Interesting Green: Summer cities in Switzerland

WEEKEND TODAY, April 24 - 25, 2010, TRAVEL, PAGE T26
http://imcms2.mediacorp.sg/CMSFileserver/documents/006/PDF/20100424/2404TRW026.pdf
By Trixia Carungcong, trixia@mediacorp.com.sg

PHOTO: http://www.brightevent.ch/uploads/tx_brighteventevents/Zuerich.jpg

Two days in Zurich

Constantly cited for its high quality of living, the cultural and business capital of Switzerland offers an array of attractions for art connoisseurs, shoppers and nature lovers. Explore the city on foot or get a ZurichCARD 24-hour ticket that allows you to hop on to any local tram, train, bus or boat, as well as free admission to most of the city museums.

Wherever you want to go, you can be sure to get there on time, Swiss-style.

PHOTO: http://7bna.com/up/uploads/91583a7de6.jpg

Day 1

10am: Start out with a stroll through the Old Town, and be assured that the city is small enough for you to get from Point A to B quicker than you think. Saint Peter’s Church, which has the largest clock-face in Europe, is hard to miss. Close by is the Fraumunster Church, which has stained glass windows by Marc Chagall. Across the River Limmat stands Grossmunster Church with its twin towers. Pass through the old shopping areas to Schipfe, the artisans’ street in one of Zurich’s oldest districts.

PHOTO: Limmat River and Zurich City Centre.
http://www.edwud.com/photos/limmat_river_and_zurich_switzerland.jpg

PHOTO: Fotos de Zürich - SkyscraperCity
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/2300/seefeld16fm6.jpg

11.30am: Make time for a cup of the city’s best hot chocolate at Schober Confiserie (www.conditorei-schober.ch) and indulge your sweet tooth with a slice of pie or apple strudel.

PHOTO: eine Filiale der Confiserie Teuscher. Wie alle Teuscherläden zauberhaft
(A branch of the Confiserie Teuscher. Magical Teuscher Shop)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3510/3465721008_7b564eb3ce.jpg

PHOTO: http://www.wirheiraten.ch/data/homepage/4960/2480/zsg1.jpg

1pm: Take a two-hour boat trip from Zurich Burkliplatz to Rapperswil, the city of roses, and have lunch onboard while watching the lakeside villages pass by. At Rapperswil, stroll through the medieval town centre and the rose gardens.

PHOTO: St.Gallen Hotels | Wildhaus
http://www.schweiz-hotels.de/Rapperswil.jpeg

PHOTO: Bike trip to Rapperswil
http://joshandbeverly.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/rapperswil_roses.jpg

7pm: Dinner of rosti with veal and mushrooms in cream and white wine sauce at Oepfelchammer (www.oepfelchammer.ch).

PHOTO: http://www.ccstaefa.ch/oepfelchammerschild.jpg

Then move to its old tavern where artists, writers and students used to hang out in the late 1800s to debate politics and religion. If you’re up for a challenge, ask the staff if you could climb up the ceiling’s massive beams and hang upside down while drinking a glass of wine. If you manage to do that without spilling the drink, you can carve your name anywhere on the oak-panelled room.

9pm: For a taste of the city’s legendary nightlife, walk around Zurich-West, an ancient industrial quarter that has bars, restaurants and bistros (A small cafe, usually serving modest, down-to-earth food and wine. This word is also sometimes used to refer to a small nightclub. The French bistrot means "pub"). Try the local wines, most of the country’s wineries apparently produce just enough for local consumption.

PHOTO: http://galenfrysinger.name/eh61/zmuseum22.jpg

Day 2

10am: Get a history lesson at the Swiss National Museum (www.landesmuseum.ch), which houses the largest collection of the country’s cultural artefacts, just behind the main train station.

English translations of the display details are printed on boards at the entrance to each room.

PHOTO: Adler's! Swiss Chuchi!
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/17/23092615_f79bbc193c.jpg

Noon: Lunch of raclette, melted cheese eaten with potatoes, pickles and meat, or fondue at Adler’s Swiss Chuchi (www.hotel-adler.ch). Choose a seat outside of you don’t want to smell of cheese for the rest of the day.

PHOTO: リマト川からほど近い Hotel Adler のレストラン Swiss Chuchi
(Limmat River near Hotel Adler Restaurant Swiss Chuchi)
http://www.kawa.net/photo/200710-europe/images/dsc_0849.jpg

PHOTO: The Diva: Zuerich. Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland
http://www.friendlyswiss.com/images/Zuerich/bahnhofstrasse_2.jpg

3pm: Walk around Bahnhofstrasse, one of the world’s most famous shopping streets, which stretches more than a kilometre from the main train station.

PHOTO: Bahnhofstrasse Grieder.jpg - Wikimedia Commons
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Bahnhofstrasse_Grieder.jpg

PHOTO: Bahnhofstrasse: Banhofstrasse on a parade day
http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/3c/4f/e2/banhofstrasse-on-a-parade.jpg

PHOTO: Bahnhofstraße
http://www.kendenton.org/ducati/2009-06-04%20alps/D31_2363.jpg

PHOTO: File:Dübendorf - Bahnhofstrasse IMG 0974 ShiftN.jpg - Wikipedia
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/D%C3%BCbendorf_-_Bahnhofstrasse_IMG_0974_ShiftN.jpg

PHOTO: Bahnhofstraße 5
http://www.nocterra.com/images/10053_a.jpg

PHOTO: In the blazing heat and humidity, I noticed quite a few women prancing along the bahnhofstrasse wearing miniskirts and sheepskin, furry winter boots.
http://www.englishforum.ch/attachments/daily-life/7917d1247852981-sweaty-feet-pink-furrywuga1_575x430.jpg

PHOTO: In line to order Confiserie Sprüngli's renowned Luxemburgerli macaroons.
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa180/passionateeater/Sprungli.jpg

5.30pm: Step into Confiserie Sprungli (www.spruengli.ch), where you can get high just by smelling the sweets. There are whole slabs of chocolates, macarons, truffles and pralines which you should pick over the usual pre-packed candies.

By Trixia Carungcong, trixia@mediacorp.com.sg

PHOTO: Mountain of Airy Chocolate Ganache-Filled Macaroons from Confiserie Sprüngli
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa180/passionateeater/Sprungli5.jpg

PHOTO: Confiserie Sprüngli. Luxemburgerli store display
http://thewanderingfoodie.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/luxemburgerli-display.jpg

PHOTO: Sprüngli's Luxemburgerli macaron
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w220/gurdyk/confiseries/macaron1.jpg

PHOTO: spruengli_bild_02.jpg

PHOTO: Zürcher Unternehmen verarbeitet die Confiserie Sprüngli
(Zurich company runs the Confiserie Sprüngli )
http://www.proudmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/confiserie_01.jpg