Visit Zurich in 2 days – a weekend in the heart of Zurich – Day 2

Day 2 in Zurich: Visit of Zurich West and walk around the lake

Today, Lake Zurich-West and Lake Zurich are on the agenda.

Yesterday you saw the old town of Zurich and recovered in the SPA and then certainly slept deep and well (visit Zurich in 2 days – a weekend in the heart of Zurich – day 1).

Breakfast

I think the breakfast at the 25hours hotel tasted good after day 1 (link). The selection is large and a real treat for the taste buds! Yoghurts with fruity aromas, savoury dishes, fresh fruit, pastries, jam, eggs and bacon, in short, a great way to start the day!

Walk in Zurich-West

For this second day I recommend to spend the morning in Zurich West and visit every corner. I would even advise you to go along the streets of this former industrial district with all your intentions! It is the new trendy and hip part of the city. Away from the luxurious boutiques and jewellery shops of Zurich's city centre, you will discover a different face of the city, much more accessible and cooler.

The Friday brand shop, which consists of colorful containers stacked on top of each other, will surely be very much appreciated. Just the cool feeling when you climb up through a tower of containers is worth a visit. Look at the picture in the link.

Take advantage of the lower prices to take a short shopping trip in the viaduct, under the arches of a former railway viaduct. Delicatessen shops, clothing stores, sports accessories stores and galleries, you've found something that will keep you busy for just over two hours…

Lunch at Beetnut

Continue your visit to the district on foot, then go to your gourmet lunch appointment: the Bednut. We enjoy delicious bowls, colorful, sweet and salty! The Beetnut is an excellent discovery in Zurich, one of the best addresses in the city. Let yourself be seduced for dessert by the "Aloha Blua" bowl, I won't tell you more! Again, do not forget to book! Continue with the satisfying feeling of having eaten well and healthy.

Lake Zurich

Our digestive walk takes place on the shores of Lake Zurich. The place is so peaceful… Enjoy the nature that invites you to the lakeside town. Some joggers will meet you, as well as families with children. The children enjoy feeding the swans in the water and attract many seagulls around them. Nature is so present on the shores of Lake Zurich that you feel close to the city and easily accessible. You can see yourself on the top of the snow-capped mountains that seem so close… even if you already have the privilege of admiring them from the lake shore. Autumn colours on the lake also offer us an incredible panorama.

Near the lake there are stalls with roasted chestnuts to warm up when you are here in the colder season. In summer, of course, you will find ice cream stands.

If you have time, take a short tour on the lake, with the Zurich Card it is free of charge. During 1h30 you can see the small villages along Lake Zurich. The starting point is the Bürkliplatz. There you will also find the counters of the Lake Zurich shipping, if you have any questions.

Sechseläutenplatz and Opera House

After a relaxing walk on or a tour on the lake, stop for a few moments to see the Zurich Opera House on The Six rings square in front of Zurich-Stadelhofen station.  In spring, the famous Six Ringing takes place on this square, where the "Böög" is burned at 6 o'clock. You can also find a picture of the "Böög" via the link.

In front of Stadelhofen station, next to the Orell Füssli and the integrated Starbucks, there is also a Mövenpick ice cream café. If you like, enjoy a ball or two. Here, however, you definitely notice that you are in the heart of Zurich when you come to pay. A single scoop of ice cream will cost you CHF 4.60!

Continue walking or bathing?

Then (shocked or not) continue your city trip in the old town of Zurich. Go back to the Niederdorf to stroll a little longer to discover Zurich. And yes, a visit to Zurich in 2 days allows you to take your time! Another option in summer would be to take a dip in the lake, be it in one of the many seaside resorts ("Badi") or on your own; but more on that elsewhere.

I would have two shopping tips here, from shops that you can only find in Zurich: On the one hand, the children's bookshop with a huge selection of children's books and children's gifts. The sales staff is excellently trained and competent. The shop is very well known, appreciated and popular with Zurich teachers. The second shopping tip right next to it is the game shop "Rien ne va plus". Here you will always find the latest board game and played by the equally very competent salespeople themselves. You will always find someone in the store who can competently explain, assess and give you tips on the game you want.

