Emily is a freelance travel and lifestyle writer. She loves nothing more than discovering new places - especially if they involve a cosy mountain hotel or a thermal spa. Actually, come to think of it, writing about the experience afterwards isn't too bad either.
Gazing into an icy chasm from a glass box strung on a wire? Travelling up the Swiss mountains can be scary, but let’s be honest, it's thrilling, too. And from cable cars to their smaller counterparts, gondolas, or even vertigo-inducing funiculars, Switzerland packs a punch when it comes to record-breaking modes of mountain transport. We’ve rounded up the most amazing, so clamber aboard for a hair-raising ride.
Sure, Christmas is a big deal, and we love a mulled wine and a carol concert as much as the next person. But alongside all the festive activities taking place in December, there are many brilliant non-Christmas events taking place in Switzerland, too. Find the best below... RECOMMENDED: Discover the best Christmas events in Switzerland this year
Discover some of our favourite events, unmissable workshops and top tips for unique eating experiences at this years spectacular FOOD Zurich festival, taking place at venues all over the city.
With up to one million spectators attending Zurich's Street Parade every year, the local bars and clubs get packed with a loved-up crowd who want to party on through the night, and pretty much most of Sunday too if they can. Many venues put on special events which often run through the day and well into the night, some of which have become almost as legendary as the Street Parade itself. Here's a few of our essential Street Parade parties that will keep you dancing until dawn.
All state-of-the-art angles with appealingly slick polish and digital delight, Samsung Hall is Zurich’s most modern venue, catering to concerts, exhibitions, trade fairs and events. Throughout, the emphasis is on cutting-edge infrastructure, with high-quality sound and light effects, a telescopic tribune, a hydraulic six-section stage, and a vast 120m2 LED screen. There are also pleasingly generous foyers, airy terraces and good in-house catering. Alongside space for 5,000 people in the main hall, it has an atmospheric club and a light-and-bright loft that cater to smaller events. It is handily located close to Zurich Stettbach train station - eight minutes from Zurich HB - but it has 250 car parking spaces too.
Quaglinos, a French-style brasserie in Zurich’s chic Seefeld area, has the 1920s bistro ambience down to a T. Tucked behind the Opera House on Lake Zurich, it is a charming space with mirrors, art nouveau works and windowpane-check napkins. A cabinet of spirits lines one wall, and French doors another, while wine bottles are arranged along a ceiling shelf. The effect is rounded off by the baguette and garlic butter served while you peruse the suitably French menu. Dishes include foie de gras canard and beefsteak tartare, as well as onion soup and mussels in white wine, or classics like cordon bleu. If you have room for dessert, try the ‘assiette de chocolat’ of mousse, warm chocolate cake and plums, but be sure to find somebody to share it with: it’s as rich as it is mouth-watering. Quaglinos is popular and booking is recommended. Ask for a window seat to enjoy excellent people watching, then while away a relaxed evening, French-style.
The riot of cherry blossom that greets you as you enter Metropol, a stylish restaurant occupying a jaw-dropping neo-Baroque building off Zurich’s Paradeplatz, sets the scene for what follows. Metropol cuisine is influenced by East Asia, with its menu featuring exquisite sushi and sashimi concocted by a Thai sushi master, as well as a range of modern Japanese-inspired house dishes, such as black cod with Udon noodles. Don’t miss the ‘Green Gold’, a fresh wasabi paste made with Japanese radish from the Izu Peninsula. Exciting blends of flavours – think chocolate and ginger or algae and sesame – pack a punch, while the surroundings are the epitome of serene. All tumbling chandeliers, spotlighting and slick mahogany hardwood, the minimalist interiors devised by designer Iria Degen are cosy rather than cold, with tables set in generous spaces that allow for privacy and make Metropol ideal for business lunches. Book one of the tables with couches to enjoy dinner in sumptuous comfort. There is also a café bar (its freshly squeezed juices are a winner) and event spaces.
