Zurich: Restaurant Die Waid

For a really busy city, Zurich does not have many high rise buildings that give you a really good overview of the city. One option is to head to Prime Tower, where I had a drink at their roof top bar during my first night in Zurich. Another, is to head to Restaurant Die Waid which is located higher up in the hills and gives quite the stunning overview over the city, especially at sunset.

Zurich: Confiserie Café Sprüngli

When I was in Bern, I chanced upon this mini museum that showcased a series of items that were all created or had their origins in Switzerland. For example, aluminium foil was created in Switzerland! So, one of the listed Swiss original creations was the Luxemburgerlis. On first sight, it looks like a macaron. Hence, my first reaction was a “No way!”

Zurich: Zeughauskeller

Zeughauskeller is a very well known Swiss beer hall among locals and tourists. It is so well-known that the restaurant is smart enough to have menus in several languages for its many visitors. I had the chance to eat here after my day trip to Bern with Iz. We were quite lucky because even though we were without reservations, we were able to get a table after about a 30 minute wait. 

Bern: Altes Tramdepot

A visit to Switzerland is not complete without a visit to its charming capital – Bern. Situated in the West of Switzerland, it is an hour journey from Zurich by train. It is also a popular commute for people working in Zurich (or vice versa) make the train journey between Bern and Zurich one of the busiest. 

Raclette

I actually had Raclette on my second day in Zurich, before the visit to Le Dezaley for cheese fondue. Raclette is a Swiss dish made by melting the top layer of the cheese and scraping it away. We had Raclette the local modern way, Raclette at home using an electric table top grill with small pans.

As a first timer, I was ecstatic.

Zurich: Le Dézaley

I feel really lucky to have friends all around the world. It really makes a difference when you’re visiting their country and they give you all the insider local tips that allow you to enjoy the country even more. When I told Iz that I really wanted to have cheese fondue while in Switzerland, she did not hesitate to book a restaurant, even though technically fondue is a winter dish and we were deep in the middle of summer.

Bellinzona: Giardino Ristorante Pizzeria

Many people tend to categorize Switzerland into French, German and Italian speaking regions. Most of the sights in Switzerland can be found in the German/French speaking areas. However, what many people don’t realize is that the Italian speaking regions of Switzerland have their own unique sights to offer as well.

Basel: Fischerstube

One of the things that I feel really lucky about my trip to Switzerland was the weather. When I first arrived, I had a planned my entire week, but I had to rearrange that after Iz told me that the weather forecast wasn’t looking good and to save the good days for the mountains and the not so good days for the cities. However, the entire week when I was in Switzerland, I had good weather throughout. The rain forecast kept being pushed further and further back. Everyday turned out to be warm and sunny for the most part. Some days were cloudy, but the rain that kept threatening to fall never came. The weekend when I went to Basel with Iz and P was not exception. 

Lucerne: Wirtshaus Taube

While in Switzerland, I equipped myself with a train travel pass. What this means is that for 8 days in Switzerland, I was able to travel throughout the country using the public train, tram, subway, bus and ferry. Pretty and cool and convenient for the newbie traveller (like myself).

Zurich: Hiltl

According to Guinness World Records, Hiltl is the first vegetarian restaurant in the world. The company was founded in 1898 by Ambrosius Hiltl and continues to be run by the Hiltl family. It offers around 500 dishes and includes the à la carte restaurant and Hiltl buffet, self-service and takeaway.