or a long weekend in Zürich
Zürich is rich. Not only money-wise. It has everything a modern pal could wish for! Are you coming to visit? As a matter of fact, I am not the person to welcome my guest unprepared… I got you covered.
Four days are already a great start to some real Züri experience and here’s what we are going to do…
Day 1
A get-to-know walk
No matter which means of transportation you use to arrive to Zurich, THE final destination is always HB (the main train station). And this is exactly the place where I’d pick you up (except for if you’re my dad or my mom – I’d get you right from where the plane lands if I could..).
After hugs and 3 kisses (that’s how it’s done in CH) we’ll be up for a nice window-shopping walk on Bahnhofstrasse – the top posh place in da Town, where big guys guard Louis Vuitton and Cartier stores and where rich bankers take lines after work (mom, don’t ask).
Bahnhofstrasse is also the best place for people watching, which I find a very entertaining experience in every new city I visit. I bet you like it too, don’t you? Say “hi!” to Zürich and smile! This is where we start our trip trip trippin’.
D&Gs, PRADAs, ROLEXes ‘n stuff. Ya know. Just a casual day on the B-street
Evening nibbles
But I bet you’re hungry, aren’t you kiddo? Do you know where are the best Tapas? Spain you say.. No, not really. The best tapas I’ve ever eaten are in Zürich! That’s why now we’ll definitely go to Bodega Espagñola – ooh te amo tapa…
Bodega Espagñola is this place where you can come any evening be it Monday, Tuesday or Easter Sunday. It always has the same atmosphere – like you’re hiding from someone… Like you have a secret. A secret date, a meeting or just a secret wine glass in the middle of the week.
I bet you’ll love the place. It really does have this Spanish atmosphere. The oldish severs talk mostly Spanish and the whole place is somehow darkish and smellish. In a good way. Hihi. During the weekends you could spot some couples… who’re maybe hiding from their current marriages while drinking nice red wine, secretly caressing their lovers and nibbling not-too-expensive olives, and oh-my-god … No. I’ll stop talking. Let’s go!
On the way we’ll also pass Zürich Opernhaus. It looks pretty no matter the time of the day… doesn’t it
Porny drinks
Once you have good wine, there’s nothing else you need. Well… maybe some cheep wine could work… And a cheeky atmosphere. Let’s go to Edi’s Winestube !! This incredible bar is actually located next to a porn cinema! And yes, it really does have this funky charm in it.
A glass of red or white for CHF 3 (unbelievably cheap for Zürich), all sorts of nude action pics and posters hanging on the wall and souvenirs for every horny soul… An awesome place for not an awkward conversation at all. Just 1 hint: don’t go there with your dad… or mum.
Day 2
Morning lake stroll
It’s possible to take a boat ride to the other side of the lake… but this one is for lazy folks. We’re not lazy, aren’t we? 😉
Well here’s not much to say. Good morning! Had a nice relaxing evening, right? I bet it would be cool to see the prettiest face of Zürich right now – welcome to The lake of Zürich or die Zürichsee. Oh man, it’s nice. A natural perfection right in the middle of the city – a perfect start to the day…
OOh. If you brought sneakers, it’s even better! Let’s go jogging!
Totally hip lunch
We can also go try out the best burgers in the city… Heard there’s a place close to HIVE…
There’s Hiltl in Zürich – my absolute favorite lunch/brunch spot in the world! And I’m being serious right here. If I could, I would eat there every day.
“Vegetarian since 1898”
Hiltl is actually the oldest vegetarian restaurant in the world and it’s omfg-amazing(!). It has this huge buffet of whatever vegan and vegetarian dishes you wouldn’t have ever imagined… And even an incredible desert counter! I always take too much. I always wanna come back though… Fried Jalapeños is a must!
(Sorry, don’t have any pics. Maybe because I cannot think of snapping food when it looks so damn delicious!)
Artsy treatment
Alright! Now we’re talkin’. With our bellies full and satisfied, we can finally feed our minds. Landesmuseum is quite great. Just so you know – I’m actually against museums. I don’t like them anymore. But Swiss culture takes time to understand and The National Museum could help a lot.