Steinfels in Zurich’s trendy industrial quarter is like the friend who always lifts your spirits. The American-style restaurant, which occupies a cavernous former soap factory, is an explosion of orange and lime in a 1970s-inspired space set with polished wood tables of all shapes and sizes. Take a high table to enjoy views over the mixed crowd of students and business people, couples and groups of friends, and through glass panels into the house brewery, where Steinfels beer is made. Staff are happy to oblige requests for a quick tour of the beer-making process – an intriguing interlude to any visit. The house Indian Pale Ale is so good that there is little wonder many people go to enjoy the relaxed ambience over a drink. Food is equally enjoyable, however, and as varied as the clientele, ranging from hearty beer burgers to the fruity California salad, which will please the health-conscious. Service is efficient, making Steinfels perfect for a convenient dinner pre-film at the neighbouring Abaton cinema.
From slow food to fine food and street food… FOOD Zurich celebrates the Zurich region’s gastronomic diversity. Its first edition in 2016 attracted 62,000 visitors and around 200 food producers. Now, the festival is preparing to return with an 11-day programme to dazzle the taste buds once again. You might find yourself munching on forest-foraged fare or gourmet concoctions born of “Vörigs”, or leftovers – the motto of this year’s festival, which will celebrate pleasure and sustainability. With a whopping 150 events scheduled from 7th to 17th September, FOOD Zurich is lining up cookery classes, workshops, tastings and talks. Among the highlights, more than 50 Zurich restaurants will prepare gourmet creations using leftovers or produce that would otherwise be thrown away, with a series of events set to celebrate leftovers on 9th September. “We are really looking forward to the 11-day festival, where diverse makers from the food scene will gather in the kitchen or at the table to savour food and discuss trends and developments,” commented co-festival directors Alexandra Heitzer and Simon Mouttet. Events will be held in a variety of venues, from established restaurants to tunnels, museums, castles and apartments. Meanwhile, from 7th to 15th September, FOOD Zurich will host its own “Chuchi” at the Street Food Festival, as a platform for culinary creatives and professional and hobby chefs to experiment and philosophise. To open the programme, Zurich’s most renowned 5-star hot
Switzerland’s first aesthetic medicine concept store – Forever Boutique – needs your support to help make cosmetic treatments more accessible, affordable and glamorous. The Polla sisters from Geneva have a vision for aesthetic medicine that is set to shake up Switzerland’s beauty business. Building on the heritage of their pioneering dermatologist father, Dr. Luigi L. Polla, who founded Geneva’s Forever Institut, the four sisters are launching Switzerland’s first aesthetic medicine concept store, Forever Boutique, in Lausanne. “Our aim is to bring aesthetic medicine closer to you. We want to make it more accessible, more affordable, more glamorous. In other words, we want to reinvent established conventions and lower the taboos that exist around this subject,” explain Ada, Cyrille, Rachel and Roxane. They believe that looking good means feeling good – and that the concept should be open to everyone. In Lausanne, a city they see as “dynamic, young and trendy”, they will offer four face treatments that promise a “WOW effect”. As well as enhancing clients’ appearance and wellbeing with the highest quality products and procedures, the sisters want to offer a welcoming and friendly antidote to typically intimidating aesthetic medicine centres. To make the project reality, the sisters have launched an online crowdfunding campaign for anyone interested in Swiss beauty and lifestyle to raise an initial CHF 50,000. In return for financial support, investors will benefit from re
Whether you are a food aficionado, culture buff or spa-goer, Switzerland’s jam-packed 2017 events calendar features something for everyone. As we round up a few highlights, get these dates in your diary. Macht Ferien! Switzerland’s towering summits, sparkling lakes and chocolate-box towns have been captivating tourists for decades - in part thanks to the national tourism board’s enticing advertising campaigns. Now, as Switzerland Tourism celebrates its 100th birthday, tourism posters from the past century are set to go on display at the Museum für Gestaltung in Zurich. The exhibition will depict the development of mass tourism through mountain railways, helter-skelter roads and striking hotels. Expect to want to start