Last week we spent a couple of days in Zurich. Our first impressions were good – friendly people, safe, quiet, really beautiful, affordable for us (more affordable than London, we instantly noticed), but perhaps not affordable if we were to live there.

I liked Zurich from the moment I stepped in it, but I think we walked away wanting a little more of Switzerland. Our collective gatherings from friends and colleagues is that the Alps are a must-see and that Bern is much more interesting. We obviously came in summer and were only prepared for a short trip. I might have been quite biased towards the large amount of ducks and swans on the lake, and the fact that the weather was so lovely when we arrived.

We went exploring on our first afternoon. There were a few boutique shops, but a lot of commercial clothing stores. We walked near the water and across many bridges. We found a park to sit in for a while. Despite having a nice time, it was really odd that the streets were so deserted at only 8:00pm or so. I think it made us feel a little uncomfortable, since it was just so boring and dull.

We spent some time in Lucerne, but the train from Zurich to Lucerne (return) was so expensive – 100Fr. That’s about $140 in Australian dollars, which would have been fine if the train was not just some super-slow vehicle travelling only fifty kilometres. :( We heard two boys, whom I think were still students, discussing the cost of travel and living. They also said the train was expensive…

However, we did buy some chocolate from Lucerne for our friends and families, which seems to have been kept safe in my suitcase despite the heat in Italy so far. 🍫 We survived the rain in Lucerne, though my oxford flats took a hit again. I’m thinking of returning them to the store I bought them from, which is a real shame because I really like them. I’ve already contacted customer service but I haven’t heard back from them yet.

We also saw the stone lion of Lucerne, a generally nice and peaceful place. We saw many tourists, and they all had umbrellas because of the rain. There was more to explore up the mountain like some rocks and flowers (with an admission fee) but it didn’t seem that interesting and I don’t think we missed out on much, especially since it was raining.

It was Nick’s birthday while we were in Zurich and I got him Scooby Doo pyjamas, because he was in dire need of some new ones, and he loves Scooby Doo!

We had some hearty Swiss meals during our visit and discovered some lovely spots of green and great views. But I think overall, Zurich wasn’t a terribly interesting spot. It was nice to visit but I think we will definitely plan for other towns in Switzerland next time.