It's kind of interesting that this street was once named after a ditch of frogs (Fröschengraben)…read more Well, actually the frogs lived in a moat along the defensive wall that surrounded Old Town Zurich prior to 1864. That moat would eventually become a major street connecting the train station to Lake Zurich. Currently, it is considered to be one of the most exclusive & expensive shopping boulevards in the world. It's Switzerland's Fifth Avenue or Champs-Élysées. Honestly, I had no idea until our tour brought us here. All I can say is that this is a designer shopper's paradise.
We walked along this ritzy street to get to the Bürkliplatz for a beautiful view of Lake Zurich. It was just nice to see the architecture and history here. There were many public art sculptures and cafés. We were there during the autumn season. I've read that this area is best seen during the winter months when they string up the "Lucy" lights all along the area. They are named after the "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" song from the Beatles. It looks amazing in pictures.
So, is it as beautiful as the Champs-Élysées? No, but it has its own charm. I'm sure it looks very magical at night. Maybe it's the view of the tram cables over the street that makes it feel like a busy railway. Although, I didn't see any traffic. Then again, the street is aptly named "Bahnhofstrasse" for a reason.
