PHOTO COURTESY OF ZURICH TOURISM
The Lucy Christmas lights brighten up the Bahnhofstrasse and add some holiday magic.
By STACEY MARCUS
While reviewing the itinerary for our trip to Barcelona, we noticed that on the journey home we had a long layover in Zürich, Switzerland. Although we were tempted to park our weary bodies at the airport and consume massive amounts of Swiss chocolate while discussing the concept of time, we opted to embark on a whirlwind tour of downtown Zürich. When would our family again be able to spend a blustery winter afternoon in the heart of Switzerland looking down at birds pirouetting on the Limmat River and peering up at the snow-capped Alps?
The friendly staff at Switzerland Tourism suggested we experience the efficient and speedy train system, noting that there is a train every 10 minutes from Zürich Airport to downtown Zürich. And the station is right at the beginning of the world-renowned Bahnhofstrasse, an entrance to the old, historic city.
We hopped on a train and in just 13 minutes were in the heart of Zürich’s Old Town with its iconic Grossmunster and Fraumunster churches, winding streets, quaint houses and intriguing architecture. It was exhilarating to breathe in the fresh winter air and walk across the Mühlesteg pedestrian bridge and see Switzerland’s homage to love locks.
With just a few hours to spend in Zürich, we had to make some tough choices. We strolled along Bahnhofstrasse, the city’s famous high-end shopping boulevard. It was tempting to visit the myriad shops and the renowned Globus department store, but my family wisely elected not to spend our treasured time shopping, for fear I would get lost in a sea of shops and we would miss the plane.
We unanimously voted to choose a restaurant and relax. So many good choices. Should we enjoy one of the 500 dishes of the world’s first vegetarian restaurant, Hiltl, which opened in 1898? Should we taste the famous Zürich-style sliced veal served with rösti or other culinary delicacies at Zunfthaus zur Waag, an elegant restaurant that dates back to the 19th century.
We decided to pop into Café Restaurant Mohrenkopf in Old Town. It looked authentic and inviting with a menu boasting such Swiss specialties as schnitzel and sliced veal. I selected a simple salad bowl (yes, I am that predictable), Rachel enjoyed a Dörfli club sandwich, Emily selected meatloaf à la maison and Mitch enjoyed the sliced veal. We were very happy with our choice for lunch.
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As with most European trips, the best part of our dash through Zürich was waltzing through the winding streets and taking photographs. Lindenhof is a fabulous spot to see a panoramic of the city and enjoy Old Town, Grossmünster Church, City Hall, the Limmat river, the university and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.
Way too soon Europe’s largest clock face at St. Peter’s Church (OK, it was really my iPhone clock) announced it was time to head back to Zürich Airport and say a fond farewell to this beautiful city. We look forward to returning in the near future when we have more than a small slice of time to explore this world-class locale.
