclination, consider taking the train to Colmar, which is a completely charming village just over the border in France, which has a very good Christmas market. See rail.ch for schedules, takes about 1.5- 2 hours each way.

2. Zurich is so beautifully decorated at Christmas, there are trees in every square just about, and the Bahnhofstrasse is generally hung end to end with lights; so be sure to walk the old town areas, especially at night, when you can really appreciate the shops windows. And be sure to look UP to see inside the lovely old houses and you will see painted ceilings and panelled coffered ceilings. The sound of your boots on the cobblestones at night on a cold winter evening, especially if snow if falling, is just magical, IMO. If you happen to be in Zurich on a Saturday night, all the church bells in town ring out at 7 pm for 15 minutes; go stand on one of the bridges in the old town (esp the Fraumunster bridge) and you can hear them all across the city. The Fodors guide to Switzerland actually has a good walking tour set out in their book, you could use that as a guide. There are also guided walking tours of the old town in English every day at 3 pm and on Saturdays at 11 am &amp; 3 pm. They cost about US$15 (50% discount with your Zurich Card) and last about 2 hours. You don’t need a reservation, just show up at the tourist office in the main train station a few minutes before the tour. For information, go to http://www.zuerich.com/sightseeing, in particular see http://www.zuerich.com/sightseeing/c...75c120c3168e03

3. If you really want to have a Swiss experience, you have to go to the Conelli Christmas circus. The Swiss are circus-crazy, and in Zurich the Conelli circus comes for the winter. It is in German but really that does not matter, you will be able to appreciate it regardless of language. The website is http://www.circus-conelli.ch, and is in German, but your hotel should be able to arrange tickets or you may be able to figure out how to buy on-line. If you are interested try to book ASAP as this is very popular.

4. Many of the local churches will have Christmas concerts, complete with orchestras. These are generally free, or sometimes there is a modest charge. The setting and the music are generally wonderful. Try a site like http://www.zuerich.com. You can also search for concerts and other events, also look at www.whatsonwhen.com for listings. For example, there is a Christmas concert at the Fraumunster on December 20 and 21 in which the Zurich Boys Choir will be singing, see http://www.boyschoir.ch/

5. For views within and from Zurich itself, IMO some of the best (1) views of the old town, river and Alps from the Lindenhof plaza in the old town which sits high above the river, (2) views of the city, lake and Alps from the top of the Grossmunster cathedral in the old town, which is a nice climb up the tower, and (3) views of the lake and Alps from the waterfront promenade along the lake, (4) views of the city, lake and Alps from the University area, take the tiny red polybahn funicular train cable car up from the old town. Otherwise, stroll the old town areas for pictures of the buildings, streets, churches. Augustinergasse is especially lovely with its bow-fronted windows. Sunset from the Lindenhof is generally good, or from one of the bridges spanning the river.

6. The Utlieberg mentioned above affords fantastic views (on a clear day you can see Germany); you can take the little red train up from the main train station. There is a casual and a formal restaurant at the top, or pack a picnic if it is not too cold. If you get a dry day, I personally would try to combine a visit here with the very easy walk from Uetliberg to Felsenegg along the Planet Trail, it is not hard and takes about 1.5 hours. From Felsenegg (where there is a restaurant) there is a cable car which goes down to Adliswil, and from there you can take the S-Bahn train back to Z&uuml;rich.

If you get a snowy day, or there has been a lot of snow in town (rare in Zurich) there is sledging on the Utlieberg, so ask about this when you get there.

The are many other good walking areas in Zurich. The gently rolling hills above on the gold coast, mentioned above, are lovely for walking. You could take a train up to Forch (30 minutes) and then walk downhill towards the lake and the town of Kuschnacht and have lunch someplace like the Sonne Hotel. If you get a nice day this is really lovely through fields and often people out horseback riding and with glimpses of the lake and the Alps.

7. Have fondue, as you may or may not get it in Italy, or have other Swiss specialities like rosti, veal Zuricher and bratwurst. I have posted a list of restaurants on an older post, I still think it is valid, see a post from 2007 called “2 Days in Zurich” that will give you a link to it (I can’t seem to post the link myself, perhaps others can help.). All of the above are listed on it. (Note that the Zimmerleuten guild hall had a fire last year and I believe it is still closed, along with the Kuferstbuli below it. Check with your hotel.)

8. Have hot chocolate at Cafe Schober/Cafe Felix, which is operated by Teuscher and is in the Niederdorf section of the old town. It is at Napfgasse 4. It’s a beautiful tiny shop and tea room in a restored medieval building and serves pasties and probably the world’s best hot chocolate. Bring money.

9. While ferries generally do not run after about mid-October, sometimes at Christmas they have limited service and/or evening fondue or wine events on the boats (not sure about the 14 year old for the wine event). You might check guidebooks or ask your hotel or the http://www.zuerich.com website.

10. The Dolder Grand mentioned has a skating rink set up nearby the hotel in winter, see http://www.doldereisbahn.ch/en/20/ice_rink.aspx. There is also a rink in the Heurid district, you can take the tram, see http://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/internet...n/heuried.html. There is sometimes a small skating rink set up at the Landesmuseum behind the main train station as well, check on that. All are usually open in the evenings at least on weekends. At the Dolder, you may be able to see curling, the Swiss obsession.

11. There are many movie theatres in Zurich with English movies (not subtitles), so don’t rule this out as something to do with kids on long winter evenings. You buy a reserved seat and there is generally an intermission so you can go get a drink, quite civilized.

12. Zurich, like very Swiss town, has public indoor swimming pools, which may be good if you get really cold weather and museums do not appeal. Modest admission charge. See http://www.zuerich.com/en/page.cfm/z...t=Indoor_pools.

With regard to the chocolate tour, make sure the tours are in English, and are actually a tour of the factory, and not just a film and then a tour of the shop….. I have found this to be the case on most factory tours in the Zurich area but have not taken the one mentioned above.

Without knowing your exact number of days in Zurich, I have left out trips further afield than the Rhienfalls, but there are places like Maienfeld (i.e. Heidiland) or ever places further out if you want to make a whole day trip out of Zurich, i.e. something like skiing or cross county skiing or sledging in Flumserberg, about 1.5 hours by train from Zurich.