planning your next vacation before your visit is up. The exhibition runs from 4th March to 9th July. Click here for more information. Worldwide Festival Leysin This huge British electronic music festival, which brings some 20 famous DJs to the Vaudois Alps for five days, combines electro après-ski and nightlife. Based on the established Worldwide Festival and presented by British radio star Gilles Peterson, the event is the largest of its kind in the area. Special lift passes are available for festival-goers. The festival will be held from 23rd to 26th March. Click here for more information and tickets. ©Courtesy of Worldwide Festival Leysin Cully Jazz Festival The smallest of Switzerland’s big jazz festivals, Cully Jazz shuns the pop extravaganzas popular
‘Tis the season for indulgence… but it doesn’t all have to be about Christmas dinner. Whether you fancy fondue in the sky or skiing for your dinner, invitingly wintry food events are taking place across the country. Skills to Savour: Christmas Chocolate The Alimentarium restaurant-cum-museum in Vevey on the shores of Lake Geneva is hosting seasonal workshops this December – on the theme of chocolate. The sessions, which are open to all ages and cost CHF 30 for an afternoon, take place under the watchful eye of an expert chef. More information and booking: www.alimentarium.org Hone your culinary skills at the Alimentarium this Christmas©Alimentarium Advent Dinner Climb aboard the ferry in Walenstadt on 10th December for a dinner that will certainly see in Christmas in style. The ‘Advents-Dinner auf dem Schiff’ event has a hearty menu featuring pork with potato croquettes and pear poached in red wine. Tricky will be keeping your eye on your food instead of the dramatic view across lake Walensee. The event costs CHF 89 for adults and CHF 44.50 for children. More information and online booking: http://www.walenseeschiff.ch/Angebot/Galerie#.WEBRSneZOCQ Enjoy good views over an even better dinner©Schiffsbetrieb Walensee Arosa Genussexpress A few tickets are still available for the Rhaetian Railway’s popular Arosa Genussexpress. The gourmet train journey from Chur through the beautiful Schanfigg valley to Arosa includes a three-course winter dinner dished up
There’s more to December than Christmas markets. Here is our round-up of some of the best little events taking place throughout the month … Antichambre, Geneva A secret location and a surprise menu are the order of the day at this reservation-only pop-up restaurant in Geneva. There are 12 dates set – from 30th November to 3rd December; 7th to 10th December; and 14th to 17th December – with the location for each dinner revealed at the very last minute to people who have booked a table. All the locations beggar belief, and feature a different chef and architect. More information: antichambre.ch Antichambre promises delicious dinners in secret locations©Antichambre Les Urbaines, Geneva An urban music festival with a difference, Les Urbaines, held in Geneva from 2nd to 4th December, has no headliners and all performances are free to attend. On this year’s programme are some 40 performances, shows, installations and concerts. The festival's main exhibition will be open until December 31st at Espace Arlaud. More information: www.urbaines.ch Christmas Midnight Run, Lausanne Run for a good cause – and have a whole lotta fun while you’re at it – at this year’s Christmas Midnight Run in Lausanne. Raising funds for Smiling Coast Gambia, the event costs CHF 25 to participate. As well as the 2.4km route, the fee includes warm African tea, an entertainment programme for children and a small surprise. The run departs from Place de la Riponne on 10th December at 8pm. Don’t forget y
Switzerland does Christmas to a T – wooden huts cram into its cities, where the scent of mulled wine and roasting chestnuts fills the air. But it’s also worth straying away from the city centres to find Christmas markets with a difference. Here are some of our favourites … Hip Christmas Showcasing the young designers of hip Zurich West, Heiliger Bimbam is a funky alternative to traditional markets. Find vintage-inspired clothing, locally designed jewellery and bags, retro homeware, books and cupcakes at around 100 stalls. It takes place at the MAAG-Halle, where it’s possible to shop until midnight. This is a thoroughly modern Christmas market, but happily one tradition remains – copious mulled wine. Heiliger Bimbam runs from 15th to 18th and 22nd to 23rd December; montagsmarkt.ch Zurich's Singing Christmas Tree draws visitors from far and wide©Zurich Tourism Rocking around the Christmas tree Follow the dulcet tones emerging from the Christmas market on Werdmühleplatz in Zurich and you’ll find it: this most lovely yet bizarre of festive events – The Singing Christmas Tree. Adult and junior choirs from across the region, arranged on a Christmas tree-shaped bandstand and dressed like Santa's little helpers, perform all sorts of music – including Christmas pop and carols – to a crowd huddled over steaming mugs of mulled wine. Daily concerts from 24th November to 23rd December; zuerich.com Wiehnachtsdorf in Zurich is said to be a "meeting place for all of Switzerland"
