The city of Zurich, a global center for banking and finance, lies at the north end of Lake Zurich in northern Switzerland. The picturesque lanes of the central Altstadt (Old Town), on either side of the Limmat River, reflect its pre-medieval history. Waterfront promenades like the Limmatquai follow the river toward the 17th-century Rathaus (town hall).
Z¼rich is Switzerland’s biggest tourist destination.‚ The City of Z¼rich offers visitors from Switzerland and abroad a wide variety of cultural and sporting opportunities to enjoy with various events and public festivals taking place throughout the year.
Long known as a savvy, hard-working financial centre, Switzerland’s largest and wealthiest metropolis has also emerged in the 21st century as one of central Europe’s hippest destinations, with an artsy, post-industrial edge that is epitomised in its exuberant summer Street Parade.
Much of the ancient centre, with its winding lanes and tall church steeples, has been kept lovingly intact. Yet Z¼rich has also wholeheartedly embraced contemporary trends, with the conversion of old factories into cultural centres and creative new living spaces. Nowhere is that clearer than in Z¼ri-West, the epicentre of the city‚s nightlife.
Languages:‚ (Swiss) Standard German,‚ Z¼rich German (Z¼rit¼¼tsch)
Flight from Mumbai:‚ 9 hours 25 minutes
Best Time to Visit:
The best time to visit Zurich is between June and August, when average temperatures, which hover in the low 70s, make swimming in the lake possible. However, summer’s hospitable climate also makes it the most expensive season to visit. But even in the winter offseason, hotel rates remain high because of the nearby skiing on the Swiss Alps. If you visit in the spring or fall shoulder seasons, you might be able to find some reasonable room rates, but keep in mind that the city cools down considerably during this time of year.