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.

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.

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.

My favorite city in Switzerland, Basel is both a big city and a small one. It's a major metropolis…read morefilled with culture, entertainment, restaurants and history. It is super easy to get just about anywhere via tram that runs all day with an interval of less than ten minutes between. Cell service is excellent throughout the city, too! Great museums including the Tinguely and the Kunstmuseum. Fabulous craft beers. It's close to the Alsace region of France so the wine shops are plentiful and relatively inexpensive. Christmas markets run from the end of November to early January. Fabulous access via rail with SBB, SNCF and DB from other major cities in Europe. And the EuroAirport has access to all the major European hub cities. Basel as a city dates back to the fourth century thanks to a fort built here by the Roman army and a church in 346. City walls started in 1230 and there was the usual antisemitic massacre in 1349. Basel joined the Swiss Confederacy in 1501 and the SBB railway station was built in 1907. Bombed by allied forces during WWII, but after the war, the city rebuilt and culture returned. Today, it is vibrant, cosmopolitan and exciting. It's not Zürich or Geneva. It's Basel! [Review 21237 overall - 84 in Switzerland - 202 of 2024.]

Love Basel - I don't feel like it gets as much love or attention as other cities in Switzerland,…read morebut it is a wonderful blend of nearby cultural influences making a unique local flavor. It is a fairly large city but still feels intimate at times; I never felt overly crowded by people. Very walkable coupled with solid public transportation options throughout makes it easy to explore all Basel has to offer!

You cannot miss the character these fresh water runnels add to the city. Take off your shoes and…read morerelax.

it s really nice with the little canals of water running through the streets of the old part. It…read morereally gives it character. I did stupidly think that Die Bächle was one specific little well or something at first.