Niederdorf is the area of Zurich across the Limmat river from Lindenhof and Schipfe. It's more…read moretouristy in terms of shopping and there is more of a nightlife in this area. Unfortunately, that means it is also more expensive. It's definitely an area to check out, and is not too far from the old town hall, Grossmuenster cathedral, University of Zurich, or a couple of museums. 80/2025

Located in old town Zurich, this is a wonderful place to walk around and look at the shops, eat…read moredinner, grab a drink, and see some local landmarks. With plenty of restaurants, you are bound to find a place with good food and great atmosphere! The options are endless. Multiple shops line the street, from designer labels, to old antique shops that sell Swiss knives. The old river runs along side the street, as well as some popular church's, including the Grossmünster Church. The area has beautiful architecture, and during the holiday season, is lined with Christmas lights. As we walked along, we enjoyed window shopping, ending with a good dinner. Definitely a good way to spend the evening.

Amazing views of the city of Zürich, Zügersee (Lake Zürich), and the Alps. Take train (S10) which…read moreruns every 30 minutes (05 & 35) then walk up the small mountain to be rewarded with stunning views. There is a restaurant, a lookout area and a separate tower at the top. The lookout area is free. The tower offers 2 levels (30 m and 72 m) of views for free. The highest level of view (900m) will cost 1 or 2 franc. From this small mountain, you can hike various paths ranging from 0.6 km to several km. I wish I had the time and the right shoes to hike one of the paths. I'm sure the experience would be well worth the effort.

An absolute must when you visit Zurich! You can hike up or you can take a simple tram ride, but you…read morewill get the best views of the city! You can goto the top of the tower for only CHF 2 and there you can really get a stunning panorama of the city and its surroundings.

Helvetiamarkt and Velobörse both make good use of this open square. It's an excellent venue, but…read moreI'm not sure I'd come here just to enjoy the scenery --- when it's empty, it's pretty empty. There is a nice little playground across the street, but the street traffic and surrounding concrete buildings mean this isn't my favorite place to sit and sip coffee.

I've ridden funiculars in Paris, Santiago…read morehttps://www.yelp.com/biz/funicular-santiago?hrid=3MQbf-z1mZ0YI2yaEHqOww, Porto, https://www.yelp.com/biz/funicular-dos-guindais-porto?hrid=p8mBuupTw8wfxJBP4NpWcg, Bilbaohttps://www.yelp.com/biz/funicular-de-artxanda-bilbao-3?hrid=hmbNvBc8ogW1jtU-OhPk8Q, and Pittsburgh https://www.yelp.com/biz/monongahela-incline-pittsburgh?hrid=xqDMRikx8G0Ub2VXJaNPoA. They're fun and interesting and a bit of a step back to simpler times. I had the opportunity to ride the Polybahn in Zürich which is a quick half kilometer ride from Central Square to the Polyterrasse of the ETH Zürich. The train is owned by the UBS AG banking group but operated on their behalf by the Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich who run the city's tram network. Easy enough to board, ride and enjoy. It's over quick, so be ready! [Review 16479 overall - 28 in Switzerland - 1987 of 2021.]

Cute little Standseilbahn (cable-balanced car system, like a diagonal elevator). Not a long ride,…read morebut a pretty one. No longer directly powered by buckets of water, sadly. Useful if you're headed up the hill to ETH --- makes a nice change of pace from the trams, which have a much more roundabout route, but run more frequently.

I only went here as its where the free Zurich walking tour starts but once at this square, loved…read morethe architectural styles mish-mash. The UBS HQ building was this awesome Art Deco modern behemoth that wouldn't look out of place in Berlin, while then immediately next to it was the fancy Neo-Baroque style of the Credit Swiss bank HQ that looked like something straight out of Prague streets. There was also the very fancy Savoy hotel located in the square, but am not sure if the cost would be worth the view of the trams? Oh one other note, our tour guide said that this was originally a farmers market and known as the square of Pigs - I think there is a certain poetic justice with bankers working there in the now renamed square :)

I mainly view Paradeplatz as a transportation hub. You are able to pick up the 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11,…read moreand 13. There may be others but these are the only ones I can guarantee. UBS and Credit Suisse are both headquarted here. The Savoy hotel overlooks the square. There is a large Sprungli here as well. Toilet facilities and a kiosk are also available for those waiting on a tram. A couple hundred years ago it served as a live stock market where the popular item to trade were pigs. This is often the meeting spot of the local Zurich informational walking tours.

Of all the used bike sales and bike auctions I've been to, this was by far the best --- and,…read moresurprisingly, the mellowest. Need a basic used city bike for getting to class and back? CHF 150. Want something simple to leave at the train station? CHF 100. Want an almost-new commuter with a working generator and V-brakes? CHF 400. Want a nicer bike for weekend rides? Well, that's a little trickier... Test rides are easy --- bring an ID to leave with the gatekeeper, and pop across the street for a few minutes. Checkout couldn't be simpler (as long as you bring cash) --- each bike has the no-haggle price on a form, along with the owner's name. You take the bike to the checkout stand, pay your money, and get your receipt; the operators deal with giving the money to the seller, so you don't need to wait for them to make change. No cards accepted, though --- so bring plenty of large bills, so nobody beats you to a good bike while you're at the Bancomat. I was looking for a good heavy-duty commuter for my wife, and a nice mountain bike for Altberg (and occasionally Üetliberg). The first one was easy --- quickly narrowed it down to a few, and picked a good one. The mountain bike was more of a stretch --- there were a few around, but several were too large, one was too downhill-oriented (I can live without three chainrings, but do need two), and many, many were too old (I'm trading up from a late-90s steel hardtail --- I don't need another). Did eventually find a 2005 Specialized FSR that had been pressed into city duty --- it's back in the mud and woods now.

It's the viewing terrace on the hill in front of ETH Zurich University. You can either drive up to…read moreit, or take the Polybahn funicular. It's where local residents, students, and tourists gather to view the beautiful cityscape. We visited it on a Sunday morning. It appeared to be a good time as there were only about 10 people there. There was plenty of room to soak in the view, and the sounds of the church bells ringing. The best part is that it's free to the public. Another cool & free thing to do up here is to visit Einstein's locker at ETH. There is also FocusTerra for anyone who is into science & physics as well as the Natural History Museum. You could probably spend a whole morning or evening around this area. It was a very scenic view on an observation area surrounded by chestnut trees in Autumn. A lovely experience!

After riding the Polybahn to get here, we wandered out onto the Polyterrassee for the amazing view…read moreof Zürich old town. The huge building behind was constructed in 1864 and the University of Zürich 50 years later. We were fortunate to find the space almost completely deserted and at the furthest corner, enjoyed an amazing panoramic view of this beautiful city. From Zürich all the way to the skyscrapers and with the mountains in the background. This spot is perfect for picnicking, sunbathing (not in late November!) or just enjoy the fantastic view of the city. [Review 16480 overall - 29 in Switzerland - 1988 of 2021.]