I would be lying if I said Switzerland wasn’t on every Indian’s travel bucket list. Blame it on those Bollywood movies that romanticized this country with heroes singing songs and the heroines dancing along wearing chiffon sarees. Some of the best love stories ever made in Bollywood were shot in this beautiful country. Apart from all the singing and dancing, I was very excited to try out real Swiss food too. If the thought of eating Swiss chocolates and filling your arteries with all their cheese fondues doesn’t appeal to you, we can’t be friends anymore. Also, there is no place like Europe during winter. The Christmas markets, decorations, mulled wine and the festive vibe all around. So, when I was looking for a place to visit during Winter Shutdown (Yup, my company shuts down from Christmas until New Years’ Day) and saw a 60K SkyMiles round trip deal (when the regular flights were all $3K more), I knew it was time to visit this Winter wonderland and live my Bollywood dream.

When I started planning the trip, one thing was very evident: Switzerland is very expensive. And by “someone who works in Tech in Silicon Valley” standards too. It became very obvious that I will be spending a lot of money during my trip so the only way to do justice will be if I could max out on what I get to see and do in Switzerland. Side note to those wanting to travel to this beautiful country: Switzerland is not like visiting other European countries where you can visit a couple of cities and hop on to other countries. You want to spend enough days in Switzerland to explore what it has to offer and get a good value for money too.

I spent a week in Switzerland and made Zurich my base camp while I was there. I didn’t want to pack my bags and head to a new city every other day. With Zurich being the central node of the Swiss-wide train network, I knew I could get anywhere in the country in less than 3 hours. Besides, there is nothing in this world like the Swiss engineering and efficiency. I was just blown away by how extensive their train network was (I couldn’t even imagine putting rail tracks at such heights/inclinations/terrain) and everything always was on time (despite there being snow storms and what not).

How long to stay

I would recommend planning a 7-10 days long trip to visit Switzerland properly. I spent 7 days and was able to cover most places except the Italian-Swiss region. This is probably the best way if you want a good run for your money. If you’re only keen on visiting Zurich, a day or two is more than enough since it’s a very compact city.

Getting there and getting around

If you are coming to Zurich from abroad, chances are you will be landing in at the Zurich international airport. It is, hands down, one of the most efficient airport in Europe. You can get to the city center in 12 mins from the airport using trains which run every few minutes. A ride from the airport to the main train station in the city center costs CHF 6.60. I would recommend getting a day card since it’s the same price as 1 round-trip ticket. If you are planning to do some sightseeing, get the Zurich card. It costs CHF 27 for a 24-hour card and a CHF 53 for a 72-hour card and covers public transportation for that duration as well as free admission to a bunch of attractions in the city.  If you are traveling from other places in Europe, you can take a bus (I took a Flexbus once from Milan to Zurich once) to the Main bus station (located next to the main train station) or the train to Zurich’s Hauptbanhof (Zurich HB) – Zurich’s main station. If you’re are in Zurich around Christmas season be sure to check out the Christmas market at the train station before you leave the station. They have locker rentals at the train station for those planning to store luggage but they take cash only. For those visiting from other Swiss cities, make sure to double check which Zurich train station your train is arriving to since there are 4-5 train stations in Zurich and not all trains come to Zurich HB. Once you get into the city center, you will realize that you can walk all over the old town, main train station and all the other attractions that you wouldn’t need to rely on any public transit. However, if you ever do, you can rely on the S-Bahn (suburban trains in Zurich), regular trains (SBB), trams and buses to get you anywhere in an efficient manner.

When trying to book my inter-city travels in Switzerland, I referred to the official SBB website and was totally overwhelmed by the different discounts and passed I could avail. It looks like if you shouldn’t be paying full price for a ticker ever. So, the smartest thing I did when I landed in Switzerland was getting a Swiss pass (you can get it from the Welcome center at the Zurich airport itself). It covers every form of public transportation available in the whole country including intercity and intra-city trains. This pass also gives you free entry to bunch of attractions countrywide as well as discounted prices on some. I think with crazy number of day trips I had planned, I was able to get a great value out of my pass and I also loved the flexibility of hopping on whichever train I wanted to.

Where to stay

No matter where you decide on staying, hotels will be really expensive in Zurich. I would highly recommend getting an Airbnb instead (which can also be more expensive than what you would find in other cities). Try to be either near the old town, city center area or then be close to one of the many train stations in the city. I have been to Zurich twice: once during this week long trip and then during an overnight layover. I paid $50-55/night for a private room using Airbnb and stayed in Wipkingen area and District 4 respectively.

What to buy

First thing first, nothing is really super cheap in Switzerland. Especially the things that are made in the country, come with a hefty price tag. Nevertheless, I can totally relate to the feeling of having to buy something because you need something that will remind you of the times spent here (Photos and Bank Statements don’t count). Here are some of the most popular things that people buy from Switzerland and my take on them:

Swiss Army knives

These are not cheap and the good ones can cost around CHF 78. Victorinox definitely makes the best Swiss army knives. You can buy them from coop store for the cheapest prices but other stores will offer you the ability to engrave or customize faceplates.