Afterwards, treat yourself to a last break in the Café 1842 in the house Conditorei Schober.

After this delicious moment of calm, it is unfortunately time to return home. Take the tram again. Zurich "the tram" to the hotel to get your things!

Visit Zurich in 2 days – Last (advertising) words

Even if Zurich is a rather expensive city, it remains a good idea for a weekend with friends of your partner. Even with children it is very worthwhile, especially because of the safety, cleanliness and the many offers. But to Zurich with children another time more. You will definitely be very pleasantly surprised by this beautiful city.

Especially beautiful and special is probably that here you will find city and nature so close and easy side by side and in each other.

Practical information for your visit to Zurich in 2 days

Below I will be happy to give you some practical information for a visit to Zurich in abbreviated form. Please note the other blog entries, which are much more detailed, e.g. here: Preparations for the trip to Zurich: Tips for tourists.

Language

Zurich is located in German-speaking Switzerland, so the official language is German. You can also hear Italian, French or English, the other languages spoken in Zurich. If you speak English, you will have no problems and will be understood almost everywhere. And another somewhat stupid but actual effective tip: If you need or want to ask someone in English on the street, ask ladies and gentlemen in suits, who can almost certainly English.

The usual language is Zurich German or Züridütsch. Here are two phrases in the Zürid'tsch that you can use during your stay in Zurich: "Grüezi" or "Salü" to say hello, and "Tanke" (the German "thank you") or "mérssi" (the French "Merci"), to say thank you, now you are ready to take the people of Zurich to Impress!

Currency

The currency in Zurich is the Swiss franc (CHF). Although many shops accept euros, it is still advisable to exchange change at the exchange offices at the airport or at Zurich Central Station.

Life in Zurich is quite expensive… You have to plan a certain budget for your stay here, especially if you like to eat and shop!

Thrive

If you visit Zurich and you only have 2 days, it is quite convenient if you can use tram and bus. As an alternative to the Zurich Card, you can simply buy a day ticket for public transport in Zurich (city zone 110 only) every day (CHF 8.80 for 24 hours, the same price as two single trips).

The train connection between the airport and Zurich Train Station is also very convenient, as you are in the city withthe S2 or S16 in just 10 minutes from the airport. What a pleasure not to waste time if you only have one weekend to visit such a beautiful city!

A piece of advice from the Zurich Insider: Don't take a rental car if you stay in Zurich! Parking spaces are extremely expensive, rarely found and the city is mainly designed for pedestrians. Also be aware that parking, speed and other buses are very high for European conditions.

Practical note for a visit to Zurich

If you want to visit Zurich for 2 or 3 days and see the different facets of the city, I recommend the Zurich Card! If you arrive by plane, it is best to buy the card first at the airport and then take the train to the city centre. This round trip costs you CHF 13.60 (together). So you have already used part of the Zurich Card (CHF 53 / 72h). However, if you really do not visit museums (admissions are usually +/- CHF 10) and do not want to use anything else, you can simply buy day tickets for the city of Zurich (CHF 8.80). For the journey to and from the airport, however, you still have to solve the connection for ZVV zone 121, as the airport is not in urban area.

The Zurich Card offers several advantages:

  • Free and unlimited transport in Zurich and directly surrounding areas: train, bus, tram, cable car, etc.
  • Free small boat trip on Lake Zurich (attention: not valid for the whole of Lake Zurich!)
  • Free visits to many museums
  • 50% discount on the Old Town tour in Zurich's Old Town
  • 10 to 20% discount in selected Zurich stores
  • Gourmet surprises in some restaurants in the city

Unfortunately, the card is only available in 24-hour or 72-hour formulas. The 48-hour card does not exist, so you have to take the 72-hour Zurich Card for two days. This is still advantageous and very practical, especially for travel in the city!

Your Zurich Card will be activated on the first bet. Ideally, this is just the drive from the airport to the city center!

I am happy to have made you a little more interested in Zurich with "Visit Zurich in 2 days – a weekend in the heart of Zurich – Day 2". Look at the other contributions here on ZurichInsider.com. Comments, questions or updates are welcome via contact.

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