Travel|36 Hours in Zurich
36 Hours in Zurich
You're on top of the city at the Lindenhof.Credit...Christophe Margot for The New York Times
By Robert Goff
ZURICH is divided into 12 districts, or kreise, but visitors generally don't venture beyond the Altstadt (Old Town), or Kreis 1, where the gears of capitalism move with Swiss precision. That's a shame because Zurich is more than a city of plutocrats and financial courtiers. Kreis 2, which hugs the west side of Lake Zurich, offers entertainment, youth hostels and handsome beaches. The industrial district of Kreis 5 is now filled with big-name contemporary art. And for youthful chaos and culture, take the tram to Kreis 4, where the red-light district has come alive with bohemian design, food and night life. "It's the difference between Madison Avenue and the Lower East Side," said Marc Spiegler, the co-director of Art Basel, who calls Zurich home.
1) SWISS PERFECTION
Like its sleek airport, all gray concrete and polished steel, Zurich can seem blemish-free and a little too perfect. A stroll through Kreis 1, the heart of Zurich, with its gorgeously preserved medieval and 20th-century architecture, won't disabuse you of that notion. Still, it's a sight to behold. For a terrific vantage point, walk south along the western bank of the Limmat River, dipping into the twisting lanes to window shop, and hike up to the Lindenhof (the nearest tram stop is Renneweg), site of a former Roman customs house that sits at the highest point of the Old Town and overlooks the water with views of the Alps.
2) BOUGIE BAR
To rub elbows with the captains of capitalism, sidle up to the Kronenhalle Bar (Rämistrasse 4; 41-44-262-9900; www.kronenhalle.com), inside one of the city's most venerable restaurants. Dark mahogany paneling, green leather walls and marble tables with legs designed by Diego Giacometti exude the Zurich of old money, discretion and fat Swiss bank accounts. Peek inside the restaurant proper, with its high ceilings and renowned art collection, though some of the best works by Chagall, Picasso and Miró have been sold. Resist the temptation to eat there, as good as the Alsatian and Bavarian classics are, and come back when the global economy has improved — or when someone else is footing the bill.
3) CROSSOVER FARE
Step out of the gilded cocoon of the Altstadt and into Kreis 4, where the Helvetia (Stauffacherquai 1; 41-44-297-99-99; www.hotel-helvetia.ch), a recently renovated restaurant and boutique hotel just over the Sihl River, divides picture-postcard Zurich and the grittier city you'll wish you had more time to explore. In the 1930s, the Helvetia was a meeting place for communists and other agitators. Today, it draws an eclectic mix of hipsters, yuppies and the occasional guy who looks as if he got lost on the way to a leather bar. The kitchen serves modern Swiss cuisine with a seasonal flair (the pot-au-feu with veal was terrific). After dinner, have a nightcap at the dark-wood-paneled bar downstairs or on the terrace overlooking the river. Reservations recommended. Dinner for two, with wine, about 140 francs, or about $130 at 1.08 francs to the dollar.
4) ART ESTABLISHMENT
With so much money sloshing around, it's no surprise that Zurich retains some of the world's fanciest galleries, many in a converted Löwenbräu brewery called the Löwenbräuareal in Kreis 5 at Limmatstrasse 270, just northwest of the city center. Blue-chip galleries include Hauser & Wirth (41-44-446-8050; www.hauserwirth.com) and Bob van Orsouw (41-44-273-1100; www.bobvanorsouw.ch). The complex is also home to the Kunsthalle Zurich (41-44-272-1515; www.kunsthallezurich.ch), a contemporary art museum run by Beatrix Ruf, and the Migros Museum (41-44-277-2050; www.migrosmuseum.ch), known for conceptual art. The building's lobby has an excellent art bookstore stocked with publications on current shows.
5) INDUSTRIAL LUNCH
After a surfeit of art, stay in Kreis 5 and stroll 10 minutes to Restaurant Rosso (Geroldstrasse 31; 41-43-818-22-54; www.restaurant-rosso.ch), which arguably serves Zurich's finest thin-crust pizza. Housed in a former warehouse, the crowded restaurant has an industrial look with concrete floors, glowing pizza ovens and, weather permitting, three terraces. If pizza is not your thing, Rosso also serves delectable pastas like spaghetti with squid and chickpeas, and a salad of fresh figs and Roquefort. The service at Rosso, which will be open on Saturdays starting next month, is harried and indifferent, but the food and lively atmosphere make it worthwhile. Lunch for two is about 60 francs.