The trend for all things clean hasn’t escaped Zurich’s foodie scene. Whether you are vegan, gluten-intolerant, love juicing or like to eat organically, there is a restaurant or café for you. Here we navigate some of the city’s best healthy eating joints. Best for veggies … Hiltl became the world’s first vegetarian restaurant when it opened in 1898, and has since grown into a Swiss institution of meat-free goodness at its seven locations and veggie butcher’s. Also good are Tibits, a vegetarian buffet that recently opened a new branch in Zurich Oerlikon, and Samses in the industrial quarter, which does the city’s best veggie burger. If you’re vegan … … try Roots in Zurich. Everything is vegan – from the satisfying ‘protein salad’ with quinoa, tofu and beetroot hummus to the irresistible juices, which range from green to fruity. Another goodie is Elle ‘n’ Belle on Limmatstrasse: it has won a slew of awards for its vegan fare. Freshly juiced goodness … Don’t be put off by Sasou’s unassuming exterior: this locale on Langstrasse concocts creative smoothies and cold-pressed juices before your eyes. It also offers different cleansing programmes. Alternatively, get your circulation going with the ‘Green Power’ smoothie at Fruitiamo in Enge. For something truly exotic, try the freshly squeezed coconut juice at The Studio in Stadelhofen – while watching radio DJs at work. Being healthy on the go … … doesn’t get more convenient than takeaway Hitzberger (in Zurich and Basel),
You’ve plucked up the courage to ask that special someone out on a first date, but the question remains: where are you going to take them? Location can be a deal breaker, so to help you on the road to romance, we have rounded up our favourite first date spots in Zurich Up high Let Zurich do the talking: lake, mountains, beautiful architecture – what could be more romantic? From Clouds in the Prime Tower to Uto Kulm atop Uetliberg, meet for a drink and let the view do the rest. The zoo Afraid your date might be a bore or you’ll run out of conversation? Plan in plenty of entertainment from the monkeys at Zoo Zurich. A coffee shop It’s a classic: pick the right one and the conversation will flow. We like Café des Amis for its cute interiors and relaxing ambience. Ice skating Shake any ideas of a dodgy high school dance with strobe lighting and bad music. Set in romantic woodland, the Dolder ice rink, the largest of its kind in Europe, makes for a sumptuously glamorous first date. Food market They say food is an aphrodisiac, so give it a helping hand with a visit to a market. Stroll hand-in-hand around the stalls, share cupcakes or pick up ingredients to cook a nice dinner later (depending on how well the date goes …). Thermal baths So you’ll need to bare almost all, but you can hide underwater – and the romantic views from the rooftop pool at Zurich Thermalbad are worth it. Maybe just don’t go as far as the Roman-Irish spa on a first date … A pub This is ideal for sending a laid
Zurich, you're simply the best. And I'm not the only one who thinks so. Surveys vote you number one time and again, and they can't be wrong. Not just good looking but also full of substance, you’re a dream for everyone who knows you. And with the romantic setting you boast, I can’t think of a better place to spend February 14. If it’s not clear why already, here are some more reasons I'd like you to be my valentine this year. 1. All my friends think you’re fabulous. 2. You’re well travelled and multilingual. 3. You’re a looker and you know it. 4. You have high standards as a homemaker and I love coming back to you. 5. You’re business savvy but a nature lover too. How do you manage such a good blend of big city life with the great outdoors? 6. You always pick me up on time (well, almost always). 7. You never frown upon my sweet tooth and give me plenty of opportunity to indulge … 8. … and you’re only too happy to help me get in shape when I’ve gone too far. 9. You put up with my style mood swings without complaint, whether I fancy designer or vintage, hip or classy. 10. You give me plenty of opportunity for rest and relaxation, but you also know how to give me a good time. 11. You have expensive tastes but you can’t resist a bargain. 12. You accept everyone for who they are, whether they're into culture, music or art. 13. Although your cloudy disposition in the winter can be a bit of a drag, you always make up for it with sunny days to enjoy in outdoor pools. 14. You know how
