Zurich is the largest city of Switzerland and one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. It's located on the shores of Lake Zurich and its ravishing Old Town with lovely restored buildings, make Zurich one of the most popular destinations in the world.
They call it "Downtown Switzerland" and not without a reason. Zurich is the country's economic and cultural centre. It is the home to the world's fourth largest stock exchange and also the biggest gold trading centre. Banking, insurance companies, trading, tourism and commerce are the city's main activities.
Nevertheless, Zurich is more than a financial capital. The Alpine panorama, the combination of the old and new, the beauty of Lake Zurich and many other natural attractions, but also, state of the art facilities in classic convention hotels or to the largest multifunctional event hall, make the city an ideal venue for conventions, conferences and events.
The city's airport is directly linked to 127 cities and over 50 countries making the city easily accessible.
Zurich has the largest meeting hall in Switzerland, the Messe Zurich that has hosted events such as the visit of Dalai Lama in 2005, interactive conferences on human-computer interaction etc. Besides this, planners will find many hotels and conference centres within the city to accommodate their events.
Zurich is also famous for its efficient, clean and safe public transport system which includes trams, buses, S-Bahn (local trains) and of course boats for the lake and river.
A visitor can choose from a wide range of spectacular sights, such as the Opera House, the Fraumunster Church, the St. Peter's Church, the oldest church of the city, Urania Observatory which provides a panoramic view of the city as well as the galaxy and the stars. The Foundation E.G Buhrle Collection that hosts the works of Monet, Van Gogh, Seurat, Gauguine, Renoir and Picasso. Also the Fine Arts Museum, one of the most important European museums.
If you just want to walk around the city you can visit Belvoir Park and Quayside park or the Pestalozzi Park all of them very popular places to walk or sit and rest. If you feel like swimming there are several beaches nearby, the most popular one, the Tiefenbrunnen.
Certainly one of the sights that nobody must miss is the Zurich Zoo with the 11000 square meters Masoala Rainforest, an urban ecosystem where visitors can have a guided tour. For those who choose to take a daily trip, Engelberg Igloo Village on Trubsee Lake will be an unforgettable experience. People can stay in 10 sleeping igloos, wine and dine in the igloo bar, which can be also set up with tables and hot beverages for meetings. The heated whirlpool under the sky is the biggest hit of all.
Being in Zurich and not visiting the shopping centre, is of course out of the question.
Bahnhofstrasse is one of the world's most beautiful streets and also the centre of business in Switzerland. You can buy anything in this street from diamond rings to fur coats. Niederdorf, which is the old part of the city and it's more for young people and Lowenstrasse which is west of Bahnhofstrasse with lower range shops and a large branch of Migros, a department store chain.
When the night comes Zurich offers a great variety of restaurants and bars, cafes and theatres to enjoy. There is a great variety of bars from "fancy" clubs to places where someone can chill out.
Zurich does not experience extreme weather. The temperatures range between 5°C and -5°C) in winter. Zurich rarely gets to 30°C in summer and rarely experiences uncomfortable humidity so activities don't stop throughout the year.
The Swiss are friendly and hospitable people and life in the cities is secure. They have an independent spirit and a respect for tradition. The seasons are marked by traditional festivals and popular pageants.
Zurich has won the top ranking as the city with the higher standard of living for seventh year in succession. It comes with no surprise that Zurich remains a very popular destination for either plain visitors but to meeting planners as well.
Contact information
Zurich Tourism, Convention Bureau
Address: Stampfenbachstrasse 52, P.O. Box, 8021 Zurich, Switzerland
Email:congress@zuerich.com
Web: www.zuerich.com
T. +41 44 215 40 30
F. +41 44 215 40 99