24 Hours in Zurich

Zurich, Switzerland, here we come! Zurich is a modern city that was the perfect place to fly into for our most recent backpacking trip. As ironic as it was, Zurich was one of the cheaper places to fly into, even though Switzerland is overall one of the priciest countries we’ve visited in Europe. Here is a quick guide to our 24 hours in Zurich:

How We Got There

We flew into the Zurich airport, which was clean, easy, and accessible. Once we got there, we headed straight for the Zurich Flughafen, the train station conveniently located in the airport, and headed to the heart of the city. The train runs every 5 minutes to the Zürich Hauptbahnhof (Main Train Station) and is F-R-E-E...everyone’s favorite word.

Where We Stayed

Our Airbnb that was about a 10 minute walk to the Zürich Hauptbahnhof. PRO TIP: When traveling to cities for a short amount of time, I highly recommend staying near the main train stations. Typically, the main stations are in the heart of the city and it saves time, money, and the headache of navigating the cities alternative public transportation systems. Additionally, you don’t have to lug your stuff for miles...which is never fun. Ever.

What We Did

After a long flight, our eyes were set on finding authentic Swiss cuisine, but apart from fondue, we weren’t sure that existed. We stumbled upon a cute little Pub-Style Café called Baradox. The waiter suggested that I order a Bulmers Cider on Ice and the Beef Tartare, which is widely popular in Switzerland due to its proximity to the mountains and local cattle. It. Was. Delicious.

Next, we headed towards the Bahnhofstrasse to shop! This is where you can find all of the luxury shopping and look at all the Swiss watches that your heart desires. After shopping, we walked up the Lindenhof Hill for a beautiful view of the Aldstat (Old Town) along the Limmat River. At this point, it was definitiely wine-o’clock. We stopped at this beautiful spot called Barchetta Bar & Lounge and y’all know the basic girl in me ordered a Rosé!! It was a dreamy experience.

We ended our evening at a Swiss Beer Hall called Zeughhauskeller. This is where we ordered the first of many pints of beer. Seriously, the beer was larger than my head and I was not prepared for it in the best way. After dinner, we decided to call it a day and rest up for our next destination.

City Review

Zurich was a super fun start to our backpacking trip! I recommend this city, if you enjoy experiencing the luxuries of a modern city. Although Zurich was the perfect starting point for our trip, the real beauty of Switzerland is outside of the city. I would say you need no more than a day or two in Zurich to really see what it has to offer, then hop on a train and head to the Swiss Alps!

Odds & Ends

-Switzerland uses Swiss Francs, rather than Euros. Since we were traveling to Austria afterwards, we did not want to get out too much cash due to the high exchange rate. We were able to use our credit card in Zurich with no issues.

-Overall, Switzerland is a pricy city to visit. In order for us to make it as budget friendly as we could, we stayed in a shared Airbnb.

-Most people in Zurich spoke a hodgepodge of languages: German, French, and English. You shouldn't have any problems communicating with the locals.