Who’s Heidi? Why chocolate? No wars at all? The heck’s Swiss-german? This and more. Let’s find out. Let’s do it.
…dada pre-party
After an intelligence boost we probably need to loosen up our brains and go explore some hip hip bars. Did you know that Zürich has the most bars per capita in Europe? I do not kid you – that’s true (or…alternative facts?).
Also, have you heard about DADA? “It’s poetry but it’s also rubbish” – even Swiss make fun of themselves… Anyways, Cabaret Voltaire is a cradle of DADA. The Cabaret was founded in 1916 and featured many weird performance throughout the DADA times.. Till now it has this mystique vibe.. and post-soviet (whut?) interior. Why? Maybe a shot of absinth will help you understand…
Oriental dinner
After a warming hot absinth drink (yeah I know, a bit weird) I’d like to invite you to Maison Blunt – my fav. so far oriental restaurant in Zürich. It’s also real close to the party spot where we’re about to go right after the dinner! And don’t forget to try baklava for dessert… I mean it.
We can also cook or pre-party in-house. In Zürich house parties are pretty popular! Especially among young people between 18 and 99 😉
Hectic party!
Finally it’s time. LANGSTRASSE. If you’re in Zürich, there’s one word you have to know. And it’s definitely Langstrasse. (don’t mind the German.. they don’t speak German here anyways.. Swiss German is a bit more puzzling. A bit. More… Puzzling.).
On Langstrasse you can find whatever joy you’d like.. No matter if you’re into boys or girls or boys-girls… Whether you like to drink, to smoke… to sniff… to. Emh… Whatever. There’s everything and it gets pretty weird the later at night you’re there.
Langstrasse to me always looks like a bit of a magical place. There’re all sorts of party people, all different clubs… Balkan music, techno, r&b.. Everything. And it’s often very tempting to stay there till the very morning. Aren’t we doing it? Hihi.
It’s very likely we’re gonna end up in PLAZA or… La Catrina, HIVE or … Zukunft. We shall see about it. “MOTHERF**KING ANIMALS!!!” Haha!
BTW: Zurich’s Street Parade, which takes place in early August each year, is the largest techno-dance party in the world! Totally in for the next one…
Day 3
Hoppin’ on the mountains / Skiing
Panorama hike in Flumserberg (Walensee!)
Depending on if it’s summer on winter we’d adjust our plan a bit. Basically we’d choose between hiking and skiing (no shit Sherlock). I love both activities! Especially in Switzerland! And there are so many utterly beautiful spots around Zürich to visits which are literally within hand’s reach…
Flumserberg for amazing all-year hikes and easy skiing, Flims for a bit more of a skiing experience, Rothenthurm for cross-country skiing… And Uetliberg for nice above-Zürich views. Look at the pictures! No more words needed 🙂
Uetliberg – 20min train ride away
Cross-country in Rothenthurm
Day 4
Ughh. Such nice views. There’s nothing much to beat the mountains, so I won’t try to do so. But again, we can treat ourselves today with some real nice foods and experiences! Like…
Let’s go and try the most hip pizzas ever! Stripped-PIZZA is a total surprise every time I go there. They really have an unexpected and out of the box menu for those who are not afraid to try something new… Please try the #Foodporn pizza (yes, damn right with the hashtag) – it’s funny and great!
I always feel a real hipster there, because the food is super healthy, super colorful and there are so many weird drinks, which I’ve never seen. And it’s just somehow… young! Vibrant, funny, unexpected and real young. I Luv it.
And the last but not least! Let’s go to visit some cute animals at the Zürich zoo (I haven’t been there myself but heard it’s sweet !!!). Maybe then I will finally understand why the heck the symbol of Zürich is a lion…
Check it out. It really does look nice on the website –> http://www.zoo.ch/
And then we’ll go for coffee and desserts… and a little chat… and some loughter and some smiles… A little walk through the city. And we’ll feel warm sun on our cheeks, already a bit tanned from the mountain sun. And then we’ll talk to strangers and get a beer and smile with our eyes.. and listen to music and birds… and a lot lot more things…
Won’t we? So…. when are you coming? 😉
See you soon :*
P.s. get inspired for a longer visit to Switzerland
choochootrip 