Rats! I Have to Go to Zürich!

Old Aug 24th, 2008, 12:03 PM
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Rats! I Have to Go to Zürich!

OK, OK, I'm spoiled....it's true...but I just booked a trip to India in October using FF miles, and I'm going on Lufthansa (yay!) through Zürich, where I'll spend two nights before flying on to Mumbai.

I really hate Zürich. I've been there 2-3 times and just never found anything that appealed to me. I found it stern and unwelcoming, I was put off by the rampant druggies and beggars in the parks, I never had a good meal, and I found it very expensive, or I should say not good value.

OK, admittedly the last time I was there was 10 years ago (I've never wanted to return), and I was never there for more than 2-3 days at a time....and I'm well aware that you need to really spend time in a place and do some research in order to benefit and enjoy...but the place just inspired pretty negative feelings in me. Oh, and it's the only place in my whole life where I walked away from a restaurant without paying the bill - long story, but I waited for more than an hour, sitting outdoors with pouring rain leaking through canvas umbrellas, with two small children in tow....went inside several times to plead for someone to take my money and was totally ignored.....

Anyway, that's my last memory of Zürich...leaving a restaurant without paying with two miserable wet kids on a pouring, chilly fall evening.

SO...who can help me enjoy myself in Zürich? I'm really not a fussy traveler. I land at 8 am on a Friday and depart two days later at about 10 am, so I will have just about 2 full days there.

Any suggestions, including ones for simple, clean accommodations, are welcome. Apologies to any Swiss Fodorites in advance.
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Old Aug 24th, 2008, 12:22 PM
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I'm sorry about your past experiences. Zürich has gotten better over the years, definitely more cosmopolitan and you won't see many druggies on the streets anymore.

Don't stay in Zürich. Go to Luzern or Rapperswil. It's time you saw Switzerland in a different light.
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Old Aug 24th, 2008, 12:26 PM
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Hi StCirq,

I concur. I personally don't like big cities and usually stay in the suburb of Küsnacht instead.

But definitely go to Luzern instead. It sits at the foot of the mountains, at the edge of a lake system. It's very picturesque. And it's only an hour from the airport by direct (0 changes) train.

Info at

www.luzern.org

www.rail.ch

Have fun!

s
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Old Aug 24th, 2008, 12:28 PM
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schuler:

I have NOTHING against Switzerland. I've been all over the country and had marvelous experiences. It's just Zürich I dislike. And I don't want to move around a whole lot in the short time I'm there because I want to rest up for what is going to be a rather fast-paced first trip to India. And because I'm using FF miles I'm skipping all over the globe, and it will be tiring. If possible, I'd just like to enjoy Zürich. Can I?



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Old Aug 24th, 2008, 12:29 PM
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OK, I suppose an hour's trip to and from Luzern would be easy enough. I've been there before and loved it. I'm just trying to minimize the number of legs of this journey, if possible.
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Old Aug 24th, 2008, 12:33 PM
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StCirq,

Sounds like you are just jinxed for Zurich and should follow Schuler's advice!

My family and I live in Zurich and really like it here. We're from the NY area of the US. We aren't too keen to move back home anytime soon.

I've never seen a beggar and very few druggies anywhere. Of course, I'm old and boring so I don't go anywhere too sketchy I suppose.

Admittedly, the 2 things I don't like about Zurich are the weather and the food. I just don't think the Swiss are foodies. Perhaps that's why they are all so slim! And yes, we just get way too much gray and rain.

But, when the sun is shining I just love it here.

Today was glorious!

What do you enjoy? I will try to come up with some appropriate diversions and perhaps a decent restaurant suggestion as well...unfortunately, it probably won't be cheap...

We like the Hotel Opera (4 star but not fancy) for it's nice location and renovated rooms, but it may be beyond your budget...

Others on Fodor's have reviewed the Hotel St. Josef (3 star I believe) positively. It's location is central if not as good as Hotel Opera and I think it would be a good value.

gruezi
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Old Aug 24th, 2008, 12:40 PM
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Zürich isn't so bad, but I must confess that one of my best friends is constanly begging me to go for a visit and I even have a free apartment at my disposal, but I just can't bring myself to spend time there.

However, Switzerland is not a very big place, so it's easy to go elsewhere easily. So why not just go to Lausanne or Geneva or something and come back for your flight?
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Old Aug 24th, 2008, 12:41 PM
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Hi again,

I'm sure you know this -- but I'll say it anyway.

It's SO easy to get around in Switzeland. The train station is in the basement of the airport. Just pile your bags on a cart, wheel the cart all the way down to the tracks, and jump on the train.

Really, I bet you'll be in Luzern before you even realize it!

s
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Old Aug 24th, 2008, 12:56 PM
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Hi St C,

We found Zurich for a couple of nights not unpleasant.

