Switzerland, I just love you! Zurich, Switzerland was the first stop on our trip to Oktoberfest! We also visited Freiburg, Germany, and Fussen, Germany. You can read all about those destinations as well! Since we flew from Orlando, flying into Zurich was the closest major airport to fly into before we began our journey to Germany. Since we only have one day to spend before we headed out to Germany, we hit the ground running as soon as our plane landed. I was so proud of ourselves because even after barely sleeping on our overnight flight, we dropped our bags at the hotel, refreshed in the hotel bathroom, and were out the door for the entire day! I was impressed!

Zurich, Switzerland is located at the north end of Lake Zurich in northern Switzerland and is actually the largest city in Switzerland! The Central Old Town (Altstadt) is seated on both sides of the Limmat River, and it is absolutely beautiful! We lucked out visiting Zurich in late September because the highs were in the 70’s and we were graced with sunny blue skies.

Since we only have one day to spend in Zurich, we opted to explore Old Town (Altstadt). Since it was so early in the morning, I had read and heard such great things about Café 1842. This very old coffee shop and cafe found in Old Town serves all types of delicious food. We stopped for coffee and croissants to fuel up for the rest of our day in Zurich.

The Old Town of Zurich (Alstadt) is home to such cute cafes, museums, and cobblestone streets. While we didn’t have a set plan (I know, which is not like me at all!), we decided to walk around and came upon Café Rathaus. This riverside coffee shop and cafe serves all types of delicious food, but we only stopped for drinks to enjoy the views ;) The weather was gorgeous and offered views unlike anywhere else I have been and seen, so we spent a good amount of time sitting here just enjoying being on vacation.

Since it was technically the “Oktoberfest” season, Zurich was doing its own celebrating, so we got our party started early in Zurich and enjoyed one of the many cafes all along the city!

If you’re short on time and looking to see the main sights to see,  walking through the Old Town will lead you in the right direction for you to see such beautiful sights. You can visit Grossmünster church along with many other great destinations just by walking through Old Town.

Other great places to visit:

Munsterhof: The largest square in Old Town

Fraumünster church: Famous for the stained glass windows

Max Chocolatier: Best chocolate shop in Zurich (Notes: Closes at 5:30 PM on Saturdays and is closed on Sunday)

Lindenhof: Historical Hilltop Square

Café Schober: Historic coffee shop

Gerold Chuchi Umbresllas: Located in an alleyway just off Geroldstrasse

Dinner Recommendation: Restaurant Boucherie Au-G-ust on Rennweg (In Zurich Altstadt)

Great Rooftop Bar:  Sonnenberg

Before you go, it is important to know that Switzerland is not part of the European Union (EU). Switzerland uses their own national currency which is Swiss Francs. Euros are accepted but change will be provided back to you in Francs. Switzerland’s four national languages of Switzerland are German, French, Italian and Romansh, however, most people do speak English as well.

Zurich is a wonderful city to visit, so if you have the chance, make sure to include this on your list of “Must Visit” destinations! If you’re looking to plan a trip here in the future, please reach out to me if you need assistance! I am happy to help!

Love and Travel Dust,

Molly