4 Stunning Reasons to Visit Zurich : Even if you don’t have a Swiss bank account

4 Stunning Reasons to Visit Zurich

(Even if you don’t have a Swiss bank account)

Guest Post by Roger Timbrook from Expert World Travel . Roger is a little obsessed with travel. He has been to over 40 countries, broken 3 suitcases and owned over 10 backpacks in 12 months. What he doesn’t know about travel, ain’t worth knowing! You can find him blogging about his experiences on

Mr Bond, I presume?

That is what you would expect to be asked – if you walked into a bank in Switzerland, right?

Those days have long gone. The days where banks were the be all and end all in Zurich that is. Instead, for the humble visitor like you there are more than enough “normal” reasons to visit Zurich on your next vacation. That’s right. You don’t need to be a millionaire, or have a suitcase of gold to hide.

Let me show you four reasons you should visit Zurich.

The swimming options will blow your mind

When it comes to swimming “in the wild”, Swiss cities are a level above most. Sure, they have open swimming pools of the standard variety, but I am not talking about those. Instead, Zurich natives prefer to jump into their local lakes and rivers! And they are spoiled for choice too.

First, there is Lake Zurich. A stunning jewel right in the middle of the city with “swimming pool” establishments right on the shore. So, in reality, the lake is your swimming pool. And the water is so clean, you can drink it. Seriously! The major took a glass and drank from it a few years ago.

There are also two rivers in Zurich. The Sihl and the Limmat. Both of which have floating swimming platforms, often with bars, that will be happy to host you for the day, or night, often for free! Or at least not much money. Some include bridges and other fun “constructions” you can hang around or jump off and float your way down-stream. Without a care in the world.

And even if you are not a big fan of swimming (which honestly, I am not) these are some of the best spots to just chill and enjoy the scene in Zurich, especially when it’s hot!

A view to die for

Switzerland is full of mountains and Zurich is no exception. Right from the centre of town you can make your way to two local hangouts to gain a spectacular view Zurich. Not only that, but with the alps only a short distance away, and you can often see them in the distance, beckoning with open arms. Oh, what a view!

Of course, no mountain ascent in Switzerland is complete without a restaurant at the top and Zurich’s home mountain Uetliberg will not fail to keep you fed. Complete with a fairly classy restaurant and its own viewing tower, this is one of the most popular places for locals to come on the weekends. Especially when the fog has descended on the city, which it has a habit of doing later in the year.

On the other side of the lake is one of the best hotels in town, the Dolder Grand. If you want to rub shoulders with movie stars or just enjoy a coffee with millionaires of Zurich, this is the place to be. There is also a day spa, but given the prices, most of you won’t want to indulge here. There are other more affordable options in town like the Thermalbad and Spa!

Chocolate to write home about

If you love chocolate (and who doesn’t?) then Zurich will be able to satisfy every chocoholics cravings. With local chocolate shops from the likes of Sprungli or Laderach, you are almost bound to eat more than is good for you!

But sometimes, when visiting a foreign city, you have to dive a little deeper to find the gems. I recommend you check out some of Zurich’s best homemade hot chocolate at either Schober or Cafe Felix. At over seven bucks a cup, it may seem over the top, but it will blow you away. And they are both right in the centre of town, so kind of hard to avoid!

It you still have a craving, the main Lindt chocolate factory is just outside town in Kilchberg, and yes they have a factory shop as well. So, jump right in and grab some cheap chocolate from the world’s most famous chocolate companies.

The high end shops might empty your wallet

Last but not least, you can never pass up an opportunity to go shopping when in one of Europe’s top cities. Zurich’s main shopping street, Bahnhofstrasse, is home to some of the most exclusive and expensive brands in the world.

From high-end Swiss watches to luxury goods from Louis Vuitton, Prada, Burberry, Chanel and more. The choice of luxury products at the top end of this exclusive shopping street are astounding.

Many a celebrity has come here and had a shop opened privately to them while on tour in Switzerland. But remember, even if you can’t afford the merchandise, you can window shop. And, for the more adventurous, head inside and pretend you have the money to burn!

Life in Zurich is certainly good and as a visitor you have a chance to experience it all, even if only for a few days. So, what is stopping you? Plan your next trip to Zurich, especially in the summer months when the city is buzzing!

Thank you to Roger for this informative guest post on what to do in Zurich. If you want to see more of Rogers articles you can find him at Expert World Travel