You might find my trip report helpful:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=35136218

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Old Aug 24th, 2008, 01:09 PM
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I LOVE Zürich.

I am there three or four times a year and I have many friends there.

In summer, I love swimming in one of the old-fashioned "Kastenbäder" in the river Limmat or in Lake Zürich. And I love to have a picnic on the riverbank in the afternoon and to have a cocktail at night in the Kastenbad.

I love wandering through the medieval old town at night.

I love these wonderful, trendy, different restaurants in Zürich.

I love the nightclubs.

I love the diversity of architecture, especially the new neighborhoods (which are probably never visited by tourists).

And, of course, I love the museums and the other more touristy stuff.

And, of course, I love the multitude of options for daytrips.

Can it be that Zürich is underrated by those more superficial Fodorites?
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Old Aug 24th, 2008, 01:23 PM
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Strangely, all threads with Zürich restaurant recommendations have been deleted from this forum (why?).

Therefore, I have to post my favorites again:

Rechberg: Right in Old Town, innovative, upscale cuisine. THE place to eat for younger intellectuals. Price level: Medium-high
www.rechberg.ch

Reithalle: Very trendy ambiance in former stables. Unpretentious world cuisine. Price level: Low.
www.restaurant-reithalle.ch

Kaufleuten: Traditional Swiss Cuisine in bourgois ambiance. But: A trendy nightclub in the building. A good place to eat steak tartare and Zürcher Geschnetzeltes. Price level: Medium.
www.kaufleuten.com

Alpenrose: Traditional Zürich cuisine, e.g. fresh fish from Lake Zürich. VERY traditional ambiance, so retro that it is very trendy among the under 30 crowd. Price level: Low.
www.restaurant-alpenrose.ch

None of these restaurants is a tourist trap. All these have been recommended by our friends who live in Zürich. And we enjoyed all these places - both the food and the atmosphere.

Try one or two of these restaurants and post again on this forum.
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Old Aug 24th, 2008, 01:27 PM
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<<Can it be that Zürich is underrated by those more superficial Fodorites?>>


Oh right, that must be it, my superficiality. Don't know why I didn't think of that before...so kind of you to remind me.

Swandav: Thanks for the tip about the train station at the airport. I didn't know until a couple of hours ago I was headed for Zürich, so have had no time to research. Am I likely to just find a train to Luzern, or should I book in advance, and if so where?
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Old Aug 24th, 2008, 01:31 PM
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Local trains, no problem. Lucerne is indeed delightful, albeit as expensive as Zürich.
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Old Aug 24th, 2008, 01:38 PM
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>>Oh right, that must be it, my superficiality. Don't know why I didn't think of that before...so kind of you to remind me.<<

I am sorry, I just wanted to be helpful, because you wrote:

>>I never had a good meal, and I found it very expensive, or I should say not good value.<<

I can guarantee to have a good meal at good value in Zürich if you eat in one of the restaurants which I recommended.
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Old Aug 24th, 2008, 01:40 PM
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I had a wonderful few days in Zurich about 2 years ago, primarily because of posts I found here. I'll find my post and put the link here, maybe something in it will help. I actually really enjoyed it quite a lot.
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Old Aug 24th, 2008, 01:46 PM
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ira:

your post had some very helpful tips - thanks!
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Old Aug 24th, 2008, 01:50 PM
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I think this will get you there: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...2&tid=34883677

It's a couple of years old, like I said. The most worthwhile thing to me was the walking tour which really oriented me. I loved the trip up to Utliborg as well. There is another post on here called One Day in Zurich by I think Cicerone and there are great tips as well.

I hope you have the opportunity to enjoy it this time. I know what you mean by some places just leaving a bad taste, and hopefully you will be able to change that this time around.
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Old Aug 24th, 2008, 02:00 PM
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Thanks so much, Toucan2!

I really would like to be able to enjoy it this time.

I hated Rome the first two visits too, and now it's one of my favorite places on earth. So much depends on what you run up against while you're there, the weather, the personalities you encounter, the timing - it's really a crap shoot until you've been to a place often enough to know how to distinguish what's really true from what just happened to YOU.
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Old Aug 24th, 2008, 03:07 PM
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Hi again,

Yes, quite easy. They run a few times each hour -- but I would hold out for the one or two each hour without a change at the main station. Just use the Swiss rail site to get the schedules:

www.rail.ch

From -- zurich airport

To -- Luzern

No need to reserve. If you are worried about going during rush hours, just go first class.

Don't forget that the grocery stores, bakeries, and cafes are on the level between the airport and the train station. Grab some fresh bread, Swiss cheese, and Swiss chocolate, and celebrate your arrival in Europe!

s
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Old Aug 24th, 2008, 03:07 PM
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You are welcome, St C.
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