What is this holiday in CH. Do the cities <BR>get very tight as far as ristorantes being <BR>open when ones go home to their families at Christmas Time. Shops maintain same open/closing times, etc. Any imput would <BR>greatly appreciated. Richard of LaGrange Park, Il..

Good afternoon, Richard. <BR> <BR>As in most of Europe Switzerland celebrates two days for Christmas, Christmas Day and the day (or workday, more properly) following, which in England is called Boxing Day and elsewhere mainly as St. Stephen's day. Stores and most restaurants are closed. With the possibility of a 5-day weekend I don't know what would be the likely case on the 24th this year. <BR> <BR>We were in Zürich a few years ago during Christmas week and it was a bit difficult, though not impossible, to find things to do for several days. It was the first time they had snow there on Christmas in somthing like 20 or 25 years so at least it looked like winter and the holidays. We've been in Rome at the same time on a few occasions and I think Zürich is a bit more "closed down" than Rome. Haven't been in Luzern at that time, but I'd presume it's little different, if at all, from Zürich. <BR> <BR>twenj

Good morning, Ed Thanks for the <BR>prompt reply. Richard of LaGrange Park, <BR>Il..

Thanks for your quick response, sounds like we will have to be resourceful, but what a great challenge to spend the holidays from a different perspective, our main concern was the train schedule on the 25th but sounds as tho we will be fine. I will let you know how things went when we get back, still trying to find out how we go about getting tickets for Christmas Mass at St Peter's. Thanks again

Christmas Eve Papal Mass at St. Peter's? <BR> <BR>Your parish should be able to help you. <BR> <BR>Or go direct to the Bishop's Office for North American Visitors. The e-mail address is at www.twenj.com/romevatican.htm <BR> <BR>Note that the American Parish which normally provides Papal Mass tickets canNOT provide such for Easter and Christmas. <BR> <BR>

Does it have to be Zurich? If you go to a ski resort area instead of a city, I think you'll find all the restaurants open. We had no troubles in Zermatt several years ago. Happy Holidays!

Let me be clear here: you'll not starve over Christmas in Zürich. All the hotel dining rooms are open. In fact the Dolder Grand (perhaps there are others) serves a magnificent "traditional American" (actually probably English) roast turkey dinner on Christmas Day. Dress is a bit formal for the occasion, which seems to attract many of the city's luminaries.

Beth is right,go somewhere else, the Swiss go skiing. Think it over - are you there for business and want to stay longer? You wont be able to do anything, here Christmas is a serious holiday like your Thanksgiving. Everybody stays with their families and no parties, like in Britain.

We landed in Zurich last year on Dec. 23, and were planning to spend the next ten days touring around Switzerland. <BR> <BR>After walking around Zurich the first evening (beautiful but COMPLETELY DESERTED AND CLOSED DOWN), we took the first train in the morning to Milan. <BR> <BR>There was literally NOTHING open in Zurich except for the hotels (and even some of the smaller ones were closed for the holidays). No stores. <BR> <BR>We then went from Milan to Nice to Geneva. In Geneva, the restaurants and shops were all open (by this time it must have been around the 30th??), but the two main things we'd wanted to see - CERN and the UN - were closed from before Christmas to after New Year. <BR> <BR>Back to Zurich on New Year's Eve, for our departure on the 3rd. Thank heavens our departure was on the THIRD, because that's the first day all the shops open back up (restaurants were open by this time). We calculated that we'd need to be at the rail station at noon to make our flight, so to save time, my husband and I split up and we raced around the town that morning trying to fit in some shopping. <BR> <BR>The cities are stunning, and we did have fun just wandering around the (mostly empty) streets, we were just a little disappointed that we were limited to window shopping and hotel restaurants.

Richard hello! On the 24 and 31 December shops close down at 4 p.m. in Zurich and I guess at 5 p.m. latest in Lucerne.<BR>Shops will be closed on December 25 and 26 and on January 1 and 2. A lotof smaller restaurants are closed. This is a good occasion to give the staff a little rest, because December is usually very busy with a lot of dinners.<BR>The hotel restaurants on the other hand do stay open like the Grand Hotel Dolder or the Splügenschloss, etc.<BR>Everything goes back to normal on January 3.<BR>A lot of people take off the days in between. It makes a total of almost 2 weeks all in all this year! The ones who can, go to skiing resorts or make a trip to the Carribeans or Asia. A lot of hotels in the famous skiing resorts only rent for a minimum of 7 or even 10 days over this period and do charge extra for all the special dinners.<BR>This period is like everywhere. People visit their family members and do give brunches or dinners at home. In the city of Zurich, there used to be terrific fireworks on New Year's Eve, but unfortunately, it has been given up. For this year, private persons and shops will try to make it happen again. It used to be great fun with hot drinks (Glühwein) and champagne.<BR><BR>