6) NAUGHTY DESIGNERS
At night, the narrow streets of Kreis 4, a k a the red-light district, teem with sex workers. But by day, it's the young hustlers of culture who rule the area at fashionable boutiques, cafes and galleries. Design fetishes are satisfied at Bord (Badenerstrasse 123a; 41-43-243-6911; www.bord.ch), a stripped-down former garage in the building's courtyard that sells midcentury modern furniture by stalwarts like Jean Prouvé, alongside that of up-and-coming designers. For Swiss urban wear, pop into Street-Files Mini Mart (Badenerstrasse 131; 41-43-322-0323; www.street-files.com), a tiny storefront stuffed with funky T-shirts and items for the skateboarding crowd. Zurich's best young galleries are there, too, including the Claudia Groeflin Galerie (Dienerstrasse 12; 41-43-243-3923; www.claudiagroeflin.com) and Freymond-Guth & Co. (Brauerstrasse 51; 41-44-240-0481; www.freymondguth.com). For an extensive list of design stores, see www.kreislauf4und5.ch.
7) CAFE MANIFESTO
Dada was arguably the most important art movement to originate in Zurich, and it started at the Café Voltaire in 1916. Today the city's art cognoscenti have shifted east to Kreis 4, where they gather at the Restaurant Volkshaus (Stauffacherstrasse 60; 41-44-242-1155; www.restaurantvolkshaus.ch). The place looks like a grand restaurant from a half-century ago, gone slightly to seed: vaulted ceilings lighted by a maze of neon tubes, theatrical waiters and meat-heavy dishes like pork cordon bleu with lemon-infused mashed potatoes. Expect better-than-average food and, as the night progresses, a raucous bohemian atmosphere. Dinner for two, about 110 francs.
8) STILL COOL
Unwind, drink and dance with a 20-something pierced crowd at Club Zukunft (Dienerstrasse 33; www.zukunft.cl), an intimate storefront bar with a post-disco interior by the artist David Renggli. Zukunft is a mainstay of the Zurich club scene, and the place to start your late-night adventure into the city's night life. The music tends toward deep house, though a constant rotation of visiting D.J.'s keeps it fresh.
9) VEGGIE BUFFET
Please your doctor with brunch at Hiltl (Sihlstrasse 28; 41-44-227-7000; www.hiltl.ch), a huge vegetarian restaurant with an outdoor patio in the Altstadt. Founded in 1898, it has a spectacularly diverse menu — everything from Swiss staples like spaetzle to surprisingly authentic Indian curries with tofu and cauliflower. The casual atmosphere balances out the traditional chandelier-and-linen décor. Go for the buffet, which is priced by weight. Lunch can be had for under 20 francs.
10) BATHING AND BEAUTY
In warm-weather months, the Flussbad Oberer Letten (Lennsteg 10; www.badi-info.ch/oberer_letten.html), in the middle of Zurich, is a laid-back, all-welcoming, antiurban riverfront oasis. Bohemians and bankers, athletes and young mothers go there to unwind, swim and play volleyball. A patchwork of wooden terraces and squares of grass encrust the banks, with room to stretch out for a nap or picnic with friends. Cafes and small beer gardens abound, offering a perfect place to return to after exploring the larger city.
Several major airlines offer service between New York and Zurich. American Airlines and Swiss fly from Kennedy Airport; Continental flies out of Newark. A recent Web search found round-trip fares starting at about $650 for flights in late September.
Trains run regularly from the Zurich airport to the city center. The trip takes 10 minutes and costs about 6 francs, about $5.50 at 1.08 francs to the dollar. A taxi takes about 20 minutes and costs about 90 francs.
Hotel Helvetia (Stauffacherquai 1; 41-44-297-9999; www.hotel-helvetia.ch) reopened last December and is popular with a cultured international crowd. The 16 rooms are on the small side yet bright and stylish. There is no room service but the restaurant and bar are excellent. Rooms start at 180 francs. Ask for a room with a view of the Sihl River.
Greulich Hotel (Herman-Greulich-Strasse 56; 41-43-243-4243, www.greulich.ch) is a full-service boutique hotel with contemporary design — clean lines, glass and concrete abound. The 18 rooms surround a quiet, tree-shaded courtyard. Rooms start at 220 francs.
Dakini's Bread & Breakfast (Brauerstrasse 87; 41-44-291-4220; www.dakini.ch) is where the cool art kids from London stay, smack in the middle of Zurich's young galleries and surrounded by brothels. It's also a bargain, with double rooms starting at 130 francs.