Zürich Travel Forum

Hi all,

I'm going to be in Zurich from the 22 - 26 December this year. Taking travel time into account (I'm coming by train from france, and then leaving by train to italy), I'll only have 3 full days, which includes xmas day, when a lot of things will obviously be shut.

So.. considering I dont have much time.. what are some of the top things I should see? I don't mind travelling to other cities like Lucerne for a day trip if there are good things there. Any suggestions?

Oh, and does anyone know if any chocolate factories do tours anymore? Or is it true that they have all stopped this due to OH+S reasons?

Thanks!

Zurch itself and a boat trip!

Rhein Falls about an hour out of Zurich - simply stunning. Schauffersen is quite nice. In the opposite direction to Schauffersen you have the nice village of Appenzall.

I was bitterly disappointed with Lucerne after what my parents had told me about it when they saw it. There is Interlarken and the Jungfrau - I'm not too sure about the weather conditions in Dec or opening hours - this might have a bearing on what you do.

"Schauffersen" is probably supposed to be Schaffhausen, I guess. Yes, I second this recommendation. It's a wonderful small town.

Definetly Schauffhausen.Check tripack's page on Switzerland.Also go to Basel,which is not too far by train.It is lovely place with an old church and the old city area is lovely to visit.Any place in switzerland is good,in the sense that nothing would disappoint you.It depends on what your interests are.Zermatt,interlaken area and the small towns lieke grindelwald,wengen and murren are what i enjoyed most.
Hope t his helps,
Vpas

Oh, i LOVED Luzern i think it was one of my fav. cities. I went to the Old town, and it was beautiful, but that all depends on if you are interested in looking at cobble stone, and old buildings in a shopping district. aside from the modern stores, i loved how some areas felt like an olde world market.

Switzerland in small enough, and the trains efficient enough... that you could virtually go anywhere for a day trip from Zürich. It all depend on how much time you are happy to spend on a train, assuming you won't try and do this by car in a Swiss winter.

A stunning trip at this time of year, although somewhat long, would be to take a train to Chur, and then on to St Moritz via the Albula Line.
This famous train line travels through a stunning gorge along the Albula river, over the famous Landwasser Viaduct, and then on to Praeda through an incredible collection of spirals, tunnels and viaducts. It then continues on through a tunnel to St. Moritz in the Engadin (valley). The Engadin is one of the most beautiful places in Switzerland. St. Moritz, on the other hand, is a tourist trap and severely overpriced, and in winter, crammed full of tourists. I would only use this as a place to turn around for the trip home.

As an alternate route, the way back to Zürich could go via Davos, through a different tunnel and along different valleys.

Closer to Zürich, A train up Uetliberg is a nice short trip, and provides good views of the city.
If the Zoo is open and weather permits, go for it. The Zürich Zoo is wonderful.

Schaffhausen is indeed a nice village, but I imagine over Christmas it (like all of Switzerland) will be shut. The Rheinfall (waterfall) will no doubt be open though and is nearby.

On a closed day (shops closed), you would still enjoy a walk around the old part of Zurich's town centre. Start from Rennweg where it meets Bahnhofstrasse (look for the big English Bookshop) and walk up Rennweg, then explore the cobbled lanes down to the river, past churches, and over a bridge to the Grossmunster (the big cathedral) and then explore the area from there back towards the main station. This is really a great way to pass time.

There is no shortage of excellent food to be had. If you want something special (experience wise) don't go past the Zeughaus Keller, which is just off Paradeplatz. full of typical sausages, schnitzels, and beer... this is Swiss eating to the core.