Switzerland has a cosmopolitan feel, yet it would seem that foreign nationals are a cause for concern. In fact, almost half of the Swiss population is troubled by "foreigners", according to Swiss banking giant Credit Suisse. The Credit Suisse Worry Barometer 2015 revealed that 43 per cent of Swiss voters worry about immigration – making it the largest concern from a list of 37. Worries about Swiss relations with foreign nationals have been on the rise since 2012, writes the survey. Up from 40 per cent last year, the results perhaps come as little surprise given the approval in February 2014 of a popular initiative “against mass immigration”. Foreigners aren't the only thing keeping the Swiss awake at night, though. Also making them quiver in their boots are unemployment (41 per cent), pensions (38 per cent) and refugees (35 per cent). The pesky euro exchange rate hasn't gone unnoticed either, with it named an important issue alongside the European Union. At the other end of the scale - and rather unsurprisingly - there is enormous pride in Swiss neutrality, with 48 per cent describing it as the country’s main strength. It goes hand in hand with national pride - and let's face it, who wouldn't feel proud to come from such a stunning country? Certainly not many people: 94 per cent of voters are proud or very proud to be Swiss. The Credit Suisse Worry Barometer is now in its 40th year. It was conducted by gfs.bern on behalf of Credit Suisse, and surveyed 1,009 voters across S
Tantalisingly seductive yet exquisitely feminine, Emma Mylan transitioned from teenage punk to grownup burlesque dancer. The 29-year-old now trains would-be showgirls at her Secret Follies burlesque school in Geneva and is the artistic director of the Oh! La la! Chérie! fun striptease shows at Plaza in Zurich. In conversation with Time Out, she reveals why stripping on stage helps clear her mind, why women are so fond of burlesque shows and why she loves her Swiss audiences. How did you get into burlesque dancing? Two main things encouraged me to start creating burlesque shows: I am a dreamer, and I believe in the beauty of the world. I have also always been very interested in femininity and poetry – both characteristics that define burlesque for me. When and why did you decide to launch a burlesque school? Being naked on stage is a wonderful therapy. I think that taking off your clothes also clears your mind. The relationship you have with your body, other people’s perceptions of you – all those things become clear. I didn’t open a professional burlesque school to train women to become performers, but to help them develop their femininity and self-confidence. The best tip I can give to a budding burlesque dancer is: love yourself. My burlesque philosophy is that all women are beautiful if they love themselves. What can we expect from the upcoming Oh! La La! Cherie! shows in Zurich? The show combines glamour, humour, amazing costumes, breathtaking acts, eye-catching showgirls
If Swiss tennis star Stan Wawrinka is somewhat synonymous with pyjama shorts, he is tougher than he looks. Since he started playing tennis aged eight, the 30-year-old Lausanne native has gone on to win some 300 matches, among them two Grand Slam titles, and achieve a career high of world No.3. When he’s not honing his legendary backhand (which won him this year’s French Open), he enjoys relaxing in the Lake Geneva region and supporting the Lausanne ice hockey club. The tennis calendar doesn’t allow for much free time, though. Coming up soon is Swiss Indoors Basel, where Stan and fellow countryman Roger Federer are part of an all-time-best line-up that also includes nine more players from the top 15. The Basel tournament is one of Stan’s favourites, but he reckons people would also enjoy watching him and Roger play table football. He tells us why. How did you get into tennis? Did somebody inspire you? My parents wanted me and my siblings to practice some sports outside school. And since we lived next to a tennis club, we decided to play tennis. I didn't have an idol so to speak, but I always enjoyed watching Pete Sampras and Alex Corretja. When did you consider you played your best tennis, and what do you attribute it to? I'm really proud of how I played in Roland Garros. I played some of my best tennis against Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. I've always enjoyed playing in Paris, ever since I was a junior and won the junior event there. Being Swiss, this is the Grand Slam
