ZURICH’S well-reserved Old Town on the banks of the Limmat River is home to countless places of interest that are just waiting to be discovered.
The city is a major centre of art with many galleries displaying painting and sculptures. There is also a choice of more than 50 museums. Innovative theatre productions and concerts, from classical to modern, are just some of the highlights features on the calendar of events.
Zurich welcomes children and museums are increasingly designing their exhibitions according to the motto: ‘Please touch or nothing will happen!’ There are also countless excursions ideally suited for families.
Shops offer exquisite articles made in Zurich and international luxury labels sold at the Bahnhofstrasse stores. A total of some 500 bars, nightclubs and discos provide a wide range of entertainment after dark.
During the mild summer evenings, the cosy bars and lounges along the river and lakeside bathing areas are popular meeting places. In Zurich, everyone can find a way to stay in shape - from the free rent-a-bike service to swimming in Zurich’s river and lake through to adventure sports.
Event highlights throughout this summer in Zurich:
• Open-air cinema – July 14 to August 3: a mild summer night, impressive scenery, tasty cuisine, refreshing drinks and a great selection of films under the starry sky
• Street Parade – August 12: attracts a million people in a setting with panoramic views of the lake and the mountain as a backdrop. Once a year, the lower end of lake Zurich throbs to the sound of music from the fascinating cavalcade of floats, Love Mobile, representing South Africa, India, Germany, Austria, France, Holland and Switzerland which crawls slowly through the city with all manners of dancers and revellers on board.
• World Class Zurich – August 18: the international athletics meeting is one of the largest athletics event worldwide.
• Zurich Theatre Spectacle – August 17 to September 3: When the summer of 2006 starts drawing to a close, the event serves up open-air theatre at its very best.
by Jonna Simon