Swiss chocolates

Disclaimer: I have a sweet tooth and I am a big sucker for good chocolates. I know there is a big battle between Swiss and Belgian chocolates and I am team Swiss. They seem to just melt in your mouth as soon as you take a bite (and maybe transport you to Switzerland too J). If you want to buy some good chocolates to take home, I would recommend buying Frey chocolates sold in Migros. There are other Swiss brands like Lindt (usually available worldwide so I would avoid buying it from Switzerland), Goldkenn and Camille Bloch that are quite good too. If you are into gourmet chocolates and truffles, make a trip to these 2 famous confectionaries: Teuscher and Sprungli. Teuscher is pretty renowned for their champagne truffles. Sprungli is a must visit confectionary for anyone visiting Zurich. At Sprungli, make sure to get Truffle du Jour (a chocolate truffle made with raw cream) which is meant to be consumed asap and Grand Cru Sauvage truffle which is made from Bolivian wild cacao beans. Both these places are very pricey but what is life without these indulgent joys.

Swiss watches and clocks

Real Swiss-made clocks/watches are known worldwide for their quality, reliability and intricate mechanics. The cheapest options will be Swatch and M-Watch. You can think of any brand name or a price tag and there will be an option available to buy. I even saw what CHF 30,000 watch looked like. Also, contrary to popular belief, Cuckoo clocks are not Swiss but German so if that is what you are look for, then my friend, you are in the wrong country.

What to see or do

For being the largest city in Switzerland, Zurich is quite small compared to other European cities. A lot of attractions are situated in the old town and can be easily covered in half a day. Here are some of my favorites:

Free Walking Tour Zurich

Since I didn’t do much research when I got to Zurich the very first day, I went ahead and took this tour. They take you pretty much all over the old town and city center area and even offer you authentic Swiss chocolate to try.

Grossmunster

This old Romanesque church has been the symbol of reformed Zurich. It’s cool to visit it from inside. For just CHF 5 (adult) or 2(student), it is possible to climb up small and steep stairs in the Karlstrum tower to get amazing views of the city. I personally don’t recommend it since there are other locations where you can get a good view of the city for Free.

Fraumunster

This old Gothic church is pretty famous for windows painting made by Marc Chagall.

St. Peter’s Church

This church has the record for the largest clock face in Europe. I am pretty sure a lot more people visit this to get a glimpse of the clock tower than to just pray.

Kunsthaus

On Wednesdays, you can check out Switzerland’s major art museum for free.

Landesmuseum

Visit this museum to learn more about Swiss history and traditions.

Lindenhof

For the best view of the city, visit this hill located in the heart of the old town.

Rhine falls

Yes, I know that this is not in Zurich proper. But this is the closest city to Europe’s largest waterfall. Why not take that 45 mins train ride to Schaffhausen to check it out while you are in Zurich?

One of my favorite things to do in Zurich was to just stroll around the beautiful alleys of old town. You can visit the bars of Niederdord or Langstrasse for happy hour or grab coffee and cake from many coffee shops.

If you are (and you should once) visiting Zurich during the holiday season, be sure to check out Christmas markets held all over the city. I visited the ones in Zurich HB which has a Swarovski tree, as well as the ones near art museum, opera house and Banhofstarsse.

What to eat

Eating out can be very expensive in Zurich or Switzerland in general. If you’re trying to keep the cost low, I would recommend buying foods from grocery stores to cook if you have an Airbnb with kitchen or just getting ready-made food to eat. I did get some food from the fresh food section (I believe they call it gourmet take –away) of Coop and Migros on multiple occasion and it was cheap and delicious. You can always buy cheese, bread and wine and have a picnic outside if the weather is good.

During your stay in Switzerland, I would highly recommend treating yourself to some local Swiss food even if it is for one nice meal. If you are in Zurich during Christmas season, you can find a bunch of local specialties in the Christmas market. Here are some local dishes that I tried while in Zurich:

Rosti

Swiss take on hash browns except it is way better. They grate the boiled potatoes and then pan-fry them with butter until crisp. You can get them as a side or a snack on the go.

Chnopfil

These are small noodle dumplings that have German roots.

Cheese Fondue

It’s literally a pot filled with melted cheese that you dip bread and other accompaniments in it. It’s the perfect treat during the winter season as it can keep you warm and cozy.

Raclette

I get it, Swiss love their cheese way too much and that’s why they put it in every single dish. This dish is melted Raclette cheese served on top of potatoes and pickles. I had it at a Christmas market but I am sure you can find it in restaurants too.

Zopf

This soft braided bread is a typical Swiss bread. You can buy it fresh from a bakery in the morning or grocery store and have it for breakfast.

Bircher’s Muesli

I am sure you have had Muesli before but you have to try some in the country of Dr. Bircher. If you want to try a “never have I ever had this amazing version of Muesli”, head to Sprungli store and have their berry infused and cream based muesli. Do remember that no other muesli will taste the same.

Luxembourgli

This pastry is sold exclusively by the Sprungli confectionary. It looks like a hamburger but is more of a soft macaroon except it is made from pastry and cream.

 

I can’t wait to share with you all the day trips I took from Zurich in my subsequent posts that show more of this magnificent country. Have you been to this winter wonderland? What were some of the ways you were able to save some money in this super expensive country? Are there any other local dishes you recommend I try? What were your favorite things to see or do in Zurich?